Offense Next Year

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WindsorHawk

Well-Known Member
Marble, McCabe and Basabe collectively scored 30.3 points per game. They took 23.4 shots per game. Of those 23.4 shots per game 7.0 were three point shots. They attempted 9.7 free throws per game.

The other 8 guys that were part of the 11 man rotation throughout the year collectively made 48.0% of their field goals. They made 35.4% of their three point shots. They made 75.0% of their free throws.

Spreading the shots and free throws of the 3 departing players equally among the 8 returning players and applying the relevant shooting percentages results in 32.2 points per game. This is 1.9 points per game more than this year's team. I don't anticipate any drop off in scoring in the 2014-2015 basketball season.
 
One thing to consider is the percentage of those shots from those 3. Yes they scored 30 points per game, but what was the percentage of the team, and same with number of shots taken.

The team will only be better if everyone takes a step forward next year and improves their game. Marble was a big part of the scoring at the end of the year, but I felt most of the year that he forced stuff way to much which resulted in a lot of bad shots. Can someone else step up, or numerous someone elses step up to score when the team needs a bucket.
 
The key to Iowa will be its ability to score in the half court by taking good shots. As Greg Anthony has said in this NCAA tournament, taking a wide open shot isn't always a good shot.

Shot selection and ball movement will be key as I sound like a broken record, but until I see it done consistently for a full season, I will continue to point to it.

Also, the one thing that I have noticed in the NCAA tournament, but during the season as well, but more so now is how you have to have guys attack the lane, not necessarily get to the rim and score, that helps, but finding a crease to set up a good shot with an extra pass. When Cartwright was playing for Iowa he did this and yeah, he had a lot of turnovers, but he was able to create some confusion on the defense leading to an open shot if guys continued to move the ball.

When Iowa really needed a score a lot of times I felt things were forced and because of that Iowa lost close games, instead of just working for a shot, too many things this season seemed to be forced. I don't know why, maybe because there was no consistency on who was going to show up and play, or the fact that Iowa just doesn't have natural scorers that have to work for everything they did get.
 
If the returning players shoot at the same rate as this year and get the same number of opportunities Iowa should score 2 more points a game. When looking at each individual it's hard for me to pick out a player that will take a step back. One or two players obviously could. Other guys are almost certainly going to improve to at least offset this...probably a net gain.

The offense is going to be fine. If the defense gets things back in order and the intangibles like team chemistry are there Iowa should take another step forward. Considering our 2 most highly regarded recruits will now be juniors I'm optimistic.
 
I'm just glad we have a good juco guard coming in and if he's worth his weight we should be in damn fine shape....drivin' and dishin', gettin' to the rack and the line...What's the one thing that we've all seen in this tournament....good guard play.....Shabazz, Scotty, the Harrison twins, and yes, even the Jackson kid....they are under control, they want the ball always....I just hope Iowa can do the same....I think we'll be in good shape next season....
 
Wow...this is a really good analysis. Do we still fail to hit the shots at critical times, or does the extra two points make all the critical shots down the stretch not as important. Until we find guys that consistently rise to the occasion at those moments in games, we will always have "but we played everyone tough" as our success point.
 
WOTC...I totally agree for the most part...Fran is still looking for the right kids that will and do "rise to the occasion"...I'm as aggravated as the next guy, because I watch this tournament and think we need to be there, but we need kids that bang and hit clutch shots, and overall, we need, as a team, to get some breaks....I think this year, we felt the pressure to perform at a higher level, and it just wasn't there....Fran is knocking on the door, but it's not always him or his staff, it's the kids executing....All we can do is hope and pray that these kids want more, get to the weight room, keep shooting, and come together as a team...I think that's all we want for them...
 
Woody and Jok... 2 guys I'm looking at to increase their scoring from last year.

I'm hoping Uthoff can maybe do the same but not holding my breath.
 
My other hope... Willie wears black and gold and is as good as advertised and can play at a high level immediately.
 
My hope is Fran runs a little less motion with constant screening for curls and switches things up more often in the half court offense. Spreading the floor allowing for some post feeds for Woody or whoever would be nice to see every once in awhile. It doesn't have to be run a ton but just allow the post players a chance to get involved at a spot they have room to work with. Throw in some pick and rolls/pops with an open lane so the 2 have room to make a play instead of running guys off of screens and cutting at the same time taking that space for a clean roll away. This would require players around the perimeter to be 3pt threats though. Wow, I just described ISU's offense... tip cap to the mayor.
 
WinOneThisCentury said:
Do we still fail to hit the shots at critical times...
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Our 2 most highly regarded recruits will now be juniors. Jok was also very highly regarded before his injury issues and is getting closer to his former self. We also have 3 seniors that have logged a lot of minutes.

I obviously can't answer your question and won't speculate. What I can say is there is no reason to expect a drop in production on the offensive end...the numbers are what they are.
 
WindsorHawk said:
Marble, McCabe and Basabe collectively scored 30.3 points per game. They took 23.4 shots per game. Of those 23.4 shots per game 7.0 were three point shots. They attempted 9.7 free throws per game.

The other 8 guys that were part of the 11 man rotation throughout the year collectively made 48.0% of their field goals. They made 35.4% of their three point shots. They made 75.0% of their free throws.

Spreading the shots and free throws of the 3 departing players equally among the 8 returning players and applying the relevant shooting percentages results in 32.2 points per game. This is 1.9 points per game more than this year's team. I don't anticipate any drop off in scoring in the 2014-2015 basketball season.
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It wasn't the scoring that was our problem. It was our defense that was lost in the last 1/3 of the season.
 
Knight78 said:
It wasn't the scoring that was our problem. It was our defense that was lost in the last 1/3 of the season.
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I think there were some issues on offense but agree that the defense took a huge step back late in the year. I have seen posts/threads concerned with replacing Marble, etc. The points will be there IMO. The defense will come down to IQ, rotations, talking, effort, etc. I don't know how to quantify this.

I have some other random thoughts...went with offense in this one. I'm trying to focus some discussion on next year's Iowa basketball team...for those that are interested in this type of discussion. There are a lot of threads going places that don't interest me personally...old news, rumors, etc. I'm interested in next year's Iowa basketball team and that team's potential, ceiling, etc.
 
I'd like Fran to take a look at Michigan's offense. Look at how often Morgan/Horford get easy buckets on a pass from LeVert on a pick and roll play. We run that same play all the time but never use it to get the screener to score. Beilein and his team use ball screens so effectively, and we sometimes just waste time with them.
 
I agree w/you Volhawk, but in order for that to work, you need players that are a threat, and I mean players that take the ball, make a move, drive, or pull up, or make that pass that you described...At times it seemed like our team was lazy, or hesitant with the ball, and that cost us points...It seems like when I'm watching the tournament, there's like this weave-type offense that starts up top, and every time a player touches that ball, they are getting closer to the basket, or in other words, they are presented with better looks to the basket or someone cutting to the basket, or dishing off to a wing for a 3 ball...It's about quickness & being under control, and more importantly being patient...we need more threats to make that work....I agree, Fran needs to add a few more wrinkles...
 
ibahawkeye said:
Woody and Jok... 2 guys I'm looking at to increase their scoring from last year.

I'm hoping Uthoff can maybe do the same but not holding my breath.
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Judging by how Fran was using Woody and Jok towards the end of the year and how they were responding, those guys will score significantly more next year. Woody just being consistent enough to score 8-10/game would change the way a defence has to play us. Atwood could add another dimension up front as well.

About JU, our offence could been even more potent this year if Uthoff hadn't hit a RSFrosh wall mid-season. I believe he'll get stronger, but he's got work to do on his mental game to be a big offensive force.

I believe our offence will be strong again. The question is: who will emerge as a clock-winding-down scorer in the backcourt? Gesell will be better but can't take that whole burden. Jok would be nice if he can get consistent. TD will add a new dimension of quickness but is an unknown quantity in D1. JO will be a solid senior but would have to take it to a whole new level to be that guy.
 
ibahawkeye said:
Sure he did... Every once in a while.
Still a tweener and hoping we don't have to rely much on him.
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I will probably take some heat for this, but I think Uthoff has the potential to be dominant. I think he deferred to other players too much this year. But towards the end of the year, he showed flashes, especially in the NW BTT game that he can change a game. Yes it was NW, but without him, it would have been even more embarrassing. I sometimes wondered if we had isolated him one on one at the end of games instead of Marble if we would have been better off. He's a tough match up. Marble struggled at the end of games. I'm not bashing Marble, it is what it is. I'm appreciative of everything he did as a Hawk, but he just flat out fell apart at the end of several games this year. I am hopeful that depending on someone else like Uthoff at the end of games next year will be a good thing.
 
DJL said:
I will probably take some heat for this, but I think Uthoff has the potential to be dominant. I think he deferred to other players too much this year.
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I think he and others deferred. There is usually a pecking order. The ingredients will be different next year as will the pecking order. I have reason for optimism with Uthoff and others.
 
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