Lunardi sees us losing in second round game to Ducks

I saw a stat that said since they started seeding the tournament, Iowa has gotten to the 2nd round 18 times. In all 18 occasions, we had to play the better seed in the 2nd round. We've never once had the luxury of an upset to face the lower seed. That's a crazy stat.
I would venture a guess off the top of my head that at least 12 of those 18 were one or two seeds, and they don't lose first round games very often.
 
Lunardi should stick to projecting the field because he sucks at filling out brackets. Shouldn’t he be working on next year’s Bracketology?
 
I would venture a guess off the top of my head that at least 12 of those 18 were one or two seeds, and they don't lose first round games very often.
Yup, spent half my life hoping to get in, the other half facing the #1 or #2 seed the second game.
So this is how the other half lives!
 
Bilas has the Hawks facing Gonzaga, so screw what Lunardi thinks!

Unfortunately Bilas has his bracket messed up too though as he picked Gonzaga over the Hawks.
 
If both teams face each other in the 2nd round, we need someone in the rafters doing the Arkansas "pig sooie!" chant the whole game.
 
The Grand Canyon game comes down to how Iowa will address Mitgaard. Mitgaard is how GC dominated that league. He was able to control the middle, certainly on the defensive end, but also, to a point, offensively in that he could pull defenders to him.

The inherent problem with that game plan against a team like Iowa is he will have difficulty defending the Luka 3-ball. GC will have to try something different- probably zone, or maybe have him guard C Mac.

GC hasn’t seen a team like Iowa and how Iowa will use a great center like Garza to go to the hole, or drive, or kick out for 3, or start a ball-movement play. Iowa will very likely score -

Iowa can lose if Garza gets in foul trouble and thereafter Iowa fails to be effective from 3. Sure that can happen 1 out of perhaps 10 times against a team like this.
 
It's called March Madness for a reason. Hopefully Fran has them on the one game at a time mental framework.

Need to see the D working with the intensity switch fully on at all times.
 
There are no guarantees in the tournament regardless of our draw. All the teams in the dance are good teams and are there for a reason. Iowa has to lace em' up and come out ready to play each and every game, or it will be season over.

It does seem like Iowa always gets the toughest possible draw, though, doesn't it?

That said - it seems like Iowa is always the trendy upset pick. Everyone had them losing to Davidson that one year and Iowa won by 30. So, meh. Let all the talking heads predict what they will. Good bulletin board material for the team, IMO. Hope they play with a chip on their shoulders.

Let's play some basketball and see what happens!
 
Everyone is forgetting how good Garza is. The last 20 games of the season he faced Big 10 teams who have seen him now 5-7 times in the last few years. They were starting to figure out how to hold him to just 20 points per game. When Garza steps out of the conference like he will for the tourney he will go back to pre conference play dominance. He will overwhelm teams and score 25-30 ppg.

They can watch as much tape as they want, but I think the words of Mike Tyson really apply here- "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face."

Garza will overwhelm opponents right to the elite 8. And if I'm wrong nobody will remember this post anyways.
 
I think we're going to struggle mightily with Oregon because of the style of basketball they play.

People saying, "But they don't have a big to match up with Garza" are either idiots or they don't watch basketball. Indiana and OSU didn't have any bigs to match up with Garza either.

That super high-paced guard play is the exact opposite of what we want to see. We don't play well against those offenses, and unfortunately those are the games that get really out of hand really fast.
 
Oregon has a guard predicted to be drafted first round who shoots 43% from 3 and averages almost 2 steals per game. Duarte is his name. I haven't watched any of the games, but NBA means he is athletic.

We need to continue to fight like hell on the defensive end. That is what will take the Hawks to the next game. Grand Canyon isn't to be overlooked at all.
 
Like I said, I think Iowa got a bad draw. Great seed (2), but a quite challenging road to the final four. I know people say the PAC-12 is garbage, but still to potentially face the conference champion in the 2nd round when you are a 2 seed....early time to face a conference champion in a major conference.

Then, you may have Kansas waiting for you...a team who has beat Baylor.

Then of course, Gonzaga.

However, it is time for Fran and the boys to step up and play up to their seed. No excuses.

If Iowa does it, they will more than earn it.
Im picturing the Quackers like IL but less Kofi Goliath. Think if Iowa didn't have to pay much attn to IL's inside out game? Maybe got the W there. I like Iowa, bigger challenges than this.
 
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