If we don't win the conference this year

[PCHawk]

Having a chance to win a conference championship doesn't come around for us very often so I've been really hoping we take advantage of this year's team and get one. The whole year I've been worried that if it doesn't happen now, who knows how long it will be before we get another chance.

Watching White in the 2nd half of the last 2 games has eased that worry a bit. He has always struggled in the half court but now he's showing that when he asserts himself he can be just as dominate and unstoppable as Marble. He is becoming the go to guy we will need next year and he still has a year to improve even more.

Talking about next year is going to drive the "take one game at a time" croud nuts but I can't help myself after seeing White show the ability to dominate like that.

Next year it looks like we have a 1st team all conference caliber player in White to take over the go to guy role we lose with Marble graduating. We also have a lot of guys who have a really good chance to take a huge jump next year. Gesell, Woody, Olaseni, Uthoff, and Jok all seem like they have a lot of room to improve before hitting their ceiling. Also Josh O is starting to look like he can step up and become a Gatens type player. His all around game is probably where Gatens was when he was a junior. He might even be a better passer and ball handler than Gatens was as a senior. If he can have a shooting year like Gatens did as a senior, we will be in really good shape.

The last thing to think about is the schedules will get shuffled around again next year and there is no way it can be worse than this year's schedule. If we can catch break and play some of the top teams only once, we might not be waiting long at all before we have another shot at a conference title.

 

[SpecialKHawk]

I always think a conference title is not impossible but a long shot even with a good team. I have thoroughly enjoyed the program under Fran all 4 years and do not want to get caught up in the hyperbole of massive expectations followed by a jump off the cliff every time we have a set back or disappointment.

The Lick years taught me a lot about being thankful when things are going well because it could be a whole lot worse.

The conference schedule is brutal and we are going to lose some games. I would be ecstatic if we finish top 4 and out of my mind we get to the sweet 16. Making the tourney alone would be a great deal and a big milestone in this recovery effort.

 

[ibahawkeye]

Call me a downer but without marble we won't contend for a title. Heck... We don't even know with him if we can.

I love whitey but college bball is a guards game and he isn't going to dominate when he is the guy the D puts it's focus on.

Next year the team will go as Mike G goes.

 

[ssckelley]

Call me a downer but without marble we won't contend for a title. Heck... We don't even know with him if we can.

I love whitey but college bball is a guards game and he isn't going to dominate when he is the guy the D puts it's focus on.

Next year the team will go as Mike G goes.

I disagree, Iowa will be fine next season without Marble.

 

[ibahawkeye]

I disagree, Iowa will be fine next season without Marble.

No issues with a disagreement but who do you think will pick his production??

Where I'm coming from is we don't have a slasher like him who can both drive and shoot from 3.

 

[ssckelley]

No issues with a disagreement but who do you think will pick his production??

Where I'm coming from is we don't have a slasher like him who can both drive and shoot from 3.

But Fran will have this team reloading every year. I like Marble but I think there will be others stepping up to fill his offensive production. Fortunately it will be awhile before we have to worry about it.

 

[ShadasRevenge]

It's not the end of the world, because most of us didn't expect it anyway.

There, I finished your sentence for you.

 

[BILLBUCKNER]

Call me a downer but without marble we won't contend for a title. Heck... We don't even know with him if we can.

I love whitey but college bball is a guards game and he isn't going to dominate when he is the guy the D puts it's focus on.

Next year the team will go as Mike G goes.

I expect Uhtoff to have a monster year next year. Whitey will be the unquestioned leader. Woody will start showing why UNC wanted him. Jok will improve. Our schedule will be easier in the BIG.

 

[JonDMiller]

I don't know many realistic folks who picked a title this year...but now with what MSU is going through injury wise, this is Iowa's best chance at a title since 06. They need to hammer down and win their next three: at NW, home MSU and at Illinois. Get through that and its OSU and Michigan back home....I think the Hawks can go 5-0 during that stretch...not a given and it's more likely they don't.

But if they do, if they get to 9-2 during that stretch, they'll be no worse than tied for the Big Ten lead.

 

[WindsorHawk]

No issues with a disagreement but who do you think will pick his production??

Where I'm coming from is we don't have a slasher like him who can both drive and shoot from 3.

I don't know that any one person will do what Marble does. However, I think his lost production on offense will come from Gesell, Clemmons, Ellingson and Jok collectively. Marble takes the most shots on the team by a wide margin. All of those shots will be spread around elsewhere most likely.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Call me a downer but without marble we won't contend for a title. Heck... We don't even know with him if we can.

I love whitey but college bball is a guards game and he isn't going to dominate when he is the guy the D puts it's focus on.

Next year the team will go as Mike G goes.

Another thing to keep in mind is that other teams are also losing productive players. The dynamics change year to year.

Iowa - Marble, Basabe and McCabe
Michigan State - Payne, Appling and Harris (likely)
Michigan - Morgan, Robinson (likely) and Stauskas (likely)

I won't go through the whole conference but this is a sampling.

 

[ssckelley]

I don't know that any one person will do what Marble does. However, I think his lost production on offense will come from Gesell, Clemmons, Ellingson and Jok collectively. Marble takes the most shots on the team by a wide margin. All of those shots will be spread around elsewhere most likely.

You seriously think so? A scenario that was playing out in my mind was Clemmons starting at the point with Gesell sliding over to the shooting guard spot. Then another scenario playing out in my mind was Oglesby starting next season at the 2. To me if either of those scenarios play out then Iowa really swung and missed on Jok, I think Jok is the only one with the abilities to come close to what Marble does offensively. But I doubt even Fran knows what is going to happen next fall, with his deep rotation there are a number of ways he could go with the starting lineup. Unless he develops a perimeter game I do not see Clemmons being anything more than a career backup at the point.

We will have some fun debating this stuff in the summer.

 

[Husky28]

To offset Marble, Basabe & McCabe leaving, I would expect there to be enough significant improve from all current contributing players to make it up... the ones that I believe to have more room for the big "jump" would be Jok, JO, Uthoff & Woody. AW and MG have room to improve, but I'm thinking they're a lot closer to the ceiling then the other three... Still not sure what to think of Clemmons & Olaseni. Would be nice to see someone have a Stauskas type of improvement next year, though.

 

[ssckelley]

Good post Husky, Basabe sure is going to be missed perhaps even more than Marble. Basabe has been a huge part of the turn around here. All 3 of the seniors will be missed.

But like I said before Fran has this program similar to where Mr. Davis left it and will reload every year. As Windsor pointed out we are not the only program losing players after this season, some graduate and others will be jumping to the NBA draft. Without even looking at who has what coming back next season I think it is safe to say Iowa will, at least, be in the top half of the conference.

 

[kicker22]

Good post Husky, Basabe sure is going to be missed perhaps even more than Marble. Basabe has been a huge part of the turn around here. All 3 of the seniors will be missed.

But like I said before Fran has this program similar to where Mr. Davis left it and will reload every year. As Windsor pointed out we are not the only program losing players after this season, some graduate and others will be jumping to the NBA draft. Without even looking at who has what coming back next season I think it is safe to say Iowa will, at least, be in the top half of the conference.

I hope you're right about reloading every year, because in my opinion we don't have a replacement for Marble or Basabe at this time, based on what they provide the team at this point. Not saying guys can't grow into that role, but I don't see our recruiting at a level (at this point) in which an immediate replacement will come in and the balance the production we are losing with our seniors. By no means am I saying that we don't have talent and shouldn't be excited about whats to come, but I definitely see us staying constant or taking a small step back next year.

 

[PCHawk]

It's not the end of the world, because most of us didn't expect it anyway.

There, I finished your sentence for you.

If you're going to finish my sentence it would be "its not the end of the world because we will have another legit shot next year". Of course no one EXPECTED to win this year but a lot of people are hoping, and rightfully so. We still have a decent shot at it.

 

[PCHawk]

I hope you're right about reloading every year, because in my opinion we don't have a replacement for Marble or Basabe at this time, based on what they provide the team at this point. Not saying guys can't grow into that role, but I don't see our recruiting at a level (at this point) in which an immediate replacement will come in and the balance the production we are losing with our seniors. By no means am I saying that we don't have talent and shouldn't be excited about whats to come, but I definitely see us staying constant or taking a small step back next year.

I agree with your last sentence but with other teams loses and a softer schedule it should be enough to make another run at a title. I have been thinking we would take a small step back but after watching what White is capable of the last couple games, I think we should be about the same.

 

[ssckelley]

I hope you're right about reloading every year, because in my opinion we don't have a replacement for Marble or Basabe at this time, based on what they provide the team at this point. Not saying guys can't grow into that role, but I don't see our recruiting at a level (at this point) in which an immediate replacement will come in and the balance the production we are losing with our seniors. By no means am I saying that we don't have talent and shouldn't be excited about whats to come, but I definitely see us staying constant or taking a small step back next year.

Good post, but keep in mind others hold back because they know Marble is the go-to guy this season. Next season someone else will be that go-to guy, remember we were asking these same questions when Gatens and Cole graduated and Marble and Basabe stepped up. Assuming we finish in the top 3 staying constant or even a small step back is not terrible, reloading to me is repeated NCAA appearances.

 

[kicker22]

Good post, but keep in mind others hold back because they know Marble is the go-to guy this season. Next season someone else will be that go-to guy, remember we were asking these same questions when Gatens and Cole graduated and Marble and Basabe stepped up. Assuming we finish in the top 3 staying constant or even a small step back is not terrible, reloading to me is repeated NCAA appearances.

I agree. And maybe I'm a bit hard on White and biased toward Marble. I just think that if White is going to be that guy then he needs to rise up out of the shadow now when its needed. There's no doubt that its still Devyn's team, but there's also no doubt that theres going to be games like the other day where Devyn struggles. I think White needs to become option 1b rather than option 2. He's two good to sit back for 35 minutes while Devyn struggles and then take a game over like he tried to do against Michigan. I think Devyn would kindly let it happen as I think he's a team first guy that values minutes more than stats.

 

[Skeets77]

....Then hopefully we'll be playing great going into Big 10 and NCAA tournament.