Why Iowa lost

[texas twister]

No, it wasn't depth. No, it wasn't because of tired legs coming out of a tough regional. It was because Iowa did not address their weakness from last year when Iowa got demolished on the boards then too. This time around against SC, SC had about 50 rebounds to Iowa's 25 just like last year. Last year, SC wasn't much of a threat from the 3 point line and they fixed that weakness. Iowa did nothing to fix their weakness. Iowa only had a sluggard's chance to win that game. It was going to take very good shooting and that did not happen. Stuelke is a power forward and not a center. She is a very good power forward. Will Iowa get a real center for next season? Remains to be seen. Maybe Bluder gave it her best to get a real center last off season and just couldn't get the job done.

 

[spiderland]

This team went 34-5 and I will love them until the day I die.

 

[Gonzo Bloor]

This team went 34-5 and I will love them until the day I die.

100%. We were outmatched by their size and talent, but mostly their talent. And Bluder wanted to address the situation but made clear there were only about 3 bigs in the portal that would've made a difference, and we didn't have the $$$ to compete for them.

SC was undefeated and the best team in the country. I'll always love our team from this year, tough as nails.

 

[texas twister]

This team went 34-5 and I will love them until the day I die.

Yeah, me too; but, that isn't what this thread is about.

 

[UpstreamHawkeye]

Iowa lost because it missed some shots. There were two wide open 3-pointers that Affolter missed in the 3rd quarter. With those Iowa could be leading at the 4 minute mark.

 

[eyesofhawk]

Defensive rebounding is primarily a function of solid D. As a defense gets broken down it's rebounding position gets compromised.

While she is a great offensive coach, Bluder hasn't had a good defensive team at Iowa in 24 years. A big out of the portal would have only helped marginally on the boards.

I know many of you don't want to hear this. But this is the truth of the matter

 

[GunnerHawk]

No, it wasn't depth. No, it wasn't because of tired legs coming out of a tough regional. It was because Iowa did not address their weakness from last year when Iowa got demolished on the boards then too. This time around against SC, SC had about 50 rebounds to Iowa's 25 just like last year. Last year, SC wasn't much of a threat from the 3 point line and they fixed that weakness. Iowa did nothing to fix their weakness. Iowa only had a sluggard's chance to win that game. It was going to take very good shooting and that did not happen. Stuelke is a power forward and not a center. She is a very good power forward. Will Iowa get a real center for next season? Remains to be seen. Maybe Bluder gave it her best to get a real center last off season and just couldn't get the job done.

It has been posted numerous times. Coach Bluder tried to get several bigs in the portal but swarm didn't have enough NIL money. Unfortunately our other bigs didn't develop. Your from Texas, big oil money down there. Give to Iowa Swarm or stop complaining.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

I think we all know the reason and don’t need to beat a dead horse. Just enjoy the ride we had and move on. It is over. Bluder is a pretty good coach and an ok recruiter who seems to be getting better at the latter. The future will be bright, maybe not nationally but at least in conference.

 

[MOLHAWK]

Yeah, me too; but, that isn't what this thread is about.

And yet we were down 5 with less than 4 mins in the game and I do believe South Carolina wore us down with their depth! We do need a big but but there were many reasons we lost yesterday!

 

[BioHawk]

Like every other team in the country, Iowa didn't have an answer for a 6-7 center and a 6'5" (?) power forward. Their usual strategy they use against teams that have players they can't match up against, and that is to get them in foul trouble, did not work because everyone SC brought off the bench was just as good which is why their bench outscored ours 37-0. Honestly, even if Bluder gets someone in the portal, was there anyone that she could have gotten that could match up with Cardoso? Because if there was, they weren't on a team SC played.

Iowa had to play a perfect game to be able to win and that didn't happen. They didn't play bad, but they weren't perfect and by the 4th quarter they were too gassed to compete. From what I gather that's a pretty typical game for SC, actually.

 

[herkhatescy]

Iowa lost because it missed some shots. There were two wide open 3-pointers that Affolter missed in the 3rd quarter. With those Iowa could be leading at the 4 minute mark.

I thought Syd tried too hard to take the game in her own hands. Trying to go in for a layup with a 6'7" and 6' whatever she was at the rim was dumb. Not once but twice.

 

[texas twister]

Honestly, even if Bluder gets someone in the portal, was there anyone that she could have gotten that could match up with Cardoso? Because if there was, they weren't on a team SC played.

A center that could have just gotten 5 of those rebounds would have made a gigantic difference. 5 more for Iowa and 5 less for SC. The 5 point lead got stretched when Iowa had to get desperate. The only other way Iowa wins is by a great shooting night that didn't quite get there.

 

[BioHawk]

A center that could have just gotten 5 of those rebounds would have made a gigantic difference. 5 more for Iowa and 5 less for SC. The 5 point lead got stretched when Iowa had to get desperate. The only other way Iowa wins is by a great shooting night that didn't quite get there.

Unfortunately Gustafson graduated 5 years ago.

 

[BGHAWK]

OP certainly came up with something different to discuss that we haven't considered so far.

 

[nu2u]

A center that could have just gotten 5 of those rebounds would have made a gigantic difference. 5 more for Iowa and 5 less for SC. The 5 point lead got stretched when Iowa had to get desperate. The only other way Iowa wins is by a great shooting night that didn't quite get there.

I don’t see how anyone can honestly dispute what you pointed out. Bluder needed to add a F/C from the portal and failed. What did SC have, something like 19-20 offensive RBs? Coach Staley new what Iowa’s weakness was and brutally exploited it.

 

[nyhawk52]

SC size wore iowa down. Iowa had tired legs in the fourth quarter after boxing out and fighting for rebounds against a much larger team and it showed with many shots coming up short

 

[Grumpy Old Hawk]

No, it wasn't depth. No, it wasn't because of tired legs coming out of a tough regional. It was because Iowa did not address their weakness from last year when Iowa got demolished on the boards then too. This time around against SC, SC had about 50 rebounds to Iowa's 25 just like last year. Last year, SC wasn't much of a threat from the 3 point line and they fixed that weakness. Iowa did nothing to fix their weakness. Iowa only had a sluggard's chance to win that game. It was going to take very good shooting and that did not happen. Stuelke is a power forward and not a center. She is a very good power forward. Will Iowa get a real center for next season? Remains to be seen. Maybe Bluder gave it her best to get a real center last off season and just couldn't get the job done.

Dont matter know the female Michael Jordan is gone.

 

[Firekirknow]

There is 20 teams that she could have won multiple national titles with. There isn’t any teams she could have become the player she has.
She is going instantly light up the NBA.

 

[iowaathletes]

It was the rebounds they had the height advantage. We get more rebounds who knows how it would turn out - I think a W.

 

[BrotherHawkeye]

Like every other team in the country, Iowa didn't have an answer for a 6-7 center and a 6'5" (?) power forward. Their usual strategy they use against teams that have players they can't match up against, and that is to get them in foul trouble, did not work because everyone SC brought off the bench was just as good which is why their bench outscored ours 37-0. Honestly, even if Bluder gets someone in the portal, was there anyone that she could have gotten that could match up with Cardoso? Because if there was, they weren't on a team SC played.

Iowa had to play a perfect game to be able to win and that didn't happen. They didn't play bad, but they weren't perfect and by the 4th quarter they were too gassed to compete. From what I gather that's a pretty typical game for SC, actually.

 

[abby97]

Iowa did a great job with the parts we had. Everyone knows this but it never seems to come up enough, college sports are inherently unfair. In the MLB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, etc there is a draft and the worst teams get the best draft picks, the better teams have to play a harder schedule. In college, the best teams get to pick and choose who they want and everyone else is left fighting over the scraps. Iowa had 1 five star which made a huge difference, but one five star has a tough time beating 7-10 five stars. Unless something changes to make college sports more competitive, the best we can hope for is a Caitlyn Clark every 100 years or so.

 

[hawkjt]

Betts of UCLA was our hope. If we had landed her, we win.
Instead we have to face her the next two seasons.

 

[BlameIt]

IOWA LOST because South Carolina scored more points.

 

[biggreydogs]

 

[uihawk82]

Defensive rebounding is primarily a function of solid D. As a defense gets broken down it's rebounding position gets compromised.

While she is a great offensive coach, Bluder hasn't had a good defensive team at Iowa in 24 years. A big out of the portal would have only helped marginally on the boards.

I know many of you don't want to hear this. But this is the truth of the matter

Our bigs, which werent tall compared to many teams, either got pushed under the boards or set up to far under the board. When that shot goes up the rebounders need to turn and use their back side to carve out a hawkeye controlled area 4 feet out from the rim.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

This team went 34-5 and we're trying to fix it?

A 6' 7" center for Iowa would have helped, but USC had TWO bigs with 27 boards. The rest of the team got 22 boards - only 3 less than the Hawks got for the game. USC was bigger and faster at every position

The Hawks were a wonderful basketball team. I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[khael-hawk]

Betts of UCLA was our hope. If we had landed her, we win.
Instead we have to face her the next two seasons.

Then why didn't UCLA beat LSU?

I'm really starting to loathe our fanbase.

 

[BGHAWK]

This team went 34-5 and we're trying to fix it?

A 6' 7" center for Iowa would have helped, but USC had TWO bigs with 27 boards. The rest of the team got 22 boards - only 3 less than the Hawks got for the game. USC was bigger and faster at every position

The Hawks were a wonderful basketball team. I wouldn't change a thing.

All of this Lisa failed to do this or do that and we needed a better big, and woulda shoulda coulda etc etc etc, and the Hawks were in it with the greatest WBB team of the last few years only down 6 and the other team performed better the last 3 minutes. I'm extremely happy with the team we had.

 

[bunsen82]

No, it wasn't depth. No, it wasn't because of tired legs coming out of a tough regional. It was because Iowa did not address their weakness from last year when Iowa got demolished on the boards then too. This time around against SC, SC had about 50 rebounds to Iowa's 25 just like last year. Last year, SC wasn't much of a threat from the 3 point line and they fixed that weakness. Iowa did nothing to fix their weakness. Iowa only had a sluggard's chance to win that game. It was going to take very good shooting and that did not happen. Stuelke is a power forward and not a center. She is a very good power forward. Will Iowa get a real center for next season? Remains to be seen. Maybe Bluder gave it her best to get a real center last off season and just couldn't get the job done.

Umm, there was 1 player that would have made a difference on the portal last year and that was Betts who wanted to stay out on the west coast. Then you had the other undersized PF who went to LSU. After that nothing. Iowa is also a team that beliefs in philosophies and as players and building them up. They don't go the merc route. I am fine with how this team has performed the last 2 years.

 

[TheGuy9]

No, it wasn't depth. No, it wasn't because of tired legs coming out of a tough regional. It was because Iowa did not address their weakness from last year when Iowa got demolished on the boards then too. This time around against SC, SC had about 50 rebounds to Iowa's 25 just like last year. Last year, SC wasn't much of a threat from the 3 point line and they fixed that weakness. Iowa did nothing to fix their weakness. Iowa only had a sluggard's chance to win that game. It was going to take very good shooting and that did not happen. Stuelke is a power forward and not a center. She is a very good power forward. Will Iowa get a real center for next season? Remains to be seen. Maybe Bluder gave it her best to get a real center last off season and just couldn't get the job done.

This is just babble at the best. How many 6'7" female players do you think there are? Where was Iowa going to find these great rebounders? Just asking because your statement is silly at best. How many players did Iowa play outside the last minute of the game. The answer is 7. One of those subs played 5 minutes. The other played 13 minutes. Three of Iowa's played a full 40 minutes. Those players shot a whopping 38% from the field and much worse in the second half. A cursory look says that it was depth and tired legs. An indepth llook would only reinforce that.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

It has been posted numerous times. Coach Bluder tried to get several bigs in the portal but swarm didn't have enough NIL money. Unfortunately our other bigs didn't develop. Your from Texas, big oil money down there. Give to Iowa Swarm or stop complaining.

this is just wrong on sooooooo many levels. screw the swarm , screw NIL

 

[shudaddy]

I don’t see how anyone can honestly dispute what you pointed out. Bluder needed to add a F/C from the portal and failed. What did SC have, something like 19-20 offensive RBs? Coach Staley new what Iowa’s weakness was and brutally exploited it.

Agreed. There were more than 2-3 true 5’s in the portal would have been a significant upgrade from the ones we had. Even if you think the other portal 5’s were trash, it’s become very common to let non-portaled players know you’re interested…..& someone would have taken the opportunity to play for a title in sold out arenas.

It was obvious coming into the season that having a good big(even just top 20-25) was our one glaring weakness. I’m guessing they reluctantly went after only a couple top players & didn’t want to pursue others beyond that to stay loyal to current players &/or risk impacting team chemistry. I get that to an extent, but when you have a generational player with an experienced core….you take that risk to compete with the top teams of 5-star talent & legit bigs.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

maybe they thought o'grady could be up to the task? maybe not....

 

[KFsdisciple]

No, it wasn't depth. No, it wasn't because of tired legs coming out of a tough regional. It was because Iowa did not address their weakness from last year when Iowa got demolished on the boards then too. This time around against SC, SC had about 50 rebounds to Iowa's 25 just like last year. Last year, SC wasn't much of a threat from the 3 point line and they fixed that weakness. Iowa did nothing to fix their weakness. Iowa only had a sluggard's chance to win that game. It was going to take very good shooting and that did not happen. Stuelke is a power forward and not a center. She is a very good power forward. Will Iowa get a real center for next season? Remains to be seen. Maybe Bluder gave it her best to get a real center last off season and just couldn't get the job done.

Typo or WOB?

 

[onionman1]

No, it wasn't depth. No, it wasn't because of tired legs coming out of a tough regional. It was because Iowa did not address their weakness from last year when Iowa got demolished on the boards then too. This time around against SC, SC had about 50 rebounds to Iowa's 25 just like last year. Last year, SC wasn't much of a threat from the 3 point line and they fixed that weakness. Iowa did nothing to fix their weakness. Iowa only had a sluggard's chance to win that game. It was going to take very good shooting and that did not happen. Stuelke is a power forward and not a center. She is a very good power forward. Will Iowa get a real center for next season? Remains to be seen. Maybe Bluder gave it her best to get a real center last off season and just couldn't get the job done.

She's already said that she tried to get a big from the portal, but the NIL cost was more than they could pay for any of the ones they wanted.

 

[onionman1]

Then why didn't UCLA beat LSU?

I'm really starting to loathe our fanbase.

Do you think having Betts playing for Iowa in the SC game would have made a difference?

 

[hawkjt]

Do you think having Betts playing for Iowa in the SC game would have made a difference?

I do...Betts is not only tall but has big frame that can carve out space in paint like cardoza.

 

[hawkeyekid]

Oh you figured it out. You should have emailed every team South Carolina played and told them.

 

[troutstamp1]

No, it wasn't depth. No, it wasn't because of tired legs coming out of a tough regional. It was because Iowa did not address their weakness from last year when Iowa got demolished on the boards then too. This time around against SC, SC had about 50 rebounds to Iowa's 25 just like last year. Last year, SC wasn't much of a threat from the 3 point line and they fixed that weakness. Iowa did nothing to fix their weakness. Iowa only had a sluggard's chance to win that game. It was going to take very good shooting and that did not happen. Stuelke is a power forward and not a center. She is a very good power forward. Will Iowa get a real center for next season? Remains to be seen. Maybe Bluder gave it her best to get a real center last off season and just couldn't get the job done.

Iowa lost because we couldn't hit outside shots consistently in the 2nd half. When we hit outside shots and trade 3 for 2 then the rebounding could be neutralized like against LSU and teams with bigger players. Im guessing if you looked back in the few loses we had we were out rebounded but also probably struggled from the field at the same time. Does Iowa need a big athletic center yes but that didn't cost us the championship.

 

[KFsdisciple]

South Carolina was the best team all year long. Iowa lost the game because they played the best team in the country and sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the undefeated team who basically steam rolled their way to a national title.