Basabe Likely to Start vs Penn State

jacknicholson said:
Might help Woody with the pressure of starting off his back. He would be able to observe how the game is being played and called. Just might help with the usual two quick fouls. It is certainly worth a try. I imagine Woody would be cool about the move being a team player.....
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I think you are right Jack. He'll have less pressure coming off the bench. Plus he will be able to get a feel for the game, and to study the players he will be going against. That cannot hurt. This could turn out very well for the Hawks.
 
This could help bring some energy at the beginning of the second half instead of the lull we're used to.
 
Wassabbe said:
Not a fan. Keep the young kids confidence from dropping and keep him in the starting lineup. His development is the biggest key to Iowa being a true Big 10 contender in a couple years. Who cares if he starts over Mel as long as Mel plays more anyway? 31 min to 17 last game
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To keep starting Woodbury sends the wrong messge IMO.

Basabe was benched last year for not producing while Aaron White was. Now Mel is the one producing and Woodbury isn't. You have to be consistent.

Also, If I were Adam I would be embarrassed that I was still starting infront of someone who was clearly effecting the team more positively.

Playing from the bench could just as easily be a relief/motivator to Adam. It motivated Basabe to play better.
 
You are assuming basabe starts over woody. I say Woodbury,white,basabe front court Mike G and Marble backcourt.
 
vgshwk said:
You are assuming basabe starts over woody. I say Woodbury,white,basabe front court Mike G and Marble backcourt.
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Yeah. I was questioning the Basabe over Woodbury premise as well. Olaseni is going to start over Woodbury.
 
Cover3 said:
Yeah. I was questioning the Basabe over Woodbury premise as well. Olaseni is going to start over Woodbury.
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You guys are hurting my brain. Why not just suggest starting line up olaseni, basabe, white, Mccabe, Marble. haha.
 
vgshwk said:
You are assuming basabe starts over woody. I say Woodbury,white,basabe front court Mike G and Marble backcourt.
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There is no way to legitimately justify sitting Clemmons to make room for Basabe and not Woody. Clemmons is what makes the team go more often than not.
 
tm3308 said:
There is no way to legitimately justify sitting Clemmons to make room for Basabe and not Woody. Clemmons is what makes the team go more often than not.
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I agree. However the timing for the argument isn't the best. As Clemmons' recent game wasn't too great while Gesell was great at getting Iowa points. But its been working and I don't think the team suffers too much when Marble has to be relied on to run point with Gesell/Clemmons rest.
 
Basabe has been getting more minutes than Woody anyway. If that's not really changing, maybe it has all just been about motivating and rewarding Melsahn for his efforts.
Getting him back to his aggressive self is a HUGE thing for our team. When he left the game against PU our interior D just died, and he's an amazing garbage man. If we go AC,MG,DM,MB,AW for 30 minutes each who is going to complain?
Not me.
 
smhawk said:
I agree. However the timing for the argument isn't the best. As Clemmons' recent game wasn't too great while Gesell was great at getting Iowa points. But its been working and I don't think the team suffers too much when Marble has to be relied on to run point with Gesell/Clemmons rest.
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I agree Clemmons didn't have his best game the other day. But he's largely been a spectacular surprise. To illustrate the impact he has on the offense, his assist % on the year is second best in the B1G (behind only Burke). In conference play, he's got the best assist %. The offense typically runs best when it runs through Sapp.
 
I don't like starting Basabe at all. If/when he gets 2 quick fouls, what Do you do then? The Hawks could be down to McCabe playing center in the 1st 5 minutes. Hopefully, Gabe continues to get better so that he is able to be effective for longer periods of time. McCabe at center just doesn't get it for more than a couple of minutes.
 
Three drawbacks:

- Loss of initial possession. Woody's been pretty good getting the opening tip. This would be bigger if Iowa had been able to capitalize on it, which it usually hasn't thanks to poor shooting.
- Loss of Mel's energy coming off the bench. Don't kid yourself, sixth man play is usually huge.
- Possible hit to Woody's confidence.

However, Mel clearly playing much better than he was at the start of the year and his sophomore year and he deserves to start. And as I posted elsewhere, I'm off the Woody bandwagon until he demonstrates he belongs on a B1G basketball court.

Good for Mel.
 
I think the chances are just as good that Basabe will draw 2 quick fouls and put the other team's best big on the bench. Now Woodbury enters against the 2nd string guy...be it foul trouble or rest when the other team subs for their starting big man.

mbchawk said:
I don't like starting Basabe at all. If/when he gets 2 quick fouls, what Do you do then? The Hawks could be down to McCabe playing center in the 1st 5 minutes. Hopefully, Gabe continues to get better so that he is able to be effective for longer periods of time. McCabe at center just doesn't get it for more than a couple of minutes.
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I would like to see Woodbury and May as the first 2 guys coming off the bench...with this scenario. ZM, JO and possibly GO get minutes in the first half. If they are having good games (especially ZM) they play a lot in the 2nd half. If they are having less than stellar days they only play long enough to rest the other 7 or because of foul issues. This is based solely on what I see in games...will always defer to FM as he knows way more than I ever will.
 
Mel has earned starting minutes and gets them. I'm concerned about Mel getting early fouls, while coming off the bench as he has really been in the flow from the get go and hasn't had foul problems.

At least give Woody one more start at home against PSU. If he doesn't perform then start Mel for the 2 away games at Minny and Wisky.
 
I think it is far more effective to have a confident-yet-ineffective Woodbury on the court than a player who is actually producing. Benching Woodbury at this point in his career will probably turn him from a potential Jared Reiner to a likely Seth Gorney.

Nice job Franpire.
 
storminspank said:
Makes sense as of the play lately.
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I think it's good there is no set lineup. The players get the message that if you step up and perform, it gets noticed, and similarly, if you don't, you take a seat. Good for Fran keeping an open mind about it, but not jumping ship right away, which can also send a wrong message. He didn't immediately switch up at the first signs of Woodbury struggling, but it's clear as of right now, he's fighting it. Woodbury will be fine, he's got to know he's not getting it done. A change of roles can be good for him. Basabe's play inside has been quite good as of late, he deserves the starting spot.
 
I think Basabe earned the start and I hope this works out for the team. Fran knows a hell of a lot more than I could ever know about basketball, especially his players considering he sees them daily.

I don't think Fran would have made this move if he didn't feel it was something that Basabe and Woody could both handle.
 
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