Hawkeye Hoops Reminder

[PhotoHawk]

Additional observations from the past couple of games:

* Iowa press not nearly as effective in conference play. I'd say partially due to opposing guard skill-level but also noticed at times our guys aren't quite as aggressive as they were on trapping in pre-season almost like they are trying to conserve energy to last more minutes or perhaps knowing the staff expects them to go 27min vs 21min, etc. now that conference play has started

* offensive ball movement not as crisp and more guys appear to be just standing in place while 1 guy dribbles at the point or wing position...again possibly due to better defensive pressure but for a few games the Hawks were really reversing the ball quickly and making hard cuts without the ball which are now more of a rounded cut and much easier to defend

* low-post is not getting as many touches perhaps due to lack of ball movement above. Woody is a very capable scorer and passer but I have seen numerous instances where he is open but spotted a moment too late so the ball stays on the perimeter.

* defensively the thing I have noticed from the IU home game compared to nearly all of the pre-season games is a lack of communication. To start the year I could hear Woody & McCabe especially talking all the time and yelling out cutters, screens, etc but last game was hardly a sound, especially on the inbounds plays where IA got beat for a couple of easy buckets

* finally, I would remind folks that White had an early season wrist injury which may still be affecting his shot similar to Gatens last season so hopefully he can finish just as hot as Matt and perhaps the extra muscle that Oglesby has added partially explains his shooting woes this season also similar to something Matt mentioned at one point during his career

 

[atomicblue224]

I`m glad we have them for next 3 to 5 years , this team is gonna be good next few years. i`m not worried at all . i 'm having so much fun watching the hawks now . we have two great basketball teams Men and Women ! Goo Hawks! and Go Gators! (sorry guys )

 

[RocknRollface]

Iowa has one player who can create his own shot in Marble, and even he struggles with that as he does not have that first step or explosiveness than Burke and Hardaway have.

I won't say Iowa has one player who can create his own shot. We either have 3 or none because Marble isn't much better at it than Gessel or Clemmons, he just takes allot more quick shots.

 

[dmShortSaledude]

Meh, A lot of people were expecting a blowout.

Would they feel better if the Hawks were down 30 and then trimmed the deficit to 18 by the end of the game? Probably not.

The game was ugly, there is no way to deny that. The key is to not let Sunday's game beat you more than once.

This. Blowouts happen in basketball. I was expecting it. Hoping for something different, but expecting. Bouncing back is the key. I just wish next wasn't MSU.

Now make the dang 3 pt shot like we are capable doing!! And make it consistently...

 

[homes]

I still think 9-9 in the conference plus a win in the BTT puts them in the NCAA tournament. Or at least it would give us fans the opportunity to claim that the Hawks got screwed if they didn't make it in, which is progress.

 

[bws258]

I still think Iowa can get to .500 in conf play and a 9/10 seed

 

[doclee]

Speaking of blowouts at home that are embarrassing: What was the score of the Michigan/Iowa game at Carver Hawkeye last year?

 

[Bigtenchamp]

This team shows a lot of promise at times - like they can play with anyone.

Then they start to shoot horribly and lose defensive focus.

The biggest problem is defensive focus - of course we couldn't guard Michigan.

But I saw alot of standing around and what looked like lack of focus and effort.

That can't happen.

 

[cibula11]

Home games will be huge for this team. With any young team, we're going to see major ups and downs and lots of inconsistency. I don't see this team playing particularly well on the road, which makes the home games a must win.

 

[tednugentfan]

I like McCaffrey, but am starting to question his grasp on the level of athlete needed to compete in the big ten. On last night's radio show, he talked about a relapse to last year's defensive problems (not talking, guys not knowing assignments, not covering for each other), while at the same time saying the team has great chemistry and character. How can guys on scholarship not know where they are supposed to be in a zone after a million practices? The problem isn't talking, it's talent. I am not talking 4 star recruits, but kids who can run, jump and board with the rest of the conference. Huge miss not getting a juco SG or PF in here for the next two seasons. I hope I am wrong, but I expect MSU's guards to cause us fits and their bigs to own the paint Thursday.

 

[ICHAWK]

I like McCaffrey, but am starting to question his grasp on the level of athlete needed to compete in the big ten. On last night's radio show, he talked about a relapse to last year's defensive problems (not talking, guys not knowing assignments, not covering for each other), while at the same time saying the team has great chemistry and character. How can guys on scholarship not know where they are supposed to be in a zone after a million practices? The problem isn't talking, it's talent. I am not talking 4 star recruits, but kids who can run, jump and board with the rest of the conference. Huge miss not getting a juco SG or PF in here for the next two seasons. I hope I am wrong, but I expect MSU's guards to cause us fits and their bigs to own the paint Thursday.

Fran understands the level of athlete he needs. He wants to get the most athletic player who has basketball skills still. It looks like he seems to like long players who are pretty good athletes if you look at the roster and players he has recruited. It's not like athletic 4* - 5* players are currently lining up to play at Iowa. JUCO guys can be risky and he has looked at JUCO players but has not pulled the trigger on all of them yet. I am sure there are some underlying issues with some of the JUCO players and many JUCO players who are top tie athletes or they would not be at JUCO's.

Fran gets it, but it's not like you can just go find these great athletes you speak of. Iowa needs to win some more to get those better players. Maybe with all the hard recruiting work the staff is doing they will get lucky with a top player and it will lead to other players coming.

Trust me Fran gets it. But it's not a simple as you make it sound.

 

[hawkfan33]

I like McCaffrey, but am starting to question his grasp on the level of athlete needed to compete in the big ten. On last night's radio show, he talked about a relapse to last year's defensive problems (not talking, guys not knowing assignments, not covering for each other), while at the same time saying the team has great chemistry and character. How can guys on scholarship not know where they are supposed to be in a zone after a million practices? The problem isn't talking, it's talent. I am not talking 4 star recruits, but kids who can run, jump and board with the rest of the conference. Huge miss not getting a juco SG or PF in here for the next two seasons. I hope I am wrong, but I expect MSU's guards to cause us fits and their bigs to own the paint Thursday.

Ehh...I'd rather take our freshman than grab a juco. Fran's building for the long haul, not just for this year. We're going to take our lumps this year, but we'll be better for it next year. Take Michigan for example, the Zak Novak's and Stu Douglass's paved the way for the Mitch McGary's and Glenn Robinson III's, to expect Fran to start pulling in talented, great athletes right away is extremely unrealistic.

 

[sportstalent]

I know this has the "frosh/soph" disclaimer on it but this couldn't be more wrong. White is nowhere near (and won't be) as good a player as Bowen.

Actually, the Ryan Bowen comparison is probably the best one I have seen. Until it happened I used to think, if he could get a jump shot. He did and became a really good player, White is missing an outside shot, he works at it and it will happen, it is a process.

White looks frustrated right now, easy when you can't play at the level you are capable, White must get back to being super active and hit the boards. When he dedicates himself to that, his numbers will improve, he lacks a go-to move at this point and if he can't take players off the dribble, he can't really post up.

 

[sportstalent]

Ehh...I'd rather take our freshman than grab a juco. Fran's building for the long haul, not just for this year. We're going to take our lumps this year, but we'll be better for it next year. Take Michigan for example, the Zak Novak's and Stu Douglass's paved the way for the Mitch McGary's and Glenn Robinson III's, to expect Fran to start pulling in talented, great athletes right away is extremely unrealistic.

This is spot on, you have to have guys like the Douglass' and Novak's to do one thing, be ambassador's for their coach. I think Marble/Basabe are those two guys for Iowa, say what you want about Marble, but Fran had to get him to buy into what he wanted to do to still come to Iowa.

It took six years for Belien to recruit a class like that. He didn't have a ranked class until his fifth year.

JUCO players are in JUCO for various reasons and are flawed, not trying to say that in a negative term, but they are far riskier than freshman players. JUCO players have habits that sometimes cannot be broken, they also could have chemistry issues.

I like how Fran is recruiting, he is recruiting for the long haul and setting Iowa up for consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament, not just one here or there.

Iowa is still in a great position to make a run at the NCAA tournament after just two games, remember it is two games. The offensive droughts that they have experience the last couple of years, I thought, were done. The fact that Iowa still has no true go-to player, or a player that is consistent is still their biggest offensive problem, they have a guy down low that can be that guy, hopefully the guard will just give Woodbury the ball. Iowa's defense is vastly improved due in large part of Clemmons being able to play something more than matador defense.

The fact that Iowa isn't recruiting for the 2013 class still, they are priming themselves for a huge breakthrough in recruiting for the 2014 class, the kids are out there, Iowa is recruiting some high-level athletic kids, something that is missing from this roster. Fran has had a vision from day one and I love the direction this program is going.

 

[PCHawk]

There is a big difference between having athletes that can compete in the big 10 and having the athletes to compete with one of the best teams in the nation on the road.

 

[tednugentfan]

I have to disagree with those that think the staff gets it on the recruiting front. No way anyone can convince me that the scholarships offered have made sense given our needs. JUCO players are stop gaps, quick fixes, call them what you like, but they serve a purpose. People who think McCaffrey doesn't want to risk a scholarship on a JUCO need to remind themselves of Anthony Hubbard. The only risk he has taken was on a HIGH risk dude with a troubled past. How many juco kids have been problems at Iowa? I can't think of any. With all due respect, I don't think many understand that the JUCO ranks are full of guys who may not be 4.o GPA students, but can ball and typically have fewer options than a standout high school kid. If you really don't think we would be a lot better with a JUCO SG and PF vs. guys who will remain nameless, then I think you are looking through rose colored glasses. We are a soft team that lacks an identity. If you don't believe me, read McCaffrey's comments from his presser today. I would also add that staying bad ensures bad TV slots on BTN, few, if any CBS games, which doesn't exactly help recruiting. Lots to like about Fran and I am pulling for him and the team, but I think we are going to get blasted a lot this season.

 

[tm3308]

I have to disagree with those that think the staff gets it on the recruiting front. No way anyone can convince me that the scholarships offered have made sense given our needs. JUCO players are stop gaps, quick fixes, call them what you like, but they serve a purpose. People who think McCaffrey doesn't want to risk a scholarship on a JUCO need to remind themselves of Anthony Hubbard. The only risk he has taken was on a HIGH risk dude with a troubled past. How many juco kids have been problems at Iowa? I can't think of any. With all due respect, I don't think many understand that the JUCO ranks are full of guys who may not be 4.o GPA students, but can ball and typically have fewer options than a standout high school kid. If you really don't think we would be a lot better with a JUCO SG and PF vs. guys who will remain nameless, then I think you are looking through rose colored glasses. We are a soft team that lacks an identity. If you don't believe me, read McCaffrey's comments from his presser today. I would also add that staying bad ensures bad TV slots on BTN, few, if any CBS games, which doesn't exactly help recruiting. Lots to like about Fran and I am pulling for him and the team, but I think we are going to get blasted a lot this season.

They're going to get blasted on the road by the top teams. Iowa will hardly be the only team that will say that. Hell, Michigan State got blasted on the road by Illinois. This league is going to eat teams alive on the road this year. The fact that it happened for the first time on Sunday is hardly reason to start preparing the lifeboats.

 

[hawkfan33]

I have to disagree with those that think the staff gets it on the recruiting front. No way anyone can convince me that the scholarships offered have made sense given our needs. JUCO players are stop gaps, quick fixes, call them what you like, but they serve a purpose. People who think McCaffrey doesn't want to risk a scholarship on a JUCO need to remind themselves of Anthony Hubbard. The only risk he has taken was on a HIGH risk dude with a troubled past. How many juco kids have been problems at Iowa? I can't think of any. With all due respect, I don't think many understand that the JUCO ranks are full of guys who may not be 4.o GPA students, but can ball and typically have fewer options than a standout high school kid. If you really don't think we would be a lot better with a JUCO SG and PF vs. guys who will remain nameless, then I think you are looking through rose colored glasses. We are a soft team that lacks an identity. If you don't believe me, read McCaffrey's comments from his presser today. I would also add that staying bad ensures bad TV slots on BTN, few, if any CBS games, which doesn't exactly help recruiting. Lots to like about Fran and I am pulling for him and the team, but I think we are going to get blasted a lot this season.

Well brah, we'll have to agree to disagree. I'll take building through the freshman route over the juco route.

 

[Seth53]

My take:

Iowa wins vs MSU, we're on track for a +/even.500 conf record and we're bubble dancing.
Iowa loses at home to MSU, we're on track for a sub-.500 conf record and we'll be NIT-dancing.

Yup, it's early. Yup, it's only one game. But yup, it's how much importance I put on this pivotal contest.

 

[bcl20]

They're going to get blasted on the road by the top teams. Iowa will hardly be the only team that will say that. Hell, Michigan State got blasted on the road by Illinois. This league is going to eat teams alive on the road this year. The fact that it happened for the first time on Sunday is hardly reason to start preparing the lifeboats.

Ohio State,point stands though.