JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
I was reading a Mike Hlas blog this AM and was once again reminded of this reality as it relates to the 2012-2013 Iowa Hoops team:
They start three freshmen. Two guards (including PG) and a center. They also start a sophomore who has 29 starts to his credit for his career.
Despite a 1-14 shooting performance by their best player, they had multiple chances to beat the 5th ranked team in the nation last week at home. They also went on the road at the #2 ranked team in the nation and got blown out, despite holding their own for the first 17 minutes of the game.
This Iowa team does have flaws and those flaws are well known and a good chunk of those flaws have to do with inexperience.
I didn't think they'd be able to overcome that inexperience this year and turn it into an NCAA appearance. I still don't. Combine that with the fact that this team will struggle from three and road games are going to be all the more challenging than normal.
I picked them 11-2 in the non-con and to start 0-2 in the Big Ten. So far, that's what has happened. If anything I have been more impressed with Woodbury than I expected, Gesell is probably on par with what I expected and Clemmons is ahead of what I expected. I thought Aaron White would be farther along offensively this year than last year, but I haven't seen that yet and it may take another off season for him to develop the half court offensive skills he needs to become a complete player; now his points seem to just come in transition, offensive put backs and the free throw line. He is still giving Iowa a lot of production, don't get me wrong, but I think he can become more of a force offensively. Marble's next plateau is consistency, which may not come this year.
So this team has some warts and it also plays in the best conference in the nation. If this team were one of a handful of the Alford era teams as far as the rest of the league is concerned, they'd make the NCAA's. The Big Ten from around 2001 to 2007 or 2008 just wasn't very good an the worst it has been in my lifetime. That is not the case now.
Iowa got blown out in the gym of the #2 team in the nation. An Iowa team that starts three freshmen and a soph who doesn't yet have the equivalent of one full season's worth of starts under his belt. Those are things to keep in mind when trying to 'reconcile' yesterday's loss.
They start three freshmen. Two guards (including PG) and a center. They also start a sophomore who has 29 starts to his credit for his career.
Despite a 1-14 shooting performance by their best player, they had multiple chances to beat the 5th ranked team in the nation last week at home. They also went on the road at the #2 ranked team in the nation and got blown out, despite holding their own for the first 17 minutes of the game.
This Iowa team does have flaws and those flaws are well known and a good chunk of those flaws have to do with inexperience.
I didn't think they'd be able to overcome that inexperience this year and turn it into an NCAA appearance. I still don't. Combine that with the fact that this team will struggle from three and road games are going to be all the more challenging than normal.
I picked them 11-2 in the non-con and to start 0-2 in the Big Ten. So far, that's what has happened. If anything I have been more impressed with Woodbury than I expected, Gesell is probably on par with what I expected and Clemmons is ahead of what I expected. I thought Aaron White would be farther along offensively this year than last year, but I haven't seen that yet and it may take another off season for him to develop the half court offensive skills he needs to become a complete player; now his points seem to just come in transition, offensive put backs and the free throw line. He is still giving Iowa a lot of production, don't get me wrong, but I think he can become more of a force offensively. Marble's next plateau is consistency, which may not come this year.
So this team has some warts and it also plays in the best conference in the nation. If this team were one of a handful of the Alford era teams as far as the rest of the league is concerned, they'd make the NCAA's. The Big Ten from around 2001 to 2007 or 2008 just wasn't very good an the worst it has been in my lifetime. That is not the case now.
Iowa got blown out in the gym of the #2 team in the nation. An Iowa team that starts three freshmen and a soph who doesn't yet have the equivalent of one full season's worth of starts under his belt. Those are things to keep in mind when trying to 'reconcile' yesterday's loss.
Having done over 100 post game call in shows for Iowa football and been around the message boards for 14 years, I know that is 100% true.
