With road wins looking to be a rare commodity so far, is the road to the league title more wide open than we thought pre-season.
Can this Iowa team be a top tier finisher?
Can this Iowa team be a top tier finisher?
B1G more wide open than we thought?
- Thread starter HawkamongstGophers
- Start date
I think any team that shoots the 3 ball well has a good chance to steal some wins, so I say we do
The winner of the big ten might have 5 or 6 losses with the depth of the league. If they have aspirations to finish in the top 4 they will have to defend home court. Packing Carver is a must.
I would guess Michigan, OSU and MSU are the teams that end up at the top eventually. But with Minnesota beating OSU by double digits in the Barn, literally any team can beat another in the Big 10 this year. Watching Minnesota play Iowa, one would never think that team could beat the Buckeyes.
I have been late listening to some podcasts lately....and hear a variety of sports commentators making comments like, "This Minnesota team is garbage" and "This ISU team isn't very good" and that theme is repeated many times with many different teams...
What Nebraska, Minnesota, and other teams have shown us is that many of these teams are capable of playing at a high level on a given day. Labeling teams as terrible is typically hyperbole....overlooking them is arrogance.
Fran was right when he said the B10 was really good (can't remember his actual words) but most of us including me thought that was overblown....turns out it was not.
12 out of 14 teams are 1-1 in conference play and the home teams are 12-0. Hopefully this Iowa team can continue it's clean and steady play...they aren't flashy but they are effective.
What Nebraska, Minnesota, and other teams have shown us is that many of these teams are capable of playing at a high level on a given day. Labeling teams as terrible is typically hyperbole....overlooking them is arrogance.
Fran was right when he said the B10 was really good (can't remember his actual words) but most of us including me thought that was overblown....turns out it was not.
12 out of 14 teams are 1-1 in conference play and the home teams are 12-0. Hopefully this Iowa team can continue it's clean and steady play...they aren't flashy but they are effective.
I think this year there's lots of good teams, but few "great" teams, both in the NCAA overall and in the b10 specifically. Heck, Kentucky and Duke have both lost at home to mid-major teams so far. We'll probably see a return to the norm somewhat as the season goes on, but clearly we don't have a clear top 2 or 3 so far.
People want to make snap judgments about everything (we all do to some extent). Iowa State stinks because they looked like hot garbage against Iowa, when the previous game they beat a ranked Seton Hall. Iowa is junk after getting blown out by DePaul or playing no defense against Michigan. Most anything can happen in 1 game in basketball.
I think Fran's comment was something along the lines of "the conference is better than it's ever been." Which is something he says every year. I kind of like it when every team thinks they have a chance against everyone else.
It looks like Parity Year. Heck, we might end up finishing 4th tied with four or five other teams.
If JBO is done (not going to argue one way or another) and Pemsl continues to look like he just can't go more than 6-10 minutes a game, we are seriously depth challenged in a league that is extremely deep. Garza might be the most improved player in the league, and possibly the country, Frederick has been a huge surprise and hopefully Weiskamp is hitting his stride. Even a hampered JBo just brings such a calming influence on the floor, like the Minny game w/his 10 assists. If he's out that obviously means more time for Joe T, who I think we all think is going to do very good things, possibly even this year. He's already a way better defender than JBo, but he's a Freshman and we're going to have to live w/his mistakes. Not much depth up front. Just wonder if Luka can hold up with the B1G grind all year. I honestly think a losing record in conference has a chance to make the tourney this year. I think we're a bubble team moving forward.
Guardwise, I think we'll be okay, but I'm hoping either Pemsl/Till can give us quality minutes off the bench or Patrick can return to action at some point. Otherwise, the length of the b10 play could cause us trouble in late February/march.
Let's remember that it's still early. Some teams will have a key injury or two. Others will improve much more than the rest.
It will be much like a normal season. Win every game at home and try to still a few on the road. Even crappy teams will be competitive in their own arena.
With that being said, a team that goes 14-6 in the conference might just win it this year.
It will be much like a normal season. Win every game at home and try to still a few on the road. Even crappy teams will be competitive in their own arena.
With that being said, a team that goes 14-6 in the conference might just win it this year.
If Jordan shuts it down for the year, Joe T will get a baptism by fire and will have to play a little more under control. (Not too much, Joe. That's what we love about you.) Not sure yet we will get much positive from Bakari, but I'm hoping we will eventually see the reason he was brought in. If nothing else, he can provide a few minutes, if not offense.
Personally I thought with JBo we might have clawed into a 4th place finish. Now, not so sure, this team is thin all of sudden, 7 deep, sans a few minutes from Pemsl and Till may be what we see from here out.
Not at all surprised if we made it to a double bye. One, Iowa is due for some luck (big picture). Two, the boys are good shooters and a good shooting team always has a chance to pull an upset. Three, we have a dominating center-which means the boys can score inside and out.
Four, Iowa is due for some big picture luck.
Four, Iowa is due for some big picture luck.
We will be less deep but the defense will be much improved with JoeT and Bakari taking Bohannon’s minutes.
I also think CJ and Wieskamp are nearly as good as JBo making threes and they will get to shoot it more.
I don’t see a drop off in scoring as long as no one else gets injured.
I also think CJ and Wieskamp are nearly as good as JBo making threes and they will get to shoot it more.
I don’t see a drop off in scoring as long as no one else gets injured.
