Who starts at center?

I will buy this. Fran did make comments about McCabe moving out... Fran has a plan. He will stick with it to start the year. That might be that McCabe (or Basabe) gets starter minutes, but doesn't start.
 
I will go with Gabe. Perhaps with him IA can control the opening tip.

Though he starts I think McCabe will get more minutes and he won't get that many more on average than Woody...
 
If McCabe is playing much 5 Iowa is in trouble and will struggle on defense again. Gabe may start and that is fine. Iowa needs a legit center to emerge to challenge in the paint or take up real rebounding space. Zach can do neither...he is a really good role player more suited for a sixth man role. Lineup: Gesell, Oglesby, Marble, White and Olaseni.
 
Foval21 said:
i believe that is how fran is leaning. i prefer white not be on the wing but i think he is trying to maximize minutes for his best players and with a log jam in the 2 post positions white and marble at the wing spots (2 & 3) looks like the way to get them in as much as possible. i think white is a defensive liability at the wing but if basabe and olaseni can block shots and woodbury can alter them than that can make up for it.
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Depends on the defense. Length makes up for lack of quickness in a zone, ie Syracuse this last season.
 
I think Woody will eventually start ... But I think Fran will sort of work him into the starting lineup ... Been reading good things about Gabe but again, Prime Time performance does not equate to Big 10 level play ... But sound like Gabe has definitely improved his game and that is exciting to see/hear.
 
DFaceHawkeye said:
Foval21 said:
i believe that is how fran is leaning. i prefer white not be on the wing but i think he is trying to maximize minutes for his best players and with a log jam in the 2 post positions white and marble at the wing spots (2 &3) looks like the way to get them in as much as possible. i think white is a defensive liability at the wing but if basabe and olaseni can block shots and woodbury can alter them than that can make up for it.
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Depends on the defense. Length makes up for lack of quickness in a zone, ie Syracuse this last season.
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i agree with that but fran has always talked about zone defense as more of a change up to primarily man. usually he has used a 3/4 court zone trap and then at the half court fallen to man. i doubt with the increase in talent that we would play more zone...i would guess the defenses will stay pretty much the same just more 3/4 and full court stuff. when i say he will be a defensive liability i am mainly looking at on ball defense as a wing. his length will be a benefit in denying and contesting but when they have the ball i dont think he will consistently be able to stay in front of them.
 
Foval21 said:
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i agree with that but fran has always talked about zone defense as more of a change up to primarily man. usually he has used a 3/4 court zone trap and then at the half court fallen to man. i doubt with the increase in talent that we would play more zone...i would guess the defenses will stay pretty much the same just more 3/4 and full court stuff. when i say he will be a defensive liability i am mainly looking at on ball defense as a wing. his length will be a benefit in denying and contesting but when they have the ball i dont think he will consistently be able to stay in front of them.
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I see what you're saying, but I don't think Fran would put a definite liability in a bad position defensively. I'm sure Fran matches his guys up defensively based upon the best match-ups, not just what position they are playing. At least, that's what I do at the HS level, so I would expect this happens at the next level. I'm sure they have assignments. Plus, like you said earlier, if you have some "eraser" type players down low you can make up for some not-so-stellar defense outside.
 
DFaceHawkeye said:
Foval21 said:
=i agree with that but fran has always talked about zone defense as more of a change up to primarily man. usually he has used a 3/4 court zone trap and then at the half court fallen to man. i doubt with the increase in talent that we would play more zone...i would guess the defenses will stay pretty much the same just more 3/4 and full court stuff. when i say he will be a defensive liability i am mainly looking at on ball defense as a wing. his length will be a benefit in denying and contesting but when they have the ball i dont think he will consistently be able to stay in front of them.
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I see what you're saying, but I don't think Fran would put a definite liability in a bad position defensively. I'm sure Fran matches his guys up defensively based upon the best match-ups, not just what position they are playing. At least, that's what I do at the HS level, so I would expect this happens at the next level. I'm sure they have assignments. Plus, like you said earlier, if you have some "eraser" type players down low you can make up for some not-so-stellar defense outside.
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i get the match up thing but who will you match him up with and not create another liability? if you put him on the pf then the pf (mccabe or basabe) will guard the wing (not good set ups there either). i would say fran as a coach has his weakest point on defense as i havent really seen the team play consistently well on defense and that takes less talent than offense (takes more heart and coaching). having a wing guard a post and vice versa works better in hs than in college as players are better and can beat you when they do that.

fran, i believe, is trying to maximize minutes for his best players and in turn trying to maximize points. plus if mccabe or basabe or both would get into foul trouble white could drop to the 4 spot...or if the centers get into foul trouble mccabe or basabe could drop and white could drop.

white is an average defender at the 4 spot. i think he will be below average at the 3 spot. but in the long run it will probably be a wash because of his offensive abilities. carmelo anthony is a defensive liability at any position. but he can score better than 99% of the players in the nba so it doesnt matter. marble was a defensive liability at pg last yr and he wont be a lock down guy on the wing. in the end it is about who scores more and getting your best players on the court. if mccabe and basabe and white are 3 of your 5 best then 1 of them will have to play the 3 spot (white is your best option there) and all of them would be defensive liabilities there...some more than others.

fran knew bc couldnt guard a pg but he still had him on the court. in the end we have a team geared to score not defend...we just need to have enough stops that we end up with more points. that seems to be more of fran's style than lock down defense for 40 min.
 
sportstalent said:
If McCabe is playing much 5 Iowa is in trouble and will struggle on defense again. Gabe may start and that is fine. Iowa needs a legit center to emerge to challenge in the paint or take up real rebounding space. Zach can do neither...he is a really good role player more suited for a sixth man role. Lineup: Gesell, Oglesby, Marble, White and Olaseni.
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Agreed, McCabe fits at center about as well as he does at shooting guard, meaning he is out of his element.

He is small for the 4 spot he cannot defend the 5 spot. Putting McCabe at the 5 is just going to get him in foul trouble.

To me you don't play McCabe or Basabe at the 5, they are both too short.

You have three guys who are 6'10 or taller on the roster those are your options for center unless you are playing a very small team.
 
hawkdoctor said:
Gabe is just better than Woody right now in every phase but passing.
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I don't agree with that.

Woodys mental grasp of the game is much more advanced. He understands all of the little things that Gabe doesn't yet. Where to be and when, how and why to get an outlet pass out as quickly as possible. Stuff that doesn't show up in the stats.

He plays better position defense too.

They are both pretty decent at what they do on offense but both have very different offensive skill sets.

Iowa will win a big10 championship in the next couple years if these two progress as they seem to be.
 
The nice thing about this depth at Center, is that we can run, run, run. Rotate a guy out at the first dead ball when he's winded and keep running.

The next couple years are gonna be exciting.
 
Not sure it's a question of who starts but who gets most minutes, and that likely will vary each game, depending on the opponent. All three -- Zach, Woody, Gave -- present different match-up issues. Of all five positions, this seems the most likely to be filled by committee this year.
 
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