Beneficial or not to play michigan again before the dance?

[desihawk]

Not withstanding today’s great win, I’m reading and getting the sense that Iowa (in particular Garza) is hobbling to the finish line and that michigan is superior at all spots including the 5. Based on these, I was pondering whether running into mich again before the dance helps or hinders a good run in the dance. Random question i know.

 

[Hawksfinal4]

Play whoever is in front of you . If it plays out we play them in BTT final. I’m good win or lose

 

[unoHawkeye]

I actually think that playing Michigan made Iowa a lot better team and it will help them the rest of the year. I would more than welcome another opportunity to play them in the Big Ten tournament, but would like to dodge them in the Dance if possible

 

[Franisdaman]

Play whoever is in front of you . If it plays out we play them in BTT final. I’m good win or lose

a win over the Illini & Michigan would not only help their seed (2 minimum, maybe a 1?), it would give them tons of confidence heading into the Big Dance

We got our butts kicked by Michigan; it would be nice to give them some payback

 

[hawkedoff]

Luka won't get shot down twice

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

Why the heck would any Iowa fan not want to play Michigan in the BTT? It basically means that Iowa would be in the BTT championship game and having a chance to make their case for a #1 NCAA seed.

 

[HawkLogic]

Would be great to play Michigan in BTT....I think the Hawks would lose again, but they'd be better prepared if they
ever meet a 3rd time. Really hard to beat teams 3 times when you factor in the randomness of the 3ball going down.

 

[FranklinHawk]

Not withstanding today’s great win, I’m reading and getting the sense that Iowa (in particular Garza) is hobbling to the finish line and that michigan is superior at all spots including the 5. Based on these, I was pondering whether running into mich again before the dance helps or hinders a good run in the dance. Random question i know.

Hobbling to the finish line??? They've won 5 of 6...

 

[Suterman]

It would be beneficial because it would probably mean we are in the B1G tournament finals. Another thrashing by Michigan would not be great however.

 

[Bee93]

Doubt winning out gets us to a 1 seed. The B1g championship game is meaningless to NCAA seeding. If we make it to the championship game we will have cemented a 2 seed for sure. That’s probably our ceiling depending on how the next week shakes out.

 

[littlez]

If you get the double bye do you play Fri-Sunday? It’s been a tough season for these guys. Luka has looked very tired honestly the last 2-3 weeks until yesterday. Whole team just seemed a step quicker. I think our ceiling for the NCAA is probably a 2. Keep winning in the Big Ten tournament you probably match up with Illinois in the semis and Michigan in the finals. 2 incredibly tough games, clearly tougher than our first 2 NCAA games. I know as fans we all want a B1G tournament title but if it’s at the expense of tired legs I’m not sure what the advantage is.

 

[MepoDawg#]

Not withstanding today’s great win, I’m reading and getting the sense that Iowa (in particular Garza) is hobbling to the finish line and that michigan is superior at all spots including the 5. Based on these, I was pondering whether running into mich again before the dance helps or hinders a good run in the dance. Random question i know.

6-3 in February, Fran Fade is alive and well.

 

[RocknRollface]

Id like to see the game again in the btt championship, of course I'd be ok if someone knocked UM out too so we could win it.

But I'd be interested to see what we do differently.

I would stop trying to attack Dickinson on the block, and instead put him in screen and roll.

Michigan switches screens and he will switch onto the pg. Ive see him do it but college teams don't seem to have the focus to attack the same thing every trip like an NBA team will.

Id run that action every time down court and see how often you can get him isolated on a pg. Then play off that.

Also let Luka face him up from different areas on the court, see if you can go around him.

 

[daniel22]

I think any time you test yourself vs superior talent you can only get better. I would rather play those teams prior to the dance. Hopefully we win out in the regular season and snag a 2 seed in the big dance

 

[desihawk]

Hobbling to the finish line??? They've won 5 of 6...

If you get the double bye do you play Fri-Sunday? It’s been a tough season for these guys. Luka has looked very tired honestly the last 2-3 weeks until yesterday. Whole team just seemed a step quicker. I think our ceiling for the NCAA is probably a 2. Keep winning in the Big Ten tournament you probably match up with Illinois in the semis and Michigan in the finals. 2 incredibly tough games, clearly tougher than our first 2 NCAA games. I know as fans we all want a B1G tournament title but if it’s at the expense of tired legs I’m not sure what the advantage is.

6-3 in February, Fran Fade is alive and well.

I may not have worded my post very well because i wasn't trying to be critical of Fran or the team at all. Basically, we finally find ourselves with a team and situation that is conducive to a deepish (elite 8 potential) run in the tourney. But a lot depends on how fresh we are mentally and physically and whether we can sustain a high level of play. If we encounter michigan again, what does it do to our legs (as littlez points out) and if we lose badly does it affect us mentally. Even in the early rounds of the ncaas we are likely to play small schools who will deploy athletic/quick teams likely with fresher legs and with nothing to lose. To weave through such teams, do a couple heavyweight b1g bouts help us or hinder? As an analogy, did MSU and Iowa bludgeon each other (mentally and physically) in the FB b1g championship in 2015 (both teams were much better than they showed in their playoff game and Rose bowl respectively)?
So this is only a theoretical question to shoot the breeze (with no jab intended at all).
Cheers.

 

[BBHawk]

Id like to see the game again in the btt championship, of course I'd be ok if someone knocked UM out too so we could win it.

But I'd be interested to see what we do differently.

I would stop trying to attack Dickinson on the block, and instead put him in screen and roll.

Michigan switches screens and he will switch onto the pg. Ive see him do it but college teams don't seem to have the focus to attack the same thing every trip like an NBA team will.

Id run that action every time down court and see how often you can get him isolated on a pg. Then play off that.

Also let Luka face him up from different areas on the court, see if you can around him.

This. He never shoots beyond 10 feet. He has yet to make a 3 pt goal this year. Have Luka keep him outside so he cannot use his wide body to block out on O and to plug up the middle on D. And Luka can feast at the 3 when Dickinson sags off.

 

[RocknRollface]

Luka won't get shot down twice

I think he would need to change how he attacks.

Less post ups, more face ups.

He can't move Dickinson or get him off his feet because he's just like Luka but taller so he needs to use his shooting to get HD off balance and try to go around him.

 

[BBHawk]

I may not have worded my post very well because i wasn't trying to be critical of Fran or the team at all. Basically, we finally find ourselves with a team and situation that is conducive to a deepish (elite 8 potential) run in the tourney. But a lot depends on how fresh we are mentally and physically and whether we can sustain a high level of play. If we encounter michigan again, what does it do to our legs (as littlez points out) and if we lose badly does it affect us mentally. Even in the early rounds of the ncaas we are likely to play small schools who will deploy athletic/quick teams likely with fresher legs and with nothing to lose. To weave through such teams, do a couple heavyweight b1g bouts help us or hinder? As an analogy, did MSU and Iowa bludgeon each other (mentally and physically) in the FB b1g championship in 2015 (both teams were much better than they showed in their playoff game and Rose bowl respectively)?
So this is only a theoretical question to shoot the breeze (with no jab intended at all).
Cheers.

This is not a mentally weak team (in spite of what some posters have said!) They have bounced back time and again and won under difficult circumstances. I seriously doubt that they would get walked over in a rematch with MI but, if it happened, they would flush it and move on. LOTS to play for.

 

[hawkedoff]

I think he would need to change how he attacks.

Less post ups, more face ups.

He can't move Dickinson or get him off his feet because he's just like Luka but taller so he needs to use his shooting to get HD off balance and try to go around him.

I agree. We also need people rotating into the lane and at the three point line for easy passes from Luka. In addition don't shy away....go through hunter and force them to call the foul. Luka was trying to footwork his way into easy layups like he does with others and it's not going to work. Go directly at him and force them to call it. If hunter gets a few more blocks but picks up fouls who cares. Set one of our players in a position to get the block or rebound knowing luka is going at him. Dictate the play at hunter on everything and get him in foil trouble

 

[FranklinHawk]

I'm personally less concerned with a BTT title than I am around what that might mean for seeding. If the Hawks were to win their final 2 regular season games and beat UM (likely ranked #2 at that point) in the final of the tournament, that could very well end in a 1 seed in the NCAAs. If so, that's huge because it means no chance to see Gonzaga, Baylor, or Michigan again until the Final 4.

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

Doubt winning out gets us to a 1 seed. The B1g championship game is meaningless to NCAA seeding. If we make it to the championship game we will have cemented a 2 seed for sure. That’s probably our ceiling depending on how the next week shakes out.

I'd like to hear more about your reasoning on this. The NCAA #1 seeds will almost certainly be Gonzaga, Baylor, Michigan and a second B1G team. Assuming Iowa wins their last 2 reg season games and Illinois at least 1 of their last 2, the winner of Iowa-Illinois in the BTT would have to be considered the frontrunner for the 4th #1 seed, and if that team were to beat Michigan in the finals I would consider that team a #1 seed lock.

 

[RocknRollface]

This is not a mentally weak team (in spite of what some posters have said!) They have bounced back time and again and won under difficult circumstances. I seriously doubt that they would get walked over in a rematch with MI but, if it happened, they would flush it and move on. LOTS to play for.

If Iowa has a mental weakness its overconfidence after good shooting performances.

They're been at their most focused and best efforts after a loss.

I think they've experienced enough ups and downs to get that out of the system now as the D has been pretty consistent the last few weeks.

 

[RocknRollface]

I'd like to hear more about your reasoning on this. The NCAA #1 seeds will almost certainly be Gonzaga, Baylor, Michigan and a second B1G team. Assuming Iowa wins their last 2 reg season games and Illinois at least 1 of their last 2, the winner of Iowa-Illinois in the BTT would have to be considered the frontrunner for the 4th #1 seed, and if that team were to beat Michigan in the finals I would consider that team a #1 seed lock.

Thats not crazy.

 

[paladinhawk]

I'd like to hear more about your reasoning on this. The NCAA #1 seeds will almost certainly be Gonzaga, Baylor, Michigan and a second B1G team. Assuming Iowa wins their last 2 reg season games and Illinois at least 1 of their last 2, the winner of Iowa-Illinois in the BTT would have to be considered the frontrunner for the 4th #1 seed, and if that team were to beat Michigan in the finals I would consider that team a #1 seed lock.

Alabama and Houston both have a chance to be a #1 seed. If MI wins the Big10 tournament I think Iowa, Illinois, and OhioState will be at best 2 seeds.

I do agree that if Iowa should be a lock if they win the BTT.

 

[Ronman]

I gotta say, I like how our final conference schedule plays out. Rest the team a bit for a couple of days before taking on Nebraska on Thursday and then, Wisconsin on Sunday for Seniors Night. We owe Nebraska for that embarrassment last season and I would truly be surprised if we can't get up for Bucky in our home finale for Bohannon's and Garza's farewell game.

 

[TKingpin]

If we get a #2 seed, I want it to be in the bracket of this 4th team. I would prefer a Regional Final against anyone EXCEPT Michigan, Baylor or Gonzaga. If it has to be one of those 3, I think a rematch with the Zags would be preferable. We didn’t guard anyone, shot 4-30 from the 3-point line AND allowed their small forward to get 18 rebounds. We still only lost by 11 and Luka had all of their big men in foul trouble.

I don’t think a repeat of that loss happens. Suggs is a great player, but him repeating that 6-6 start from 3 wouldn’t happen again, either.

 

[Whinny]

If we were to play Michigan again, I honestly don't think Dickenson could get the best of Luka a second time. Luka is too smart, strong and relentlessly savvy to allow that to happen.

 

[Bee93]

I'd like to hear more about your reasoning on this. The NCAA #1 seeds will almost certainly be Gonzaga, Baylor, Michigan and a second B1G team. Assuming Iowa wins their last 2 reg season games and Illinois at least 1 of their last 2, the winner of Iowa-Illinois in the BTT would have to be considered the frontrunner for the 4th #1 seed, and if that team were to beat Michigan in the finals I would consider that team a #1 seed lock.

I think your premise of a #1 seed “almost certainly being...a second B1G team” is flawed. As is the belief that the B1g championship game having any bearing on seeding. That game is too late for the committee to wait and fill out the 1 seed line. I’d love us to win out and be a number 1, but really feel the two losses to Indiana disqualifies us.

 

[cleotishaywood]

If we were to play Michigan again, I honestly don't think Dickenson could get the best of Luka a second time. Luka is too smart, strong and relentlessly savvy to allow that to happen.

Luka can be more lethal bringing Dickinson out to the perimeter and draining 3's over him!

 

[Mohawkeye]

I think your premise of a #1 seed “almost certainly being...a second B1G team” is flawed. As is the belief that the B1g championship game having any bearing on seeding. That game is too late for the committee to wait and fill out the 1 seed line. I’d love us to win out and be a number 1, but really feel the two losses to Indiana disqualifies us.

Houston has a lost to Tulsa and ECU. They have zero good wins. If we win out and lose to Michigan in the BTT title game that means we beat Illinois again, and probably another ranked team. I don’t see how that doesn’t get us a #1 seed.

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

I think your premise of a #1 seed “almost certainly being...a second B1G team” is flawed. As is the belief that the B1g championship game having any bearing on seeding. That game is too late for the committee to wait and fill out the 1 seed line. I’d love us to win out and be a number 1, but really feel the two losses to Indiana disqualifies us.

You have a right to your opinion of course. I'm just curious as to who will take the Big Ten team's place as a more worthy #1. Is it Houston with their grand total of 3 Quad 1 games and 3 losses worse than Iowa's to Indiana and zero good wins, or Alabama with no quality wins since mid-January and losses to 3 non-tournament teams?

 

[KuwaitHawk]

I actually think that playing Michigan made Iowa a lot better team and it will help them the rest of the year. I would more than welcome another opportunity to play them in the Big Ten tournament, but would like to dodge them in the Dance if possible

Playing them in the dance would be at the F4 level.

 

[unoHawkeye]

Playing them in the dance would be at the F4 level.

Could be E8 but yeah I see your point