Didn't get to see much the ND game but

[HaydenHawk56]

feeling NITish. Just missing a piece or two this year. Probably going to be a bit of backslide from last year. Though some nights we will get hot and beat some teams we should not I'm sure. Seems like Iowa is giving up way to much open shots on defense and can't defend the paint.

See if they can get a W against Witchita State.

 

[NEIChawk]

Nope, NIT CHAMPS BABY

 

[ibahawkeye]

Jok doesn't seem to have improved on D. And we miss an enforcer type rebound specialist type player.

 

[1hawkeye1]

At this point I gotta agree. Although Fran still has time to make changes and I believe he will. GoHawks

 

[tksirius]

Fran is a good coach, just wish he had better luck recruiting.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

It sux to be so correct, HH56.

They just don't have that cohesiveness and leadership that White seemed to ensure, last year. Even when he wasn't on, he was still the foundations.

- Woody? Uh, no. Just not productive and reliable enough to be the guy (not to mention, is often as much a liability as an asset).
- Clemmons? Way too flaky and inconsistent.
- Gesell? Always solid but too soft-spoken to look to for leadership.
- Uthoff? Obviously the go-to but knows it and often tries too hard to be it. I just don't sense the leader connection with the rest of the team because he's occupied with always having to produce for them to stay competitive, sometimes, to the point of getting impatient and forcing.

It's too bad Wagner is just a frosh. His work and confidence will be leadership worthy the next 3 years.

It's gonna be a VERY frustrating season between wins at ISU, vs MSU and at Purdue but losing to NwU and at Penn State. More so with the nagging question of why so much Baer and why so little Uhl and Jones. Topped off with a big blob of the ol' "live by, die by" cliche that is inherent with sloppy, run-n-gun, defense optiona, small ball.

 

[HawkeyeTech]

It's gonna be a VERY frustrating season between wins at ISU, vs MSU and at Purdue but losing to NwU and at Penn State. More so with the nagging question of why so much Baer and why so little Uhl and Jones. Topped off with a big blob of the ol' "live by, die by" cliche that is inherent with sloppy, run-n-gun, defense optiona, small ball.

Wut?

 

[HaydenHawk56]

It sux to be so correct, HH56.

They just don't have that cohesiveness and leadership that White seemed to ensure, last year. Even when he wasn't on, he was still the foundations.

- Woody? Uh, no. Just not productive and reliable enough to be the guy (not to mention, is often as much a liability as an asset).
- Clemmons? Way too flaky and inconsistent.
- Gesell? Always solid but too soft-spoken to look to for leadership.
- Uthoff? Obviously the go-to but knows it and often tries too hard to be it. I just don't sense the leader connection with the rest of the team because he's occupied with always having to produce for them to stay competitive, sometimes, to the point of getting impatient and forcing.

It's too bad Wagner is just a frosh. His work and confidence will be leadership worthy the next 3 years.

It's gonna be a VERY frustrating season between wins at ISU, vs MSU and at Purdue but losing to NwU and at Penn State. More so with the nagging question of why so much Baer and why so little Uhl and Jones. Topped off with a big blob of the ol' "live by, die by" cliche that is inherent with sloppy, run-n-gun, defense optiona, small ball.

Agreed. It indeed sucks, but you can just see it and feel it. Not that they can improve (and probably will to certain degree), but this team will very likely not be able to go to far in a tournament nor has enough horses to win the conference (best case probably 6 or 7 in conference). Going to have to enjoy the highs when they come and face the realities of the lows this year.

Iowa lacks experienced beef (a big bulky body) in the middle and they have a "pretty good to very good roll player"

for a go to guy.....JU. What I mean is JU is more Pipen and not Jordan. I thought the same thing with Marble.......both did not seem very comfortable in the role. Hopefully I'm dead wrong here and JU will grow into the role and look more like Gaten down the stretch.

Woodbury can do some things, but has limitations. Have promising youth on the bench, but will need this year to develop.

Gesell and Sapp will give you flashes along with Jok.

Iowa will be lights out from 3 land from time to time and will keep them in games and get a few upsets. But, NIT might be the ceiling.

 

[ClintonIAfan]

I really like this team, I see them putting things together and making a deep NCAA tournament run.

 

[WestCoastHawk]

I don't see a leader on the floor or a player that can take over a game. Uthoff is way too soft and I don't see any energy/aggressiveness from him. Woody is just too uncoordinated and when I hear people say he is athletic I am dumbfounded. When our shooting is on well win, but I'd not were screwed.

 

[NikeHawk21]

To put things into perspective we are a missed called and / or a JU three pointer away from potentially playing for the championship of this tourney. Does this team have some weaknesses, no doubt but losing close games to NCAA tournament level teams early in the year does not mean NIT is the ceiling.

Also another poster about perfectly called this thread a week or so back.

 

[SteveGarvey]

I really like this team, I see them putting things together and making a deep NCAA tournament run.

I think it's too early to tell. We did beat Marquette on the road by 28 and just lost to two likely NCAA teams by 5 and 6 points respectively. Sounds like an NIT or bubble team to me.

I think I'm more concerned about next year. With so many underclassmen and not overwhelming talent, I see us being a bottom tier team in the B1G and then you have to fear some unrest in Hawkeye Nation.

 

[SteveGarvey]

Bobby Hanson last night remarked that we just don't have anyone who is a threat to take it to the hole with consistency and we are just relying on 3s too much. We had Whitey to take it to the rack last year and, while it wasn't always graceful, he was often effective.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Bobby Hanson last night remarked that we just don't have anyone who is a threat to take it to the hole with consistency and we are just relying on 3s too much. We had Whitey to take it to the rack last year and, while it wasn't always graceful, he was often effective.

That is why I voiced displeasure in redshirting Moss. It sounds like he couldn't grasp the system yet so it is a mute point, however he would have been the one guy who had the potential to be a "slasher" for this team.

 

[PCHawk]

I just hope to make the tournament this year. The Big 10 is pretty weak this year so as long as we don't lose 5 non conference games we will have a chance. Next year might be bad but there's no way to tell for sure with everyone being so young. After next year I expect really big things with all the stud recruits we have coming in.