JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
The Iowa basketball team made just 1 of 7 free throws downs the stretch at Minnesota on Wednesday night, yet they still held on for a 64-62 win as Minnesota's game tying attempt was off the mark. It was Minnesota's first home loss of the season.
It's been a long time since Iowa was in a position like that on the road in the Big Ten. So far in this Big Ten season, Iowa is doing a lot of things it hasn't done in a long time.
Iowa has won back to back Big Ten road games for the first time since 2007, according to Gary Dolphin after the game. Iowa is now 2-1 in the league, the first time they have been above .500 in Big Ten play since 2007, according to Jordan Garretson of The Daily Iowan.
Yes, those are ugly stats. No, I am not likely writing about a team that will play in the NCAA tournament...or maybe any tournament other than the Big Ten tournament, this year.
But I am writing about a basketball TEAM this year.
During his coaching career, Fran McCaffery's teams have gotten demonstrably better in year two than what he inherited in year one. This year's Iowa team is looking to be in that mold, as Iowa has outworked and 'out-hustled' all three of their Big Ten opponents so far this year.
Iowa fell down by 11 points late in the first half, but went on a 10-0 run to trail by one at intermission. They came out firing in the second half, the third straight game they have done so, and took a six-point lead fairly early on. Iowa led the rest of the way and McCaffery made a great coaching move early in the second; Iowa went to a 2-3 zone, trying to slow down the Gophers who shot 54% in the first half.
That move worked, as Minnesota shot just 44% for the game, 37.5% in the second half. Iowa could have walked out of the arena without any heart palpitations had they taken care of the defensive glass, as they were having a hard time rebounding out of that zone. Minnesota had nine offensive rebounds in the second half.
Yet the Hawks didn't wilt on the offensive end of the glass, pushing the ball, setting the tempo and taking care of business when they had to...well, except for those free throws at the end.
Iowa built and maintained their lead in the second half with Melsahn Basabe on the bench. McCaffery went with Devon Archie for much of the second half. I think part of that is due to Archie being a bigger defensive threat on the back end of the 2-3 zone. Basabe got beat on a play down low early in the second half and went to the bench and never returned. If I told you before the game that Basabe would not score, I doubt many fans would have predicted an Iowa win.
If that was the case, it was a big roll of the dice for McCaffery as Archie is just not a threat on offense and a liability at the free throw line. He never took a shot in nine minutes of action, so when he was in the game Iowa was essentially playing four on five on the offensive end.
Matt Gatens led Iowa with 19 points in addition to six rebounds. He also played a stellar floor game, something he has been doing a lot of as of late. If he could have made a few more free throws (he was 3-6) it might have been his best game as a Hawkeye. Those misses aside, it may well have been his best game. It's great to see what he can do with other scoring threats around him on the floor, something he has not had the first three years of his career.
Zach McCabe had 12 points and seven rebonds. He has scored more points in a game before this, but this might have been his best overall game as a Hawkeye. He plays with a toughness that his teammates seem to rally around and he was nails at the end of the first half in all aspects of the game.
Aaron White turned in another solid performance with 10 points and six rebounds.
For the second game in a row, Iowa's opponent struggled from beyond the arc. Minnesota was just 4-23 from three-point range. On Saturday, Wisconsin was just 3-28 from long range. Purdue was 6-20 in the opener, meaning Iowa's opponents have made just 13 of 71 from distance, which is unheard of.
Iowa finished the game -1 on the glass, but I consider that a win for Iowa as they have not been a great rebounding team this season and Minnesota was a bigger team. Both teams had 12 turnovers in this game, which is not a horrible number. In Iowa's first three league games, they have committed 10, 10 and 12 turnovers.
In the end, the Hawkeyes were good enough to build a late lead and hang on for the win. More than a few Hawkeye fans had made an appointment to tune in to watch this game, given Iowa's win at Wisconsin on Saturday.
When you have so many people wanting to believe again, wanting to buy in emotionally, you HAVE to produce in spots like this. You just have to win when the eyeballs are on you.
Iowa did that on Wednesday night and I think winning this game was just as important, if not more so, than the win at Wisconsin for the reason I just mentioned.
The chips were on the table and the Hawks were cash money.
This team returns home on Saturday to take on #6 Ohio State. The game is set for a 2pm tip...good seats remain...let's hope they get filled.
It's been a long time since Iowa was in a position like that on the road in the Big Ten. So far in this Big Ten season, Iowa is doing a lot of things it hasn't done in a long time.
Iowa has won back to back Big Ten road games for the first time since 2007, according to Gary Dolphin after the game. Iowa is now 2-1 in the league, the first time they have been above .500 in Big Ten play since 2007, according to Jordan Garretson of The Daily Iowan.
Yes, those are ugly stats. No, I am not likely writing about a team that will play in the NCAA tournament...or maybe any tournament other than the Big Ten tournament, this year.
But I am writing about a basketball TEAM this year.
During his coaching career, Fran McCaffery's teams have gotten demonstrably better in year two than what he inherited in year one. This year's Iowa team is looking to be in that mold, as Iowa has outworked and 'out-hustled' all three of their Big Ten opponents so far this year.
Iowa fell down by 11 points late in the first half, but went on a 10-0 run to trail by one at intermission. They came out firing in the second half, the third straight game they have done so, and took a six-point lead fairly early on. Iowa led the rest of the way and McCaffery made a great coaching move early in the second; Iowa went to a 2-3 zone, trying to slow down the Gophers who shot 54% in the first half.
That move worked, as Minnesota shot just 44% for the game, 37.5% in the second half. Iowa could have walked out of the arena without any heart palpitations had they taken care of the defensive glass, as they were having a hard time rebounding out of that zone. Minnesota had nine offensive rebounds in the second half.
Yet the Hawks didn't wilt on the offensive end of the glass, pushing the ball, setting the tempo and taking care of business when they had to...well, except for those free throws at the end.
Iowa built and maintained their lead in the second half with Melsahn Basabe on the bench. McCaffery went with Devon Archie for much of the second half. I think part of that is due to Archie being a bigger defensive threat on the back end of the 2-3 zone. Basabe got beat on a play down low early in the second half and went to the bench and never returned. If I told you before the game that Basabe would not score, I doubt many fans would have predicted an Iowa win.
If that was the case, it was a big roll of the dice for McCaffery as Archie is just not a threat on offense and a liability at the free throw line. He never took a shot in nine minutes of action, so when he was in the game Iowa was essentially playing four on five on the offensive end.
Matt Gatens led Iowa with 19 points in addition to six rebounds. He also played a stellar floor game, something he has been doing a lot of as of late. If he could have made a few more free throws (he was 3-6) it might have been his best game as a Hawkeye. Those misses aside, it may well have been his best game. It's great to see what he can do with other scoring threats around him on the floor, something he has not had the first three years of his career.
Zach McCabe had 12 points and seven rebonds. He has scored more points in a game before this, but this might have been his best overall game as a Hawkeye. He plays with a toughness that his teammates seem to rally around and he was nails at the end of the first half in all aspects of the game.
Aaron White turned in another solid performance with 10 points and six rebounds.
For the second game in a row, Iowa's opponent struggled from beyond the arc. Minnesota was just 4-23 from three-point range. On Saturday, Wisconsin was just 3-28 from long range. Purdue was 6-20 in the opener, meaning Iowa's opponents have made just 13 of 71 from distance, which is unheard of.
Iowa finished the game -1 on the glass, but I consider that a win for Iowa as they have not been a great rebounding team this season and Minnesota was a bigger team. Both teams had 12 turnovers in this game, which is not a horrible number. In Iowa's first three league games, they have committed 10, 10 and 12 turnovers.
In the end, the Hawkeyes were good enough to build a late lead and hang on for the win. More than a few Hawkeye fans had made an appointment to tune in to watch this game, given Iowa's win at Wisconsin on Saturday.
When you have so many people wanting to believe again, wanting to buy in emotionally, you HAVE to produce in spots like this. You just have to win when the eyeballs are on you.
Iowa did that on Wednesday night and I think winning this game was just as important, if not more so, than the win at Wisconsin for the reason I just mentioned.
The chips were on the table and the Hawks were cash money.
This team returns home on Saturday to take on #6 Ohio State. The game is set for a 2pm tip...good seats remain...let's hope they get filled.
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