Halfway thru Big10 and hawks only 1 game back in loss column

[uihawk82]

It is great to see them in the hunt and I think with a realistic chance to win the Big regular season title. The Hawks were back to shooting well against illini and also protecting the ball. Ball movement and spacing was pretty good as was defense.

I havent really looked at the upcoming schedule and home and away breakdown but as they say once you lose and game and it is in the loss column you cant get it back but you can steal some wins to make up for it.

I think if JoeT keeps learning from each game and plays under control he will add a lot the last half. JoeW and CJF along with Connor are good enough ball handlers and passers to keep the offense moving. I also think they have enough defense and grit to win some road games.

Go Hawks, it has the feeling of old times with Lute, Davis, Miller.

 

[homes]

14-6 could win the Big 10 this year. Iowa would need to go 7-2. That means winning the last 4 home games and winning 3 of 5 on the road - Purdue, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan State, Illinois. Who of those 5 are the best chances? Even then, 14-6 is no cinch to win the title. But, it's good to be in the conversation.

 

[Hawk1960]

It's been a remarkable season so far considering all the injuries to key players. I think winning the B1G is a real long shot but would be very happy finishing in the top 4 to get the double bye and winning at least 2 games in the B1G Tourney and the Big Dance.

 

[dirtwrap]

We are favored to win each of our last 4 home games. As far as road games, both indiana and minnesota are toss-ups, and while i see we are supposed to only have a 33% chance of beating Purdue away, I like our chances here if we can take care of the ball and shoot decent. At Illinois in our last regular season game is certainly winnable as well. At MSU is going to be tough because we have to play 2 teams there, the basketball team and the officiating team. But not out of the realm of possibility.

I agree, 14-6 can win it but may need the tiebreaker. For that reason alone we have to beat MSU to win the B1G.

 

[DDThompson]

Big10 regular season title champion have less than six losses? (15-5 or better)?

I don’t think so.

 

[hawkinn3]

That damned Nebraska game...

 

[PCHawk]

We are favored to win each of our last 4 home games. As far as road games, both indiana and minnesota are toss-ups, and while i see we are supposed to only have a 33% chance of beating Purdue away, I like our chances here if we can take care of the ball and shoot decent. At Illinois in our last regular season game is certainly winnable as well. At MSU is going to be tough because we have to play 2 teams there, the basketball team and the officiating team. But not out of the realm of possibility.

I agree, 14-6 can win it but may need the tiebreaker. For that reason alone we have to beat MSU to win the B1G.

The tie breaker only matters in the tournament. We probably have to beat them to get them to 6 losses anyway tho.

 

[SpiderRico]

I think 15-5 wins the B1G regular season outright and 14-6 will tie for it.

I think our best case scenario is probably 13-7. Win 4 remaining home games and probably 2 of the 5 remaining roadies. But I do think that 13-7 is good for a top 4 seed and the double bye, which is huge for us....given our lack of depth.

Honestly, Illinois probably has the best chance at winning this thing. They only have 4 road games left and the rest of the contenders still have 5. They have home games against Maryland, MSU, Nebby, Indiana, and Iowa with roadies @ Rutgers, @ PSU, @ NW, and @ OSU.

MSU has home games against PSU, Maryland, Iowa, and OSU with roadies @Mich, @Illinois, @Nebby, @Maryland, and @PSU.

 

[PCHawk]

I think 15-5 wins the B1G regular season outright and 14-6 will tie for it.

I think our best case scenario is probably 13-7. Win 4 remaining home games and probably 2 of the 5 remaining roadies. But I do think that 13-7 is good for a top 4 seed and the double bye, which is huge for us....given our lack of depth.

Honestly, Illinois probably has the best chance at winning this thing. They only have 4 road games left and the rest of the contenders still have 5. They have home games against Maryland, MSU, Nebby, Indiana, and Iowa with roadies @ Rutgers, @ PSU, @ NW, and @ OSU.

MSU has home games against PSU, Maryland, Iowa, and OSU with roadies @Mich, @Illinois, @Nebby, @Maryland, and @PSU.

I look at that schedule and see a way for both teams to get to 13-7. It's highly unlikely they both do tho. I think for us to win it, we have to win one on the road against MSU or Illinois.

 

[ssckelley]

This is such a nice change of tune from when JBo decided to call it quits and we were all questioning if Iowa could reach the NCAA tournament without him. Now we are wondering if Iowa can win the B10 regular season title.

 

[PCHawk]

This is such a nice change of tune from when JBo decided to call it quits and we were all questioning if Iowa could reach the NCAA tournament without him. Now we are wondering if Iowa can win the B10 regular season title.

Both options are still possible at this point. We could win the conference or we could miss the tourney.

 

[ssckelley]

Both options are still possible at this point. We could win the conference or we could miss the tourney.

Missing the tournament is becoming less and less likely with each win. Iowa is a lock with just 3 more wins, heck they may only need 2.

 

[ChosenChildren]

When you start winning like this, they are all big games.

Can we steal one against Purdue on the road? And then we must show up against Nebraska.....they had Rutgers beat in the RAC.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

That damned Nebraska game...

Seriously, that is not hurting Iowa a bit, maybe a seed spot but Iowa is forcasted as a 4 or 5 at this point. They are not in a bubble situation at this point. The NET ranking is great.

 

[SpiderRico]

Seriously, that is not hurting Iowa a bit, maybe a seed spot but Iowa is forcasted as a 4 or 5 at this point. They are not in a bubble situation at this point. The NET ranking is great.

If the difference is 13-7 and a 4th place finish and 14-6 and sharing our first B1G title since 1979....I'm pretty sure we're going to wish that Nebraska game went the other way....

 

[PCHawk]

Seriously, that is not hurting Iowa a bit, maybe a seed spot but Iowa is forcasted as a 4 or 5 at this point. They are not in a bubble situation at this point. The NET ranking is great.

It could hurt us for a conference championship if we end up 1 game back. The good news is, I think we have a team that can win on the road. Our Big 10 road record sucks right now. But if CJ wasn't hurt for Penn State and Nebraska, we could have 3 road wins already with 2 hard fought losses against good teams.

 

[ssckelley]

Seriously, that is not hurting Iowa a bit, maybe a seed spot but Iowa is forcasted as a 4 or 5 at this point. They are not in a bubble situation at this point. The NET ranking is great.

Do you realize how long it's been since Iowa has won or even shared the regular season title? My guess is you weren't even born yet.

I would like to see that happen some day and right now that Nebraska loss is the difference between Iowa being in first place.

 

[hawkinn3]

Seriously, that is not hurting Iowa a bit, maybe a seed spot but Iowa is forcasted as a 4 or 5 at this point. They are not in a bubble situation at this point. The NET ranking is great.

Meant it more in terms of winning the conference.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Do you realize how long it's been since Iowa has won or even shared the regular season title? My guess is you weren't even born yet.

I would like to see that happen some day and right now that Nebraska loss is the difference between Iowa being in first place.

I'm pretty sure I'm older than you. In the words of Jo Bo............RELAX!! Not just you but a few around here. That's the game of basketball. I'm sure Mich St. didn't want to lose to Purdue by 29 but it happens, especially in the BIG 10. Nobody ever expected Iowa to be contending at the top, so people really need to stop freaking out. They have a team that can get those wins and finish strong. We will see.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

If the difference is 13-7 and a 4th place finish and 14-6 and sharing our first B1G title since 1979....I'm pretty sure we're going to wish that Nebraska game went the other way....

I admit, when I posted what I posted I had tunnel vision on the NCAA and thought the comment about wishing we had the Nebby game back was referring to that. I wasn't really thinking about the BIG 10 title implications. I also don't want it to keep Iowa from a bye situation in the conference tournament.