This is a big weekend

L

longtimer

Well-Known Member
In McCaffrey's tenure at Iowa there is really no year that you can look back and say it was special. The best finish is 3rd in the Big Ten. No Big Ten tournament championships and hasn't been a regular in the Big Dance and when they have got in never played on the second weekend. Some entertaining basketball and some good players but no banners to hang in Carver
This may be McCaffrey's best chance. Certainly won't be better next year. Iowa really needs to win both games this weekend and then see what happens. Anything less will end the season with a great college player maybe being player of the year but as far as the team not "special"
 
You tell the truth and it feels just like you say. Man, it is tough when the coaches and team think 'wow we have to win two games this weekend or it is a dud'.

Well first win game one. I think the team will have had a whole week off and be refreshed and hope they are loose. Dont reach and grab early because the refs could be a big factor.

Garza needs to play clean
 
IIRC Iowa lost in OT to a 2 seed (TN) in 2019...that close to the Sweet 16. Last year’s team had a realistic chance at the Sweet 16...not Fran’s fault the tournament was canceled. This year’s team is a 2 seed and will be favored until the Elite 8...if they take care of business.
 
uihawk82 said:
You tell the truth and it feels just like you say. Man, it is tough when the coaches and team think 'wow we have to win two games this weekend or it is a dud'.

Well first win game one. I think the team will have had a whole week off and be refreshed and hope they are loose. Dont reach and grab early because the refs could be a big factor.

Garza needs to play clean
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Excellent point! Everyone likes to talk about how tournament games will be called tighter and how that will benefit B1G teams.

But Garza gets away with a lot in conference play, as well. If he tries to play his normal game and gets whistled for two quick ones......
 
Northside Hawk said:
Excellent point! Everyone likes to talk about how tournament games will be called tighter and how that will benefit B1G teams.

But Garza gets away with a lot in conference play, as well. If he tries to play his normal game and gets whistled for two quick ones......
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I think Garza has very high basketball IQ. He was fighting fire with fire and can adjust very quickly to the officiating IMO.

Also, these guys are on lockdown. They likely watched a lot of basketball yesterday...when no team responsibilities. The risks of not establishing dominance and imposing your will early are obvious. I’m expecting a comfortable lead at halftime.

Edit - We don’t turn the ball over. TOs help the inferior team hang around.
 
You have to come to play...period. Your big time players need to play like big time players. Everyone knows the drill...in March Madness...you are going to play a nailbiter against a team that's playing up a level...you just have to find a way to win. OSU and Purdue couldn't.

It's really interesting how the committee chooses these matchups in the first round. If you look at the teams Purdue & OSU played...they were both very athletic teams that play really, really good defense...but can be sporadic on offense. They both hung around and let their star players make shots down the stretch. OSU and Purdue also missed free throws that could have allowed them to win in regulation.

Now you come to Iowa's matchup. Is it a coincidence that Iowa plays a team with size in the post? I don't think so. It just creates an interesting match up and puts a possibility of an upset in play.

If Iowa shoots well from three...they win rather easily. If they struggle from distance...then likely...this game is going to come down to which team makes the plays down the stretch...and makes free throws.
 
WinOneThisCentury said:
You have to come to play...period. Your big time players need to play like big time players. Everyone knows the drill...in March Madness...you are going to play a nailbiter against a team that's playing up a level...you just have to find a way to win. OSU and Purdue couldn't.

It's really interesting how the committee chooses these matchups in the first round. If you look at the teams Purdue & OSU played...they were both very athletic teams that play really, really good defense...but can be sporadic on offense. They both hung around and let their star players make shots down the stretch. OSU and Purdue also missed free throws that could have allowed them to win in regulation.

Now you come to Iowa's matchup. Is it a coincidence that Iowa plays a team with size in the post? I don't think so. It just creates an interesting match up and puts a possibility of an upset in play.

If Iowa shoots well from three...they win rather easily. If they struggle from distance...then likely...this game is going to come down to which team makes the plays down the stretch...and makes free throws.
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I expect Garza to own their big(s). The SC tried to clear the path for a Zags championship. They cleared a potential path for us at the same time.
 
WinOneThisCentury said:
You have to come to play...period. Your big time players need to play like big time players. Everyone knows the drill...in March Madness...you are going to play a nailbiter against a team that's playing up a level...you just have to find a way to win. OSU and Purdue couldn't.

It's really interesting how the committee chooses these matchups in the first round. If you look at the teams Purdue & OSU played...they were both very athletic teams that play really, really good defense...but can be sporadic on offense. They both hung around and let their star players make shots down the stretch. OSU and Purdue also missed free throws that could have allowed them to win in regulation.

Now you come to Iowa's matchup. Is it a coincidence that Iowa plays a team with size in the post? I don't think so. It just creates an interesting match up and puts a possibility of an upset in play.

If Iowa shoots well from three...they win rather easily. If they struggle from distance...then likely...this game is going to come down to which team makes the plays down the stretch...and makes free throws.
Click to expand...
Interesting perspective on reasons for matchups. Makes sense.
 
I would never beef with top 4 finishes in our conference. Yes we play for championships...the admin has supported the program with coaching $, facilities and fans. Losing today, which I am nervous about, GCU is probably the best 15 seed on the board given our tournament woes. It's time to freaking bow up and beat some people bottom line...no excuses. I do think in some sense this year will be a dissapointment with a no SWEET 16 finish. The team has the experience we have the big man and shooters...time to produce.
 
WindsorHawk said:
IIRC Iowa lost in OT to a 2 seed (TN) in 2019...that close to the Sweet 16. Last year’s team had a realistic chance at the Sweet 16...not Fran’s fault the tournament was canceled. This year’s team is a 2 seed and will be favored until the Elite 8...if they take care of business.
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But they still have not done it until they have done it.

It is time to get it done with the player of the year and a veteran team.
 
seepig said:
I would never beef with top 4 finishes in our conference. Yes we play for championships...the admin has supported the program with coaching $, facilities and fans. Losing today, which I am nervous about, GCU is probably the best 15 seed on the board given our tournament woes. It's time to freaking bow up and beat some people bottom line...no excuses. I do think in some sense this year will be a dissapointment with a no SWEET 16 finish. The team has the experience we have the big man and shooters...time to produce.
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At the end of the day its survive and advance now. A one point win doesn't count any less than a forty point win.

But it would be nice to have a low stress breather. I remember our 1987 run. We blew Santa Clara out and we were able to get our starters out early. Meanwhile UTEP had to slog through OT with Arizona. It caught upmto them late in our game and it may have been the difference. UTEP had to go zone, rather than their fabled man to man, and fatigue (and Roy Marble) did them in.

It would be nice to not only have a game similar to Illinois yesterday, but to have Oregon and VCU push each other through several overtimes.
 
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