The hawks are surprising me

[homes]

They gave up 100 and obviously their strategy in Chrysler didn’t work, but they played the Wolverines within a couple possessions all night and fought until the very end. That was the #4 team in the country who has as good of resume as anyone so far. This hasn’t always been the case with Fran’s teams. They didn’t cave. They could have let Michigan bury them, they didn’t. They got a toughness. They can defend so much better this year, and with 3 guys on the perimeter who can light it up, they’re gonna be in a lot of games with their current make up. Keep it up.

Agree, after DePaul, I thought this team was going nowhere, but they've got some want to, which is showing up. Garza is the real deal, and if Wieskamp can play at this level each time, they'll be alright this year. FYI, at the risk of being a know it all, it's Crisler Arena, named after the UM football coach and AD, not the auto maker, understandable since it is just outside Motown. It may come in useful in the future.

 

[InGoodCo]

Agree, after DePaul, I thought this team was going nowhere, but they've got some want to, which is showing up. Garza is the real deal, and if Wieskamp can play at this level each time, they'll be alright this year. FYI, at the risk of being a know it all, it's Crisler Arena, named after the UM football coach and AD, not the auto maker, understandable since it is just outside Motown. It may come in useful in the future.

I feel dumb that I didn't know that ....but it's not a new feeling. - I am 100% with you.... I let a lot of other factors like losing the Depaul game, losing XF, losing Nunge, losing Pat, Cook and Moss leaving etc... all kind of build up to where I was extremely depressed about Iowa hoops for a few weeks. Considered not watching - which is unheard of for me. I also let some posters really influence me on this site. I am easily swayed and really don't know it all....so I tend to digest what I am told. I was told we were gonna be horrible... then I saw in the Depaul game and I was like, "well, this is just unacceptable" ..... I was guilty and starting to really edge towards Fran being out. I think I need to hold the phone here, Fran might be doing some of his best coaching in his career. I never thought we'd win a game in the NCAA's last season and I never thought we'd be 7-3 at this point in this season. Things change quick in college hoops.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I’m starting to think that Michigan game was just bad timing. That was a brutal travel stretch for these guys and CJF was clearly hurting in that game. Tonight he looked to have his legs back and his defense is solid.

Yeah within like 10 days they went from IC-Vegas 2 games back to back days-Syracuse NY-IC-Michigan back to IC. They didn't play a game between Syracuse and coming back to IC but still the traveling was going on.

 

[BigD]

We have played ISU just fine at home lately. I just don't even remember the last time Iowa beat ISU in Ames though.

Well this is a good time to start.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

This team is roughly what I thought they would be (going by my preseason expectations, anyway). After the DePaul rout, I was extra pessimistic but that looks kind of like a blip, so I'm back in line with what I felt before the season. More or less. I guess the record is a bit better than I expected, but TTU and Syracuse are also worse teams than I figured, too - so really kind of a wash.

The team can score some points, but being at or near the bottom of the league in defensive stats, it looks like they still don't/can't defend as per usual. So basically what I'm used to.

https://bigten.org/confstats.aspx/2019-20/mbb/confldrs?path=mbball

A lot of basketball left, so we'll see how it shakes out. I just can't say I'm as surprised as some others are, to this point.

 

[PCHawk]

I think we are right about where I thought we would be, we have just gotten there a little different. Garza is better than I thought. Wieskamp has been worse (mostly due to things out of his control). Injuries have been way worse. CJ is better than I thought but hasn't really done more than I thought he would yet, he's just done it easier. Joe T is both better and worse at the same time than I hoped he would be.

So again, we are about the same as I thought we would be, but how we got there makes me way more optimistic for the future.

 

[chucktownhawk]

Kreiner needs to step his game up

And stop stepping on his other foot. Jump, for Christ's sake young man

 

[chucktownhawk]

I think that little spark plug named Joe T. gives a little extra energy. He's dynamic and just fun to watch. The B1G will toughen that young man up in a hurry and his ceiling is as high as he wants. Robby Hummel was singing his praises last night. And Kugler tried to sing but I',m like, stfu bro and let Robby keep going

 

[thedukeofearl]

No surprise that we lose @ #4 ranked Michigan

They did not have an easy time winning the game, and there were times, at timeouts that the camera scanned them and they were looking at each other like WTF, especially late in the game when other teams would have thrown in the towel

It has to be disgraceful for the Wolverines to give up 92 points at home, win or lose

They did score 28 points on free throws

It's all good

 

[Northside Hawk]

I feel dumb that I didn't know that ....but it's not a new feeling. - I am 100% with you.... I let a lot of other factors like losing the Depaul game, losing XF, losing Nunge, losing Pat, Cook and Moss leaving etc... all kind of build up to where I was extremely depressed about Iowa hoops for a few weeks. Considered not watching - which is unheard of for me. I also let some posters really influence me on this site. I am easily swayed and really don't know it all....so I tend to digest what I am told. I was told we were gonna be horrible... then I saw in the Depaul game and I was like, "well, this is just unacceptable" ..... I was guilty and starting to really edge towards Fran being out. I think I need to hold the phone here, Fran might be doing some of his best coaching in his career. I never thought we'd win a game in the NCAA's last season and I never thought we'd be 7-3 at this point in this season. Things change quick in college hoops.

I thought we were worse than two years ago after the DePaul game. I don't remember a non conference opponent coming into Carver and doing us like that. Ever.

 

[thedukeofearl]

That Texas Tech game is looking better all the time. They are leading number one Louisville 25-16 at the 4:48 mark in the first half, in the Jimmy V Classic. Louisville was stuck on 14 for a few minutes then managed to make 2 free throws.....

 

[PCHawk]

I thought we were worse than two years ago after the DePaul game. I don't remember a non conference opponent coming into Carver and doing us like that. Ever.

They really only dominated for the first 5 minutes. After that it wasn't great, but it wasn't anything you don't see every day across the country. Penn State up almost double digits on Maryland right now.

 

[SheagleHawk]

I really think going to the small ball has really changed the outlook of this team. I feel bad for Nunge but it could just be one of those things.

We can rotate so much smoother on defense. Sure we might give up the occasional mismatch inside or offensive rebound, but I’d rather have that than wide open threes and layups. On offense having multiple ball handlers and passers is awesome. CJF is better than Moss at ball handling and passing, and it’s not close, so that’s added another element.

And defense. CJ has been an upgrade to Moss in many ways.

 

[dahlhawk]

I’m starting to think that Michigan game was just bad timing. That was a brutal travel stretch for these guys and CJF was clearly hurting in that game. Tonight he looked to have his legs back and his defense is solid.

Also, JBo was clearly sore and got nothing much offensively from Joe W.

 

[Northside Hawk]

They really only dominated for the first 5 minutes. After that it wasn't great, but it wasn't anything you don't see every day across the country. Penn State up almost double digits on Maryland right now.

Did we watch the same game?

It was 35-13 twelve minutes in, which according to my math is more than five. They got out to a quick 13-0 lead, stretched the lead to fifteen, then twenty. From there we never cut into it and it hovered between 20- and 25 the rest of the half.

They maintained a 20-25 point lead most of the second half. It was only in late garbage time that we got it under 20.

We never made that run to get it close to ten points. Never. We were throughly whipped, dominated, outshot, outhustled, outquicked, out everythinged for the course of the entire game. About the only thing we did well was get to the free throw line.

I can never recall a non conference opponent coming into Carver and renderimg us that non competitive in 44 years of watching Iowa hoops. Penn State-Maryland is a conference game. I don't know what game you were watching.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Texas Tech in position to slay another #1.

I want them to hold on. I don't like Louisville's program, i want our victory over Tech to have some luster, and I want a conference team (Ohio State) to move to #1.

Maryland may also be going down tonight.

 

[PCHawk]

Did we watch the same game?

It was 35-13 twelve minutes in, which according to my math is more than five. They got out to a quick 13-0 lead, stretched the lead to fifteen, then twenty. From there we never cut into it and it hovered between 20- and 25 the rest of the half.

They maintained a 20-25 point lead most of the second half. It was only in late garbage time that we got it under 20.

We never made that run to get it close to ten points. Never. We were throughly whipped, dominated, outshot, outhustled, outquicked, out everythinged for the course of the entire game. About the only thing we did well was get to the free throw line.

I can never recall a non conference opponent coming into Carver and renderimg us that non competitive in 44 years of watching Iowa hoops. Penn State-Maryland is a conference game. I don't know what game you were watching.

Playing mostly even or getting outscored by a bit is not dominating. They dominated us bad for the first 5 minutes. Really bad. They outplayed us for the next 5. Then they played us pretty damn even for the rest of the meaningful game.

 

[smhawk]

I’m starting to think that Michigan game was just bad timing. That was a brutal travel stretch for these guys and CJF was clearly hurting in that game. Tonight he looked to have his legs back and his defense is solid.

Michigan is obviously better team. So I wouldn't blame the timing when they competed as well as they did.

Now the DePaul game that was bad timing. But then again an early lost like that might have been what this team needed to push themselves to where they are now.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Playing mostly even or getting outscored by a bit is not dominating. They dominated us bad for the first 5 minutes. Really bad. They outplayed us for the next 5. Then they played us pretty damn even for the rest of the meaningful game.

Disagree. Playing us dead even for the final thirty minutes while maintaining a 20-25 point lead that we never cut into one single time is the very definition of thorough domination.

For a home team to never make one single run? Very seldom in a game like that does the home team not make at least one run. It never came. It was similar to what we did at Marquette a few years ago.

 

[Northside Hawk]

And down goes another #1. Relatively easily on a neutral court no less.