#4 Iowa - #14 Indiana Game Thread

Not a good feeling since last Thursday about going to Indy.
Huge revenge factor;
Key game against ranked team on the road;
Even worse after they lost to Illannoy.

Starting to get a sense how the NCAA will go. First 2 at home allows them to advance but fully expect a loss in that Sweet16 game against a quality team that’ll have more size and interior talent.
 
I think an opposing team finally found a way to guard Clark. They made it tough for her off the ball.

Clark is uber great, but the supporting cast is soft/inconsistent enough that I think they could be primed for an upset early on in March.
 
Much like Nebraska, you have to give IU props. Iowa is always going to get the best effort from the opponent. The question is - outside of CC and Martin (who always have the intensity....) - will the team match that effort level? They failed to do so in both of those games.

As I stated above, enough of the whining to the officials. Not only is it bad optics, but it sends a message to the other team that they are getting under your skin.

Oh, and make the damn lay-ups! That is such a frustrating issue with this team. Perplexing.
 
Will C said:
When a player other than CC is hitting we are unbeatable. If I were coaching I would spend the first half finding out who is shooting that game and then play them.
Click to expand...
That is flip-side. When Iowa is on, CC.....and her supporting cast....they are going to be very hard to beat. Problem is, I suspect this team is going to struggle being consistent enough with tournament action coming up. I think the first physical team they face and if they are struggling offensively....I think they could be headed for an early exit. That could be in the BTT or the NCAAs.

Hopefully, like last year, things don't go to chalk around them....making their path a bit easier.

I think this team could go far, but they could also flame out quick.

Hopefully, they get on a roll and win these next 3 games and the BTT. End the regular season/conference portion on a strong note and secure #2 seed....outside #1 seed.
 
I'm not saying this is really what happened, but the timing and optics of the scoring title chase seem to indicate that the team was more invested in that than winning.
 
SwirlinLingerie said:
Iowa had six losses at this time last year. They have four right now.
Click to expand...
As Hayden mentioned it is a weaker team - most notably the bigs and Gabbie's shooting (Which is now even a reluctance to shoot!).

It's also been a weaker schedule. Last year Iowa played UConn, NCSt, IaSt, and there were 4 other ranked B10 teams (OhSt, MD, IU, Mich). This yr they played VaTech and KSt - which are maybe Sweet 16 teams and there's 2 other ranked Big 10 teams + the conf is weaker as a whole.
 
STILLBUSTER said:
As Hayden mentioned it is a weaker team - most notably the bigs and Gabbie's shooting (Which is now even a reluctance to shoot!).

It's also been a weaker schedule. Last year Iowa played UConn, NCSt, IaSt, and there were 4 other ranked B10 teams (OhSt, MD, IU, Mich). This yr they played VaTech and KSt - which are maybe Sweet 16 teams and there's 2 other ranked Big 10 teams + the conf is weaker as a whole.
Click to expand...
We'll see. When Stuelke is healthy and running the floor really well, she gives them a dimension that last year's team didn't have. And despite being shorter, this year's team is a much better rebounding team.

I'd argue this year's team is also deeper, with more ball handlers, shot creators and outside shooting. The floor might be a little lower, because if the 3s aren't falling and the other team is successful at slowing the transition game (and has a ton of length inside, and all those of things occurred last night), then Iowa has a more difficult time grinding out a win than last year. But I think the ceiling is also higher, because when Iowa runs and then also spreads you out with four or five shooters on the court, if those 3s are falling, I don't think there is a more dangerous team in the country.

They've scuffled a bit in the last 10 days, but Iowa had three Big Ten losses last year too, including at Indiana. Let's see how they finish the regular season.
 
STILLBUSTER said:
As Hayden mentioned it is a weaker team - most notably the bigs and Gabbie's shooting (Which is now even a reluctance to shoot!).

It's also been a weaker schedule. Last year Iowa played UConn, NCSt, IaSt, and there were 4 other ranked B10 teams (OhSt, MD, IU, Mich). This yr they played VaTech and KSt - which are maybe Sweet 16 teams and there's 2 other ranked Big 10 teams + the conf is weaker as a whole.
Click to expand...
Was last year when the whole team got covid bad and they lost a couple games?
 
SwirlinLingerie said:
We'll see. When Stuelke is healthy and running the floor really well, she gives them a dimension that last year's team didn't have. And despite being shorter, this year's team is a much better rebounding team.

I'd argue this year's team is also deeper, with more ball handlers, shot creators and outside shooting. The floor might be a little lower, because if the 3s aren't falling and the other team is successful at slowing the transition game (and has a ton of length inside, and all those of things occurred last night), then Iowa has a more difficult time grinding out a win than last year. But I think the ceiling is also higher, because when Iowa runs and then also spreads you out with four or five shooters on the court, if those 3s are falling, I don't think there is a more dangerous team in the country.

They've scuffled a bit in the last 10 days, but Iowa had three Big Ten losses last year too, including at Indiana. Let's see how they finish the regular season.
Click to expand...
Clark is also quite a bit better this year. We beat VA Tech Indiana, and Kansas State. We will have to beat similar teams in the sweet 16 and elite 8. Possibly even the final 4. We only lost to one team all year thats not a legit final 4 contender, and that was because of the unique situation with the scoring record. Losing in the sweet 16 is definitely possible. But every team other than South Carolina can say that too.
 
NCHawker said:
Stuelke really wasn't smart. Continuing to try to go the the basket against someone much larger. Kept getting stuffed. A quick fake or other move would have resulted in points...but it didn't happen.
Click to expand...
I made the same observation last night, and mentioned almost exactly that statement to my wife. Hannah's a good player but she doesn't seem to possess those little nuances/savvy instincts, such as when to pump fake, etc.

Really, the same can be said of all of our bigs. They all seem a bit robotic and don't show a lot of crafty instincts. Some of that is innate, and some is confidence. Hannah is getting more confident, but I don't see that so much with AOG or Goodman. Hard to see either developing a "Mamba mentality...."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top