Is there a single person on HN who watched the Exhibition?

[InGoodCo]

Thoughts? I thought Josh Dix looked really good. I was overwhelmed by all the new guys and trying to keep them straight.

I don't think this is going to be a really deep team. I think you've got your core 5 of

Harding
Dix
Ladje
Payton Sandfort
Owen Freeman

all of those guys are going to be 30 minutes a game guys

Thelwell and Dix will help cover the 1
The 2 and 3 spots will be dominated by Dix, Payton Sandfort, Pryce Sandfort
your 3-4 spots are Dembele, Koch, Traore and maybe Evan Brauns in garbage time or spot minutes
You're 5 spot is Owen Freeman mainly but can go smaller with bringing in another F.

I think Iowa is going to only end up playing 9 guys, maybe more like mostly 8 with some odd and end minutes to Braun and Mulvey.

Rebounding will be a concern with this team and size wise, we're going to be up against it. That said, I think they'll be one of the better shooting teams in the B1G.

 

[HuckFinn]

Yeah. I was at the exhibition game. Every year Iowa has a basketball game of some sort on a Friday night prior to a Saturday football game. Makes for a fun weekend.

I enjoyed the game and support Good’s analysis.

 

[PCHawk]

I forgot until after I committed to going to a movie. I remembered and watched the last 15 minutes with my phone covered by my sweatshirt with no sound. Not too much insight to give. I'm hoping I can watch the replay on big 10+ but haven't looked yet.

 

[InGoodCo]

I forgot until after I committed to going to a movie. I remembered and watched the last 15 minutes with my phone covered by my sweatshirt with no sound. Not too much insight to give. I'm hoping I can watch the replay on big 10+ but haven't looked yet.

If you get BT+ you can watch the replay. First half was close but that's because Fran played everyone. Played it a little tighter in the 2nd half. I think they will be able to consistently score better than last year where they would go through small or short stints where getting a bucket was impossible. Seem like they will be more efficient with ways to score this year. One thing was obvious, they will also be able to score a bunch in a real short period of time as they had a couple of runs where they scored like 20 pts in like 2 or 3 minutes.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

If you get BT+ you can watch the replay. First half was close but that's because Fran played everyone. Played it a little tighter in the 2nd half. I think they will be able to consistently score better than last year where they would go through small or short stints where getting a bucket was impossible. Seem like they will be more efficient with ways to score this year. One thing was obvious, they will also be able to score a bunch in a real short period of time as they had a couple of runs where they scored like 20 pts in like 2 or 3 minutes.

It's on youtube too I got to see most of it on there yesterday. And yeah Dix impressed me the most I'd say. He's just smooth and automatic with his shot. I was hoping to see Harding knock down a J or two but I don't remember him doing so. Most of the team struggled outside it seemed like. P Sandfort looked great. Freeman was good.

Defensively though... Yikes. Game 1 and all I know but I saw no intensity or anything. Guards don't seem to be able to stop dribble drives. Things start and stop there cause if the other team can get in the paint whenever they want with or without a screen it's problematic for our bigs having to help etc etc with the dominos of that. We better rebound better too at both ends

 

[HuckFinn]

If you get BT+ you can watch the replay. First half was close but that's because Fran played everyone. Played it a little tighter in the 2nd half. I think they will be able to consistently score better than last year where they would go through small or short stints where getting a bucket was impossible. Seem like they will be more efficient with ways to score this year. One thing was obvious, they will also be able to score a bunch in a real short period of time as they had a couple of runs where they scored like 20 pts in like 2 or 3 minutes.

And, Duluth has season wins on the 20’s for a number of years. And, their head coach has Iowa ties. And, Fran said he could have picked a bad team, but went with Duluth for a tougher outing.

And, Duluth is a tourist wonderland and a gateway to the North Shore. No. I kid you not!

 

[BigD]

Shooting can be streaky with any team. Lute Olson was likely the most overall successful coach Iowa has had in my life time. He went on to do a great job at Arizona. He always stressed if possible to work into the paint and take shots from there. Of course as they are the higher percentage shots. You’re just playing the numbers game there.

Also penetrating that deep into an opponents defense is going to break their post player defense down and lead to easy layups under the basket.

Living on three pointers also means dying on them also. The lack of consistency and shooting within the paint philosophy has been a disaster in March.

We better hope that we have more help down low and not having to pin all our hopes on just Freeman. He is good, really good, but he can’t do it all by himself. He won’t do much sitting on the bench with five fouls.