Close games

PCHawk

Well-Known Member
Everyone wants to say "here we go again" every time we lose a close game. But there is a huge difference in what we are seeing this year compared to what we've seen the last few years.

Last year's team would play good for 38 minutes, then noticeably play way worse in the last 2 minutes. That was the problem. This team doesn't do that. They don't just out of nowhere start playing terrible when the game is on the line. The days of having a guaranteed loss if the game was close late are gone with last year's senior class.
 
Everyone wants to say "here we go again" every time we lose a close game. But there is a huge difference in what we are seeing this year compared to what we've seen the last few years.

Last year's team would play good for 38 minutes, then noticeably play way worse in the last 2 minutes. That was the problem. This team doesn't do that. They don't just out of nowhere start playing terrible when the game is on the line. The days of having a guaranteed loss if the game was close late are gone with last year's senior class.

What was our record in close or overtime games last year compared to this year?
 
On some of the stats I have seen, this wouldn't qualify as a close game. I mean, it ended up a 6 point game. :)
 
What was our record in close or overtime games last year compared to this year?

I'm not sure about record because it depends on stipulations. I'm talking about really close games with 2 minutes to go. We not only almost always lost them, we choked them away in epic fashion.
 
I'm not sure about record because it depends on stipulations. I'm talking about really close games with 2 minutes to go. We not only almost always lost them, we choked them away in epic fashion.

Shouldn't be hard to look up
 
I'm not sure about record because it depends on stipulations. I'm talking about really close games with 2 minutes to go. We not only almost always lost them, we choked them away in epic fashion.

Last year, Iowa beat Florida State in OT, was down 17 at half at Purdue and rallied to win by 7, beat Minnesota 75-71 at Carver, and of course, beat Temple in the NCAA tourney at the buzzer. Those were 4 pretty tough wins in close games last year.

They also lost by 5 to Dayton, by 6 to ND, by 1 @ISU, by 6 @Maryland, by 7 @Indiana, by 4 @Penn State, by 8 vs Wisc, by 4 @OSU, by 3 vs Ind, and by 2 vs Ill.

4-9 last year by my quick and dirty count.
 
Last year, Iowa beat Florida State in OT, was down 17 at half at Purdue and rallied to win by 7, beat Minnesota 75-71 at Carver, and of course, beat Temple in the NCAA tourney at the buzzer. Those were 4 pretty tough wins in close games last year.

They also lost by 5 to Dayton, by 6 to ND, by 1 @ISU, by 6 @Maryland, by 7 @Indiana, by 4 @Penn State, by 8 vs Wisc, by 4 @OSU, by 3 vs Ind, and by 2 vs Ill.

4-9 last year by my quick and dirty count.

That sounds about right. I still have nightmares of Gesell driving to the right to try and tie or win the game late and not succeeding even once. It seemed like it happened 40 times, but 9 is probably more accurate.
 
Last year, Iowa beat Florida State in OT, was down 17 at half at Purdue and rallied to win by 7, beat Minnesota 75-71 at Carver, and of course, beat Temple in the NCAA tourney at the buzzer. Those were 4 pretty tough wins in close games last year.

They also lost by 5 to Dayton, by 6 to ND, by 1 @ISU, by 6 @Maryland, by 7 @Indiana, by 4 @Penn State, by 8 vs Wisc, by 4 @OSU, by 3 vs Ind, and by 2 vs Ill.

4-9 last year by my quick and dirty count.

Thinking about those 4 games tho, they were mostly about who tried to give the game away more. It was never us just taking the game by making plays. Kinda like the North Carolina game a couple years ago. We kept trying to give the game away and North Carolina kept saying no thanks.

Also the Michigan state game at home was one where we sealed it late. I don't remember exactly how that went down because I had shitty reception driving thru the mountains on the way to the Rose Bowl. Same with the Purdue game, I was on my way home so could only catch pieces of it.
 
Shouldn't be hard to look up

The stats you would find are interesting, but they don't tell the whole story. You can get credit for a close win by the other team draining a meaningless shot late to qualify for a close game even tho there was no real jeopardy. Or you can chock away closing out a game in regulation, just to lose by a bunch in ot.
 
I don't need no stinkin' stats to tell me what my eyes have researched. PC is correct about this team's vs prior years' teams' way of losing games; not only games but entire home stretches of seasons.

Before saying that's a good thing, keep in mind those Marble and White and Uthoff teams also had a lot more to lose ... they set the bar pretty high in terms of achieving riches before falling to rags. They had a much sharper contrast in talent across the roster.

So, you can look at this a couple ways:
1) This team is fairly deep with guys that are competent, reliable ball players, who can consistently produce, across most positions. That they are mostly frosh & soph and already playing with grit, tenacity, short memories and fearlessness only bodes well as they develop skill over the next 3 years.

2) The contrast between the most talented players and the role players has lessened. We don't quite know whether the top talent has fallen toward good or the role players have risen toward good. The next 3 years will be much like this one - tough-minded gritty efforts but the talent is too watered down to ever really become a great team that can contend for a championship or get to the second weekend of the dance.
 
I don't need no stinkin' stats to tell me what my eyes have researched. PC is correct about this team's vs prior years' teams' way of losing games; not only games but entire home stretches of seasons.

Before saying that's a good thing, keep in mind those Marble and White and Uthoff teams also had a lot more to lose ... they set the bar pretty high in terms of achieving riches before falling to rags. They had a much sharper contrast in talent across the roster.

So, you can look at this a couple ways:
1) This team is fairly deep with guys that are competent, reliable ball players, who can consistently produce, across most positions. That they are mostly frosh & soph and already playing with grit, tenacity, short memories and fearlessness only bodes well as they develop skill over the next 3 years.

2) The contrast between the most talented players and the role players has lessened. We don't quite know whether the top talent has fallen toward good or the role players have risen toward good. The next 3 years will be much like this one - tough-minded gritty efforts but the talent is too watered down to ever really become a great team that can contend for a championship or get to the second weekend of the dance.

Cook could become that great player, but we need Moss to take a big leap and right now, he seems to be losing ground. Our best hope to be great is to have one of the best 3 4 5 combos in the country with Baer, Cook, and Garza.
 
Last year, Iowa beat Florida State in OT, was down 17 at half at Purdue and rallied to win by 7, beat Minnesota 75-71 at Carver, and of course, beat Temple in the NCAA tourney at the buzzer. Those were 4 pretty tough wins in close games last year.

They also lost by 5 to Dayton, by 6 to ND, by 1 @ISU, by 6 @Maryland, by 7 @Indiana, by 4 @Penn State, by 8 vs Wisc, by 4 @OSU, by 3 vs Ind, and by 2 vs Ill.

4-9 last year by my quick and dirty count.

Close losses I can remember: Memphis, Nebraska, Minnesota and Illinois. Close wins I can remember: Michigan, Purdue and Indiana
 
Close losses I can remember: Memphis, Nebraska, Minnesota and Illinois. Close wins I can remember: Michigan, Purdue and Indiana

How about the Maryland loss at home? 2 late Trimble threes provided the difference. Or, the Rutgers win at home? Closer than anyone wanted.
 
We were already in big trouble with 2 minutes left against Memphis if I remember right. I'm also thinking we had a slight edge against Rutgers. Maybe not tho.
 
We were already in big trouble with 2 minutes left against Memphis if I remember right. I'm also thinking we had a slight edge against Rutgers. Maybe not tho.

It's a good point. Close is a relative term especially with the ebb and flow of the game. Also, my memory is not what it used to be. :)
 
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