Why Owen, why?
- Thread starter Seth53
- Start date
He only has 1 yr left right? Pryce has like 2 more after this yr. Pryce is pretty much the better player now it looks like. I'd like to have had both but if someone is making me choose between them I'd have taken Sandfort.
Not sure. But hell at times neither has Combs or Howards D. And both of their offensive games don't bring what Sandforts does. But we have that type of shooter on roster already in Hausen and he just chooses to not play him.
You can sometimes hide a weaker defender for stretches. Having a Stirtz, Hausen and Koch on the floor spreads it out so Stirtz can go to work more. If Alvaro could do the same thing more consistently that'd sure be nice too
That is why I raised the question. I don't know the answer if Pryce's defense is adequate but McCollum does not put guys in unless they can hold up on the defensive end to his requirements. And Hausen is an example of that.
NorthKCHawk
Well-Known Member
Dix was a loss. No spinning it. He would have fit into Ben's system just fine. He can play D and score, but he is not selfish.
I would have been fine keeping Sanford, but he was not a plus defender by any stretch. I have not seen Pryce play this year, but he is doing well on a good Nebraska squad, but my sense is that he is the same player as Koch and Koch has a higher ceiling athletically.
I have mixed feelings on Freeman. It would be nice to have a rim protector/true center for the conference slate, but honestly, the kid didn't seem to live up to even Fran's idea of mental toughness and work. Kind of doubt he and Ben would have seen eye to eye. Culturally, I think it was for the best that he move on. I agree with Fry this team seems to have a connectivity that Freeman may have degraded.
I would have been fine keeping Sanford, but he was not a plus defender by any stretch. I have not seen Pryce play this year, but he is doing well on a good Nebraska squad, but my sense is that he is the same player as Koch and Koch has a higher ceiling athletically.
I have mixed feelings on Freeman. It would be nice to have a rim protector/true center for the conference slate, but honestly, the kid didn't seem to live up to even Fran's idea of mental toughness and work. Kind of doubt he and Ben would have seen eye to eye. Culturally, I think it was for the best that he move on. I agree with Fry this team seems to have a connectivity that Freeman may have degraded.
BigD
Well-Known Member
I agree. Fran, just the opposite. I will give it time before I reach any conclusions on that transaction (Coaching change). So far I am pleased with what I have seen given how we were decimated with the mass exodus of players after Fran left. Some believed there were players leaving regardless of whether Fran stayed or not. I believe that was true.
As bad a Lickliter's teams were on offense, his defense held very good offensive teams to low. low scoring games. That's amazing in a way when you consider his post players were just 6'5" guys. Ben at times likes to run that clock down too, but he also attacks the rim when he has the numbers advantage. So it seems like at this point that he is somewhere in between Lickliter and Fran.
So far I like what I am seeing. Reminds me a little bit of Lute ball. Oh yeah that was our last final four team. I would take that in a heart beat. The similarities in that final four team reminds me of Ben's team. An All American guard, 6'9" guys at the post positions (Steve W and Steve K) and serviceable mid range shooters mixed with some long range shooters. They drove to the basket when they had the numbers, but would slow things down, make quick passes and penetrate to the lane when ever possible. Lute strongly instilled getting into the lane as much as possible because it was a much higher percentage of making the shot. ALSO, Key to that team............damn good defense!!! Lute a system for keeping each players statistics, making turnovers was a BIG no, no.
Sound familiar to this year's team???
Ben got a huge recruit in the guy he stole from UNI. Bulk him up in the weight room and get him a little more experience and he could be one of the best center's to ever wear an Iowa UNIform (lol, see what I did there?)
I agree with everything that you said. I would only point out that the game was much different when Lute coached here. The biggest difference being there was no three point line at the time.
That, and we'll never, ever have a point guard as good as Ronnie Lester was. Sigh......
(And I love Bennett Stirtz, not a knock on him at all).
thedukeofearl
Well-Known Member
We could have been National Champs his senior year
If that nasty Roger Burkman hadn't slammed him to the floor in the Final Four
Dirty play for certain
Ralph Miller had a solid team when Downtown Freddie Brown and John Johnson were seniors
That was one of the very best Hawkeye men's basketball teams ever
They played together for the Seattle Supersonics and were instrumental in Seattle winning the
NBA Championship in 1978/79
Fixed it for ya, Duke.
trj
Well-Known Member
Fair
My counter-argument would be…due to the lack of size on this team that Pryce would probably have to do a lot of heavy lifting at the 4, especially with Tavion Banks on the team. Minus Banks… I could see a scenario where you have Pryce at the 3, and Cooper at the 4. Regardless, they need a secondary scorer to Stirtz, and Pryce or Dix would have worked.
Point well taken, tho.
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HawkeyeHypnosis
Well-Known Member
Dix/Stirtz would have been dangerous
SwirlinLingerie
Well-Known Member
Iowa is 20th in Kenpom, 19th in NET.
Things are rolling right now. A lot of tough teams in the conference, but Iowa is going to win its share of games. Hawks are a tough out.
Things are rolling right now. A lot of tough teams in the conference, but Iowa is going to win its share of games. Hawks are a tough out.
