Indiana game could be a very interesting test

[FreddyBrown]

The Hawks have shown some signs of stabilization/improvement in the last two games--one against the current league doormat (I'm relieved to say that for the moment that's not us!) and the other against the conference standard-bearer. Now we're going to play another road game against a team that looks to be somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum.

Indiana has looked pretty good themselves in their last couple of games, including a road win against a PSU team that should have been desperate to break through. They're very young, they're improving, they're pretty talented, and very soon they're going to be among the upper echelon of Big Ten programs again. Playing at IU with a fired-up crowd is always tough.

So, what Iowa team will show up over there? I will be encouraged if we see them play another hard-nosed, tough game and stay in it to the end. IU is not a particularly physical team, though they will play physical ball if the refs let them, which they may on their court. But they should not be able to physically push the Hawks around as MSU can be capable of doing at times. Their quickness and ballhandling concerns me, and they're second in the league in offensive rebounding, which should be a big concern for Iowa.

I really want a win, and I really HATE the idea of being satisfied with just "being competitive" but still losing. However, when you're grasping for any evidence of consistency and improvement, what I hope for at minimum is another game where we play smart, play tough, and are still in it at winning time. I think the Hawks will go in there with some building confidence from their last two games, and that should help.

Go Hawks!

 

[iahawk20]

This is a game Iowa can win. Indiana is talented but also very young. A win on Sunday would be a huge step in the right direction!

 

[IowaFanSince82]

I still don't get how Indiana can be 3-3 in conference play? Seriously i watched them last night vs PSU and we looked a lot better than they did! I know they have a real good athlete in #2, don't know his name. But outside of that, they are just like us, a bunch of athletic white guys. Iowa SHOULD win this game, if we come out and play with the intensity we did vs MSU, we should win this one hands down. If come out and play like we did at Illinois, then i see us getting beaten like a red headed step child!

 

[FreddyBrown]

I still don't get how Indiana can be 3-3 in conference play? Seriously i watched them last night vs PSU and we looked a lot better than they did! I know they have a real good athlete in #2, don't know his name. But outside of that, they are just like us, a bunch of athletic white guys. Iowa SHOULD win this game, if we come out and play with the intensity we did vs MSU, we should win this one hands down. If come out and play like we did at Illinois, then i see us getting beaten like a red headed step child!

They are more athletic than we are, trust me. In addition to Watford (#2) , they have Verdell Jones, Jeremiah Rivers and a couple of other very good athletes off the bench. Not necessarily any individual Michael Jordan clones, but they have good overall quickness and athleticism.

Jones has really been coming on as their go-to guy, and while he's slender he's a very good athlete in the backcourt. Rivers is also a fine athlete (good genes!). Even their PG, Jordan Hulls, though he looks like he'd fit right in at Iowa, is quicker and more athletic than anyone who plays PG for Iowa at the moment.

Don't sleep on IU's talent. It's young but it's pretty good and getting better fast.

 

[vbeachawk]

Indiana also lost their best player/scorer to injury for the year. This is a game the Hawks should be competitive in and have a chance to het a win. We shall see what team shows up.

 

[ICHAWK]

They are more athletic than we are, trust me. In addition to Watford (#2) , they have Verdell Jones, Jeremiah Rivers and a couple of other very good athletes off the bench. Not necessarily any individual Michael Jordan clones, but they have good overall quickness and athleticism.

Jones has really been coming on as their go-to guy, and while he's slender he's a very good athlete in the backcourt. Rivers is also a fine athlete (good genes!). Even their PG, Jordan Hulls, though he looks like he'd fit right in at Iowa, is quicker and more athletic than anyone who plays PG for Iowa at the moment.

Don't sleep on IU's talent. It's young but it's pretty good and getting better fast.

If Maurice Creek were still around they might have an even better record. They should have beat Illinois, but showed their youth in blowing a 15 point lead. They also tried to blow a big lead against Minnesota but pulled off the victory in OT.

Indiana just struggles to play consistently due to their youth. Indiana however is more talented than Iowa.

I expect a good game Sunday.

I think Iowa has a shot to get their first Big 10 road win in what 2 years?

 

[hoosieriniowa]

I have been pleased with IU's play since the loss of Creek. Crean is a fine coach. I think the matchup should be really interesting. IU is not good enough to overlook Iowa so I don't think the Hawks can sneak up on them.

I think the Hoosiers should win at home. If it was in Iowa City it might be a different story.

 

[tweeterhawk]

The way he violates coaching box limits all game it would be terribly unfortunate if one of Cully's errant passes creams Crean.

 

[ICHAWK]

I have been pleased with IU's play since the loss of Creek. Crean is a fine coach. I think the matchup should be really interesting. IU is not good enough to overlook Iowa so I don't think the Hawks can sneak up on them.

I think the Hoosiers should win at home. If it was in Iowa City it might be a different story.

I am concerned with Rivers and Jones. Iowa is not the best on the perimeter defensively. I would guess May will be guarding one of the two, which means one of Iowa's weak defensive perimeter players will be guarding the other. I would probably put May on Jones as Jones is a better scorer than Rivers. I see Rivers having a chance to creat a lot this upcoming game, but I would be more concerned with Jones's scoring.

What do you think Hoosier? Rivers is a great defender, that guy can play some perimeter defense. I don't know about his overall decision making at the PG spot at times. He does not seems to shoot that well?

 

[FreddyBrown]

Was Creek their best player before he was injured?

 

[hoosieriniowa]

I like Rivers. Is he a championship Big Ten point guard? Probably not. He does play with effort and is a good defender. IU needs to cause problems for Payne. This should be an advantage for IU.

Fuller is a player that intrigues me. IU does not play very good interior defense and I could see him having a big game.

IU has played pretty well at home and is on a bit of roll. If the Hoosiers can cause problems for Payne they could win easily. If Iowa gets the ball up the floor and inside they have a great chance to win.

 

[NewMexHawk]

I believe Indiana has lost two players to broken bones this year.

 

[storminspank]

Was Creek their best player before he was injured?

In my opinion, yes.

 

[parquet]

In my opinion, yes.

Was leading scorer by a bit when hurt.

 

[tiggerhawk]

They are more athletic than we are, trust me. In addition to Watford (#2) , they have Verdell Jones, Jeremiah Rivers and a couple of other very good athletes off the bench. Not necessarily any individual Michael Jordan clones, but they have good overall quickness and athleticism.

Jones has really been coming on as their go-to guy, and while he's slender he's a very good athlete in the backcourt. Rivers is also a fine athlete (good genes!). Even their PG, Jordan Hulls, though he looks like he'd fit right in at Iowa, is quicker and more athletic than anyone who plays PG for Iowa at the moment.

No, certainly NOT going to trust you on this unfounded & dubious personal opinion--an opinion that doesn't have much factual basis.

Watford is a very good shooter with a good floor game--a very similar player to Gatens---with very comparable stats (both 13 PPG, Watford 6 RPG to Gatens 5 RPG, Gatens 3.5 Assists to .07 for Watford, 19 steals for Gatens to 12 for Watford.

Vernal Jones has played more than Fuller, who was hobbled by his ankle sprain until just the last few weeks (29 MPG, half again as much as Fuller's 19 MPG--but, once healthy, Fuller has been a far more athletic contributor--rebounding, blocing shots. It puzzles me why anyone would consider Jones an "athletic" player--that usually is meant to indicated good hops, quickness, speed...and in none of these categories does Jones edge Fuller, and is dwarfed in hops, strength, etc.

Hulls is solid PG--just as is Payne. From what I have seen he is not as able to defend the ball, play long stretches against quick/fast PGs as Payne. He has played only about two-thirds the MPG as Payne, which is reflected by his lower PPG, APG, RPG. He has an edge in steals, but no more than you would expect from the contrasting defensive tactics of their coaches.

But the biggest contrast of "athleticism" is between Rivers and Iowa's Eric May. No one--I repeat, NO ONE on the Hoosiers comes anwwhere near May and it is demonstrated in the stats--no one close to Mays 16 blocks, 20 steals.

Neither of these teams is ever going to be mistaken for Michigan State. Neither is a particularly "athletic" team (whatever that means). I would summarize the difference at this points as being (a) the Hawkeyes have the better starting five, but (b) the Hoosiers have eight healthy guys (nine until Cheeks was hurt) on the active roster who can play adequately against BT opposition--while Iowa has five.

The Iowa depth could expand to six if Cougill's back spasms cease, seven when Tucker is ready to play again. When that happens--perhaps by the time Indiana comes to CHA--I would anticipate the Hawkeye will prevail.

 

[tiggerhawk]

Was leading scorer by a bit when hurt.

That was almost entirely during the OOC part of the schedule. How Creek would have fared in BT play is a question that won't get answered for at least a year apparently.