The Breakdown: Hawkeyes Can’t Keep Up with Michigan State

Hopefully they are on the other side of the bracket in the BTT. Tough team and we are not on their level....at least for the entire game.
 


I guess the plan was to get nick ward in foul trouble? I wasnt expecting iowa was to win this game - because of points in the paint.

Thought the shooting performances from gaurds and transition scoring killed them
 
The audio is cutting off for me about 10 seconds in, but Fran's non-verbal reactions says it all:
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Michigan State was the better team. I thought the big difference was Cassius Winston. He has been tearing up all the teams. Maybe he will get the player of the year award. You couldn't fault the Iowa effort, but they just weren't the better team.
 
Just some random thoughts. Iowa’s intensity and defensive skills in the first half were impressive. Several shot clock violations forced by Iowa. MSU had about 3 times as many turnovers as Iowa. Izzo said they were lucky to be down by only four at half time. Said Iowa missed several shots they typically make.

The always critical times in a close game, one of which was the last 7 minutes of the first half, Iowa did very well. Then, they came out and set the tone early in the second half with TC, another critical time in a close game.

Izzo spent a lengthy period of time with the lead official even extending into playing time, at which point the ref was not watching the game. That is bullshit.

I am sure it was a coincidence that MSU’s impressive run started shortly after that conversation. Well, maybe.

MSU had several transition baskets during that run, along with a series of fouls called on Iowa. And, Iowa’s bigs were really dragging, especially TC and Luka.
They were just plain worn out. I think the mind was willing but the body could not keep up. MSU wore us down. Period. We absolutely did not quit, as some have suggested. A superior crew of athletes just overwhelmed us. We are good, not great.

It is no accident that the lack of fouls called on MSU was pointed out by our coach and players, as it was clearly stated that we were aggressive in the paint, where we dominated, but were apparently almost never fouled in the act. We are after all, #1 in the country on trips to the foul line and #1 in points from free throws. Tough to argue with facts.

JBO, Moss, JW, we’re ineffective. Izzo commented that our 5 of 24 shooting from 3 point range was very unusual. He did compliment his defense for some, but not all, of our failure in the guard court.

I think Iowa will bounce back. I think the claim that this team is soft is way off base. Remember, guys, we did go from 0-3 in the BT to 5-3.
And, these guys are big, strong, and very physical.
 
I said to the guys I was watching with "wait until the game is out of reach. They will start calling random fouls on Michigan State." Unreal how we can't buy a foul call while the game is in doubt. But as soon as its decided, they start calling random fouls. I see it every single time we play them. Michigan State was probably 5 points better than us tonight. We were probably going to lose a fairly called game anyway. But had we shot better and lost by 5, I'd be really pissed because we would have been Izzo'ed yet again.
 
Just some random thoughts. Iowa’s intensity and defensive skills in the first half were impressive. Several shot clock violations forced by Iowa. MSU had about 3 times as many turnovers as Iowa. Izzo said they were lucky to be down by only four at half time. Said Iowa missed several shots they typically make.

The always critical times in a close game, one of which was the last 7 minutes of the first half, Iowa did very well. Then, they came out and set the tone early in the second half with TC, another critical time in a close game.

Izzo spent a lengthy period of time with the lead official even extending into playing time, at which point the ref was not watching the game. That is bullshit.

I am sure it was a coincidence that MSU’s impressive run started shortly after that conversation. Well, maybe.

MSU had several transition baskets during that run, along with a series of fouls called on Iowa. And, Iowa’s bigs were really dragging, especially TC and Luka.
They were just plain worn out. I think the mind was willing but the body could not keep up. MSU wore us down. Period. We absolutely did not quit, as some have suggested. A superior crew of athletes just overwhelmed us. We are good, not great.

It is no accident that the lack of fouls called on MSU was pointed out by our coach and players, as it was clearly stated that we were aggressive in the paint, where we dominated, but were apparently almost never fouled in the act. We are after all, #1 in the country on trips to the foul line and #1 in points from free throws. Tough to argue with facts.

JBO, Moss, JW, we’re ineffective. Izzo commented that our 5 of 24 shooting from 3 point range was very unusual. He did compliment his defense for some, but not all, of our failure in the guard court.

I think Iowa will bounce back. I think the claim that this team is soft is way off base. Remember, guys, we did go from 0-3 in the BT to 5-3.
And, these guys are big, strong, and very physical.

Besides playing a very good team (MSU), I wonder how much nerves got to our guards tonight in regards to their poor shooting performance.
 
It is ingrained that MSU is a physical team so they get the benefit of that reputation. They aren’t fouling, they’re just being physical because that’s how Michigan State. Not saying that’s why Iowa lost but to have a 13 free throw differential in a game where both teams were playing a lot in the paint isn’t just a one off occurrence for an MSU game.
 
Besides playing a very good team (MSU), I wonder how much nerves got to our guards tonight in regards to their poor shooting performance.
There were some nerves. Moss dribbles off his leg on one of the few transition opportunities we did get. Wiescamp comes around on a typical curl, the defender stays with him, and forces a travel. Shots inside were rolling out because we were knocked off balance just enough to miss ( occasionally with help from MSU). Kriener was letting rebounds bounce off or through his hands. MSU was getting most of the loose balls.
 
Winston's shooting is what derailed everything... 3 minutes into the second half Iowa was up 8, then Winston hits 3 consecutive 3s attempted in a 3 minute span with a Tillman and Henry made layup each sprinkled in. Cook had 5 points in that span but the damage was done and the game was tied.

That run sparked MSU for the remainder of the game and Iowa began to press a bit knowing MSU was humming. Cook and Garza went cold, MSU was hot and took the lead and increased it. Iowa got behind and started to jack up 3s but all the shooters were cold and MSU wasn't so the lead continued to grow.

MSU shot 66.67% from the field in the second half, 60% from 3 (6-10)

Iowa shot 37.14% from the field in the second half, 9.09% from 3 (1-11)

Sometimes a team is better than you and a poor shooting night against them can turn into a disaster. That's exactly what MSU is and what happened in the second half. They are a damn good team which is why they are the 4th ranked offense and 6th ranked defense according to Kenpom's adjusted efficiency ratings, good enough to be ranked 3rd overall.

IMO the key is to not let this one cost you twice. Flush it and get back on track at the barn on Sunday.
 
Michigan State is clearly the best team in the conference. Hands down. Michigan can make an argument I suppose but MSU is the most complete team and most likely to go to the final four. I'm not shocked Iowa lost nor am I disappointed in the effort. MSU is just better and Iowa was outclassed. Time to move on. Still alot to play for.
 
I said to the guys I was watching with "wait until the game is out of reach. They will start calling random fouls on Michigan State." Unreal how we can't buy a foul call while the game is in doubt. But as soon as its decided, they start calling random fouls. I see it every single time we play them. Michigan State was probably 5 points better than us tonight. We were probably going to lose a fairly called game anyway. But had we shot better and lost by 5, I'd be really pissed because we would have been Izzo'ed yet again.

Every time they showed Izzo on the sideline he was working over the official while the game was in doubt and they stand right next to him and listen to him. On other other side the officials won't come within 10 feet of Fran. Once the game got out of hand Izzo didn't breath a word to the officials, he started coaching his players.
 
I know it’s cliche, but most cliches are cliches for a reason. There is truth in them.

Iowa needs to flush this one and not let it beat it twice (or more). Can’t have a hangover Sunday at Minnesota.
 
I have a few random thoughts...

1) I think it turns out that Winston seemed to be a bit on cruise control in the first half. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. JBo was locking him down early on. We are certainly improved on D but Winston ended up taking over. Yes he hit some 3s but one of the floaters that he hit in traffic going through a double team, late in the shot clock might have been most impressive play of the game.

2) Officiating - Would be less significant and less free throws would be shot and better game flow if they moved to the women's rules of 4 quarters and double bonus after 5. Also in regards to officiating, I really didn't think it was that bad. Just because we lead the nation in free throw attempts doesn't mean we automatically earn our way there. There was a lot of jostling for position by the bigs but I don't recall any big missed calls on shooting opportunities that I felt were missed. I do wish they would get the coaches under control. After the double foul involving Kriener, I thought Fran should have likely been T'd up. Had that happened, it would have been just as easy to justify a T for Izzo when he went crazy a little later on.

3) MSU was the better team and we shot 20% from 3 and were out rebounded 42-26.

4) We limited turnovers to 7 and MSU had 19. That helped keep us in the game for a while.
 
I think Iowa expended a ton of energy in that 1H. JBo was pressuring Winston out to the half court line, guys were going really hard. At the break it almost felt like we were down even though we were up four because of all the turnovers MSU had. After about the first 5 minutes of the 2H Iowa played about as lazy as I have seen them in quite some time. Guys were jogging back on defense. The offense got stagnant after Cook’s start (that has happened to Iowa before when Cook starts dominating). You could tell we were gassed as almost all our 3pt misses were coming up short. Just a bad half and we didn’t deserve to win.

The refs were bad but didn’t cost us the game. I’m kind of dissapointed with Fran and JBo’s post game comments for that matter. I get it they were asked a question and they answered it, but I wish they would have just said you know what we just didn’t play well enough in the 2H to win that game, because that was the real story here, not the refs. That would have showed maturity of a veteran coach and a veteran player in JBo.
 
You know going into an Iowa-MSU game that Izzo working the refs is an extra five points to overcome for Iowa. Therefore, it's safe to say MSU was ten points better than Iowa last night.
 
I know it’s cliche, but most cliches are cliches for a reason. There is truth in them.

Iowa needs to flush this one and not let it beat it twice (or more). Can’t have a hangover Sunday at Minnesota.

Exactly what I said above ;)
 

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