HomerChampless
Well-Known Member
Maybe I can interpret. Woody doesn't play like a center... with the Oleseni fire of a center. Does he get any rebounds? Does he block shots?
Concern with the team going forward
- Thread starter HawkfaninWA
- Start date
JG10Hawk
Well-Known Member
Forgive me I forgot that the only way to judge a center is by how many blocks and rebounds a guy has. Accounting for their defensive positioning and their boxing out allowing for teammates to get the board doesn't help your team. What's up with Woody always shouting at his teammates when they are playing zone? Doesn't he know he isn't very good and should shut up? Doesn't he know Gabe is way better because he jumps higher and dunks the ball more often? Good grief, be thankful this team has two capable big men that are able to defend the paint and run the floor. 40 minutes and 10 fouls to give between the two is a luxury that most teams don't have. Do they both have their strengths and weaknesses? Sure they do but both are light years ahead of where they were when they first set foot on campus and even since the beginning of this season. They are going to continue to get better and it will payoff down the road. I look forward to welcoming back those willing to eat crow.
JG10Hawk
Well-Known Member
Exactly.
bcl20
Well-Known Member
My major issue with Gabe is his positioning (when the offense gets the ball at the top of the key he looks pretty lost), he was a lot better yesterday, but there are so many times he's up by the free throw line for no reason, and he either gets blown by on the pick and roll or some one back doors the defense for an easy lay up. The nice thing is though, he's so long and athletic that he can still react and stop the defender at times but it drives me nuts when I see him way away from where he should be and there's a lot of empty space under the hoop. Illinois exploited this like crazy but luckily he was on fire offensively and rebounding wise.
WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
Someone actually started yet another thread on this topic...
HawkfaninWA
Well-Known Member
Wow, guess this touched a nerve with some of you. And no, I'm not trolling, I've got better things to do with my time.
As to the noticing a trend . . . if you don't think this has been shown to be the case so far this year you are either in denial or delusional. There is not a single close win all year. Does that me I don't appreciate the wins (and the beat down of Michigan)? Absolutely not. Just went back over the season again because I've noticed when they win, it tends to be big and usually a blow out. That means they have the ability. But unfortunately, as others have alluded to, Iowa has shown problems closing out close games (simply look at the losses and see the poor shooting streaks and lack of "someone stepping up").
Why is this a concern? Because, again as others have alluded to, the NCAA tourney is a one and done. You can't have the inability to step up with a "go to guy" or simply go cold for 5:00+. Not if you'd like to go deep to the Final Four. And be happy with just getting to the NCAA? Wow, that's an original comment. But have you been watching the same team as me? Obviously Iowa is the most talented its been in years and to me, strike while the iron's hot. AGAIN, as others have alluded to, Iowa is not amongst the blue bloods and we can't rely on getting to the tourney every year. So when you have the clear ability that Iowa has this year, you have to start looking at the biggest concerns and hopefully figure those out now.
Trust me, I hope our biggest problem is never having to test this trend again and we simply blow out teams for the rest of the year. But I think you'll agree that that is highly unlikely given the nature of the Big Ten and the NCAA tourney.
Oh, and yes, I remember our previous history in the tournament. Do you recall the CLOSE loss against NW State? I do. I'm hoping Fran doesn't repeat history.
As to the noticing a trend . . . if you don't think this has been shown to be the case so far this year you are either in denial or delusional. There is not a single close win all year. Does that me I don't appreciate the wins (and the beat down of Michigan)? Absolutely not. Just went back over the season again because I've noticed when they win, it tends to be big and usually a blow out. That means they have the ability. But unfortunately, as others have alluded to, Iowa has shown problems closing out close games (simply look at the losses and see the poor shooting streaks and lack of "someone stepping up").
Why is this a concern? Because, again as others have alluded to, the NCAA tourney is a one and done. You can't have the inability to step up with a "go to guy" or simply go cold for 5:00+. Not if you'd like to go deep to the Final Four. And be happy with just getting to the NCAA? Wow, that's an original comment. But have you been watching the same team as me? Obviously Iowa is the most talented its been in years and to me, strike while the iron's hot. AGAIN, as others have alluded to, Iowa is not amongst the blue bloods and we can't rely on getting to the tourney every year. So when you have the clear ability that Iowa has this year, you have to start looking at the biggest concerns and hopefully figure those out now.
Trust me, I hope our biggest problem is never having to test this trend again and we simply blow out teams for the rest of the year. But I think you'll agree that that is highly unlikely given the nature of the Big Ten and the NCAA tourney.
Oh, and yes, I remember our previous history in the tournament. Do you recall the CLOSE loss against NW State? I do. I'm hoping Fran doesn't repeat history.
woodyk1
Well-Known Member
Why is Iowa winning at OSU not considered close? It was 68-65 Iowa with 3:51 to go. Iowa made plays and FTs when fouled. Just because it ended with a 10 point win doesn't mean it wasn't a tough close game.
The ND game was a 3 point game with less than a minute to go. That seems like a close game as well.
Iowa at Illinois was a 1 point game with 2 minutes to go. Again, Iowa made plays and FTs late to extend the lead. I would still consider that to be a close game.
Now, have they won a game on the last possession? No. Have they had chances? Yes. Have they won close games? Yes.
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
Good point. The games @OSU and @Illinois were both tight games where Iowa had to get it done down the stretch, and they did. Sure, I think Iowa still could do a better job in tight games, but that said, you aren't always going to win every close one, either.
The loss vs. MSU was disappointing for sure.
The game against OSU - I just think OSU came out and played smarter, and probably wanted it a bit more. Not to mention Iowa was ice cold from outside. I don't think the 2nd OSU game had anything to do with Iowa choking. The execution and intensity just weren't there like they were against Michigan the other day.
HawkeyeMike23
Banned
Marble is not going to magically become an unstoppable force midway through his senior year. He is what he is at this point, a very, very good college player but not an elite All-American type. He's had games like that before, he brought us back against Xavier all by himself. He kept us in the Wisconsin game, he was terrific against OSU on the road. It's not a matter of him not having the right mind set to be more consistent, it's a matter of skill level. Marble got a decent shot off on the iso at the end of regulation against MSU but missed, he's not any more of a leader and he doesn't have a different mindset than he did than, he just made more shots on Saturday. And to paraphrase Kurt, that's basketball, sometimes the shots go in and sometimes they don't.
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
I get what you're saying, but I'm not sure I totally agree with it being a matter of skill level. Marble has had several big games, so I think the potential is there. I don't think it's just luck that he scored 26 the other day..
I remember Matt Gatens just absolutely catching fire at some point during his senior season and he kept it up until the end of the season. Who can say for sure whether the same will happen with Marble or not, but I don't see any reason why he can't stay hot and score 20+ in our remaining games. I just think that even as a senior, a light bulb can still come on for these guys at some point. I'd like to be right, anyway.
ForeverHawk
Well-Known Member
If I remember correctly, didn't Marble catch fire in the NIT last year?
HawkeyeMike23
Banned
Gatens had an unbelievable stretch but he didn't keep it up for the rest of his senior year as you stated. He shot 6/25 from the field in his last three games that year, and shot under 30% from 3 over the last six games of that year. If things did suddenly click for Gatens, did he then, just as quickly, forget what whatever it was that he figured out?
tm3308
Well-Known Member
This.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
No nerve was struck with me, and I apologize if my post seemed to have any sort of animosity toward you. Ya just discounted the close games they've won and only remember the close games we've lost. I'm not just happy to make the tournament, I expect more because the team continues to show it's capable of more. It showed it Saturday, but instead of noting that, you noted they can't and haven't won close games. I agree, they have folded in some close games, but so has 99% of the rest of college basketball. This team has already lived up to and exceeded expectations this season unless you had some unreal expectation to start with. We're 18-6, and in position still in February to win the B1G, when's the last time we've been in this spot? It's nice. Enjoy it. Enjoy the season. What's going to happen is going to happen. It's no different then if Syracuse or WSU go undefeated and lose in the first or 2nd round. The pointless, "we better get it figured out or we're gonna be going home early" is just silly and could be said about any team in the country. Besides 2 teams in the country up to this point of the season, they've all shown weakness's to worry about for any fan base.
HawkfaninWA
Well-Known Member
Good points and I'll give those games. I guess I'm referring more to winning on a last second shot or in the final 2 possessions. Do we HAVE to have one of those in a season? No. But I'd feel a lot better heading into tournament play knowing we have the ability.
Personally, I'd like to see more of the "big play ability" at the end of games out of White. I think he has all the tools to do it. But he seems to hold back at times (could be because he's surrounded by about 8-9 other good players).
Marble's averaging just under 18.0 PPG since B1G play started. We played 4 Power Conference teams in OOC, he went for 22.5 in those. In 7 post-season games he's averaged 20.4 including two single-digit efforts. On the more consistent basis of things he really dominated those games.
Yes, this is somebody you can expect to play well late in the season and against the best competition he faces.
Yes, this is somebody you can expect to play well late in the season and against the best competition he faces.
If high-quality opposition focuses on taking RDM out of the game, they can do it. This is why I think Gatens faded down the stretch. What I'm hoping for Marble, is that he then makes plays for others.
