JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Teams don't go from good to great, OK to memorable, until they win big games on the road. That's because the great teams can do it and the good teams typically don't.
Before Iowa tipped off against Ohio State on Sunday, I was becoming uncertain as to just what the ceiling was for this year's version of the Iowa Hawkeyes, their best team in seven years. Midweek, I wrote an article chronicling Iowa's inability to close out games this year and last year. I ended that item with these lines:
"This team is pretty good and is real close to a breakout the likes Iowa hasn’t seen in a long, long time. But they have a closing problem. Will they overcome it this year? Do they have the horses and or the mental makeup? I just don’t know at this point, but recent trends are not encouraging."
A few days later and I think we have our answer; this team does have 'IT'. We know that following their mind-blowing win at #3 Ohio State on Sunday, 84-74.
I say mind blowing because teams don't scored 84 points on a Thad Matta coached Ohio State team very often. Just two teams have scored 80 or more against an Ohio State team in regulation since the start of February 2009. Iowa was the first team this year to score over 70 on Ohio State in regulation.
Even after the game, Ken Pomeroy's rankings still had Ohio State as the top defensive club out of all 351 teams. Iowa scored 47 points in the second half.
As for closing, how is this for closing; in the last six minutes, Iowa was 14-18 from the foul stripe and committed just one turnover.
The Hawkeyes can get their coffee without apologies on Monday morning.
This game was one of Iowa's best in years...perhaps the biggest win they've had since beating Ohio State for the Big Ten Tournament title in March of 2006, the last time they won a game on CBS.
Speaking of CBS, there is just a big time feel to it when your favorite basketball team plays on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon on CBS, no? That's how it was when I grew up watching Big Ten basketball in the 1980's and while it's nowhere near the same thing as it once was, it was still pretty special.
I felt Iowa played it's first 'big time' half of basketball, in the first half, in eons...Then came the second half and Iowa falling down by nearly double-digits, but it was Iowa's turn to mount a comeback and they kept the hammer down. They were the tougher team, these Hawkeyes. The officials allowed both teams to play a little more physical than the rules emphasis called for, but you knew that was going to happen coming into Columbus. That said and to the credit of the officials, they called the game the same for both teams, which is all you can hope for.
Aaron Craft got away with handchecking and his normal physical brand of play, but Devyn Marble played Craft the same way right back. The results? Marble scored a team high 22 points and had three assists and three turnovers. Craft scored six points, had six assists but also a game high six turnovers and he also fouled out.
In other words, the Hawkeyes punched back and really showed a toughness we haven't seen thus far this year.
Josh Oglesby scored eight points but every one of those baskets counted, especially his last two...one was a three pointer to tie the game and the next was a layup off of a backdoor cut to tie the game, both of these coming in the last 10 minutes of the game.
Aaron White scored 19 points and had six boards but played one of the best floor games of his career. He continued his aggressive play with the basketball and perhaps he crossed a transformative threshold in this game...in that he knows he's one of the best in the nation and he can attack and act like it. This was in front of the home folks for White and will be a huge confidence booster for him and his teammates.
Melsahn Basabe was New York tough in this game, doing a lot of the dirty work and scoring some key putbacks late in the game. He had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Mike Gesell had 11 points and five rebounds but really looked good at times and I think he also proved something to himself. A year ago, he wilts in a spot like this, not strong enough to drive past anyone with the old rules. Even though it was physical today, it was nothing like what we saw in past years and this is to Gesell's benefit. Given the foe and location, this was huge for him.
Really, given the foe and location, this game could be like dog years as far as maturity is concerned for this ball club. Marble has another example of dominance he can add to his mental quiver, White came through on the national stage, Gesell got around quick and athletic guards, Uthoff hit some key buckets as did Oglesby...
A win like this can prove to be a catalyst for a season.
We all know Iowa's three losses came against teams who entered this past week ranked in the Top 10 and that Iowa had double-digit leads against each of them. We knew Iowa was a good team but we all had doubts as to whether or not they could be better than good. I wonder if the team had some doubts in the dark corners of their mind.
After Iowa's heartbreaking loss to Wisconsin, Aaron White said "I'm sick and tired of losing to teams we're better than." White made a difference this Sunday, including his running bank shot from 15-feet with 2:08 left that looked like it was from ABA era.
I think Iowa is better than the three very good teams who have beaten the Hawkeyes this year. On Sunday, Iowa finally played like that team for 40 minutes, which is truly what separates the goods from the greats.
Iowa is 14-3 and may move into the Top 15 after this win. They moved up two spots in the rankings last week after losing at Wisconsin. Most of the talking heads and 'experts' have been waiting for Iowa to get a win like this.
Winning at home is one thing, but winning on the road is THE thing.
At 3-1 in the league after four games, Iowa has given itself a chance at a Big Ten title. It had to split with Wisconsin and Ohio State, at worst and beat Nebraska and Northwestern to start. It did that, but the hard way as I think the Badgers will really struggle with Ohio State, although their one meeting will be at the Kohl Center.
14-3 and 3-1 in the best conference in the nation. It has a good ring to it. This season is no longer just about making it to the NCAA tournament; Sunday's win was all they were missing on their resume.
Finally, this basketball team is more than just potential; they actually went out and did something on the road when it mattered.
Has the sleeper awoken?
Before Iowa tipped off against Ohio State on Sunday, I was becoming uncertain as to just what the ceiling was for this year's version of the Iowa Hawkeyes, their best team in seven years. Midweek, I wrote an article chronicling Iowa's inability to close out games this year and last year. I ended that item with these lines:
"This team is pretty good and is real close to a breakout the likes Iowa hasn’t seen in a long, long time. But they have a closing problem. Will they overcome it this year? Do they have the horses and or the mental makeup? I just don’t know at this point, but recent trends are not encouraging."
A few days later and I think we have our answer; this team does have 'IT'. We know that following their mind-blowing win at #3 Ohio State on Sunday, 84-74.
I say mind blowing because teams don't scored 84 points on a Thad Matta coached Ohio State team very often. Just two teams have scored 80 or more against an Ohio State team in regulation since the start of February 2009. Iowa was the first team this year to score over 70 on Ohio State in regulation.
Even after the game, Ken Pomeroy's rankings still had Ohio State as the top defensive club out of all 351 teams. Iowa scored 47 points in the second half.
As for closing, how is this for closing; in the last six minutes, Iowa was 14-18 from the foul stripe and committed just one turnover.
The Hawkeyes can get their coffee without apologies on Monday morning.
This game was one of Iowa's best in years...perhaps the biggest win they've had since beating Ohio State for the Big Ten Tournament title in March of 2006, the last time they won a game on CBS.
Speaking of CBS, there is just a big time feel to it when your favorite basketball team plays on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon on CBS, no? That's how it was when I grew up watching Big Ten basketball in the 1980's and while it's nowhere near the same thing as it once was, it was still pretty special.
I felt Iowa played it's first 'big time' half of basketball, in the first half, in eons...Then came the second half and Iowa falling down by nearly double-digits, but it was Iowa's turn to mount a comeback and they kept the hammer down. They were the tougher team, these Hawkeyes. The officials allowed both teams to play a little more physical than the rules emphasis called for, but you knew that was going to happen coming into Columbus. That said and to the credit of the officials, they called the game the same for both teams, which is all you can hope for.
Aaron Craft got away with handchecking and his normal physical brand of play, but Devyn Marble played Craft the same way right back. The results? Marble scored a team high 22 points and had three assists and three turnovers. Craft scored six points, had six assists but also a game high six turnovers and he also fouled out.
In other words, the Hawkeyes punched back and really showed a toughness we haven't seen thus far this year.
Josh Oglesby scored eight points but every one of those baskets counted, especially his last two...one was a three pointer to tie the game and the next was a layup off of a backdoor cut to tie the game, both of these coming in the last 10 minutes of the game.
Aaron White scored 19 points and had six boards but played one of the best floor games of his career. He continued his aggressive play with the basketball and perhaps he crossed a transformative threshold in this game...in that he knows he's one of the best in the nation and he can attack and act like it. This was in front of the home folks for White and will be a huge confidence booster for him and his teammates.
Melsahn Basabe was New York tough in this game, doing a lot of the dirty work and scoring some key putbacks late in the game. He had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Mike Gesell had 11 points and five rebounds but really looked good at times and I think he also proved something to himself. A year ago, he wilts in a spot like this, not strong enough to drive past anyone with the old rules. Even though it was physical today, it was nothing like what we saw in past years and this is to Gesell's benefit. Given the foe and location, this was huge for him.
Really, given the foe and location, this game could be like dog years as far as maturity is concerned for this ball club. Marble has another example of dominance he can add to his mental quiver, White came through on the national stage, Gesell got around quick and athletic guards, Uthoff hit some key buckets as did Oglesby...
A win like this can prove to be a catalyst for a season.
We all know Iowa's three losses came against teams who entered this past week ranked in the Top 10 and that Iowa had double-digit leads against each of them. We knew Iowa was a good team but we all had doubts as to whether or not they could be better than good. I wonder if the team had some doubts in the dark corners of their mind.
After Iowa's heartbreaking loss to Wisconsin, Aaron White said "I'm sick and tired of losing to teams we're better than." White made a difference this Sunday, including his running bank shot from 15-feet with 2:08 left that looked like it was from ABA era.
I think Iowa is better than the three very good teams who have beaten the Hawkeyes this year. On Sunday, Iowa finally played like that team for 40 minutes, which is truly what separates the goods from the greats.
Iowa is 14-3 and may move into the Top 15 after this win. They moved up two spots in the rankings last week after losing at Wisconsin. Most of the talking heads and 'experts' have been waiting for Iowa to get a win like this.
Winning at home is one thing, but winning on the road is THE thing.
At 3-1 in the league after four games, Iowa has given itself a chance at a Big Ten title. It had to split with Wisconsin and Ohio State, at worst and beat Nebraska and Northwestern to start. It did that, but the hard way as I think the Badgers will really struggle with Ohio State, although their one meeting will be at the Kohl Center.
14-3 and 3-1 in the best conference in the nation. It has a good ring to it. This season is no longer just about making it to the NCAA tournament; Sunday's win was all they were missing on their resume.
Finally, this basketball team is more than just potential; they actually went out and did something on the road when it mattered.
Has the sleeper awoken?
