Gatens was the reason we got killed

[JonDMiller]

Fine call it blame. My only point by that is people think I'm attacking the guy for missing shots, and I'm not.

Then what the hell are you doing, blowing him unicorn kisses?

Coming at players like this is something I used to delete out of hand. I should probably go back to that practice, if for nothing else to save people from themselves.

 

[seepig]

Like I said in another thread, if Gatens is your 4th or 5th option offensively, you're going to be in good shape. The fact that he's our first option reflects more on the lack of talent the coaching staffs (mainly Lick) failed to bring in. Gatens is a legit B10 player, he would get minutes on any team in the B10, which can not be said for most of the guys on this team, he's just not an elite B10 talent.

Totally agree! In top programs Gatens is a role player like a Jeff Moe (though not nearly the energy Moe used to provide). At Iowa we need a step up star and Gatens doesn't exhibit that give me the ball or else mentality. Can't place the blame at his feet we just don't have talent that McCaffrey needs. Wish we had as much luck as Marquette had at getting a couple of JC players like Cartwright to fill gaps build a resume and build recruiting base with success.

 

[jo12208]

We need to get the other half of the pieces we need to replace the half that is not working

 

[BlackGold57]

A few weeks ago, I stepped back from the frustration and said what would be progress.

Win home games we should - Indiana, Michigan
Win one home game against favored team - Michigan St
Win one road game - Indiana
Win one game in B10 tourney

Thats 5 wins. Don't expect miracles. This team is improving, you can see it. Basabe, Brommer, Cartwright, Marble. They play hard, but will have games like Sunday. They were one play away from beating Wisconsin. Expect more next year, not this one.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Then what the hell are you doing, blowing him unicorn kisses?

Coming at players like this is something I used to delete out of hand. I should probably go back to that practice, if for nothing else to save people from themselves.

Ha Ha! Haa Haa! You said "Hell".

I agree with all your sentiments. The title of the thread is clearly calling Gatens out on this loss.

 

[storminspank]

Gatens is actually shooting the 3 ball better this year than last.
Take out the last two games and he's somewhere around the 38% range. That's perfectly acceptable.

 

[hawkIhoops]

MN was too big down low and too quick outside. Mbakwe had his way on every possession in the 2nd half and Hoffharber and the mohawk PG blew by us and dished at will. Another team with a really nice crop of young players proving that freshman can contribute.

Gatens and May have peaked. Expecting either to come back next season with some new game isn't realistic. Gatens can shoot when left wide open in non competitive games and May can dunk. Both give their all no doubt, but neither merits 35 minutes per game in the big ten. We are expecting them to do more than they are capable of delivering.

 

[DuffMan]

MN was too big down low and too quick outside. Mbakwe had his way on every possession in the 2nd half and Hoffharber and the mohawk PG blew by us and dished at will. Another team with a really nice crop of young players proving that freshman can contribute.

Gatens and May have peaked. Expecting either to come back next season with some new game isn't realistic. Gatens can shoot when left wide open in non competitive games and May can dunk. Both give their all no doubt, but neither merits 35 minutes per game in the big ten. We are expecting them to do more than they are capable of delivering.

I agree Matt is what Matt is at this point but saying Eric May has peaked is just plain stupid. Eric May is a true sophmore who's strenghts are his physical gift and athleticism, and his weaknesses are as a "basketball" player. To expect him not to improve in that area is foolish and makes you sound like a rube.

 

[koolhandlick]

I agree with what HAWKEYEMIKE brought up. Instead of blaming one player why not give credit where credit is due. At least 90% of this mess is on Lickliter. I still can't believe how many people on here thought he should have been given another year or two to do even more damage to the program. If you think this years team is bad just think how much worse it could be if he was still the coach. He dug a deep hole that can't be filled over night.

 

[cabse5]

IMO, the main reason Iowa was on a winning streak was M. Basabe...
If you want to blame any one player, why not blame Iowa's best player?

Why did he sit so long on the bench? Was he sick? How many points/rebounds did he get?

Did he have troubles against Minny's zone of trees???

Could he become a guard? At least, he's certainly needs to pack on more muscle and pounds.

 

[SheagleHawk]

IMO, the main reason Iowa was on a winning streak was M. Basabe...
If you want to blame any one player, why not blame Iowa's best player?

Why did he sit so long on the bench? Was he sick? How many points/rebounds did he get?

Did he have troubles against Minny's zone of trees???

Could he become a guard? At least, he's certainly needs to pack on more muscle and pounds.

So you want to blame a true freshman who shot 50% from the field but was limited by foul trouble instead of a guy who is a junior, recognized as a leader of the team and who goes 2-11 from behind the arc?

Did you even watch the game or follow the Hawks regularly? Basabe was in foul trouble much of the game. NO he can't become a guard, and nearly every freshman who's last name is not Sullinger that comes into major D1 basketball has to "pack on more muscle and pounds".

 

[TChawk]

He was. I'm a big defender of Gatens, because I've seen how well he can shoot the 3. Also, we went to the same highschool so I feel loyalty to they guy. The reality is he has only had a good shot a couple games this year. Not sure the stats, but this has to be his worst year from 3. When he missed a couple wide open 3's, I knew we were fudged. 2 consecutive air balls at one point...unreal. 2-11 C'Mon Gatens. That is soo weak.

Wow seriously if you think that then you know less than NOTHING about basketball, Gatens having a BAD shooting night was not the reason Iowa got killed...but whatever floats your boat.

 

[Herkeynerd]

I didn't watch the game, I was busy making home improvements, but I know you can't pin this on Matt. The fact that he had an off night and nobody else stepped up is what killed them. That might be the most disappointing part of this season is when the older more experienced players have bad nights, the team goes in the tank. With other teams, a guy can have an off night, but one of your teammates picks up his game a little and another guy picks up his game a little to compensate. Not this team, they either all play well, or all play like they don't know what they're doing. That has to be the thing to change before Iowa can be consistently competitive.
At the end of the game I caught one of the guys say, "Minnesota, sensing its season was on the line, really brought it all this evening with their intensity"
I think Iowa just plain got outplayed and doesn't have the depth of players to overcome that kind of effort by the other team. They'll be other games, and Iowa will be right there in the end for a couple of them. I won't promise another win though.

 

[smhawk]

The thing that about Gatens that was so positive was his consistency from three. While he never usually shoots lights out like 5/6 from 3 he almost never has games with this low of percentage. He usually is right in the middle somewhere. With still not stepping his game up that much in other areas of the game he played like Bawinkle with better defense.

With the defense we were up against, you need shooters to step up, Gatens missed a huge opportunity to prove his value.

Besides, if we hit 20 percent more from 3 in the game the zone would have opened up more and Cartwright would have been able to move the ball around better.

 

[Ihawk209]

Matt Gatens is responsible for all of our wars

 

[DuffMan]

I like where this thread is going, I'll contribute....

Matt Gatens is the reason 9-11 happened.

 

[GravyJones]

Gatens killed JFK. And Elvis.

 

[ICbornNraised]

Why does everybody feel like they need to jump so hard to Gatens defense. It was observation as to why IMO things got out of hand in the game. He had a BAD night. Big deal. Move on.

I feel like if he would have made a few shots. Everyone around him would have made more shots. He was the catalyst. When the leader played bad the rest followed. I DON'T think he sucks at basketball.

 

[Ihawk209]

Matt Gatens framed Roger Rabbit

 

[TChawk]

Why does everybody feel like they need to jump so hard to Gatens defense. It was observation as to why IMO things got out of hand in the game. He had a BAD night. Big deal. Move on.

I feel like if he would have made a few shots. Everyone around him would have made more shots. He was the catalyst. When the leader played bad the rest followed. I DON'T think he sucks at basketball.

Except he was NOT the reason the team got killed as you put it, that is why people jumped to his defense cause you made a stupid post that was no where near the truth.