JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
It wasn't a defensive clinic...OK, there really wasn't much defense played at all but hey, it sure was a lot of fun watching Iowa beat Notre Dame 98-93.
Once upon a time (1980's), games like this took place all the time....and it was good. Even though there were several defensive lapses, this is the kind of entertaining brand of basketball that I grew up on (born in 1971) and what I feel is somewhat of a birthright for Iowa basketball fans; uptempo hoops.
Iowa didn't exactly have that with the Todd Lickliter hire, arguably the worst hire in Iowa athletics history (in hindsight). Steve Alford liked to talk about playing uptempo, but that wasn't happening in at Iowa.
Fran McCaffery is uptempo. He is teaching an exciting brand of basketball and will win the good timing award; Iowa has the right coach at just the right time in the history of the game as the powers that be want to take the thuggery out of the sport....free up movement and range of motion. That's good for Iowa basketball under Fran McCaffery and every seems to be getting their money's worth as Iowa is averaging 90.0 points per game through nine games.
But enough of this...back to the game that took place.
The Hawkeyes led by nine at the half but Notre Dame quickly erased all of the lead with 16:13 to play and the game tied at 55 and actually taking a lead of their own with 15:45 to play.
This is when Dev Marble went in full beast mode, scoring Iowa's next 13 points and figuratively putting the team on his back. It wasn't until the clock said 8:58 to play until another Hawkeye scored and Iowa was back in front 70-66 at that point and the Hawkeyes would get a great team effort the rest of the way.
Marble, White, Gesell, McCabe and Uthoff were the five Hawkeyes on the floor down the stretch and to end the game and each of those players scored in double figures led by White's 20 points and seven rebounds. Uthoff and Marble had 17 and Uthoff tallied six rebounds. Uthoff was 4 of 6 from the floor and 8 of 10 from the line and hit a key tree-point shot down the stretch.
McCabe and Gesell scored 10 apiece for the Hawkeyes. Gabe Olaseni scored 9 points and had 5 rebounds in just 11 minutes, most all of that production coming in the first half. Melsahn Basabe had six points as did Adam Woodbury.
Iowa shot a blistering 56.9% from the floor for the game which is a very good thing as Notre Dame shot over 51%. Iowa was 25-29 from the line, a great shooting night and much needed. Iowa was a fantastic 7-13 from three-point line as the Hawkeyes continue to improve on their three-point shooting this year and are now one of the better three-point shooting teams in the nation. They entered the game 68th out of 351 and 4th in the Big Ten at 37.9%..now their percentage is up to 39.2% which should move them into the Top 50 in the nation.
Iowa's bench, one of the best in the nation, was huge in this game as they outscored the Notre Dame bench 39.7. This team is just so deep, as much 'functional depth' as any Iowa team since the 1986-1987 crew. I wrote that article before the season began and it's bearing true. Fran McCaffery has an amazing number of lineup combinations to choose from and buttons to push that he finds himself in a position that he may never experience again in his coaching career.
When Josh Oglesby comes back from his foot injury, this team can go a legit 11-deep...that 'functional depth' comment...I say that as in players you could play regularly in a Big Ten game. While Peter Jok is very, very green and has a lot to learn, he will be able to help this team this year and he's the last of those 11 on the bench once Oglesby is back healthy.
The defense? It wasn't great because all too often it just wasn't there. That said, Iowa was playing its fourth game in six days, not to mention their charter flight not arriving back in Iowa City until midday on Sunday after little to no sleep leaving the Bahamas.
The Hawkeyes will next take the court on Saturday against Drake in Des Moines' Wells Fargo Arena. The Bulldogs are in the Top 80 of the Ken Pomeroy rankings and the teams do have a common opponent; both beat Nebraska-Omaha by eight points.
NOTES:
* Aaron White surpassed the 1,000 point mark. He's the 41st player to do so. He has 1,001 points
* Five Hawkeyes scored in double figures. White (20), Marble (17), Uthoff (17), Gesell (10), McCabe (10).
* Thirteen of Marble’s 17 points came in the second half.
* McCabe has scored in double figures in each of the last four games, and seven times this season.
* Iowa has scored 82 points or more in 8-of-9 games this season.
Once upon a time (1980's), games like this took place all the time....and it was good. Even though there were several defensive lapses, this is the kind of entertaining brand of basketball that I grew up on (born in 1971) and what I feel is somewhat of a birthright for Iowa basketball fans; uptempo hoops.
Iowa didn't exactly have that with the Todd Lickliter hire, arguably the worst hire in Iowa athletics history (in hindsight). Steve Alford liked to talk about playing uptempo, but that wasn't happening in at Iowa.
Fran McCaffery is uptempo. He is teaching an exciting brand of basketball and will win the good timing award; Iowa has the right coach at just the right time in the history of the game as the powers that be want to take the thuggery out of the sport....free up movement and range of motion. That's good for Iowa basketball under Fran McCaffery and every seems to be getting their money's worth as Iowa is averaging 90.0 points per game through nine games.
But enough of this...back to the game that took place.
The Hawkeyes led by nine at the half but Notre Dame quickly erased all of the lead with 16:13 to play and the game tied at 55 and actually taking a lead of their own with 15:45 to play.
This is when Dev Marble went in full beast mode, scoring Iowa's next 13 points and figuratively putting the team on his back. It wasn't until the clock said 8:58 to play until another Hawkeye scored and Iowa was back in front 70-66 at that point and the Hawkeyes would get a great team effort the rest of the way.
Marble, White, Gesell, McCabe and Uthoff were the five Hawkeyes on the floor down the stretch and to end the game and each of those players scored in double figures led by White's 20 points and seven rebounds. Uthoff and Marble had 17 and Uthoff tallied six rebounds. Uthoff was 4 of 6 from the floor and 8 of 10 from the line and hit a key tree-point shot down the stretch.
McCabe and Gesell scored 10 apiece for the Hawkeyes. Gabe Olaseni scored 9 points and had 5 rebounds in just 11 minutes, most all of that production coming in the first half. Melsahn Basabe had six points as did Adam Woodbury.
Iowa shot a blistering 56.9% from the floor for the game which is a very good thing as Notre Dame shot over 51%. Iowa was 25-29 from the line, a great shooting night and much needed. Iowa was a fantastic 7-13 from three-point line as the Hawkeyes continue to improve on their three-point shooting this year and are now one of the better three-point shooting teams in the nation. They entered the game 68th out of 351 and 4th in the Big Ten at 37.9%..now their percentage is up to 39.2% which should move them into the Top 50 in the nation.
Iowa's bench, one of the best in the nation, was huge in this game as they outscored the Notre Dame bench 39.7. This team is just so deep, as much 'functional depth' as any Iowa team since the 1986-1987 crew. I wrote that article before the season began and it's bearing true. Fran McCaffery has an amazing number of lineup combinations to choose from and buttons to push that he finds himself in a position that he may never experience again in his coaching career.
When Josh Oglesby comes back from his foot injury, this team can go a legit 11-deep...that 'functional depth' comment...I say that as in players you could play regularly in a Big Ten game. While Peter Jok is very, very green and has a lot to learn, he will be able to help this team this year and he's the last of those 11 on the bench once Oglesby is back healthy.
The defense? It wasn't great because all too often it just wasn't there. That said, Iowa was playing its fourth game in six days, not to mention their charter flight not arriving back in Iowa City until midday on Sunday after little to no sleep leaving the Bahamas.
The Hawkeyes will next take the court on Saturday against Drake in Des Moines' Wells Fargo Arena. The Bulldogs are in the Top 80 of the Ken Pomeroy rankings and the teams do have a common opponent; both beat Nebraska-Omaha by eight points.
NOTES:
* Aaron White surpassed the 1,000 point mark. He's the 41st player to do so. He has 1,001 points
* Five Hawkeyes scored in double figures. White (20), Marble (17), Uthoff (17), Gesell (10), McCabe (10).
* Thirteen of Marble’s 17 points came in the second half.
* McCabe has scored in double figures in each of the last four games, and seven times this season.
* Iowa has scored 82 points or more in 8-of-9 games this season.
