I think it's fair to say that the bench has hit the proverbial wall

[Jazzmonkey]

Ellingson has shown flashes, no need to push him out the door just yet. I say, given the improvement we've seen in other players with this coaching staff, he should be given a chance.

When Mike G. Went out if the MSU game with foul trouble I thought that spelled doom for us, but Brady did a great job picking up those extra minutes. He just needs to put the pieces together and gain some confidence with his shot.

 

[BrueCrew3]

February is when freshmen in particular tend to hit the wall. And by March they have their 2nd wind. No worries!

I believe this is exactly correct. Iowa was hot in January and have cooled in February. I believe the younger players will pull it together come March. That's when they'll be needed.

GO HAWKS!!!

 

[uihawk82]

It looks to me like Uhl is forcing his offense rather than going with the flow and taking opportunities when they arise. I wouldn't mind seeing Baer take 2-3 more shots per game. I'd also like to see Gesell limit himself to 6-8 shots per game. We really need to concentrate on Uthoff and Jok 20 shots each per game. When Jok gets going he can drop 30 in a game. JU can pretty much get his shots off whenever he wants. I like Woody with the double-doubles.

The whole offense seems to be getting away from great motion and passing to more one on one stuff. The ball is staying in each players hands a little too long now.

Uhl does seem to be forcing his offense and it was very apparent against Minny. but Uhl is talented for sure.

Even experienced good shooters have an air ball or really bad free throw once in awhile let alone a freshman late in a really big close game.

As far as Woody I think the hawks need to work it to him and others down low to get higher % shots and fouls but Woody also needs to finish at a higher %.

Gesell needs to take the best shots he usually makes and he is shooting better right now and Clemmons looks like he can get to the rim about any time which he should to more to look for layups, fouls, kickouts.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Get a 10 point win tomorrow night and then take a week to regroup. This is a very good time for a weekend off IMO.

All I ask is that we get to play 14 more games. If this happens the rest will take care of itself. A loss in the 5th and 8th game is totally acceptable if we win the other 12 IMO.

 

[trj]

Unless you are loaded with McDonalds All- Americans doesn't the rotation shrink to a 7 or 8 man deal tops late in the year? i agree with the poster who said that you need to get Uhl straightened out. In the tournament it is going to be Uhl and Baer.....Baer will do his thing even if he isn't making baskets, you gotta get Uhl right.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Unless you are loaded with McDonalds All- Americans doesn't the rotation shrink to a 7 or 8 man deal tops late in the year? i agree with the poster who said that you need to get Uhl straightened out. In the tournament it is going to be Uhl and Baer.....Baer will do his thing even if he isn't making baskets, you gotta get Uhl right.

I would add Wagner. He's more physical and stronger than Uhl or Baer.

 

[Hawk5656]

Brady Ellingson was rated one of the top 10 shooters in the nation. (No link). It is a big surprise to me that he is not hitting his shots. He is playing for a reason and we need to hope his shooting comes around immediately.

I don't remember him being one of the top 10 shooters. I thought we offered him just to get his AAU teammate (can't remember his name or where he went)

 

[mopkins]

Brady Ellingson was rated one of the top 10 shooters in the nation. (No link). It is a big surprise to me that he is not hitting his shots. He is playing for a reason and we need to hope his shooting comes around immediately.

My guess is that he knows he will only get 2-6 minutes of playing time so he really puts pressure on himself to hit his shots and because of that he misses them. He knows that if he hits a couple 3's he will stay in the game and get more playing time in the future so he's really pressuring himself to succeed and failing as a result.

What has been frustrating to me is that if Ellingson can't hit his shots, he has no point of being on the court. Might as well either spread those minutes out between Gesell, Clemmons and Jok, or else let Flemming take up those minutes instead and see what he can do with them.

 

[nilkin]

FYI, what FM says about bench:

link: http://hawkeyenation.com/2016/mccaffery-backs-bench-heading-into-penn-state

 

[GVGiant44]

Admittedly, Oglesby drove me crazy - and he never did "find it", did he?

But most nights, his shots were close - some to this day I cannot believe did not go down.

Ellingson's shots are SO bad, you wonder if he has ever taken an outside shot.

Now if your implication of Oglesby Syndrome is meant to imply that the main problem is above the shoulders, I might agree with you.

 

[lightning1]

I don't think Ellingson will get many minutes next year. I think Bohannon is a better shooter, right now. Throw in Moss/Williams/Flemming and minutes are going to be hard to find for him. IMO. If he gets a lot of minutes next year, expect us to take a big step backwards.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Man, some of you guys are being really harsh on Ellingson. Let's give him a little more time, he'll either come around and be a decent player off the bench, or he wont, but it's a touch early to write a guy off who's only getting 8-10 minutes a game in his first year playing at all.

 

[PCHawk]

Man, some of you guys are being really harsh on Ellingson. Let's give him a little more time, he'll either come around and be a decent player off the bench, or he wont, but it's a touch early to write a guy off who's only getting 8-10 minutes a game in his first year playing at all.

Iowa fans have grown accustomed to having freshmen that make an immediate impact due to necessity.

 

[PCHawk]

Admittedly, Oglesby drove me crazy - and he never did "find it", did he?

But most nights, his shots were close - some to this day I cannot believe did not go down.

Ellingson's shots are SO bad, you wonder if he has ever taken an outside shot.

Now if your implication of Oglesby Syndrome is meant to imply that the main problem is above the shoulders, I might agree with you.

His shots have only been horrible recently. Early in the year he was close on most of the shots he missed. Last year he made or almost made every shot he took.

 

[GrandpaHawk]

I think the bench players are getting quality minutes and on the job learning.This is only going to help the team moving forward,don't cross them off they will only get better.