Something is wrong, and it's not just the talent

[joemc1]

If barta really thinks that we should aspire to be NW in BB; he needs to find a job in the Ivy League.

 

[RADMAN]

After the first game of the year, which Iowa lost to a nobody we'd ever heard of state, my thought was pretty simple: I hope these guys survive the next 30 of these without blowing out ACL's or getting burnt out on basketball.

I am not getting back on the emotional roller coaster. Barta is not going to make any changes, and Lickliter will get a fourth year. Next year had better show signs of drastic improvement, or there should not be a year five.

That's about it.

I have to agree with you Jon. I have been a supporter of Lick for the last three years and my perception is more about how poorly he coaches than the "system" he has implemented. I have followed college BB for almost 50 years and the things I see him do during a game are fundamentally totally wrong. I don't get it and I was a player for many years. I think the players see the ridiculous moves he makes and understand that the bottom line is he doesn't have a clue and they are giving up. I am willing to give him one more year, but he needs to win 20 or I say lets go after a real coach. The most frustrating 3 years of Iowa BB that I have ever witnessed. Poor TO's, poor subbing, his turning his back on the court, poor clock management, down by 6 in the last minute and Cully walking the ball up the court, and on and on.

 

[Thawki]

Seriously, Rhyno?

How is Barta going to look at NW and conclude that would be good for Iowa. Just because they play a style where they take a lot of threes and don't turn the ball over and that is similar to Lick? They haven't been to the NCAA with that style. Why would Barta conclude that is what Iowa wants?

 

[HeneryHawk]

I made comments last year and again this year about how joyless practices were, nothing has changed in the last one I watched. They are awful, lifeless, and seem so extremely a grind.

 

[NewMexHawk]

They must look tired because of the tough man to man defense they play. Lickliter stated that the most improvement he has seen in the team this year is their defense.

Iowa is 5th in the Big 10 in defense, giving up an average of 64 points per game. But that is a little deceptive because Iowa plays possession bb (which sounds nicer than keepaway slowdown bb) and trys not to let the other team have the bb often. The less the other team has the ball the less points they can score.

So if you think about it, 64 points is a lot of points considering we probably average less than that offensively, which would explain 19 losses.

So this is one case where statistics mean what you want them to mean.