NCAA BOund and f'ing ecstatic!!!!!!!!!

[olivecourt]

Some of you are just total douches who have very limited basketball knowledge. Look at next years roster and try and project it on last years schedule

SDSU
Long Beach
Wake
ISU

Thats 11-1 in OOC games heading in to the big10 opener

Tough 4 games to start but we win the NW game.
I see 4, maybe 5 more wins in conference (home games).
Thats 8-10 in conference and 11-1 OOC for 19-11. Thats bubble at the very minimum.

And all of that would be assuming a YOUNG team. We are not young any longer. All of our starters next year will have college game experience. We add depth and key pieces to the puzzle.

Just enjoy the ride a little. Last year was fun again and I'm excited about what is in store for the future.

Some of us can enjoy the ride without creating unreasonable expectations. I think it's worth holding off on won/loss predictions until we actually see these guys on the court, and acknowledging that even a .500 record would be a huge step forward for this program. I'm not going to be disappointed if they aren't on the bubble next year. This is a team that won 11 games last year.

Any projection that uses last year's schedule, takes all the close games we lost and turns them into wins while simultaneously preserves all of our close wins is asking a lot. It's easy to look at games and say we would have won them had we played later in the year, but it's also easy to look at last year's schedule and note that we were two baskets away from being a 9 win team. We had some bad luck and we had some good luck, which will likely be the same next year.

My concern is that when this team struggles next year (and they will, at least at times), everyone is going to try to beat each other in the race off the bandwagon when instead they should accept that it's a long road to NCAA tourney contention. Depending on the schedule, I would argue that anything over .500 will be a significant achievement.

 

[AZHAWKFAN1]

1-Remaining players are experienced in this system now. Starting the year will not be an adjustment for players/coaches. 2-Added depth gives Fran the chance to give breathers without sacrificing talent on the floor. Faster paced game with more pressure on the ball. 3-The belief in knowing they are better and can win will be a big help. I think six more wins is entirely posible, maybe more!!!

 

[burky247]

The fact that we are even discussing this topic is what I find exciting.

Rebuilding college basketball isn't like rebuilding college football. By that I mean you don't necessarily have to have that slow progression of wins over the years(like Iowa's years of 1,3,7, and then 10). If I had to bet, I imagine Caff is convinced we will be pushing towards that NCAA Tournament goal next season. Based on his coaching history, it's his third year at a school where he makes the tournament. But he has always made significant strides in his second year as well. We'll see.

I just hope fans remain patient. Hope for the best...but don't expect it.

 

[JHHawk]

My stance right now is to be cautiously optimistic.

The word is that Iowa will not leave the state in the non-conference season next year...if true,that means we will probably have 4 tough non-conference games..CU at Wells Fargo,at ISU,at UNI,and ACC Challenge at CHA. I like to think Iowa can split those 4 and win the rest...11-2 in the non-conference would be wonderful.

Then in the league, with the additon of Neb.,each team will play home and away with only 7 league teams,which means you will miss 4 teams at least once,which means the big ten schedule means more than it ever did in terms of strength of schedule.
If we miss Wisky and Purdue on the road and OSU and MSU at home...well, that would make a big difference in our ultimate big ten record,I believe. That would be 4 automatic losses off the schedule.
So,knowing that the league lost a ton of upperclassmen from last year,and will take a step back, I think it would be reasonable to think that Iowa could win a few more games than the 4 they won last year. Maybe 6? If they go 6-12,with 11-2 in non-conference...well,there is 17-14 going into the BTT...as a realistic hope. I will be conservative and say 16-15 going into the BTT,and 17-16 coming out of the BTT,right now. That would be progress,but we always hope for more,of course.

 

[jacknicholson]

I guess it depends on the personality of the individual person. Some will see the experience gained last year and the quality recruits coming in and have an optimistic outlook. Others will be more cautious and perhaps expect the worst or a lackluster season. I personally am excited about the prospects for next year and will be until the tip off and throughout the season. Fran certainly seems to be able to develop and coax the best out of raw recruits and returning players. I expect to see the same this season. I think Gravy is on the money with his bold prediction.

 

[IATrainMaster101]

If this thread was on Cyclone Fanatic this board would be mocking it mercilessly.

Actually, many here have said that what Hoiberg has been doing there may get them into post season this year. Like every other thread, there are different points of view and taking a random sampling and making sweeping generalizations isn't really fair.

Yes some on this board would do what you suggest. No, the board as a whole would not.

 

[BryceC]

I think some people are underestimating the loss of Cole. He was not an all-league player but he was very productive and was a strong space eater. BromArch is not that, and Olaseni is young and thin. Plus, somebody will get hurt because somebody always gets hurt. Depending on who that is, it can impact some games.

And yes, a thread like this on CF would be getting absolutely abused over here. Absolutely abused.

 

[SteveGarvey]

What kind of math do you guys use to come up with some of these % anyway?

fuzzy math

 

[Hawkstrat]

What kind of math do you guys use to come up with some of these % anyway?

Regular math, but you need to give 110% effort to get it.

 

[tm3308]

I think some people are underestimating the loss of Cole. He was not an all-league player but he was very productive and was a strong space eater. BromArch is not that, and Olaseni is young and thin. Plus, somebody will get hurt because somebody always gets hurt. Depending on who that is, it can impact some games.

And yes, a thread like this on CF would be getting absolutely abused over here. Absolutely abused.

I agree. I think that while a guy like Olaseni might have some more talent than Cole did (post-ACL), Cole was the heartbeat of the team last year, and it really showed in the way that the team competed from start to finish. Somebody is going to have to step up and fill that void for this team to really take that next step forward.

 

[burky247]

Not to discount his play, but it's Cole's leadership that will be sorely missed. I'm hoping Cartwright steps up in this capacity. PG needs to be the leader of the team.

 

[bxy]

Well it looks like you guys now have 2 easy wins in Nebraska, along with Penn State and Northwestern. I'm going to miss seeing Doc Sadler twice a year.

As in football, NW works us every year.

 

[tm3308]

As in football, NW works us every year.

I'm interested to see how they work things out without Juice Thompson. He was what made them tick, a lot like Battle at Penn State (although Thompson did have a better supporting cast during his career).

 

[Section136]

I'm interested to see how they work things out without Juice Thompson. He was what made them tick, a lot like Battle at Penn State (although Thompson did have a better supporting cast during his career).

Has Shurna said if he is returning? I know he is testing the draft waters but would have to be a complete fool to not return to school.

 

[tm3308]

Has Shurna said if he is returning? I know he is testing the draft waters but would have to be a complete fool to not return to school.

I'm assuming that he will be back. Even with him and Crawford, I'm not totally sold on them without Thompson. How much of Shurna's success was because of Thompson? We're about to find that out this fall/winter.

 

[olivecourt]

Northwestern Wildcats forward John Shurna will enter the NBA draft - College Basketball News | FOX Sports on MSN

Shurna has about ten more days to reverse his decision. After May 8, he's done.

 

[sportstalent]

Don't worry about replacing Cole, leadership is needed, but from all indications Basabe will be a leader because of his maturity and Cartwright and Hubbard will be leaders as well.

 

[IAJay]

And you don't think predicting a 70% chance that we go to no tournament is a bit pessimistic? 70% that we don't even make the CBI or whatever that joke of a tournament is called? c'mon bro.

Bro, this was an eleven win team last year and the recruiting class brings in one top 150 player. Hubbard is the wild card, but he is a Juco which has shown to be hit or miss in college basketball. I am very excited about what Fran has going but I am not going to just go blind and act like Fran is a miracle worker.

Also, if the schedule is as weak as it looks like the W's are basically empty. This is why Nebraska was never really on the bubble at the end of the year because they played no one in the non conference. A good record can make everyone feel all warm and fuzzy but the quality W's are what get teams in the tournament.

 

[HawkAttack]

I'll be the first to admit it, I gave up on Iowa Basketball during the Lick years. I just couldn't watch it any longer...the style, the defeated attitude and "small victories" during losses. I guess this puts me in the fair weather fan category.

For the first time in 4 years, Iowa is going in the right direction and it appears they have a coach who understands the following:

1) Style of play helps in recruiting
2) Juco players can help you get better fast
3) Recruit athletes and teach them the game
4) Attitude is everything and fear is the mind killer (although last years team lost some close games, they didn't play scared IMO)

For the first time in a long, long time...I'm looking at the Iowa roster and saying "damn, Iowa has alot of athletes from 6'5" to 6' 10" that can run the floor and play in transition. We will have some serious finishers on the break next year and guys that can flat out run. I say we average 75 points a game next year.

Its good to be back following Iowa Basketball. Thanks Fran.

Fran is our Kwisatz Haderach!

 

[HawkAttack]

Possible NIT next year, The Dance after that.

Hubbard is going to lead this team in minutes next year.