The Season Died at the Palestra

[The Big LeHAWKski]

With this team we still have the potential to upset a few teams - only when we are drilling our 3-balls and catch them on an off-night.
The majority of the time we need to accept that things are going to be a tough going - we just don't seem to have the horses in the barn to handle most B1G teams this season.
Thank God for Hawkeye Wrestling!

 

[Stanzi]

Before the Penn State game I felt great about making the NCAA tournament. Now I'd be surprised if we make the NIT. I don't know what is wrong with this team. Actually, I do. Fran needs to be fired. I know he won’t be, but he needs to be. This is absolutely unacceptable. That Nebraska team is trash and completely dominated us all game. This was the most pathetic basketball game I've seen Iowa play in two years. So pissed we lost to that joke of a team and now we likely won't even finish .500 overall.

 

[PCHawk]

Best case scenario right now is CJ gets healthy soon enough to somehow still make the tourney. But even then, these 2 games cost us a seed that gave us a realistic chance to make a run. So I agree. The season was lost Saturday.

This game was so frustrating because as bad as it was, all we needed was to make a few 3s and we could ha e gotten the win. Or maybe Nebraska players can make a few less prayers. Man that sucked to watch those shitty ass shots keep going in.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Bad shooting nights are going to happen. I can live with that.

But, there is no excuse for the utterly terrible on-ball defense this team plays, and has played during Fran's entire tenure. None.

Nebraska realized that they could score at will by letting the shot clock wind down, then penetrating with ease (drawing the interior defender) and dishing it off for an easy layup or wide open three. Even without penetration, Iowa's perimeter players are constantly on their heels making the shooters completely comfortable lining up the shot.

Our only player that has any lateral quickness at all is Toussaint, but he's prone to head fakes and crossovers, essentially negating whatever athletic ability he has.

This team had exceeded my expectations, but at the end of the day, is quite possibly is the least athletic team in the B1G. If the outside shot is not falling to balance out that lack of athleticism, this team won't have an answer.

Bad shooting nights do happen. But not 4-33 and 12%...that's not bad...that's generational bad. 15% and we likely win...20% we easily win. JW shoots his season Avg....we win going away.

Coaching, effort, athleticism, all huge. But basketball is still making open shots. Your not gonna win a single game in the B1G shootin 4-33.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

Bad shooting nights do happen. But not 4-33 and 12%...that's not bad...that's generational bad. 15% and we likely win...20% we easily win. JW shoots his season Avg....we win going away.

Coaching, effort, athleticism, all huge. But basketball is still making open shots. Your not gonna win a single game in the B1G shootin 4-33.

No doubt, but the point is that this team is so terrible athletically and at on-ball defense, that it's not going to have any answer when the shots aren't falling. Good teams have the ability to adapt by upping the defensive intensity and/or driving the ball, but to do either you have to have athletes. We don't.

 

[PCHawk]

Before the Penn State game I felt great about making the NCAA tournament. Now I'd be surprised if we make the NIT. I don't know what is wrong with this team. Actually, I do. Fran needs to be fired. I know he wont 'be, but he needs to be. This is absolutely fucking unacceptable. That Nebraska team is trash and completely dominated us all game. This was the most pathetic fucking basketball game I've seen Iowa play in two years. Just completely pathetic. So fucking pissed we lost to that fucking joke of a team and now we likely won't even finish .500 overall. Fucking IowaFootball was right. This team fucking sucks. What a fucking pathetic joke. F this shit.

There is a huge reason for this game. I knew when we lost the last game and you could tell everyone was dog tired and all everyone tked about was the heat that we were in trouble tonight. Flying to the east coast, giving everything you have in the hottest gym any of them have ever played in, then flying home, then flying again 3 days later. We were never going to play anything other than terrible that game. It was the perfect storm of shit. I just wish we would have played in East Lansing or something like that, took our 25 point loss, then regrouped. Playing Nebraska or Northwestern on the road there was the worst luck ever. Any other game would have been ok.

 

[PCHawk]

No doubt, but the point is that this team is so terrible athletically and at on-ball defense, that it's not going to have any answer when the shots aren't falling. Good teams have the ability to adapt by upping the defensive intensity and/or driving the ball, but to do either you have to have athletes. We don't.

That's true that we don't really have that ability. But teams that do have that ability still lose games all the time by not doing it. Or they lose them by not being able to score. Or they lose them by turning the ball over. Or they lose them by not rebounding. There are plenty of ways to lose or win games. What matters is how many you win. You can always point to weaknesses after a loss no matter what team you have because every team has them.

 

[Stanzi]

We only shot 5 free throws to Nebraska's 26??? How do the officials get away with blatant screw jobs like that??

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

That's true that we don't really have that ability. But teams that do have that ability still lose games all the time by not doing it. Or they lose them by not being able to score. Or they lose them by turning the ball over. Or they lose them by not rebounding. There are plenty of ways to lose or win games. What matters is how many you win. You can always point to weaknesses after a loss no matter what team you have because every team has them.

Obviously, good teams lose. At the end of the day, it's about odds and probability.

Teams with a good mix of athleticism and skill level will always have better odds of winning, assuming equal coaching. If you assemble a roster that is almost completely reliant upon outside shooting and is almost devoid of twitchy athletes, and is never drilled on good defensive fundamentals, you're never going to win consistently.

 

[PCHawk]

Obviously, good teams lose. At the end of the day, it's about odds and probability.

Teams with a good mix of athleticism and skill level will always have better odds of winning, assuming equal coaching. If you assemble a roster that is almost completely reliant upon outside shooting and is almost devoid of twitchy athletes, and is never drilled on good defensive fundamentals, you're never going to win consistently.

Completely reliant on outside shooting? We have one of the best scoring centers in the nation.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Obviously, good teams lose. At the end of the day, it's about odds and probability.

Teams with a good mix of athleticism and skill level will always have better odds of winning, assuming equal coaching. If you assemble a roster that is almost completely reliant upon outside shooting and is almost devoid of twitchy athletes, and is never drilled on good defensive fundamentals, you're never going to win consistently.

Also, to add, having balanced rosters helps immensely.....not an over abundance of combo tweeners guard/small forwards and 4s that are playing the 5 spot, and not having a stud point guard ever. Guys consistently playing out of position. Not all of these traits necessarily apply to this current squad (for example Garza is holding his own at the 5 spot), but this team also does not have a strong bench whatsoever.

Garza's play, this team having heart, having some shooters when they are hitting, and, when healthy, has helped this team to over exceed expectations. But, it is possible we are starting to see things go back to the mean.

Again, I think Fran, coaching wise, throws a lot of schemes out there, but does not teach it very well (outside of inbounds plays).

All adds up to having a program that is more exciting than Lick, fairly more professional than Alford, but results that are a little better than Alford. You can find 50 other coaches that could do the same thing. Fran's best year was an average for Mr. Davis. And, Fran has never been to the Sweet 16 ever. Not at Iowa or anywhere else.

Hope for the best, but expect the collapse. That is what history has shown us here.

I do think Iowa can make NCAA tourney next year, if they keep all of these pieces together, if they can get JBo fully healthy, and they can stay healthy. I would guess another 2nd round exit, but that is a long way off yet.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

We only shot 5 free throws to Nebraska's 26??? How do the officials get away with blatant screw jobs like that??

When the Joes are taking more shots than the all-American post ... When C-Mac is firing up 7 hideous 3's ... not many opportunities for the other team to foul.

 

[smitharooney]

Bad shooting nights are going to happen. I can live with that.

But, there is no excuse for the utterly terrible on-ball defense this team plays, and has played during Fran's entire tenure. None.

Nebraska realized that they could score at will by letting the shot clock wind down, then penetrating with ease (drawing the interior defender) and dishing it off for an easy layup or wide open three. Even without penetration, Iowa's perimeter players are constantly on their heels making the shooters completely comfortable lining up the shot.

Our only player that has any lateral quickness at all is Toussaint, but he's prone to head fakes and crossovers, essentially negating whatever athletic ability he has.

This team had exceeded my expectations, but at the end of the day, is quite possibly is the least athletic team in the B1G. If the outside shot is not falling to balance out that lack of athleticism, this team won't have an answer.

DePaul exposed our athleticism before the injuries . I don’t think we will be very good next year either . That recruiting class makes me cringe .

 

[InGoodCo]

I think this is an over reaction and I witnessed that shit show in person, but it’s hard to say this is a good team with out 3 starters out for the season. That’s gonna make 99.9% of every team in the country pretty bad. I didn’t think I’d make an injury excuse for Fran, but after seeing how dominant they were earlier in the season, I think I’m there

 

[smitharooney]

I think this is an over reaction and I witnessed that shit show in person, but it’s hard to say this is a good team with out 3 starters out for the season. That’s gonna make 99.9% of every team in the country pretty bad. I didn’t think I’d make an injury excuse for Fran, but after seeing how dominant they were earlier in the season, I think I’m there

This team has serious issues . If we only win 14-16 games are we still overreacting?

 

[HawkGold]

Not sure why the reactions. T is young. CJ is never gonna play a whole game and that is going to ve exploited l.

Conner just isnt a main player unless those around him are all threats. So, he is exploitable. JB, T, and CJ with CM in a role would have worked.

The bigger issue is JB as a 2 and part time 1 is not available.

Rough road ahead. The ankle is be a problem rest of year.

 

[1hawkeye1]

When Pemsl chucked up a 3, I knew it was time to turn it off.

I'll give credit to Nebraska. They rolled the dice. They triple teamed Garza and let us earn it from the 3 pt line knowing that CJ was sitting. If Weiskamp was on, they lose. He wasn't. And neither was anyone else.

They shot 5 times as many FT's as we did and made more than twice as many 3's. It was their night.

The season is slipping away fast and firing Fran isn't going to help. We're just extremely short handed. I know everyone wants to blame someone, but sorry, it isn't anyone's fault.

 

[InGoodCo]

This team has serious issues . If we only win 14-16 games are we still overreacting?

The team does have serious issues, but missing 3 starters is the biggest one of them and there's no close 2nd. If you can't rationally look at it like that or take that into account, then yes, I think you are overreacting.

 

[InGoodCo]

I can't blame Fran. I just can't. I want to but I can't. He didn't break Jordan's hip, cap Nunge in the knee, stomp on CJ's foot or cause Patrick's health issues. He also didn't miss 29 three pointers... all that while taking a look at the bench that's no longer there. He literally had no answers to last nights poor shooting because there are no answers left. Guys playing extended minutes that are suppose to be role and glue guys. It's hard for me to blame Fran... and also, there's plenty of evidence this was a pretty good team before the injuries.

I wanna see what they can piece together here. Rarely do things go to script. Right now, things look terrible. They did early in the year but that wasn't the case. I am not ready to bury the team yet...even tho I may have already been there earlier in the season. I always count road games as an L. I just do. That's how I've done it since I was kid. If you get a W on the road, bonus, but I don't expect them. I also expect them to hold serve at home. With the injuries that seems like a long shot this year.

 

[ssckelley]

The loss at the Palestra was not a bad loss, last night was.