Fran in games decided by 5 points or less

[khock]

............. #of +/-
............. 5 pt gms ..... W-L ..... W (season)
2010-11 .....8..............2-6........11
2011-12 .....7..............4-3........18
2012-13 .....9..............2-7........25
2013-14 .....9..............2-7........20
2014-15 .....7..............2-5........22
2015-16 .....3..............1-2........7 (as of 12.15.15)
Overall.......43............13-30.....103

 

[DJL]

............. #of +/-
............. 5 pt gms ..... W-L ..... W (season)
2010-11 .....8..............2-6........11
2011-12 .....7..............4-3........18
2012-13 .....9..............2-7........25
2013-14 .....9..............2-7........20
2014-15 .....7..............2-5........22
2015-16 .....3..............1-2........7 (as of 12.15.15)
Overall.......43............13-30.....103

woof. stats confirming what most of us thought.

 

[PCHawk]

The complete meltdown in the last 2 minutes of games is impressive. Can't buy a basket on offense. Terrible unforced turnovers, and defense that allows countless uncontested layups and dunks. It all started Marble's junior year. I think most of that was a string of bad luck. Since then it has gotten worse and worse. It's like the players are so mentally destroyed they are just waiting for something bad to happen. If Marble would have finished a couple games his junior year like he did his sophomore year, and if Gesell would have made those free throws against ISU 2 years ago, we would be in the in the middle of an incredible 4 year run. I'm telling you guys, this isn't a coaching thing. This is a couple key players losing all confidence early and things snow balling because of it. The 2 years where both players played important rolls were the worst.

 

[DP5555]

The complete meltdown in the last 2 minutes of games is impressive. Can't buy a basket on offense. Terrible unforced turnovers, and defense that allows countless uncontested layups and dunks. It all started Marble's junior year. I think most of that was a string of bad luck. Since then it has gotten worse and worse. It's like the players are so mentally destroyed they are just waiting for something bad to happen. If Marble would have finished a couple games his junior year like he did his sophomore year, and if Gesell would have made those free throws against ISU 2 years ago, we would be in the in the middle of an incredible 4 year run. I'm telling you guys, this isn't a coaching thing. This is a couple key players losing all confidence early and things snow balling because of it. The 2 years where both players played important rolls were the worst.

I don't disagree with you. I would agree that this trend is mostly on the players because in many cases they have been put in a position to win and they simply collapsed.

However, I do think Fran deserves some of the blame. He almost always ends the game with unused timeouts. In fact, I would venture to guess that in the majority of the games that were sited above the Hawks probably finished with timeouts left up on the board. There can be a debate about whether or not calling a timeout is the right move, but when you've failed so many times by not using your timeouts you'd think at some point you would try to change things up. That's probably my biggest gripe with Fran. It's like he just panics with his players and says "**** it whatever happens happens". Sometimes he needs to be the voice of reason. Call a timeout. Explain the situation. Get a couple different plays called and run through them based upon that situation. Don't just let all hell break lose and live with it. They've failed far too many times with that strategy.

 

[DJL]

Maybe Fran should come read this board then he too can have a turnaround like KF.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

As a former manager of mine once said: "We succeed and fail as a team", and that included managers.

Same goes for sports teams, IMO. Yes, it's on the players to make plays, and anything can happen in any given game, but if it's a repeated pattern, then IMO the coaching staff should have to answer some questions about this, too. Why does Iowa continually wilt at the end of close games? Lack of strategy? Not recruiting players with intestinal fortitude? Bad luck? All the above? If it was mere bad luck, you would think the law of averages would eventually play out, but it hasn't.

I just don't think you can say "it's on the players" or "it's on the coaches" with 100% certainty. I'm guessing (yes, uneducated guess) that it's a bit of both.

Iowa has shown time and time again that it can compete with most anyone, but simply can't finish the deal the last two minutes, in many cases. It's a mystery.

Seems like this is a conversation we had during the Alford era, more often than we should have, too.

 

[mj4cy]

From a clone fan's perspective, one thing that seems to work against Fran is his point guard doesn't seem to be able to create and needs more of a set play to find a good shot.


After ISU pulled to within 1, Fran seemed content to let MG just dribble time down then take a shot. I think that's fine if you have a stud PG that can do that and maybe I'm underrating Mike, but that might be a good time to call a timeout and actually have a set play for your stud in Uthoff. Or set up a play that appears that it's going to Uthoff and then have it go to Jok or Mike.


It's all about personnel. Seems like Fran sometimes doesn't do what's best for his personnel down the stretch.

 

[PCHawk]

I don't disagree with you. I would agree that this trend is mostly on the players because in many cases they have been put in a position to win and they simply collapsed.

However, I do think Fran deserves some of the blame. He almost always ends the game with unused timeouts. In fact, I would venture to guess that in the majority of the games that were sited above the Hawks probably finished with timeouts left up on the board. There can be a debate about whether or not calling a timeout is the right move, but when you've failed so many times by not using your timeouts you'd think at some point you would try to change things up. That's probably my biggest gripe with Fran. It's like he just panics with his players and says "**** it whatever happens happens". Sometimes he needs to be the voice of reason. Call a timeout. Explain the situation. Get a couple different plays called and run through them based upon that situation. Don't just let all hell break lose and live with it. They've failed far too many times with that strategy.

I agree that Fran should use timeouts to stop bad momentum. But in end of games situations, if you can communicate pre determined plays from the bench, that's better than calling a timeout. We get good shots at the end of games a lot. They just never fall.

 

[HawkAssassin]

From a clone fan's perspective, one thing that seems to work against Fran is his point guard doesn't seem to be able to create and needs more of a set play to find a good shot.


After ISU pulled to within 1, Fran seemed content to let MG just dribble time down then take a shot. I think that's fine if you have a stud PG that can do that and maybe I'm underrating Mike, but that might be a good time to call a timeout and actually have a set play for your stud in Uthoff. Or set up a play that appears that it's going to Uthoff and then have it go to Jok or Mike.


It's all about personnel. Seems like Fran sometimes doesn't do what's best for his personnel down the stretch.

After ISU pulled to within 1, Mike went 2-3 with 2 free throws plus an assist to put us up 8...

When you're trying to kill time you're going to have your point guard hold the ball a little while...

Iowa ran some downscreen action with Jok and Uthoff involved late. Jok missed one shot and made a curl cut on the next possession which gave Mike no angle to make the pass, pretty much killed the play and Mike was forced to make a tough play because of it...

The last play is a play we run all the time with Jarrod curling following another player. If we had called timeout, I imagine we would've called a similar play anyways. We got the ball to the player we wanted and he missed... oh well.

If you can't inbound the ball call a timeout.

Thank you for stopping by to take your pot shot though.

 

[HawkAssassin]

I don't remember the exact quote, but I do remember that Doc Rivers had something to say about coaching in the last minute one time.

The coach can draw up any great play he wants, but it doesn't matter if the players don't believe in themselves, the play, or the coach... the play won't work.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

From a clone fan's perspective, one thing that seems to work against Fran is his point guard doesn't seem to be able to create and needs more of a set play to find a good shot.


After ISU pulled to within 1, Fran seemed content to let MG just dribble time down then take a shot. I think that's fine if you have a stud PG that can do that and maybe I'm underrating Mike, but that might be a good time to call a timeout and actually have a set play for your stud in Uthoff. Or set up a play that appears that it's going to Uthoff and then have it go to Jok or Mike.


It's all about personnel. Seems like Fran sometimes doesn't do what's best for his personnel down the stretch.

You think a team made of ISU scrubs who can't make the NBA would combine to be an average NBA team, no one gives a **** what you think about basketball.

 

[Clark]

not shocked by this but I'm unsure if it's Fran's fault or the fault of the choking dogs that make up this senior class

 

[khock]

not shocked by this but I'm unsure if it's Fran's fault or the fault of the choking dogs that make up this senior class

Agree. That data, at least from my perspective, is observational and I guess people are free to draw their own conclusions. I should have titled the thread "Fran's teams in games decided by 5 points or less". Details.

 

[NEIChawk]

The bottom line is Fran's teams c/n execute down the stretch and bury teams when they're on the ropes. The collapse the other night was God awful, inexcusable, especially by 4 seniors....I have never figured Fran out in close games, with timeouts left....It seems like he is letting the players decide the outcome....which is ok, if the ball's in the right persons hand (most of the time it's not), what Iowa needs is better guard play, penetrate, dish off, or get to the damn rack, get fouled, or an and 1.....too many times we throw the ball away, take an off-balanced shot.....very maddening

 

[mj4cy]

You think a team made of ISU scrubs who can't make the NBA would combine to be an average NBA team, no one gives a **** what you think about basketball.

you should probably point that out a few more times so we don't forget you're obsessed with the same rhetoric. Have fun mr message board hall monitor


oh and you forgot "LOL!!"

 

[mj4cy]

After ISU pulled to within 1, Mike went 2-3 with 2 free throws plus an assist to put us up 8...

When you're trying to kill time you're going to have your point guard hold the ball a little while...

Iowa ran some downscreen action with Jok and Uthoff involved late. Jok missed one shot and made a curl cut on the next possession which gave Mike no angle to make the pass, pretty much killed the play and Mike was forced to make a tough play because of it...

The last play is a play we run all the time with Jarrod curling following another player. If we had called timeout, I imagine we would've called a similar play anyways. We got the ball to the player we wanted and he missed... oh well.

If you can't inbound the ball call a timeout.

Thank you for stopping by to take your pot shot though.

Sure he helped make that nice run back to 8, but more in general beyond the ISU Game, is MG capable of creating his own shot at the end of games?

 

[ArvadaHawk]

............. #of +/


Tough not to give Fran a break in season 1, but I don't want to cherry pick. Is there a breakdown as to who the games were against and whether they were home/away? I'm thinking that MSU, ISU, WI, IU, maybe PU are repeat offenders. Then, some close losses last season in non con, again this season. Is the NCAA loss to UT included?

 

[tweeterhawk]

............. #of +/-
............. 5 pt gms ..... W-L ..... W (season)
2010-11 .....8..............2-6........11
2011-12 .....7..............4-3........18
2012-13 .....9..............2-7........25
2013-14 .....9..............2-7........20
2014-15 .....7..............2-5........22
2015-16 .....3..............1-2........7 (as of 12.15.15)
Overall.......43............13-30.....103

This is pretty brutal, actually, and perhaps indicative of the type of athlete Fran has managed to recruit at Iowa. Decent players but not physically or mentally hard enough to win close games at the end. Would be curious how this compares with other recent coaches at Iowa, especially Lute, Mr. Davis, Wonder Boy and Lackluster.

 

[HawkAssassin]

Sure he helped make that nice run back to 8, but more in general beyond the ISU Game, is MG capable of creating his own shot at the end of games?

Yes he can, he is probably our best player at getting to the rim. Might not always be able to finish cuz he's smallish but he can get there.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

............. #of +/


Tough not to give Fran a break in season 1, but I don't want to cherry pick. Is there a breakdown as to who the games were against and whether they were home/away? I'm thinking that MSU, ISU, WI, IU, maybe PU are repeat offenders. Then, some close losses last season in non con, again this season. Is the NCAA loss to UT included?

I doubt it, Iowa lost that game by > 5. But it was an OT game, so I'd definitely classify that one as another "close loss". I seem to recall Iowa having the ball at the end of regulation, chance to win it, and Marble missed the shot. It's the same MO. Then TN dominated the OT.

Not just missing shots, but Iowa seems to often end up with a horrendous look at the basket or a turnover (see end of regulation vs FSU this year), which of course is not likely to win you the game.