Thoughts after watching the replay

[Husky28]

I buy this, but at the end of the day, they need a guy that can hit shots. I like Uthoff to become that guy.

Have to agree with this... If Iowa is serious about contending for the league title, they really need the outside shots to go down and spread out the defense. Until we become a threat on the outside, teams will jam the lanes.

 

[bcl20]

Have to agree with this... If Iowa is serious about contending for the league title, they really need the outside shots to go down and spread out the defense. Until we become a threat on the outside, teams will jam the lanes.

I don't think they need a closer (which is essentially what's being asked for) we need guys to hit open jumpers when they get them. That can change game to game. One game it could be Marble, one game it could be Uthoff another game it could be Jok, etc. It'd be nice if they just all do it and we win games by 10 points.

 

[PalmettoHawkFan]

utoff is the most talented player on the team.

he needs to take up the knife in february and stick it in during last ten minutes of games

marble and white want to stick the knife in, but they don't quite have the skill sets

utoff has the skill set -- he just needs the mind set

 

[ibahawkeye]

Uthoff is not our best player, some have such short memories and must hav forgot marble dropping 20 plus a night leading us to NIT ship and after 2 games your ready to crown uthoff.

Now I like uthoff so this isn't against him but calling him our best player after 2 games is not accurate.

 

[PalmettoHawkFan]

Uthoff is not our best player, some have such short memories and must hav forgot marble dropping 20 plus a night leading us to NIT ship and after 2 games your ready to crown uthoff.

Now I like uthoff so this isn't against him but calling him our best player after 2 games is not accurate.

Best and most talented are two different things.

 

[PCHawk]

Things I remember from the close losses; the first MSU game, Gassel makes two dumb passes on fast break opportunities. We lost the game by 4, those don't happen, the game may end differently.

The game at Wisconsin, Wisky had the flukiest three point make ever in the closing minutes that hits the front of the rim and rolls in, while Oglesby has a three go in an out at the buzzer.

Against, Minnesota we made bad decisions and turned the ball over in the closing seconds.

Against Purdue we missed free throws in OT that cost us. Right there is a combination of losses caused by either flat out bad luck, or possibly nerves. Nerves are fixed by experience which we have now.

To add to this...

MSU we were up 3 with around a minute left and they called a very questionable foul on a 3 pointer. They made all 3 to tie then gesell turned it over.

Minnesota we were up 2 late and they drilled a falling away 3 to take the lead on an out of bounds play. Marble hardly played that game but Fran decided to bring him in for the last possession and he promptly turned it over.

Purdue made a driving floater over Woody late in the game. I thought it was to win by 1 but you said they went to ot so it must have been to tie it.

Then there was the blown 19 point lead to Nebraska where they drilled a 3 late to take the lead.

If we finish those games and the Wisconsin game where the ****** bounced the 3 around the rim and in, we finish 12-4 in the league and were probably a 4 seed in the tourney.

 

[ChosenChildren]

Explain this to me how do you ever come to this conclusion?

Iowa was getting outrebounded by UNO, yes that is one game blah, blah, blah.

If you look at last season, your theory does not hold water as Iowa lost at least 4 conference games because they could neither shoot an open jumper, create a shot, or get that critical rebound.

Until Iowa can begin to shoot around 50% as a team from 2-pt FG's these games are going to happen, it has to get better, or Iowa will be in the NIT again. I am not jumping ship, I still expect Iowa to make the NCAA tournament, but without shooting better, they will not win tough conference games.

Wow. I think you are off in many of your assertions.

You need to subscribe to the Pomeroy Ratings. It doesn't cost much to subscribe. They really break it down and is far and away the best basketball analysis on a game-by-game basis.

Last year Iowa was a reasonably good 2-point percentage team (47%), but a poor 3 point team (30%). 47% is really close to your arbitrary 50% figure.

Last year Iowa was a top 50 team in offensive efficiency (the only offensive stat that really matters) and top 40 in offensive rebounding, both way above average. Last year Iowa was exceptional on the defensive end, and blocked a ton of shots, according to Pomeroy. The real strength of this team last year was defense. Sorry, dude, but defense and offensive efficiency wins championships and leads to NCAA bids and Iowa excelled in both areas last year. Iowa was ranked 23rd at season's end by Pomeroy last year. They actually WERE an NCAA caliber team.

There is no reason to think Iowa won't improve or at least be as good this year in all of the above areas. They only lost May and have replaced him with Uthoff, a much better all-around player with much more versatility on the offensive end. I'm assuming equal effort and equal coaching over the course of the season, which I think will be there.

The real weakness of this team last year (and the reason I think they lost many close games) was an inability to hit 3 point shots in the last 5-8 minutes of games, when 3 point shots can make a big difference in a close game, and therefore really matter.

Has that weakness been addressed this year? Hard to tell.

Pomeroy is predicting Iowa to go 9-9 in the Big Ten this year. That will be good enough to capture an NCAA bid

 

[1st]

To your point on No. 2; he looked the same in the open floor pre-injury as well.

Uthoff, is still shaking some rust of I hope, but I agree with you. He looks the part to put someone on the bench and should be the first guy off the bench shortly. I like his game a lot and the 2-yr layoff isn't bothering him as much as I thought it would. Uthoff will be the difference maker Iowa needs when it gets to conference play, he does not appear overwhelmed by anything and looks like he knows what he always wants to do.

Iowa has some solid post players, but can't hit shots. I like Uthoff to be that guy who opens things up. White/Marble don't have all the tools to be go-to guys, I think Uthoff has them. It starts with his mentality, it is different than anyone else on the floor.

Uthoff has been playing basketball every day for the last two years. It's not like he just woke up out of a two year coma.

 

[MiniMoeHawk]

It did, like against MSU, Nebraska, Minnesota and others they should have won?

Last night was no proof that they can close out a game.

I would consider a win closing out the game. Once Iowa was ahead by double digits they were never at a risk of giving the lead back.

 

[sportstalent]

Wow. I think you are off in many of your assertions.

You need to subscribe to the Pomeroy Ratings. It doesn't cost much to subscribe. They really break it down and is far and away the best basketball analysis on a game-by-game basis.

Last year Iowa was a reasonably good 2-point percentage team (47%), but a poor 3 point team (30%). 47% is really close to your arbitrary 50% figure.

Last year Iowa was a top 50 team in offensive efficiency (the only offensive stat that really matters) and top 40 in offensive rebounding, both way above average. Last year Iowa was exceptional on the defensive end, and blocked a ton of shots, according to Pomeroy. The real strength of this team last year was defense. Sorry, dude, but defense and offensive efficiency wins championships and leads to NCAA bids and Iowa excelled in both areas last year. Iowa was ranked 23rd at season's end by Pomeroy last year. They actually WERE an NCAA caliber team.

There is no reason to think Iowa won't improve or at least be as good this year in all of the above areas. They only lost May and have replaced him with Uthoff, a much better all-around player with much more versatility on the offensive end. I'm assuming equal effort and equal coaching over the course of the season, which I think will be there.

The real weakness of this team last year (and the reason I think they lost many close games) was an inability to hit 3 point shots in the last 5-8 minutes of games, when 3 point shots can make a big difference in a close game, and therefore really matter.

Has that weakness been addressed this year? Hard to tell.

Pomeroy is predicting Iowa to go 9-9 in the Big Ten this year. That will be good enough to capture an NCAA bid

I am sure Pomeroy does a great job, I like when people use it on here because it is an interesting take on things.

You say Iowa was an NCAA tournament team last year because Pomeroy had them as the 23rd best team. Why did Iowa go to the NIT? We can dispute that all you want all day, but I don't have time for it.

When you look at Iowa's overall shooting % and 3% they ranked in the 280's just on paper for both. That said, one or two consistent games would have put them under 200, but that didn't happen as evidenced by the close losses in 4 games they had leads and lost.

There are many weaknesses to this team and I think Uthoff will solve one of them, I have stated it above, no need to rehash. Keep sticking by efficiency ratings and I not ripping you when I say that, but it didn't really get Iowa where they said Iowa belonged. Win 2 of those four games and it does, period.