10 Wins

[jacknicholson]

Devan Bawinkel
Andrew Brommer
Jarryd Cole (transferred)
Brennan Cougill (transferred)
Aaron Fuller (Transferred)
Matt Gatens
John Lickliter (transferred)
Eric May
Nick Neari
Cully Payne (eventually transferrred)
Anthony Tucker (drunk)

That's the mother f'in roster that Fran was looking at prior to him accepting the position at Iowa. That team accomplished what no other Iowa Hawkeye basketball and had the worst 3 year run in program history.

This program sucked donkey balls and was completely unwatchable. No coach in their right mind would come here and take over that program.

It took 3 years to land the first 'big' recruiting class and we won 25 games in 2012-13 season. I'll readily admit that we plateaued a bit but we made the NCAA tournament last year for the first time in recent history. I would bet anyone that we would make the tourney again this year too.

Now we've started to land some kids from Chicago, a truly needed area of recruiting that we haven't touched since the Mr. Davis days.

I'm all for calling out Fran when he does stupid **** like play Oglewinkel for any period of time and I'm almost positive he made a deal with the devil that would mandate T-Rex getting starters minutes at the C position.

This team has talent. This team continues to improve at the player level whether you want to see it or not is up to you.

Fran's here for another 3 years at least unless he shows himself to the door, which I don't see happening.

Our biggest mistake as a fan base was to start calling for the "Next Level" when Mr. Davis Davis was here.

Let me give you a last bit of warning. We beat a top 25 team in North Carolina. Our only losses on the season are to top 25 teams. Those losses are not going to keep us out of the tournament. It's not like we are losing to NJIT and EMU with 4 and 5 star recruits on our roster...just think about that before you start calling for a coaches head that has resurrected a program from a pile of dog ****.

WOW, very well put, 12345, Jarryd Cole was a senior Fran's first year. He had that toughness inside and commanded respect.....

 

[jacknicholson]

Jarryd Cole definitely didn't transfer. The Purdue game on his senior day was a fun game to watch. Seeing him sent out like that was a pivotal moment in Fran changing the culture of the program. Outside of that, good post.

This team isn't an elite team by any means but it is drastically better than the one Fran inherited. Iowa State can shoot the ball. When they are hot, they can beat anybody in the nation, yes maybe even Kentucky if they are hot enough. It was the handful of turnovers to start the second half that did us in. Avoid those and they don't get a double digit lead so quickly. That took the wind out of our sails and the team folded for five minutes before starting to rally back, but it was too late by then.

You hate to say that a loss came at a good time, but if you are going to lose, I truly think it came at a good time. It came right before finals which gives the team 8 days to flush it and start anew. I'm not giving up on this team just yet, they still have promise. There will be a few more games when opposing teams will shoot lights out but I wager there will be a few that Uthoff, Oglesby, & Jok do as well.

It's going to be a long week without watching the Hawks but stick with this team, they may just surprise us a few times this year.

A couple passes at the start of the second half were directly to a clone, perfect pass right in their hands. They didn't have to move to receive the ball.....

 

[volhawk50]

It was??

I'm not so sure..

Listen I'm not calling for Fran's head but I know where this program was when he came to Iowa. In Year #5 I would expect more than what I'm currently seeing, but would rather give Fran a bit more time.

I think the only reason you expect so much is because Fran took us from 11 wins to 25 in 2 years. It was literally impossible to keep up that rate of improvement, unless you expected us to win 39 games this year. Inevitably, the rate of growth slowed and plateaued, and that's why you are disappointed. If he had gone from 11 wins to 14 to 17 to 20, he would have accomplished less by now and you'd probably feel better about where the program stands.

 

[SnapBack2]

I think the only reason you expect so much is because Fran took us from 11 wins to 25 in 2 years. It was literally impossible to keep up that rate of improvement, unless you expected us to win 39 games this year. Inevitably, the rate of growth slowed and plateaued, and that's why you are disappointed. If he had gone from 11 wins to 14 to 17 to 20, he would have accomplished less by now and you'd probably feel better about where the program stands.

this x 100

 

[AdamHawk]

A couple passes at the start of the second half were directly to a clone, perfect pass right in their hands. They didn't have to move to receive the ball.....

Don't forget about our final possession of the first half where we had the last shot with a chance to tie or take the lead and instead went into the locker room with a 5 point deficit. That was pretty damn dejecting.

 

[blkngldFRO]

There is one thing in common with lick teams

Scoring Droughts

I just think the hawk fan base needs to adjust their expectations. the way this team shots the ball it's a bubble team at best. Unless some of the younger players really start to find their place. I really don't see this team being better then that.

 

[hawkforlife9]

Not sure what the point is? Fran is better than Lick. Well, duh.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

It was??

I'm not so sure..

Listen I'm not calling for Fran's head but I know where this program was when he came to Iowa. In Year #5 I would expect more than what I'm currently seeing, but would rather give Fran a bit more time.

Yes. But so is your post.

To me, its all about shooting, which has been awful. If a team gets hot against Iowa, like in the 3 losses, unless Iowa can improve % in open shots, we will lose to most top 15 teams.

Iowa is a fringe top 30-40 team right now. Not great, not bad. B1G is tough. We will see...

That said, I have a tendency to be pretty patient when things are trending up, even if slowly.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

There is one thing in common with lick teams

Scoring Droughts

I just think the hawk fan base needs to adjust their expectations. the way this team shots the ball it's a bubble team at best. Unless some of the younger players really start to find their place. I really don't see this team being better then that.

Agreed, the scoring droughts kill Iowa. Against great teams it really apparent.

Making the tournament will be tough. If we do, even barely, Hawk fans should be very happy.

 

[hawkeye12345]

Don't forget about our final possession of the first half where we had the last shot with a chance to tie or take the lead and instead went into the locker room with a 5 point deficit. That was pretty damn dejecting.

This was not on the coach....for some inexplicable reason we put up the shot with too much time on the clock when we clearly were going for the last shot. It took a bad hop, ISU grabbed the ball and drilled a 3-pointer to end the half. It sucks but no way that is on the coaching staff.

 

[Benddontbreak]

Win Saturday and were looking at a 10-3 non-con with W’s at UNC and neutral court vs. possible MVC champ. Losses vs 3 top 25 teams but a pretty solid RPI. That’s about where we expected to be, and the non-con turned out to be the toughest one we’ve faced in Fran or Lick’s tenures.

 

[mrolympia]

I can't believe that was really a big ten roster

aside from Gatens, it wasn't a mid major roster.