Iowa Basketball on ESPN.com



I actually like what he has to say, and now I want ice cream.

Ryan in Iowa City writes: Greetings from Iowa. What do you think is a realistic finish for the Hawkeyes this year? Some people around here think that the big dance may be an option but I just don't see that happening, well not yet anyway. I would like to think a near .500 record would be the way to go with an NIT berth. We know what "White Magic" can do but is the NCAA tourney a stretch at this point? Can Fran really bring the kids that far already? I, and the rest of Iowa City, are very excited for Iowa basketball again and the dreams of Carver-Hawkeye arena being full again happen daily.

Brennan: Do not fear, young Ryan, for I bring you tidings of good news: The NCAA tournament isn't completely out of the question this season.

Now, before everyone in Iowa City sends me Whitey's Ice Cream in dry-ice containers (actually, wait, please do that, I'll send you my address in Chicago), that doesn't mean I think it's going to happen. Just that it could. Maybe. Matt Gatens can play. Melsahn Basabe is a beast on the low block (he had a field day with most of the Big Ten's frontcourts last season) and I shudder to think of what he would have done to the MAAC if he had gone to play for McCaffery at Siena instead. These Hawks need to improve in a variety of areas, but they don't travel outside the state of Iowa in their nonconference schedule. If they can head into Big Ten play with one or two losses, all it takes is a decent league performance and they'll be getting some bubble looks.

Again, I do not think this is going to happen. The chances are pretty small. But I guess I'm ... telling you there's a chance!
 


I love reading Brennan. I am not sure where he is from in Iowa or where he went to school but he is always in touch with the goings on in the Big Ten.

I don't think the tournament is in play this year but I think the Hawks could get to 18 or 19 wins due to the weakness of the non conference schedule and the fact that the Big Ten is down. It should be a fun year once January gets here.
 


imported_blkngldFRO said:
I actually like what he has to say, and now I want ice cream.

Ryan in Iowa City writes: Greetings from Iowa. What do you think is a realistic finish for the Hawkeyes this year? Some people around here think that the big dance may be an option but I just don't see that happening, well not yet anyway. I would like to think a near .500 record would be the way to go with an NIT berth. We know what "White Magic" can do but is the NCAA tourney a stretch at this point? Can Fran really bring the kids that far already? I, and the rest of Iowa City, are very excited for Iowa basketball again and the dreams of Carver-Hawkeye arena being full again happen daily.

Brennan: Do not fear, young Ryan, for I bring you tidings of good news: The NCAA tournament isn't completely out of the question this season.

Now, before everyone in Iowa City sends me Whitey's Ice Cream in dry-ice containers (actually, wait, please do that, I'll send you my address in Chicago), that doesn't mean I think it's going to happen. Just that it could. Maybe. Matt Gatens can play. Melsahn Basabe is a beast on the low block (he had a field day with most of the Big Ten's frontcourts last season) and I shudder to think of what he would have done to the MAAC if he had gone to play for McCaffery at Siena instead. These Hawks need to improve in a variety of areas, but they don't travel outside the state of Iowa in their nonconference schedule. If they can head into Big Ten play with one or two losses, all it takes is a decent league performance and they'll be getting some bubble looks.

Again, I do not think this is going to happen. The chances are pretty small. But I guess I'm ... telling you there's a chance!
Click to expand...

Ummm... no. I'm excited for the season, but even talking about the NCAA tournament isn't fair to the team we have assembled. Our schedule doesn't help our chances at making the tourney, it hurts it. With our nonconference and conference slate, we could win 21 games and get left out-- and what's more, it would be the right decision.

I'm still thinking 18 wins and NIT. Any way you look at it, that would be huge for this team.
 


the schedule might be soft, but the margin of victory could go a long way towards the dance with the victories, the bigger the margin, the more it gets peoples attention,80,90-50 type scores, and Clemson Creighton will not be viewed as cupcakes, ISU & UNI are to be bette, so the better they are the better Iowa will be viewed, i know nothing about some of the teams. the better the other teams do, it can only help Iowa
 


olivecourt said:
Ummm... no. I'm excited for the season, but even talking about the NCAA tournament isn't fair to the team we have assembled. Our schedule doesn't help our chances at making the tourney, it hurts it. With our nonconference and conference slate, we could win 21 games and get left out-- and what's more, it would be the right decision.

I'm still thinking 18 wins and NIT. Any way you look at it, that would be huge for this team.
Click to expand...

Your logic is flawed. How would wins be bad for our tournament resume? There is no such thing as a bad win
 


olivecourt said:
Ummm... no. I'm excited for the season, but even talking about the NCAA tournament isn't fair to the team we have assembled. Our schedule doesn't help our chances at making the tourney, it hurts it. With our nonconference and conference slate, we could win 21 games and get left out-- and what's more, it would be the right decision.

I'm still thinking 18 wins and NIT. Any way you look at it, that would be huge for this team.
Click to expand...

Your logic is flawed. How would wins be bad for our tournament resume? There is no such thing as a bad win.

We play in a power conference so our sos and rpi will be fine by tourny time.
 




olivecourt said:
Ummm... no. I'm excited for the season, but even talking about the NCAA tournament isn't fair to the team we have assembled. Our schedule doesn't help our chances at making the tourney, it hurts it. With our nonconference and conference slate, we could win 21 games and get left out-- and what's more, it would be the right decision.

I'm still thinking 18 wins and NIT. Any way you look at it, that would be huge for this team.
Click to expand...

Did you actually read everything he said? He doesn't believe it will happen. But if the Hawks were to come out of their OOC slate with 1 loss (not likely, IMO), then only a decent performance in the Big Ten (Probably something like 10-8. Again, not likely) could get them bubble looks (That's bubble LOOKS, not a bubble BID).

In other words, A LOT of things need to happen for us to even get a remote chance, much less get in. But Brennan didn't say we'd get in, or even that we'd get looks. He just outlined how we COULD get looks.
 


olivecourt said:
Ummm... no. I'm excited for the season, but even talking about the NCAA tournament isn't fair to the team we have assembled. Our schedule doesn't help our chances at making the tourney, it hurts it. With our nonconference and conference slate, we could win 21 games and get left out-- and what's more, it would be the right decision.

I'm still thinking 18 wins and NIT. Any way you look at it, that would be huge for this team.
Click to expand...


I understand where your coming from, but if you don't believe that Fran and this team believe they can make the tournament then you are wrong. The team has the same expectations as most of the fans do, probably more-so.
 


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