That's why I said we didn't execute. Two Sr. point guards. We should never have lost that game. BUT we do have a depth issue unless a couple guys take a big step between now and the BT season.
Embarassing senior leadership and coaching.
- Thread starter Bigtenchamp
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That's why I said we didn't execute. Two Sr. point guards. We should never have lost that game. BUT we do have a depth issue unless a couple guys take a big step between now and the BT season.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
The joke is you thinking that Fran has never had a winning conference record at Iowa.
First half at least-and by Utoff and jok hitting shots. Face it, Iowa has 1 Division 1 player and no senior leadership. 2 highly recruited players who have yet to live up to their potential. Miss Mr. Davis days where he got more out of his players than expected and eas a good game coach. This loss was pathetic last night.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
Iowa has been a borderline top 25 team every year that those 2 highly recruited players came to Iowa so keep telling yourself they haven't lived up to their potential.
That was a group of experienced seniors looking like bungling idiots that have never been in a close game. Same goes for coach.
WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
OP...Was this your opinion at halftime? That's what I thought...rhetorical question.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
Played a hell of a game? I'll give you played a hell of a first half. Getting outscored by 15 in the second half, committing 17 second half turnovers (if memory serves me right), and giving up the last 9 points of the game is an embarrassment. It's literally a tale of two halves and last I knew a game consisted of two halves. I saw nothing in the second half that led me to believe that we played "a hell of a game". Truthfully I saw little in the second half that convinced me that we ever left the locker room at the break.
WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
This is what happens with 2 teams that rely on perimeter shooting. We didn't use our bench much in the 2nd half. Later in the year those guys will have more experience and the top 5 will be fresher at the end of games.
Bigtenchamp
Well-Known Member
Blowing a 6 point lead by having bad mental breakdowns at the end of the game with 1:00 left?
Hey "That's like your opinion man" but even ISU fans that I know this morning were telling me about how they couldn't believe that Iowa handed them the game like that.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
That was one of the bigger things I took from the game. The starters were gassed in the 2nd half... Iowa played great sans the last minute. It was tough, but losing typically is.
Bigtenchamp
Well-Known Member
Not sure what you even mean by this question.
I was in no way comfortable with a 14 point lead at halftime at Hitlon - was very hopeful.
A six point lead with 1 minute left? There is no way that you lose that.
What happened before that is irrelevant.
Leadership is about crunch time and the ends of games.... you know the 4th quarter.. the end of close games.
Having a lead at halftime is nice but its means very little.
ibahawkeye
Well-Known Member
I understand the guys are young but is a light bulb just suddenly going to go off for these younger guys? Why didn't Fran even play Wagner?
I guess I'm just not sure that these young guys are just going to suddenly be better later in the year. I think growth comes more in the offseason and we'll obviously need a lot of growth between this year and next.
WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
Honestly...The answer is yes. At some point the younger guys will understand things better and be more confident and play better. The off season is also important. But grab a snapshot of the current stats for the team right now. Then compare those stats to the stats in early March. There will be a noticeable difference for multiple players...guessing Uhl, Ellingson and Wagner will all be on that list of improved stats/play.
Iowa's play in the last 3 minutes was bad enough but what about the rest of the game? Their interior defense was puke! How many easy layups or dunks did ISU get? Embarrassing how easy it was for them at times, helping them in their comeback. Again, very little toughness shown by this team in multiple areas.
Bigtenchamp
Well-Known Member
This observation does hold some truth. However ISU is also not a deep team.
But it doesn't explain the collapse and turnovers in the last minute of the game.
The coaches and the players in practice all week aren't going to be sugar coating any of this.
Bigtenchamp
Well-Known Member
I was at the game also by the way and I'm sure you could see it down the stretch on television.
The body language and fading self confidence was all over the place.
It was more than anything a mental breakdown and that's the point.
You can try to X and O it all you want - but really that won't solve the problem.
The body language and fading self confidence was all over the place.
It was more than anything a mental breakdown and that's the point.
You can try to X and O it all you want - but really that won't solve the problem.
Other than the last minute, the part that frustrated me the most (and I was at the game) was the fact that it really seemed like we were being badly outworked during their run. That happens for awhile in a lot of games like that, but I thought after the last time out Iowa would match ISU's intensity. I don't think they ever did. They really seemed to panic. With that said, if Baer hits the wide open shots, if we get one more rebound, if we have one less turnover, we win the game. That's what frustrates me, we have the talent, we just need confidence or leadership at the end of games.
D
DDThompson
Guest
Hate to say this but i think it is true: Mike Gesell is basketball version of Tommy Armstrong.
D
DDThompson
Guest
Iowa State does that to everybody. That's what happens when you can shoot...the inside opens up and talented big guys can dunk. Not rocket surgery.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
True, and a great point, but what exactly is "rocket surgery"? That's been my biggest problem with staying with Woody down the stretch. Much more space much more athleticism. Sure we'd give up size by going with Wagner, but he's more athletic and IMO has a better concept of where the rebound is going to go and much better at getting there.
A local Juco coach continually preaches that 95% of all rebounds are grabbed below the rim. We need the high energy guys to get those balls and IMO Wagner has better instincts to get to that spot then Woody and could have possibly helped us tremendously last night.
