Seems doable too. Gonna have to play better then they did against MN though.
The 2022/2023 Stretch Run Synopsis
- Thread starter eyekwah
- Start date
eyekwah
Well-Known Member
The losses to NE and WI were under much different circumstances. Since then NE has loss two important players to injury and I believe Murray didn't play in the Wisconsin game. Nothing is certain this year but the situation now is more favorable for Iowa against NE and WI.
I agree, we are solidly in the tournament. When I said we needed 1 or 2 road wins, I was thinking more along the lines of seeding. I would really like to hold onto our projected #6 seed.
I agree. We won at Rutgers, which was a real feather in our cap. And we won at Minnesota.
But the remaining three road games are all difficult, at best. I don't see us winning at Indiana. Period. That leaves Northwestern, who just beat Purdue at home. Possible win but I'm not betting the farm on it. And Wisconsin, who has struggled but they always seem to give us their absolute best effort.
We are going to need a more consistent effort than we've shown recently to win any of these. One win would be a bonus in my mind.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
No team is the same. I do think both Nebby and Wisky play big which are the types of teams Iowa struggles with. If you lo9k at stats closely several things stick out.
Iowa is best with CM playing much of the game but not over 80 percent.
PM and PS swap minutes and too little PS is not good.
Iowa struggles against big teams and its rebounding.
PS is a leading rebounder per minutes played and makes Iowa better on the boards by giving a weak side presence not made up by either PM or CM.
But, Iowa got a bunch of Offensive Rebounds against MN, but not sure how valid that is and Conner had a bunch of boards
Not anti PM or CM, just making observations. Both have generally been weak on boards though occasionally CM does it well but not consistently for minutes played.
Last edited:
racerhawk
Well-Known Member
I agree. Having said that, I realize they had two road games in a row in fairly quick succession, and they might be a bit tired. That seems to happen to teams this time of year. Hope they can get some zip back this week.
I hope we do a little better then 3-3 down the stretch though because I saw one projection for the BIG 10 tourny having us play Purdue in 3rd round... Be nice to get on opposite side of that bracket if we could
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
Feel like I had to brush up on my math intergers to follow that post
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
Purdue can play no higher (or lower depending on your perspective) than an eight seed in the third round.
Unless we really spit the bit, I can't see us being an eight seed with all the tiebreakers we have. That said, we're going to have to earn it. On paper we should handle OSU at home but after that if we don't lace em up it could be five losses (ugh). Wisconsin, like I predicted, is righting their ship a little bit and even Nebraska is starting to rack up some road wins. That was a nice win for Hoiberg last night, and a crushing loss for Rutgers. It was a huge loss for Illinois last night as well, and a beneficial one for us.
I was referring to the BIG tourny first not the NCAA one. I want to play Purdue in the title game again of that not before if possible is what I meant.
Currently, the Hawks are tied with MSU for the #4 seed with the Illini loss last night. BTW, Pickett for PSU was amazing with north of 40 points. Illini didn't know what hit them. With this, the Hawks are a wide open missed game-winning 3 at MSU from out-right owning the #4 seed right now. If somebody would have proposed this realization after the 0-3 B1G start, on top of the Eastern Illinios loss, they would have been promptly placed into a comfy straight-jacket with an accompanying padded cell.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
Put another way. Fran in bringing PM back is creating issues with overall rhythm and confidence.Feel like I had to brush up on my math intergers to follow that post
Make Perkins or Ullis your main pt guard and up the minutes to the lower 30s. Should be Perkins
Play PM if you want but not at Sandfort's expense. His rebounding is key.
Don't overplay or underplay CM
Make this basically an 8-man rotation. If you play others, not at Perkins or PS' expense.
MILHAWKEYE
Well-Known Member
I can't believe how often Wisconsin wins
ugly! They didn't make a basket in the last 10 minutes and 47 seconds of the game and still pull out the win! I would love for them to be left out of March Madness!
ugly! They didn't make a basket in the last 10 minutes and 47 seconds of the game and still pull out the win! I would love for them to be left out of March Madness!
eyekwah
Well-Known Member
Ugly is giving it a superlative. Michigan can't close out games. Essigian (sp) carried Wisconsin the last 5 minutes by making free throws. I thought the game was poorly refereed because the physical play that was allowed. I hope Iowa can make the Wisconsin game up tempo by pressing.
NorthKCHawk
Well-Known Member
I get your point, but I think FM already has it down to an 8 man rotation. Damn near 7. It seems as though Bowen is largely out and Dix isn't getting much.
Fran is going to do what Fran always does. Give his starters a good run, bring in the backups (usually for a bit too long) and then rely upon Murray, Rebr. and Connor down the stretch and play the hot hands at the other two positions.
I am still hoping Perkins goes on another March run and starts pumping in 15 a night.
NorthKCHawk
Well-Known Member
I have said it before, but Wisconsin is the Iowa football of MBB. They are boring to watch, slow the game down, play defense, play ugly, and win in statistically improbably ways. Both teams have pretty consistently done better overall than they should over the last decade. No style points, but usually in the conversation for post season accolades just below a championship level.
On the other hand, Iowa's MBB is akin to Purdue football. Fun to watch, a lot of offense, usually one very dominant player headlines the team, not much defense, some big wins here and there, but usually not all that relevant as the season winds up.
Yeah, Wisconsin had no reason to win that game last night. Starting at the 6 min mark remaining, I counted 1 for 13 FGs, including 3 missed wide-open 3s and a missed open layup....at home. It may have been worse than that. They're getting their 3 pt shooters open, but unlike past years they aren't knocking down those treys with consistency. A big thanks to the Nits for taking down Illinois last night!
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
Where I think he is in error is not giving confidence in Perkins and Sandfort. He wants to leave Murray, CM and Flip in for the minutes which I have no big issues with as long as CM isn't too much, but in bringing in PM the minutes seem to be coming from PS. In bringing Ullis, it impacts Perkins. The guys who are going to advance in the dance are the 2 being shorted. Perkins needs to work it out in a game and absolutely they need the boards of Sandfort and maybe his excessive scoring runs which do occur when he's played a lot of minutes and he is feeling a bit tired (my opinion).
Gander Hawk
Well-Known Member
IMHO your giving Iowa football too much credit and Iowa basketball not enough. Wisconsin played in a Final 4, and Iowa's been pretty high in the ratings up until tourney time.
