If Hawks win out over the right opponents?

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SwirlinLingerie

Well-Known Member
Seems like Iowa is considered a solid 6 seed right now.

If the BT tourney goes chalk, other than Iowa, and Iowa wins out, it would include wins against Michigan State (NET 21), Ohio State (18), UCLA (6) and USC (5).

That would seem to easily make them a 5 seed. Does it even put a #4 seed in play? You know the committee would love to see two 15,000 sellouts.

Iowa would be 25-9, 13-2 in its last 15 games, with the only losses being in the last minute to UCLA and an overtime loss at Ohio State. It'd also have two wins over USC and a win over UCLA. It's at 28 in the NET now - would they possibly jump into the 16-18 range?

Again, this is assuming all those opponents line up just right for Iowa. Just trying to assess the absolute ceiling.
 
Yeah ESPN has Iowa as a 6th seed but guess what that'd mean the way they had it lined up? Here's to hoping they aren't right...

They'd have Iowa having to play Duke in the 2nd round then Uconn and then South Carolina to get to the final 4 with Texas being the 1 seed most likely to be in final 4 on that side. With USC and UCLA on the opposite side being 1 seeds.
 
The hard part, of course, is winning 5 games in 5 days.

One of the keys to winning the Big Ten tourney in the Caitlin Clark years was getting the double bye and only needing to win 3 games in 3 days. The other key, of course, was having Caitlin Clark on the team.
 
SwirlinLingerie said:
Seems like Iowa is considered a solid 6 seed right now.

If the BT tourney goes chalk, other than Iowa, and Iowa wins out, it would include wins against Michigan State (NET 21), Ohio State (18), UCLA (6) and USC (5).

That would seem to easily make them a 5 seed. Does it even put a #4 seed in play? You know the committee would love to see two 15,000 sellouts.

Iowa would be 25-9, 13-2 in its last 15 games, with the only losses being in the last minute to UCLA and an overtime loss at Ohio State. It'd also have two wins over USC and a win over UCLA. It's at 28 in the NET now - would they possibly jump into the 16-18 range?

Again, this is assuming all those opponents line up just right for Iowa. Just trying to assess the absolute ceiling.
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Like you optimism--and the best part is it isn't unrealistic.

Hawks have beaten the BADgers 30 times in a row (round 1 opponent)
Hawks lost by 2 @ Sparty (round 2 opponent)
Hawks lost in OT @ Bucknuts (round 3 opponent)
Hawks lost by 2 to the Bruins (semi final)
Hawks beat the Trojans already (4th straight B1G tourney title)

The last couple B1G tournaments were played in "Carver North". Not sure if the Hawks will have the functional equivalent of the home court advantage in Indianapolis, but most assuredly the crowd will be more pro-Iowa than the road games in E. Lansing & Columbus. & it's a long way from LA to Indiana!

Yep, 5 W's in 5 days will be very difficult. (But hey, CC will likely be there, and possibly Bluder and Letterman and other good luck charms, as well).

GO HAWKS!! Climb up to that #4 seed and two more home games this season for the Dance!
 
One problem is that moving up from a 6 to a 4/5 means matching up with a 1 seed in the Sweet 16. I know that's some really optimistic thinking. Being a 6 does make it tougher to get there though. It's the reason why a 11 seed is not bad in the BTT. We'll play a 6 then a 3. OSU is pretty damn tough, but I don't really want to see USC or UCLA again, especially with tired legs.
 
guffus said:
The hard part, of course, is winning 5 games in 5 days.

One of the keys to winning the Big Ten tourney in the Caitlin Clark years was getting the double bye and only needing to win 3 games in 3 days. The other key, of course, was having Caitlin Clark on the team.
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I think Iowa may have only won 1 regular season title with Clark (tied with OSU in '21-'22). To win a regular season title you have to have the depth to withstand injuries, off-nights from some of your complementary players, etc. Iowa never had that kind of depth of talent, so it is not surprising they only came out on top once during Clark's time.

But they were an absolute monster in a tournament setting. In a tournament, so much comes down to, "who is the best player on the court?" And we had the best player on the court every time. They were runners-up in the B1G tourney her freshman year, and champs the next 3.

In the NCAA tourney, they made the sweet 16 her freshman year as a 5-seed, before falling to UCONN. Clark's sophomore season was the only time they underperformed (the upset loss to a tough Creighton team), and they made 2 straight championship games after that.

It took awhile, but Lucy is finally playing in a way that she could carry this team to a few improbable wins, but I think 5 in 5 days is unrealistic.
 
wwhawk said:
Like you optimism--and the best part is it isn't unrealistic.

Hawks have beaten the BADgers 30 times in a row (round 1 opponent)
Hawks lost by 2 @ Sparty (round 2 opponent)
Hawks lost in OT @ Bucknuts (round 3 opponent)
Hawks lost by 2 to the Bruins (semi final)
Hawks beat the Trojans already (4th straight B1G tourney title)

The last couple B1G tournaments were played in "Carver North". Not sure if the Hawks will have the functional equivalent of the home court advantage in Indianapolis, but most assuredly the crowd will be more pro-Iowa than the road games in E. Lansing & Columbus. & it's a long way from LA to Indiana!

Yep, 5 W's in 5 days will be very difficult. (But hey, CC will likely be there, and possibly Bluder and Letterman and other good luck charms, as well).

GO HAWKS!! Climb up to that #4 seed and two more home games this season for the Dance!
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Blast Animation Gif
 
wwhawk said:
And that's TWO down, and 3 to go. Bring on those Bucknuts! We owe them!
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Love what Lucy said after it in her interview. They're playing everyone they lost to so hey let's get em back. I really don't think OSU and UCLA want to play us again. Or anybody in the big dance for that matter.
Even in this game that got pretty helter skelter with 2 of our best in foul trouble it didn't matter. Have McCabe knock in 12 big pts Kylie hit a couple back breakers and Ava. Holy smokes who saw what she did coming?! With Lucy leading the way this team is a tough out for anyone. It's been so fun to watch
 
If there is any credible way to make Iowa a 4-seed the committee will do it. 15,000 fans in the building will not be taken lightly. The way Iowa is playing right now, I don't think too many teams want to face them, but its a tall order to win out. Just getting to the weekend will be a pretty good feat.
 
Can't say enough about Ava Heiden. What a great attitude. She could have sulked and gave up when she got benched, but she stayed ready and waited for her chance.

Ava Heiden's performance in the 2nd half was the key difference in the game, both on offense and defense. You could tell MSU was trying to test her, attacking underneath the basket, and Ava held strong. On offense she was 4/4 from the field.
What a great performance.
 
Michigan state has one of the best defensive teams in the country.

It sure seemed to me that we were a far better team when Heiden was on the floor. She's long and she has good foot speed.

Would love to see her get 15 to 20 minutes against Ohio State. Maybe have her on the floor at the same time as Hannah?

Come on Jan! Surely she sees it?
 
If the zebras call a fair game, we Will BEAT the buckeyes

They were getting away with literally Bloody Murder at Columbus

They were smashing the Hawks to the floor over and over, and they would call a foul on the Hawks
every Damn Time

They were attacking us like fullbacks the entire game

Paybacks, Baby, Paybacks are due

And also: Paybacks are a MFer

Against Wisconsin Jan rested the starters a lot, so we were rather fresh against the spartans

She seemed to substitute a lot against Michigan State, and we play the last game of the day
which is a bonus as it has been the entire tournament

Gotta keep Hannah out of foul trouble and let O'Grady put buckeyes on the floor, Hard

The announcers keep saying that we are the team that NoOne wants to play right now

It's All Good, Lads

:cool:
 
NorthKCHawk said:
If there is any credible way to make Iowa a 4-seed the committee will do it. 15,000 fans in the building will not be taken lightly. The way Iowa is playing right now, I don't think too many teams want to face them, but its a tall order to win out. Just getting to the weekend will be a pretty good feat.
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Not only that but we have Cailtin and Connor in house

I thought I caught a glimpse of Patrick briefly near the end of the game

Kylie was a huge factor with her relentless D and outstanding floor play, Syd also, even
without scoring a ton

Experience, Baby, Experience

Pays dividends
 
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ChosenChildren said:
Michigan state has one of the best defensive teams in the country.

It sure seemed to me that we were a far better team when Heiden was on the floor. She's long and she has good foot speed.

Would love to see her get 15 to 20 minutes against Ohio State. Maybe have her on the floor at the same time as Hannah?

Come on Jan! Surely she sees it?
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Yes, That was the lineup Jan was using late in the MSU game

Olson, McCabe, Feirbach, Stuelke and Heiden.

Not sure why Syd was not in the game.
 
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