6 Days Before the Tournament

[HawkeyeMike23]

The NCAA tournament starts in six days, and whether we want to or not, we're going to be in it this year. If you were Fran, what do you do during this week? Just give up and keep doing the same thing you have been doing? Try something radical to shake things up?

I think this team is too far lost to continue going about things like you normally would, I would have open competition for every position this week. If White wants to play lazy defense, and not crash the boards hard, he won't play in the tournament. If Clemmons comes out and is playing harder than anybody else during the next few days, then he will play 25 mins in the first round. I can handle losing in the first round, but there's no excuse for losing with no effort. At this point, all I would be looking for is guys who are ready to compete and want to be playing.

 

[HawkIPA]

Actually it is 4 days until the NCAA tournament starts.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

Actually it is 4 days until the NCAA tournament starts.

We will still get a first round bye .

 

[mopkins]

Sadly I thought they would be able to hit the reset button between the Illinois game and the BTT tournament but clearly that didn't happen. So whatever they tried earlier this week in practice clearly didn't work. I think at this point Fran needs to do something completely radical between now and their next game....whenever and wherever that is

 

[ssckelley]

The NCAA tournament starts in six days, and whether we want to or not, we're going to be in it this year. If you were Fran, what do you do during this week? Just give up and keep doing the same thing you have been doing? Try something radical to shake things up?

I think this team is too far lost to continue going about things like you normally would, I would have open competition for every position this week. If White wants to play lazy defense, and not crash the boards hard, he won't play in the tournament. If Clemmons comes out and is playing harder than anybody else during the next few days, then he will play 25 mins in the first round. I can handle losing in the first round, but there's no excuse for losing with no effort. At this point, all I would be looking for is guys who are ready to compete and want to be playing.

If Fran did this he would have to start the gray shirts.

 

[Xerxes]

My only coaching experience comes from my comfy chair or couch but it may not be a bad idea for Fran to say, "See you guys Sunday at 5pm, we'll see where they put us."

Give the players some time away and then starting Sunday night its open competition for minutes. Try to find 7-8 guys who are willing to bust their *** on the defensive end and who won't overplay defense at the end of shot clock leaving wide open 3s. Go with them.

 

[patmyne]

Regardless of what Fran does from this point it's on the players to actually come together and put forth the effort they had most of the year. My last ditch glee of hope is that the loss last night was good to just get the big ten slate over n give this team some time to soul search. Hopefully read or hear what is being said about not playing together and acting like a group of buddies playing for one another. Please play with the fire you guys did at this time last year guys. Please! I'll be happy win or lose.

 

[NEIChawk]

Well, when we are dancing, we will be well rested.....

 

[big10er]

Although the season ended badly, it's over. I like the "see you Sunday" idea. This is the first tournament for everybody on the roster. Play your best. Don't take yourself to seriously. Try to have fun. It's just basketball. Go Hawks!
For those of you that can't relax...think of the Lickliter years.

 

[ibahawkeye]

I agree with a radical change and I think you change the starting lineup.... I want to give this one a shot.

Gesell
Marble
Jok
Uthoff
Woody

I know it's crazy but at least we have 4 shooters on the floor and perhaps putting White to the bench could wake him up. Like I said it's time to at least try something different.

 

[DJL]

I only coach kids, so I have no real level of expertise, but if I were coaching this team, we would get back to fundamentals. Lots of defense, shooting, post entry passes, moving the ball for side to side on offense, and then more defense. I would try to do something fun. These guys aren't having any fun anymore. They need to. Maybe they should go do some team building activity. Find a way to become a cohesive unit again. Maybe they could watch some basketball together and watch how some good team play together.
That's a lot to cover in a week.

 

[patmyne]

I've been saying for the last few weeks I'd love to see a change in the starting 5 cause the current one has not started us out well at all of late

 

[glidinghawk]

There are a few suggestions in this article.

UCLA players take advice, enjoy themselves to start Pac-12 tournament - latimes.com

 

[DJL]

There are a few suggestions in this article.

UCLA players take advice, enjoy themselves to start Pac-12 tournament - latimes.com

We should try to get their coach to come to Iowa.

 

[HawkeyeMHA]

The NCAA tournament starts in six days, and whether we want to or not, we're going to be in it this year. If you were Fran, what do you do during this week? Just give up and keep doing the same thing you have been doing? Try something radical to shake things up?

I think this team is too far lost to continue going about things like you normally would, I would have open competition for every position this week. If White wants to play lazy defense, and not crash the boards hard, he won't play in the tournament. If Clemmons comes out and is playing harder than anybody else during the next few days, then he will play 25 mins in the first round. I can handle losing in the first round, but there's no excuse for losing with no effort. At this point, all I would be looking for is guys who are ready to compete and want to be playing.

Not a bad idea actually for a question I didn't really have an answer to

 

[ssckelley]

I only coach kids, so I have no real level of expertise, but if I were coaching this team, we would get back to fundamentals. Lots of defense, shooting, post entry passes, moving the ball for side to side on offense, and then more defense. I would try to do something fun. These guys aren't having any fun anymore. They need to. Maybe they should go do some team building activity. Find a way to become a cohesive unit again. Maybe they could watch some basketball together and watch how some good team play together.
That's a lot to cover in a week.

Same, but I would have taken the opposite approach. "Guys, relax...this is just a game, take a couple of days off and do not even think about baskeball. See you in a couple of days." At game time: "Guys, just go out there an have fun...do not even look at the scoreboard.". But I would have had that a couple of weeks ago.

 

[damnfinn]

intense bonding and a sports shrink.

 

[HawkMD2007]

Guys, relax. Go out and get drunk like those turkeys on HawkeyeNation. See ya when the bus is loading for (fill in the blank).

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Actually it is 4 days until the NCAA tournament starts.

Oh, you mean the play-in games? Yeah, those are 4 days from now.

Well, what they have been doing clearly isn't working. Last thing I try is to get the guys' minds off things. Couple days off, whatever. Just go, relax, and forget about stuff for a while, and then try to get hyped up for a trip to wherever, and just go kick some butt. Forget winning & losing, just have fun, give it all you've got, and see what happens.

 

[HawkeyesWin]

Practice consists of three point contest, dunk contest and trust building exercises.