[h=2]10. Iowa[/h]"There’s no telling when Iowa fans are going to stop drinking. A week ago, I thought Iowa was in position to make a run at their first Big Ten title since 1979. Now, the Hawkeyes have dropped two straight to fall three games out of first place, with their latest misstep coming Tuesday night in a heartbreaking overtime loss against Michigan State.
I get it. I’d be depressed too if for one nearly 15-minute stretch of the game, Russell Byrd made more field goals than my entire team. But there are plenty of reasons for Hawkeyes fans to remain optimistic.
For instance, Iowa played its best defensive game of the season Tuesday night. Against Michigan last Wednesday, the Hawkeyes reacted on defense instead of forcing the action. This is an important distinction. Great defensive teams don’t wait for the offense to make the first move and react accordingly — they force the offense to do what they want them to do. Michigan has one of the best offenses in America, so it’s not like there’s any shame in them scoring on you. But it felt like Iowa’s defense was way too passive in that game. The Wolverines had their swag turned up to 11 all night and they celebrated pretty much every basket by holding up their follow-through motions, chest bumping each other, wearing their loose butthole monocles, and doing whatever else guys do when they hit big shots. Given that Iowa goes 11-deep and foul trouble should never matter for them, I wanted to see more physicality. I wanted to see the Hawkeyes take it personally that Michigan was so confident and not be afraid to send a message with a hard foul or two.
Tuesday night was a step in the right direction. I mean, at this point in the season you are who you are, and Iowa is clearly an offensive-minded team. The Hawkeyes are never going to be great on defense, nor do they need to be. But opposing offenses still need to feel Iowa’s defensive presence. Michigan didn’t feel that last Wednesday. Tuesday night, though, the Spartans felt some pressure, and that’s a great sign for Iowa fans. You have to assume that there won’t be many more games where Iowa’s offense performs as poorly as it did against Michigan State, so if the Hawkeyes can maintain the defensive effort they showed Tuesday night, maybe the Iowa fans won’t have to resort to binge drinking."
Don't jump off the cliff quite yet folks.
I get it. I’d be depressed too if for one nearly 15-minute stretch of the game, Russell Byrd made more field goals than my entire team. But there are plenty of reasons for Hawkeyes fans to remain optimistic.
For instance, Iowa played its best defensive game of the season Tuesday night. Against Michigan last Wednesday, the Hawkeyes reacted on defense instead of forcing the action. This is an important distinction. Great defensive teams don’t wait for the offense to make the first move and react accordingly — they force the offense to do what they want them to do. Michigan has one of the best offenses in America, so it’s not like there’s any shame in them scoring on you. But it felt like Iowa’s defense was way too passive in that game. The Wolverines had their swag turned up to 11 all night and they celebrated pretty much every basket by holding up their follow-through motions, chest bumping each other, wearing their loose butthole monocles, and doing whatever else guys do when they hit big shots. Given that Iowa goes 11-deep and foul trouble should never matter for them, I wanted to see more physicality. I wanted to see the Hawkeyes take it personally that Michigan was so confident and not be afraid to send a message with a hard foul or two.
Tuesday night was a step in the right direction. I mean, at this point in the season you are who you are, and Iowa is clearly an offensive-minded team. The Hawkeyes are never going to be great on defense, nor do they need to be. But opposing offenses still need to feel Iowa’s defensive presence. Michigan didn’t feel that last Wednesday. Tuesday night, though, the Spartans felt some pressure, and that’s a great sign for Iowa fans. You have to assume that there won’t be many more games where Iowa’s offense performs as poorly as it did against Michigan State, so if the Hawkeyes can maintain the defensive effort they showed Tuesday night, maybe the Iowa fans won’t have to resort to binge drinking."
Don't jump off the cliff quite yet folks.
