Hawkeye basketball is a puzzle

[docholihawk]

I'm asking for help. Everything was going good for the Hawkeyes since the beginning os Fran taking over as coach. We improved every year including winning 25 games and appearing in the title game of the NIT last year. Things looked promising at the beginning of the year and I expected a NCAA tournament berth and I thought we were capable of winning 2 to 3 tournament games. Since the Big 10 season started I just can't put my finger on this team. Some games we play like we can beat anybody in the country and other times we look like we can lose to anybody in the country. I see Devyn Marble playing at an elite level and at other times playing like he wants to be the star and is looking out for his draft status. Aaron White seems to have disappeared since conference games started. His first two years he would receive a pass, fake one way and drive the lane. He was always slashing to the basket and would get rebounds, tip ins or just keep the ball alive. He made the occasional three and was just dependable in almost every situation. Lately it seems like his job is to stand on the wing, receive the pass, dribble a couple of times and pass the ball. Woody has improved his game this year and yet his playing time is sporadic. I do think his propensity to draw fouls adds to this playing time questions. Gabe has impoved his game a great deal and has received more minutes but he seems to sit at critical times during the game. I'm not trying to bag on the players because I don't know the situation and maybe they are being coached to play this way. I also questions Fran's use of substitutions. JO had one of his best games as Hawkeye today and yet he was on the bench when a three point shot was designed for our last play. I've been a big defender of Zach McCabe since his freshman year but for this team I think his best value is to use him 10-12 minutes a game playing in the right situations. We are sorely lacking in leadership. I really thought Aaron White would bring that this year but he seems to be in a shell for some reason. Mike Gessel seems to provide the most leadership which I like but Marble and White should be leading this team. Am I assessing this team right or can someone explain to me what I'm not seeing. Your comments would be appreciated.

 

[clicheusername3]

I'm asking for help. Everything was going good for the Hawkeyes since the beginning os Fran taking over as coach. We improved every year including winning 25 games and appearing in the title game of the NIT last year. Things looked promising at the beginning of the year and I expected a NCAA tournament berth and I thought we were capable of winning 2 to 3 tournament games.

Since the Big 10 season started I just can't put my finger on this team. Some games we play like we can beat anybody in the country and other times we look like we can lose to anybody in the country. I see Devyn Marble playing at an elite level and at other times playing like he wants to be the star and is looking out for his draft status.

Aaron White seems to have disappeared since conference games started. His first two years he would receive a pass, fake one way and drive the lane. He was always slashing to the basket and would get rebounds, tip ins or just keep the ball alive. He made the occasional three and was just dependable in almost every situation. Lately it seems like his job is to stand on the wing, receive the pass, dribble a couple of times and pass the ball. Woody has improved his game this year and yet his playing time is sporadic. I do think his propensity to draw fouls adds to this playing time questions.

Gabe has impoved his game a great deal and has received more minutes but he seems to sit at critical times during the game. I'm not trying to bag on the players because I don't know the situation and maybe they are being coached to play this way. I also questions Fran's use of substitutions. JO had one of his best games as Hawkeye today and yet he was on the bench when a three point shot was designed for our last play.

I've been a big defender of Zach McCabe since his freshman year but for this team I think his best value is to use him 10-12 minutes a game playing in the right situations. We are sorely lacking in leadership. I really thought Aaron White would bring that this year but he seems to be in a shell for some reason.

Mike Gessel seems to provide the most leadership which I like but Marble and White should be leading this team. Am I assessing this team right or can someone explain to me what I'm not seeing. Your comments would be appreciated.

CUNThree with the assist.

 

[NEIChawk]

That's seems to fairly right on....I'm not sure where some of Iowa's players go during crucial times in the game...this is not the same Wisconsin team we faced earlier...they have executed better on offense, and have clamped down on defense....The issue I have is w/Fran sometimes and his use of substitutions.....during the heat of making a run or to close out an opponent, you have to have the right skill players in there, the right match-ups.....but, we continue to see players on the bench that we need in there....What I'm afraid of is ore of the same as the season continues....Fran's love affair w/Zach is quite obvious, but that's not the answer.....Fran clearly becomes out-coached at crucial times, and some players forget that you play 40 minutes....it's very frustrating to watch, and most of us can see it coming for miles when it's crunch time....we need Gesell in the game instead of on the bench, we need others to step up instead of fading to black, and we need others to not shoot...period

 

[lightning1]

I don't know what we are trying to do on offense in the half court set. Too many times I see 4 guys standing around watching one guy go into one-on-one mode. I said it during the OOC season and it bears repeating. We do not look for the extra pass, often enough. It's not an individual player issue, it's the lack of team basketball.

 

[1hawkeye1]

I hate to say it again, as it's been said ad nauseum but it is true. This team lacks a dedicated floor leader and consistent mental toughness.