I really enjoyed this basketball season

deanvogs

deanvogs

Well-Known Member
Now that the season is over, looking back on it, I really did enjoy this season. For the vast majority of the season the team played well, and are entertaining and enjoyable to watch. The last 2 weeks of the regular season sucked, but other than that, it was a fun ride. We made the NCAA tournament, won a game, and pushed one of the best teams in the country to OT.

I have been vocal of the fact I'm not a Fran fan. Yet he has gotten to the NCAA 4 of the last 6 years, the players are respectful and easy to root for, and as I said overall it was a very fun season of BB. After last season this was a breathe of fresh air, and hopefully they can build on it even more next year.
 
Really the only terrible thing was the Nebraska loss which was pretty flukey. Hold on to that win and we probably would have been a 9 seed and lost to a 1 seed anyway. So in hindsight that ending didn't really matter. The way it turned out, we needed a 6 seed to have a chance in the 2nd round and that wasn't going to happen this year without winning 3 of our last 4 at least. This team wasn't good enough for that to be realistic. I'm satisfied we are on the right track and I'm glad the team helped get us through this shitty winter.
 
PCHawk said:
Really the only terrible thing was the Nebraska loss which was pretty flukey. Hold on to that win and we probably would have been a 9 seed and lost to a 1 seed anyway. So in hindsight that ending didn't really matter. The way it turned out, we needed a 6 seed to have a chance in the 2nd round and that wasn't going to happen this year without winning 3 of our last 4 at least. This team wasn't good enough for that to be realistic. I'm satisfied we are on the right track and I'm glad the team helped get us through this shitty winter.
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Rutgers at home was more brutal than losing at Nebraska. If we beat Rutgers and Nebraska, and I think we are on a 7 line and have to face a 2 anyway as well. It is just that you don't feel like you pissed away a golden opportunity if they go 2-2 in the last 4 vs 0-4.
 
The first loss after the home game victory vs Michigan up to the Michigan game in the Big 10 Tourney really sucked ass. It just seemed like it was loss after loss for about 3-4 weeks. But, the rest of the season was fun for the most part. It was great watching them win that tournament out in New York back in November.

I'm looking froward with Nunge and Pemsil coming back next year, along with Patrick McCaffery (he's much better than his brother at hoops, you don't become your high schools all time leading scorer because you suck) I'm hoping Nunge will be a beast and help Garza & Kreiner in the paint.

I will also be curious to see if Joe matures as a player from his freshman year to sophomore year and becomes much stronger and better all around
 
23-12

Five of those losses are to teams currently in the Sweet 16...one win. And 2 other teams we played (3 games) are currently vying for Sweet 16 bids...OSU 1-1 and OR 1-0.

We swept IN...2-0 in the NIT. And we split with NE...1-0 and vying for another win. Our IN sweep probably decided which tournament both teams ended up playing.

So it looks like we were somewhere in the 17 to 32 range...which sounds about right to me. And there isn’t really much difference between 17 and 32 this year IMO.
 
When Iowa was 20-5, i thought sweet 16 was a legit possibilty. Before the season I predicted 18-22 wins, not going to pat myself on the back because it did not play out anywhere near the way I thought.

In retrospect, this has been a typical Iowa year, but for some reason this feels a little more satisfying than others.

My big thing is capitalizing on momentum. Build upon this. Until recently, this is what Wisconsin has figured out.
 
I had a pretty vocal meltdown after the Nebraska game, and while I've cooled down a bit since then, and did immensely enjoy most of the year, that backslide by the end still nags at me.

I feel like it's bad form to fire a guy for winning 23 games and making the Round of 32 with nearly everyone coming back, but I just can't help but feel like Fran and his coaching style is fundamentally flawed to the point that those terrible stretches are always going to be there.
 
There was certainly some down this year, but overall I feel good about this season. I think I would have said that even if we had lost today’s game by 20.

While I agree with those who say we need to take the next step, we needed this season to get our program back on track.

We have some quality pieces going forward and reason for optimism, but certainly some shortcomings as well. Now the bar is set and we need to take the next step forward next year.
 
BVHawk95 said:
I had a pretty vocal meltdown after the Nebraska game, and while I've cooled down a bit since then, and did immensely enjoy most of the year, that backslide by the end still nags at me.

I feel like it's bad form to fire a guy for winning 23 games and making the Round of 32 with nearly everyone coming back, but I just can't help but feel like Fran and his coaching style is fundamentally flawed to the point that those terrible stretches are always going to be there.
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It is possible that the lack of guard play throughout the Fran era could be the cause of this. I’m not saying it’s for sure is but it possible. With Joe T coming in, and Iowa sitting well with some good looking guards in 2020, who knows maybe that problem will sort itself out.
 
phdsvp said:
I mean, it was a hell of a lot more fun than last year...
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This... when judging this season one needs to think about the debacle that was last season.

The coaches and players really did a great job of turning it around - not to mention that the big ten was a much tougher conference than last year.
 
deanvogs said:
Now that the season is over, looking back on it, I really did enjoy this season. For the vast majority of the season the team played well, and are entertaining and enjoyable to watch. The last 2 weeks of the regular season sucked, but other than that, it was a fun ride. We made the NCAA tournament, won a game, and pushed one of the best teams in the country to OT.

I have been vocal of the fact I'm not a Fran fan. Yet he has gotten to the NCAA 4 of the last 6 years, the players are respectful and easy to root for, and as I said overall it was a very fun season of BB. After last season this was a breathe of fresh air, and hopefully they can build on it even more next year.
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Coming into the season, this was what I hoped for, but in a kind of show me something way. After the strong start, I allowed myself to dream of higher things. The crash back to reality hurt a little. Unfortunately this season, which was a strong season traditionally for Iowa, will always have anguish associated with it. Fueled by the glimpses of what this team was capable of when running on all cylinders. It's hard not to feel as though this team managed to underperform in spite of actually overachieving in a traditional sense.
 
BVHawk95 said:
I had a pretty vocal meltdown after the Nebraska game, and while I've cooled down a bit since then, and did immensely enjoy most of the year, that backslide by the end still nags at me.

I feel like it's bad form to fire a guy for winning 23 games and making the Round of 32 with nearly everyone coming back, but I just can't help but feel like Fran and his coaching style is fundamentally flawed to the point that those terrible stretches are always going to be there.
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What if weiskamps miracle baseline banker doesn’t go in? What if bohannon’s last second shots don’t fall in a couple games? We don’t even make the tourney. It goes both ways. Every yr stands on its own. You can’t assume everything moves ahead from here. Every team is different as are the opponents. A ton of variables dictate things. The inside game has a lot of promise but unless there is an answer with a complementary pg, I don’t see marked improvement to the level that will take this group to heights rarely seen in IC. Weiskamp is a piece that will likely make the biggest move. We need a pg like the Wofford kid and a wing slasher that does it all. Red face has shown repeatedly, he either doesn’t understand the deficiencies we possess or we simply can’t recruit. Either way is completely unacceptable to me and a big part of my frustration with him
 
It was fun to win some close games, to close the deal on the road by being the tougher team. My biggest disappointment was the Maryland loss. Get that game and we're 10-5 in the conference and have the inside track on the four seed for the conference tourney. The Cincinnati win was exhilarating, even if I only got to listen to it while working.
 
Alot left on the table this season. 23-12 when they started 20-5. That cannot be viewed as anything other than a disappointment.
 
Fun season. Good, not great. Tremendous turn around and has Iowa back on the the climb. I think Iowa is a much better team next year. Tyler Cook is likely gone, if he's not, Iowa I would imagine is picked to be in the top 4 and possibly preseason top 25 next year. That's nice after where Iowa started the season this year. Fran gave himself a little breathing room, but that's it. This season afforded him next season in my book and so it shall continue until he gets Iowa over some sort of hump - sweet 16, B1G regular and conference championship. Any of those things might buy him a couple year cushion with me, until then his ground floor needs to be the NCAA.
 
Obviously its unlikely but man i'd like to see Tyler stay for one more year, decide there's some unfinished business after that Tennessee game, and come back to make a tourney run. Add a legit pg to the mix for next year in touissant, and if he was back, everybody else a year older, that could be a special season.
 
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