loesshillshawk
Well-Known Member
I just thought I would re-think my original post. Being a die hard hawkeye fan, loving the resurgence of Iowa basketball, being an old 30 year basketball coach, and possibly over-thinking things at times...I thought I would try to clarify my original thoughts
When I posted pretenders my premise was is this another Iowa team, coached by McCaffery, that peaked too early, that simply was soft, that was unable to take the scouting pressure and adjust???? I just was not sure what was happening with the perceived results lately.
When I watch the hawks I was seeing, less movement with the basketball. I mean we can all admit that early in the year our offense was a thing of beauty, great shots late in the shot clock, with people in great position to rebound, etc. Lately I was seeing a stagnant offense, quick shots, out of position for rebounds, just looked out of sync. Which as a coach I realize this time of year is when coaches figure out how to play you, and what is the best way to attack you individually and as a team. So do we not adjust well? Did we peak early? Guys burnt out with the fiery practices I hear about?
Defensively we played a higher percentage of man earlier in the year. Which I think at the D1 level leads to better rebounding, and we do a great job hedging screens and limiting penetration. Now I see a high % of zone, which let's be honest D1 shooters tear zones up. It is also tougher to rebound in a zone, and quite frankly our guards are quick, but top flight teams are simply quicker at the guard position then Iowa. So what gives, are we tired? We have not been in huge foul trouble lately? Just a coaching Philosophy?
Free-throws tied for 96th in the nation at a 71% rate. Lately doesn't really matter who we seem to miss free throws late in the game. We all know when the tournaments roll around the teams that hit those at the highest rate usually win. So guys who shoot so well from the field should not be shooting 70% or worse.
I guess with my poor choice of the word pretender...I was catching myself wondering if this team was LEGIT. Are they actually capable of being as good as my favorite Iowa team of all-time---1980. Could we win the whole thing? I think we can but I also just was wondering out loud if the things I talked about above will limit this team? I hear Izzo say on National TV how good we are...BUT he wants to play us again now. So maybe after being in the confessional this was my penance to try to "clear my name".
Feel free to discuss concerns, or maybe strengths that this particular Iowa team has. I personally think if we get back to what we were doing earlier in the year, pressing MORE and EARLIER, we are capable of beating anyone on a neutral floor.
When I posted pretenders my premise was is this another Iowa team, coached by McCaffery, that peaked too early, that simply was soft, that was unable to take the scouting pressure and adjust???? I just was not sure what was happening with the perceived results lately.
When I watch the hawks I was seeing, less movement with the basketball. I mean we can all admit that early in the year our offense was a thing of beauty, great shots late in the shot clock, with people in great position to rebound, etc. Lately I was seeing a stagnant offense, quick shots, out of position for rebounds, just looked out of sync. Which as a coach I realize this time of year is when coaches figure out how to play you, and what is the best way to attack you individually and as a team. So do we not adjust well? Did we peak early? Guys burnt out with the fiery practices I hear about?
Defensively we played a higher percentage of man earlier in the year. Which I think at the D1 level leads to better rebounding, and we do a great job hedging screens and limiting penetration. Now I see a high % of zone, which let's be honest D1 shooters tear zones up. It is also tougher to rebound in a zone, and quite frankly our guards are quick, but top flight teams are simply quicker at the guard position then Iowa. So what gives, are we tired? We have not been in huge foul trouble lately? Just a coaching Philosophy?
Free-throws tied for 96th in the nation at a 71% rate. Lately doesn't really matter who we seem to miss free throws late in the game. We all know when the tournaments roll around the teams that hit those at the highest rate usually win. So guys who shoot so well from the field should not be shooting 70% or worse.
I guess with my poor choice of the word pretender...I was catching myself wondering if this team was LEGIT. Are they actually capable of being as good as my favorite Iowa team of all-time---1980. Could we win the whole thing? I think we can but I also just was wondering out loud if the things I talked about above will limit this team? I hear Izzo say on National TV how good we are...BUT he wants to play us again now. So maybe after being in the confessional this was my penance to try to "clear my name".
Feel free to discuss concerns, or maybe strengths that this particular Iowa team has. I personally think if we get back to what we were doing earlier in the year, pressing MORE and EARLIER, we are capable of beating anyone on a neutral floor.