Last 5 seconds of the play clock...

[tweeterhawk]

... have been deadly to this team this season, on both ends of the floor.

I didn't keep close track but I am betting that we gave up 12 points to Michigan in the last five seconds of their possessions after playing pretty good defense for the first 30. It was a killer to watch on TV, and I can only imagine how it plays on the psyche of the players -- mark your man tightly, flash out to the perimeter to cover, double-up, close down the post, and then -- bam! -- they hit a floater down the lane or a 3 from the corner by someone who has managed to get free.

Meanwhile, on our end of the floor, if we don't score within the first 15-20 seconds of the possession, we are toast more often than not, tossing up bad shots, getting picked or blocked during desperation drives to the basket or throwing the ball away.

 

[Hawkeye101]

It was pure torture to watch on TV so I can't imagine how it was in person. Especially on the defensive end, they would defend UM well up until the absolute last second and then they would hit the 3 ball. Just awful.

 

[CAARHawk]

Other teams are taught to be patient on offense. By rotating the ball and waiting for guys to flash at guys, eventually someone will pop open. This is particularly true if one team is way more physically talented than the other. Iowa's defense is supposed to make you burn clock getting the ball up court and force you into bad decisions. However, Iowa doesn't have the horses to do this.

 

[LG210]

Quite simply, Iowa lacks players with the ability to consistently make their own shot. Hopefully this will change.

On the defensive side, if you cannot stop dribble penetration without help defense or a second man in the zone, you will give up a lot of open shots because the help defender has to leave his man to help. The Big Ten has way too many guys that can knock down open 3's to not be hurt by our inability to prevent penetration without a help defender.