So who's getting worried about JW?

[Hawkfnntn]

Dude hasn't been himself for a few games now. Last night was about as bad as I've seen him look. Mentally he looked defeated and frustrated with his play. I'm actually half surprised Iowa hung with MSU like they did with JW playing that poorly. If we were running on all cylinders holy smokes. But it just seems like if JT and Evelyn are playing well JW plays like that. Or if JW is playing then those two and Kreiner aren't. It's just always something. I'm not searching for perfection here but something halfway would sure be nice.

When the potential to do well is so obvious it's hard not to hope to see it come to fruition. With our depth being what it is our margin for error isn't a lot. We can do some serious damage if we are all playing well. But it'll take everyone. As great as Garza is we aren't a 1 man team. Not even close

 

[WindsorHawk]

This is just my opinion. But I’m not concerned. Last year Cook and Bohannon had the attention of the defense giving Wieskamp room to do his thing.

This year Garza and CJ draw a lot of attention. With CJ out that’s not the case. Now Wieskamp doesn’t have as much freedom of motion. And the defense plays him tighter making it difficult for him to get off his 3 point shot. He’s not a quick shooter.

When CJ comes back there will be another shooter to worry about. And Joe will hit a couple shots and get a couple dunks...end of slump.

 

[NikeHawk21]

We almost beat MSU on the road with nothing from Wieskamp and Fredrick in a suit.

I think some of our role guys are building some confidence which could be huge going forward.

As far as Joe Wieskamp I’m not incredibly worried. He’s started 63 college basketball games and is a proven commodity at this level. He will get back to his old self sooner rather than later. Fredrick being back will help.

I’m looking for Joe to come up huge in the NCAA tournament as he did last year. B1G teams are playing him super physical right now and he’s lost a little confidence in his shot. He will get it back.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

His shot looks terrible right now. There’s nothing fluid about it

 

[WindsorHawk]

His shot looks terrible right now. There’s nothing fluid about it

He needs time to gather himself. He’s being force to shoot quicker. He’s a smart guy. I have a hunch he will work on that a lot this offseason:

 

[spliff45]

Too bad outside of Garza and the injuries, no one really plays well with enough consistency to take his minutes. He's providing nothing right now and deserves to sit.

 

[Xerxes]

There's a lot of pressure on that guy. He's clearly the #2 option, clear #1 option in the back court. Hopefully CJ gets back soon and picks up the slack.

 

[1hawkeye1]

Not worried.

 

[DaHawk56]

Dude hasn't been himself for a few games now. Last night was about as bad as I've seen him look. Mentally he looked defeated and frustrated with his play. I'm actually half surprised Iowa hung with MSU like they did with JW playing that poorly. If we were running on all cylinders holy smokes. But it just seems like if JT and Evelyn are playing well JW plays like that. Or if JW is playing then those two and Kreiner aren't. It's just always something. I'm not searching for perfection here but something halfway would sure be nice.

When the potential to do well is so obvious it's hard not to hope to see it come to fruition. With our depth being what it is our margin for error isn't a lot. We can do some serious damage if we are all playing well. But it'll take everyone. As great as Garza is we aren't a 1 man team. Not even close

In the month of February, JW is 8 out of 9 Hawkeyes (that attempted a 3) in 3 point percentage. That's concerning.

1. Touissant - 57.1% (4/7)
2. Fredrick - 46.2% (6/13)
3. Ash - 37.5% (3/8)
4. McCaffrey - 34.6% (9/26)
5. Garza - 34.2% (13/38)
6. Evelyn - 31.8% (7/22)
7. Kriener - 25% (3/12)
8. Wieskamp - 22.2% (6/27)
9. Pemsel - 0% (0/1)

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Quite worried....he is playing terrible at a time we need him to be playing at his best for BTT and NCAA seeding.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

There's a lot of pressure on that guy. He's clearly the #2 option, clear #1 option in the back court. Hopefully CJ gets back soon and picks up the slack.

That's just it I think too. He's feeling that and once that little chip of self doubt creeps in it's tough to flip that switch back. Confidence is a tough thing to figure out and quantify but it means so much in sports

 

[SpiderRico]

I'm not worried....it's called a "Sophomore Slump" for a reason....because it happens to 2nd year players all the time. Mainly because team's have had a whole year to scout you and your tendencies. So it's now up to him to improve this off-season and get rid of the tendencies and/or add other pieces to his game so that the opposition can't key on just one thing. Because let's be honest here, with Joe all he's got is his outside shot. His handles are, to be kind, horrible. He's entirely too weak to get to the rack and/or post up. If he improves that next year, then he'll be fine. If not, then he'll be just an average player.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I'm not worried....it's called a "Sophomore Slump" for a reason....because it happens to 2nd year players all the time. Mainly because team's have had a whole year to scout you and your tendencies. So it's now up to him to improve this off-season and get rid of the tendencies and/or add other pieces to his game so that the opposition can't key on just one thing. Because let's be honest here, with Joe all he's got is his outside shot. His handles are, to be kind, horrible. He's entirely too weak to get to the rack and/or post up. If he improves that next year, then he'll be fine. If not, then he'll be just an average player.

Not sure a guy averaging 15.8 PPG / 6.5 RPG in B1G conference play is just average. He’s a very high level player who’s struggling right now.

He also, as you pointed out, has some shortcomings that he needs to work on (most players have shortcomings).

 

[cohawkeye]

Just call it michael payne disease.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Maybe he just needs to get it out of his system now. I can see him getting on a run in the BIG conf tourney and NCAA. Sometimes it works like that.

He needs to just keep on shooting and flush the misses. JW needs to learn how to flush and not let the misses mess with his head.

I thought the Fran should have run a curl cut to him or something to try to get him going. Something.

 

[SteveGarvey1]

Everyone in every sport has a slump now and again. It's JW's time for his. He'll be OK.

 

[homes]

Not to come across as selfish, but there is a silver lining to his slump (which I attribute mostly to CJ being out).

 

[SpiderRico]

Not sure a guy averaging 15.8 PPG / 6.5 RPG in B1G conference play is just average. He’s a very high level player who’s struggling right now.

He also, as you pointed out, has some shortcomings that he needs to work on (most players have shortcomings).

I guess I disagree with the assertion that he's a "very high level player". I would say that he's a very good shooter that's going thru a slump, and he's going thru a slump because he doesn't have anything else to fall back on (dribble drive game, post up game, etc).

 

[SpiderRico]

I know he has a gf on the women's team....but she might have to take one for the team and let JW go out and find a good slump-buster....

 

[NikeHawk21]

I guess I disagree with the assertion that he's a "very high level player". I would say that he's a very good shooter that's going thru a slump, and he's going thru a slump because he doesn't have anything else to fall back on (dribble drive game, post up game, etc).

He will be a second team all league player as a true sophomore. If that’s “average” than everyone else on our team outside of Garza is below average to horrendous.

Expectations are what is shaping this. He’s really struggling right now for certain but he’s still one of the top 10-15 players in the conference. That’s above average.