Baer...take note Uthoff

[bogeyman]

I think we all can with the way this bench has been playing it is looking to be a better season then most were thinking.

One thing I did notice in the ISU loss was the lack of bench play...Fran keept in the starters most the time and was not rotating. I wondered why he did that, and I thought the lack of it hurt them the most in that game. I think he only rotated 3 and very low mins.

Agree, good news seems to be Fran learned from this.

 

[Bluesman]

MSU's Forbes averages 14 a game and had 3 last night; good players have bad nights sometimes and Uthoff had a bad one last night. The turnovers were the worst thing to me, anyone can have an off night shooting. He did play well defensively. Point is it was just one game, guarantee you he'll almost singlehandedly win a game or two for them later this year.

Baer was a very good high school player who I saw a lot of but I'm surprised at how good he's been this year. I do know he's a really smart kid with a great attitude so you can rest assured he'll do everything he can to make himself into the best player he's capable of being.

 

[bcl20]

Iowa's bench is much deeper this season, but that depth is still being built... I think this team is a lot better in February than it was in December.

Iowa already has better wins, a higher RPI, better scoring, better leadership... you name it, Iowa is better in nearly every way this season than any season previous during Fran's tenure.... so I don't get the back handed compliments about players after the biggest hoops victory in 15 years.

We can shoot now. If everyone brings that intensity on most nights this is Fran's best team and we'll challenge for the conference title. There are signs that this team could be special. There are also signs that they could be closer to the bubble than we'd like but my faith in this group went up last night.

 

[blkngldFRO]

guarantee you he'll almost singlehandedly win a game or two for them later this year.

I guess I just don't see that happening at this point in his career.

 

[InGoodCo]

I guess I just don't see that happening at this point in his career.

You can't see one the top scorers in the B1G this season putting the team on his back and being the major contributor towards a couple of wins this season? He's already had those types of games this year and last so I'll check back with ya in February.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I have my reasons and I knew I’d get crap. I have not said he’s not a key to Iowa, and I never said he’s not a good player. He is not a leader. In several ways I think someone already noted a few one indecisiveness with the ball. Another big mistakes at key points, and not being able to fight through physical D play. Same thing happen in the 2nd half against ISU. No knock against him or his game but he is not a leader.

In my opinion the guy playing the best ball and has a leadership ability is a walk on freshmen. He takes control of that court when he has been in the game. By his play and hustle and overall play when he is out there.

These are 18-22 year old young men playing college ball. Not all are leaders or have that. He still is a key cog for this team and probably gets the best defender on him every game. So, you want Baer in there instead of Uthoff?! What if Baer got the best defender game in and game out. Might be a different story. The guy's going to have a bad game here & there. Most do. The key for Iowa is that they had players to not only sustain the lead but actually increase while Uthoff was out. Give the guy a break.

 

[HawkAssassin]

what are we supposed to discuss on MBs? John would have no visits if there was not back in forth on discussion stop trying to hold court on what people can post. These are just opinions not facts. If you want I am sure there is a post somewhere that only is talking about the Hawks being a final four teamTM.

Oh I'm not opposed to criticism just the bad ones. I also like how I acknowledged one of his weaknesses and somehow get called a homer. I though Uthoff was going to struggle in this game because of Clark/Bess for MSU and I thought Iowa would lose. It was a great performance by the rest of the team.But you're correct that this team should be aiming for a deep run.

 

[blkngldFRO]

You can't see one the top scorers in the B1G this season putting the team on his back and being the major contributor towards a couple of wins this season? He's already had those types of games this year and last so I'll check back with ya in February.

your words were single handedly

 

[blkngldFRO]

These are 18-22 year old young men playing college ball. Not all are leaders or have that. He still is a key cog for this team and probably gets the best defender on him every game. So, you want Baer in there instead of Uthoff?! What if Baer got the best defender game in and game out. Might be a different story. The guy's going to have a bad game here & there. Most do. The key for Iowa is that they had players to not only sustain the lead but actually increase while Uthoff was out. Give the guy a break.

When did i EVER state Baer instead of Uthoff? When did I not admit he is a key cog?

 

[InGoodCo]

your words were single handedly

Those weren't "my" words.. I just responded and I get where your coming from using the word "single handed" as a technicality...but there are NO players that win games single handed.. so, it's not really a point worth arguing... It's a team sport... but I guess I see JU as one of the better players to come through Iowa in decades and he's already had monster games that he's helped Iowa win and is sure to have more where he's the key contributor to the teams success.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

When did i EVER state Baer instead of Uthoff? When did I not admit he is a key cog?

I know i will take crap for this, but since the ISU game I have notice this is a better team when mainly Utoff is on the bench. I am not saying Utoff is not good or the Hawks don’t need him. When he is on the court it seems that the other players are expecting or looking to him to take control and he doesn’t. When he’s not on the court everyone knows they have to “step upâ€￾ more movement and ball sharing. I don’t know maybe I am completely wrong, but it is something I noticed. I think last night proved it as well in the first half.

As far as Baer goes how is he not the first off the bench, or even challenging for Joks starting position? Hawks best player right now is a walk on.

 

[Husky28]

Uhtoff hasn't had to be the go to guy until this year... I think he's trying to understand what that means and how it translates to his game for a full 40 minutes.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

MSU wasn't exactly giving Uthoff easy looks... I think Iowa's gotten away from getting him touches at the elbow where he seems the most comfortable at. Be it him coming off a screen or posting up. They tried to that one time where Jok had a terrible angle and threw it away. I'm not too worried about him. The flow of the game was just for MG to take over and he really did.

What can you say about Baer. At first I thought he was just a cute, nice story. Now I think he should be starting... The kid just gives his all out there and he has a lot to give.

 

[blkngldFRO]

still don't read where Baer should start for Uthoff...right now he is playing great ball and the best bench player by far. I did suggest maybe in place of Jok Baer plays better D and doesn’t try to force something that’s not there in the limited time we have gotten to see him.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I'm not suggesting Baer start instead of Uthof. I'd have Clemmons come off the bench. Play Baer and Uthoff together.

 

[WindsorHawk]

I really don't get how there can be a thread with a negative vibe after easily beating the #1 team in the country on a night when our best offensive player struggled. I think this thread should be "Uthoff Take Note...Your teammates can pick up the slack when you're having an off night." My first thought after the game was "Look out Purdue...because Uthoff should go off Saturday."

 

[blkngldFRO]

I'm not suggesting Baer start instead of Uthof. I'd have Clemmons come off the bench. Play Baer and Uthoff together.

Clemmons D is much better then Jok's you would put Clemmons over Jok? Although it would be really tuff to guard 3 good 3 point shooters Utoff Jok Baer on the floor together!

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Clemmons D is much better then Jok's you would put Clemmons over Jok? Although it would be really tuff to guard 3 good 3 point shooters Utoff Jok Baer on the floor together!

That's the give and take... Joks offense or Clemmons D. I think regardless of who starts almost it don't matter. Fran tends to go with whos playing well in the flow of the game. Baer has been getting plenty of mins so it's just a matter of semantics as to who's names are called for the starting lineups. Although I think Baer has earned it. Baer is not only a mismatch of sorts he's just so dang smart and hustles. He rarely takes a bad shot or play. When he got the ball and had that smaller defender on him he didn't mess around he backed him right down to the paint and scored. I'm loving his overall game the more I see of him. He's only going to get better and stronger kids still a freshman for peats sake.

 

[lumuhawk]

I think we can all agree, if Uthoff plays to his ability and Baer continues on this trajectory, no matter if he comes off the bench, this team has a chance to be much better than any of us probably would have expected going into the season. I thought this was a tournament team without the addition of Baer and no real freshman contribution. Now, I think they have a chance to go toe to toe with anyone and certainly better than last year's team.

My only bad habit I want to see Uthoff get rid of, it's that one handed finger roll. He's got the jumps -- he should just go strong to the rim and slam it home instead of trying to finesse.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

still don't read where Baer should start for Uthoff...right now he is playing great ball and the best bench player by far. I did suggest maybe in place of Jok Baer plays better D and doesn’t try to force something that’s not there in the limited time we have gotten to see him.

He's the perfect bench player at this point as he is so well rounded with a complete overall game. He's an Eddy Steady and only a freshman. Perfect to have come in as he can spell different positions & not be a liability.

Yea, I don't know if you so much blatantly stated he should start for Uthoff so I'll give you that. I was going off the statement that the team was doing better with Uthoff on the bench. We can push on that debate!