I agree on the rebounding point. No way your team should be out-hustled on 50-50 rebounds. That's anticipation, hustle and positioning. Something you would expect more consistently from such an experienced team.
Here's how I see it from here on out with this team.
1. Must, must, must defend well. It all starts with this. That includes rebounding. Hey, sometimes the ball will bounce away and land in an opponents hands for an easy put back. It happens. Getting out-hustled, out-scrapped, out-thought to the rim is inexcusable for a team of such experience. This kind of effort extends to communicating and switching on perimeter defense. The Hawks have to be able to read what is happening to them faster and get guys switched and close out the other team's shooters. Give them credit when they knock them down, but Iowa is being soft on the perimeter and teams are taking advantage. Coach 'em up, Fran and crew!
2. The bench needs to come in and provide more help. Their effort is there and they can finish around the rim, but geez, how many shots has Dom and Ahmad missed near the rim lately. Nic and Christian gave them a boost in the IU game, but all those guys are good and should be like a second wave of hell to the opponents. I don't know if they are just not turning it loose, or what. They seem tight.
3. They need more starters to apply more pressure to the opponent, even if it's only a threat. It's like running the ball in football and gaining 3 yards. It's not sexy, but it keeps the opponents honest and defending you in a certain way, and will open things up. Wood and Gesell need to be those threats. Note, I am not saying they need to score more points. They need to seem like a threat to the other team to score more points. I love Wood's hustle, rebounding and selflessness. Sometimes, though, he needs to look for his shot, or at least be perceived as a threat to shoot. If he is in the low post with the ball in his hands, he needs to have the footwork to pivot and either ball or shot fake and take it to the rack or draw the defense enough that he can make a kickout pass to an open shooter. He's a good passer. The coaches need to identify how he's being defended and if they are playing him not be a shooter and sloughing off of him, then make them pay.
Gesell is another guy who does get assists, but could also look to be more of a threat to score, even if it just leads to more assists. I like it when he dribble drives and draws the opponents' bigs and then either takes a decent shot or kicks it out, or does a wrap around pass. How much more room would the other shooters have if Gesell could help draw the defense and then do something meaningful with the ball?
4. Too many empty offensive possessions lately. Whether turnovers, shot clock violations, or having to force a contested shot before the shot clock expires, the offense can become too east-west, which goes to point number 3 about Wood and Gesell, and even Clemmons, since he's a ball handler too.
5. Notice how I have not even mentioned Jared and Peter? That's because if we improve points 1-4 from here on out, we can survive some cold shooting stretches better, or won't have to rely on them too much, or we can stretch the opponent to the point where those two can get some more open looks.
6. Fran and Co. need to realize what a unique team this is, how much talent they have and how good they can be if they are all playing the right role, communicating and hustling. It's time for him and the assistants to help them dig deeper without getting tighter. Playing intense without being tense, as coaches have said to me in the past. It's also unique because of experience and make-up of this team. The coaches need to inspire the leaders to bring everyone's game to a new level and play together.
Go Hawks! You can do it.
