Iowa's Defense Clearly is the Problem

[ChosenChildren]

Last year, according to the Pomeroy ratings, Iowa was 4th in the Big Ten in defensive efficiency (points given up per possession). This year, we rank 10th. Remember, this is the same team as last year, except for the trade of Uthoff (who was supposed to be a good defender) for May.

For whatever reason, this team has not expended the energy necessary on the defensive end to be a good team.

Perhaps they can find it in the remainder of the season. I think they have the ability (as evidenced by last year's performance), but do they have the desire????

 

[HawksMN]

Too much weak sauce.
Hit the weight room. Get a guy or two with a body and some intensity please.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Do up-tempo teams tend to rest on the defensive end? Is it coaching? Lack of athletes? All the above? Food for thought.

 

[linus19]

Too much weak sauce.
Hit the weight room. Get a guy or two with a body and some intensity please.

Agreed. Mental as well as physical weakness are glaring problems with this team.

 

[hawkfarmer]

The defense was very good the first 20-25 games of the year, but the last 6 or 7 have been very very poor. I think the loss to Wisconsin that took them out of the race took a little out of their sails.

I keep reading that teams are shooting such a high percentage and that most people think they're just getting lucky. There may be a few lucky shots each game that shouldn't go in, maybe at the buzzer, but generally they are just making open shots or good shots. Too many easy wide open looks, especially under the basket.

I think the success went to their heads a bit and over-hyped themselves and this is the result. Just my opinion.

 

[linus19]

The defense was very good the first 20-25 games of the year, but the last 6 or 7 have been very very poor. I think the loss to Wisconsin that took them out of the race took a little out of their sails.

I keep reading that teams are shooting such a high percentage and that most people think they're just getting lucky. There may be a few lucky shots each game that shouldn't go in, maybe at the buzzer, but generally they are just making open shots or good shots. Too many easy wide open looks, especially under the basket.

I think the success went to their heads a bit and over-hyped themselves and this is the result. Just my opinion.

I've said it a number of times, we started playing our worst ball of the season after we cracked the Top 10.

 

[GoHawks24]

There is absolutely no excuse for not playing balls-to-the-wall, crazy intense defense throughout the entire game with the depth that we have available. This team just thinks they can go bucket for bucket with anybody for some reason, and they think they're a lot better team than they actually are. It's like they're looking for stuff to be given to them instead of going out there and taking it for themselves. Very frustrating. Hopefully they wake up real soon.

 

[ChosenChildren]

Do up-tempo teams tend to rest on the defensive end? Is it coaching? Lack of athletes? All the above? Food for thought.

This might be it. Reminds me of the Tom Davis teams....great offense but matador defense

 

[HawksMN]

This might be it. Reminds me of the Tom Davis teams....great offense but matador defense

\

Yeah I remember this too about Tom's teams. Press like crazy, get cheap buckets, but cannot defend the 3 pt line at all. Tom's one chink in the armor, D.