Let's get the game thread started early tonight for a change: IL visits Iowa City

I wanted Iowa to split, I think they still can, Purdue and IL both better than ISU imo. Creighton sucks
 
STILLBUSTER said:
I don't know about pumped but, as mentioned, it will be some entertaining basketball and always a gritty effort. Doubt it will yield much success beyond what it should -- 7 or 8 conf wins.

They are NOT going to get any better than what you're seeing at Purdue and tonight. The only variable that might change outcomes will be if Fran figures out the right lineups at the right time.
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They played excellent against both and both are considered Q1 teams, so we have that I guess. They played great D at times excellent D. Players are still finding their roles and Fran is letting it happen. Kris is coming on. Perkins is playing great. Ulis is coming on. Sandfort is showing promise. I feel good about 10 players. IL is decent imo
 
I think this Iowa team is proving its a potential team that can dance. Excited to watch this unfold. The Murray’s might not be a thing that lasts long and imo this team will continue to build momentum.
 
dahlhawk said:
Are you serious, half our players have almost no experience, and they have nothing but upside. True if Fran continues to embrace the holdovers we won’t reach our potential, but this team will improve. A winning record in the Big is within reach. That will put this team in the tourney.
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Yes, I still have to think this is a tourney team.....but looks more like cannon fodder for the big boys in rout to the Sweet 16 or better.
 
spliff45 said:
So…the football team impresses no one and wins games but the hoops team is impressive and loses. Seems legit
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The football team wins against average and bad teams and got blown out by the one good team they played. Hell they also got blown out by 2 average teams. So far the basketball team has lost to probably the best team in the country and probably a top 10 team.
 
52-23 out rebounded...

cant remember seeing a margin like that...

however i thought illinois got away with a lot of contact going for rebounds - the way the game was being officated iowa had little chance on the boards.
 
dahlhawk said:
Are you serious, half our players have almost no experience, and they have nothing but upside. True if Fran continues to embrace the holdovers we won’t reach our potential, but this team will improve. A winning record in the Big is within reach. That will put this team in the tourney.
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It's not intended as a dis. I'm saying, they're not going to play a whole lot better than what they're playing. I mean, you're forcing turnovers and protecting the ball. You're pressure and recovery D is as good as we've seen under Fran - already this early in the season. You've got great grit and fortitude throughout the team ...

It's boiling down to inopportune scoring droughts; the most experienced players are not performing (Jo-Bo and C-Mac have been very disappointing); you lack size, height, strength and athleticism; Fran still suffers from dysfunctional lineupitis.

These are are generally systemic or basic biological things that tend to just "be", not things that will just "improve" with upside. Despite all the effort, I still see a bunch of close losses and think 7 to 8 conf wins is the ceiling.
 
Hawks lost because they missed a lot of easy shots, including FT’s and they got crushed on the boards. It didn’t help that the refs never called 3 second violations. Cockburn camped out in the lane at least 8 times that I counted. We will improve, but this was a lost opportunity. Go Hawks!!
 
This is not a tournament quality team. Just lost at home to a team you have to beat at home. Still will be a fun team to watch if you dont get hung up on their record, this team is already in the cellar on dec 7th. Next 2 games are possible Ls as well.
 
Motigerhawk said:
Does anybody else feel like, if they coached this team they would do it better?
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I don't know about "better" but I've always had big problems with Fran's personnel management and scripted shift-change lineups that seem to disrupt the Hawks' momentum as much as an opponent time-out. Now, he's gotten away from that more and more the last couple years but he still bets the come with a lot of guys like Jo-Bo and C-Mac and can still get plenty of goofy with the lack of scoring he puts on the floor at times.

Jo-Bo avgs 23.1 minutes; C-Mac 17.1
Perkins and Ulis are at 16.4 & 16.9 respectively. Jo-Bo is a guy who, if he isn't scoring, he needs to be sitting and you can usually tell within the first 4 minute block. The back court needs to be turned over to Perkins and Ulis, with Jo-Bo getting 15-ish and C-Mac around 10 minutes.

This team desparately lacks size. Josh-O needs to see double the 6.8 minutes he's getting, even closer to 15. Maybe that's the plan but it needs to be sped up. Get him on the floor earlier and longer. Whatever happens is gonna be gravy.
 
cohawkeye said:
This is not a tournament quality team. Just lost at home to a team you have to beat at home. Still will be a fun team to watch if you dont get hung up on their record, this team is already in the cellar on dec 7th. Next 2 games are possible Ls as well.
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Illinois will probabky finish 2nd or 3rd. We didn't HAVE to beat them.
 
dahlhawk said:
Are you serious, half our players have almost no experience, and they have nothing but upside. True if Fran continues to embrace the holdovers we won’t reach our potential, but this team will improve. A winning record in the Big is within reach. That will put this team in the tourney.
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History has taught us that Fran won’t change… I really hope I’m wrong. If Fran doesn’t learn anything after tonight’s game Iowa definitely isn’t a NCAA Tournament team. If his eyes were opened I predict the Hawks be dancing in March!!
 
Pretty even teams IMO. If Iowa had shot their season FT% it would equal 2 more points. If Illinois had shot their season FT% it would equal 5 fewer points (more when factoring in the intentional fouls at the end). That’s a 7 point swing and Iowa win.
 
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