Best Case Scenario for this years team?

BSpringsteen

BSpringsteen

Well-Known Member
Paint me a picture of this years Best Case Scenario.

Try to be somewhat realistic in your aspirations.

For me - we win 11 games in the non conference season, and then steal the Big 10 opener against Illinois making everyone start to believe a little bit.

We finish the Big 10 9-9 and win a game in the Big 10 tournament, and actually get to hear three words that no college basketball team wants to hear: ON THE BUBBLE.
 
As much as I would love to think thats a realistic aspiration, I believe thats more in the pipe dream category.
I would have to believe with so many new faces and a new system we will struggle early and gel as the season progresses. Unfortunately with as tough as the big 10 is this year, we will not be able to gel enough to make a huge dent in the W column.
Absolute best case scenario 14 wins and some unexpected tight losses against a couple powerhouse programs that will build excitement for the fan base and carry into next season. Then with a year under Fran's belt and a charged up CHA maybe we will be able to push the bubble.
 
we win 2 or 3 games in Big Ten which will be a surprise. I think they upset a ranked team in Carver. UNI still has the best team in the state this year and Iowa State will be just slightly ahead of Iowa.
 
I really do think this team will surprise people.

Honestly I think a lot of people are underestimating the impact that a good, likable coach, and a fun uptempo system can do for a program almost immediately. Every interview and article I've read about the players opinions of Fran and the staff seem to be very genuine. Which can't really be said about the last regime...even early on I thought the players compliments and assessments of Lick seemed to be contrived.

I'm not under the illusion that Fran will magically snap his fingers and turn Devon Archie into Amare Stoudamire. I just think Frans apparent desire to extend his coaching/relationship beyond basketball, his communication with his players, and his willingness use their strengths can/will instill desire and confidence in this group...no matter how young they are.

Call me crazy, I think we're looking at a 15+ win season.
 
Best case scenario, IMO, is that Fran is able to quickly change the culture and the impact is felt this year, even if we don't win a lot of games, we are competetive in most games and we beat a couple teams we shouldn't. Do ok in the non-conference, and get to maybe the mid-teens in wins overall (like 15-16 or so). I'm not sure how we get more than that, no matter what, and can't see .500 in conference this year.

I have no doubt that the right coach will start getting things turned around pretty quickly.. I believe sooner than must of us expect. Is Fran that guy? Only time will tell.

But I just believe this is going to be a rough year, regardless. I think my original prediction was 12 wins this year and suppose I will stick with that, but I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

I tell you one thing that I believe right now, is that Fran will get more out of his teams than Lickliter was able to. I know, that's not saying alot.
 
Its like the last couple of years with a young team (man that excuse is getting old). We'll win some games that we weren't supposed to win and lose some games that we weren't supposed to lose. I'll say this much: we won't be worse than last years 10 - 22.
 
CHShawk said:
Its like the last couple of years with a young team (man that excuse is getting old). We'll win some games that we weren't supposed to win and lose some games that we weren't supposed to lose. I'll say this much: we won't be worse than last years 10 - 22.
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I guess it's hard not to be young when players keep leaving the program every year.. I expect that to stop as of now.. McCaffery seems to be more of a player's coach who plays a fun style of ball. Maybe our next Mr. Davis?

I don't see how this team gets worse than a year ago. Other than Fuller, we didn't lose anybody of real consequence. Bawinkel was only useful if he was having a hot night, otherwise there were alot of zeroes in his box score. Lickliter Jr. wasn't even on scholarship. Cougill.. Good outsider shooter, but not sure how well he would have fit into Fran's uptempo style.

Everyone else is coming back with another year of experience and a fresh perspective, and also what sounds like a few promising newcomers (Marble, McCabe, Basabe).

We'll win more than 10 I think.
 
Hawks have a lot of exprience coming back this year, but the big ten is loaded this yr with a strong senior class, next yr we return everyone but Cole, so 2011-12 could be the yr to make some big strides, this yr it would be fantastic if the Hawks could go 16-14, 7-11 in the big ten, upset someone in the b10 tourney and receive a nit bid.
 
BSpringsteen said:
Paint me a picture of this years Best Case Scenario.

Try to be somewhat realistic in your aspirations.

For me - we win 11 games in the non conference season, and then steal the Big 10 opener against Illinois making everyone start to believe a little bit.

We finish the Big 10 9-9 and win a game in the Big 10 tournament, and actually get to hear three words that no college basketball team wants to hear: ON THE BUBBLE.
Click to expand...

I, for one, would LOVE to hear "on the bubble" in March when talking about the team! :)
 
Well. Now that Gatens is out for an unknown length of time I'm just hoping for a .500 record.
 
With a healthy Gatens I had Iowa at 13-18 (4-14)

Without a healthy Gatens, I have us losing at least to UNI,ISU and Drake,and probably a couple more,sigh,so, new revised projection without Gatens all year is
8-24(2-17.) Ugly. Redshirt Gatens.

PS: injury update today from Fran indicates that Matt could be on the court by 11/19 at the Jam....forget redshirt...just win games this year Hawks.
Back to 13-18(4-14)
 
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Someone please sneak in a flip camera and record a long segment of the practice for us that cannot make it. 15 minutes of scrimmage is all we are asking for here...
 
He should red shirt if he is out three weeks? Are you serious? I just don't see ISU slightly ahead of Iowa this year. Half their roster will not be playing this year. I see improvement over last year. It will be hard to get big tens wins because the conference might be as good/deep as any in the nation.
 
hawkdoctor said:
He should red shirt if he is out three weeks? Are you serious? I just don't see ISU slightly ahead of Iowa this year. Half their roster will not be playing this year. I see improvement over last year. It will be hard to get big tens wins because the conference might be as good/deep as any in the nation.
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They were saying redshirt before Coach said he'd only miss 3 weeks. So they made those comments when we were looking at like a January (or later) return.
 
BSpringsteen said:
Paint me a picture of this years Best Case Scenario.

Try to be somewhat realistic in your aspirations.

For me - we win 11 games in the non conference season, and then steal the Big 10 opener against Illinois making everyone start to believe a little bit.

We finish the Big 10 9-9 and win a game in the Big 10 tournament, and actually get to hear three words that no college basketball team wants to hear: ON THE BUBBLE.
Click to expand...
I played several thousand basketball games in my day and I know that chemistry is the key to winning. I have seen lesser talented teams that have chemistry destroy more talented teams several times. Up tempo, good coaching, and players that feel confident can turn a team around in a second. I have watched Iowa basketball for over 40 years and I see a similarity in Fran to Ralph Miller. For the people on here that only know what Iowa is about only over the last 10 years, you need to look up the teams from the late sixties and seventies and through the Tom Davis teams. Us Iowa fans have a lot of pride in how we were perceived by our peers in the past and are disturbed by the last 5-6 years. I see Fran bringing us back to notable just like Hayden did for football many years ago. We won't be world beaters but we will sure as heck compete this year and be fun to watch.
 
BSpringsteen said:
Paint me a picture of this years Best Case Scenario.

Try to be somewhat realistic in your aspirations.

For me - we win 11 games in the non conference season, and then steal the Big 10 opener against Illinois making everyone start to believe a little bit.

We finish the Big 10 9-9 and win a game in the Big 10 tournament, and actually get to hear three words that no college basketball team wants to hear: ON THE BUBBLE.
Click to expand...

Somewhere around .500 Iowa may equal their win total from last season prior to conference, but will struggle in the loaded Big Ten.
 
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