Tournament time in Iowa

L

longtimer

Well-Known Member

Best time of the year in college basketball and Iowa has 3 teams in the hunt

Iowa has played well the last couple weeks and put themselves in a position to get in the tournament which 2 weeks ago looked very unlikely. Big win at a struggling Michigan State and a banged up Northwestern made this game against Illinois really big. Win and win at least one in the tournament and depending on how other conference tournaments go we have a good chance. Otherwise winning the Big Ten Tournament is a very long shot

Drake is like 25-6 and in second place. Devries has done another great job and he has the best player in the conference. Unfortunately for Drake the MVC doesnt get much respect so they probably need to win the conference tournament which they are very capable of doing

Iowa State As I am not a fan I havent seen much of their play but they have had a great year and as some have said may be the best defensive team in the nation? Playing for share of the championship in last game against Kansas State in what is in most circles considered the best conference in the country. Otzenberger (sp) took a 2 win team in his first year to the sweet 16 and looks to have them in position for a 2 seed and run in the tournament

Could be a good week
 
Drake and Iowa might be fighting for the same spot in the dance... If Drake doesn't win the MVC they could possibly take Iowa's spot. There's talk that the MVC is a one bid league so Iowa fans should cheer like crazy for Drake to win that tourny.
 
I like how when Iowa catches a team that is struggling or depleted, ole Longtimer sticks to brand. Like, that's basketball, catching teams at the right time of the year is part of it. Michigan caught Iowa when they struggling, Maryland caught Iowa when they were struggling, Michigan St caught NW the other night when they were struggling. Iowa caught MN when they were struggling. That's how tournament teams are formed. It's a 32 game stretch and a 20 game conference season. Iowa was struggling at the beginning of the year, they aren't anymore. If Iowa makes it, it won't be because they limped into the NCAA, it will be becaue they beat a bunch of pretty good teams down the stretch.
 
InGoodCo said:
I like how when Iowa catches a team that is struggling or depleted, ole Longtimer sticks to brand. Like, that's basketball, catching teams at the right time of the year is part of it. Michigan caught Iowa when they struggling, Maryland caught Iowa when they were struggling, Michigan St caught NW the other night when they were struggling. Iowa caught MN when they were struggling. That's how tournament teams are formed. It's a 32 game stretch and a 20 game conference season. Iowa was struggling at the beginning of the year, they aren't anymore. If Iowa makes it, it won't be because they limped into the NCAA, it will be becaue they beat a bunch of pretty good teams down the stretch.
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So, if Minnesota was full strength and held on to that 20 point lead or Northwestern was full strength and won would Iowa be playing that well. Proper context Iowa did get some breaks. Wisky was not on fire nor was Michigan State. How were they struggling when they lost to Maryland when they had won three in a row then lost, as expected, to Purdue. Then after Maryland they beat Michigan and played well enough to beat Indiana on the road. Looks like that Fran close game bugaboo on those two. Should have had both the Maryland and Indiana games in all reality. They still have to prove how well they really are playing against Illinois and in the BTT. I personally don't think giving up 83.1 points per game in the last 8 games is playing very well on the defensive end. Some of the players are finding their way and the offense is scoring but the team as a whole should be at 20 wins or more and be safely in the tourney.

Illinois at home. They are not that great and Underwood is still an average X's and O's coach so, at home, win the game. Take the doubt out. We should be a top half seed so win the first game and at least have a strong showing in the next game.
 
InGoodCo said:
I like how when Iowa catches a team that is struggling or depleted, ole Longtimer sticks to brand. Like, that's basketball, catching teams at the right time of the year is part of it. Michigan caught Iowa when they struggling, Maryland caught Iowa when they were struggling, Michigan St caught NW the other night when they were struggling. Iowa caught MN when they were struggling. That's how tournament teams are formed. It's a 32 game stretch and a 20 game conference season. Iowa was struggling at the beginning of the year, they aren't anymore. If Iowa makes it, it won't be because they limped into the NCAA, it will be becaue they beat a bunch of pretty good teams down the stretch.
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Did not want to imply Iowa is not playing well as they are and if they were to play Michigan today at home they would win.. I just think they caught a very mediocre Michigan State team at the right time (they lost their next home game to Ohio State i believe) and clearly Northwestern had lost 2 starters and another during the game. Still good wins for Iowa and the way they are playing they deserve to be in
 
ajdwhs87 said:
So, if Minnesota was full strength and held on to that 20 point lead or Northwestern was full strength and won would Iowa be playing that well. Proper context Iowa did get some breaks. Wisky was not on fire nor was Michigan State. How were they struggling when they lost to Maryland when they had won three in a row then lost, as expected, to Purdue. Then after Maryland they beat Michigan and played well enough to beat Indiana on the road. Looks like that Fran close game bugaboo on those two. Should have had both the Maryland and Indiana games in all reality. They still have to prove how well they really are playing against Illinois and in the BTT. I personally don't think giving up 83.1 points per game in the last 8 games is playing very well on the defensive end. Some of the players are finding their way and the offense is scoring but the team as a whole should be at 20 wins or more and be safely in the tourney.

Illinois at home. They are not that great and Underwood is still an average X's and O's coach so, at home, win the game. Take the doubt out. We should be a top half seed so win the first game and at least have a strong showing in the next game.
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Point is, Iowa got some breaks, but everyone gets some breaks. Which was my point, it's not unique to Iowa. They *should* have got those games, they didn't, didn't play well enough down the stretch and got beat. They've been playing better since then and a huge part of that has been Dix's play on both sides of the ball. If he doesn't show up every game, Iowa looks different. If he doesn't show up Sunday, Iowa will likely lose.

IL isn't great? Sure, maybe not in a sense of all times great teams or anything but 22-8, winnners of 7 of their last 10, 16 in the Net, ranked 12th in the AP, 12th on Ken Pom and the #2 seed in the B1G? How good does a team need to be in order for you to deem them great? If Iowa wins on Sunday and somehow end up in the top 4, almost no chance they get left out. They might be Dayton, but win on Sunday and I guess the only scenario I can see taking them back out is losing to Penn State, Michigan or Rutgers or Maryland in the BTT.

Iowa's resume stacks up pretty well against almost every team on the bubble and it will be better than most of them if they win Sunday.
 
Win two and they are in.

Win three and they are a 10 seed and avoid Dayton.

BTW, I do not think the play-in game is all that bad. Win the play-in game and then you are taking on a 6 seed…there are worst paths to take to get to the second weekend.
 
Drake just won and will play Indiana State for championship. If they lose they have 27 wins. May be one of the teams going against Iowa for the spot in the tournament if we win tomorrow.
 
I am a homer. I root for the Hawks, Drake and Iowa State. Iowa State is a lock for the NCAA. Hoping both Iowa and Drake get in. Drake split with Indian State during the season and hoping they knock them off today on CBS. Iowa desperately needs the Illinois game today or they may have to at least make it to finals of the Big Ten as an alternative to get in. The MVC deserves two teams in the tourney vs someone like the Mountain West getting 6 teams in.
 
Not rushing by any means the retirement of McCaffery or Bluder, but when the day comes there are two coaches which happen to have Drake ties that would be welcome replacements. Word has it that Jennie Baranczyk would like the Iowa job when Lisa retires ( Drake record 192-96 & Oklahoma 72-24 ). She would be a great hire. Would love to see Darian DeVries at Iowa when the time comes ( Drake 149-54). He has won 20 + games every year at Drake. Got them in the conference finals 4 years in a row. Comes from the Altman and McDermott coaching tree. It appears Drake made a hugh mistake early on as he applie for the Drake job three times and finally got it on the third try.
 
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