I was just watching the Big Ten Basketball show and they had an elite 8 draft for the teams they would pick for the NCAA's. DeCourcy picked four and Shon Morris picked four. The teams in order were MD, OK, NC, KS, Xav, Purdue, WV and MSU. Like I said in an earlier post, I am not going to let this bother me ,it is interesting that Iowa is 4-1 against that group of teams and leading the big ten but still isn't on the list. The only comment about Iowa was from the host who simply noted that Iowa wasn't picked.
Big Ten Basketball show
- Thread starter Gary-Waterloo
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First, let me see I bleed Iowa black and gold. However, I watched this show as well, and I think these two guys took reasonable positions.
They made the following points:
1. Maryland has the best athletes in the B1G, and are very skilled. They likely have the best chance of winning it all. However, they sometimes struggle to shoot the ball, and that does seem to be a necessary requirement for a national champion. They need to get hot.
2. Purdue has unusual height, and that can be a difficult out in a short-turnaround setup. Think Gonzaga for our Hawks last year. We just were unable to prepare for that unusual matchup in the short time provided. They also have a stopper, a guy who can hold someone like a Paige or a Heild at bay for 40 minutes. They could be an upset machine.
3. What looked like a tough B1G schedule for us, starting out with MSU twice in the first two weeks, ended up a swing in our favor. We never faced Valentine at full strength. We might get to in the B1G tourney. They are much, much better every day that he gets healthier.
I agree those things are favorable in a tourney setting. Whereas our strengths (seniors, consistency, balance, etc.) benefit us more over the course of a long season.
We need to continue to do the things that we do well deep into the tourney. However, remember that MSU and Purdue couldn't hit a 3-ball in the second half...ISU did. When we have won the big games, our bench has been outstanding, that needs to continue. We have to make late game free throws...we need to continue to shoot at a 40% clip from the arc...Woody needs to stay out of foul trouble...any of those things go bad, and we could go home.
Go Hawks!
They made the following points:
1. Maryland has the best athletes in the B1G, and are very skilled. They likely have the best chance of winning it all. However, they sometimes struggle to shoot the ball, and that does seem to be a necessary requirement for a national champion. They need to get hot.
2. Purdue has unusual height, and that can be a difficult out in a short-turnaround setup. Think Gonzaga for our Hawks last year. We just were unable to prepare for that unusual matchup in the short time provided. They also have a stopper, a guy who can hold someone like a Paige or a Heild at bay for 40 minutes. They could be an upset machine.
3. What looked like a tough B1G schedule for us, starting out with MSU twice in the first two weeks, ended up a swing in our favor. We never faced Valentine at full strength. We might get to in the B1G tourney. They are much, much better every day that he gets healthier.
I agree those things are favorable in a tourney setting. Whereas our strengths (seniors, consistency, balance, etc.) benefit us more over the course of a long season.
We need to continue to do the things that we do well deep into the tourney. However, remember that MSU and Purdue couldn't hit a 3-ball in the second half...ISU did. When we have won the big games, our bench has been outstanding, that needs to continue. We have to make late game free throws...we need to continue to shoot at a 40% clip from the arc...Woody needs to stay out of foul trouble...any of those things go bad, and we could go home.
Go Hawks!
I don't understand everyone's love for Purdue. I know they have a big front court, and Hammonds is very good, but their guard play and shooting, especially from 3 is very questionable.
What about us starting 4 seniors and a junior, and with 2 senior guards? I thought that was a recipe for NCAA success also, or did they forget about that? 
I want to say this Iowa team is a little like Wisconsin last year...great offensive efficiency, low TOs. That said, Iowa hasn't had a lot of close games and hard to say how Iowa will do in squeakers. We lack great FT shooting at PG/2G, and we lack a guy you can just hand the ball to, and he goes out and gets the winning shot.
I hope we make a run to Final-4...we will see. Been waiting over 30 years.
I hope we make a run to Final-4...we will see. Been waiting over 30 years.
I like to think that Iowa's defense had a lot more to do with the difference in 3 point shooting the second half for those games. In the ISU game, they let off the gas and let ISU back in it. They learned from that game and did not allow it to happen in the MSU and Purdue games. I guess I feel like your post puts more credit to the team Iowa is playing and not to Iowa itself. In past years, how other teams played certainly had a big impact on whether or not Iowa would win the game. However, this is the first year where I feel like Iowa dictates how the game ends up. If Iowa plays well, they win by double digits. The only way a game is close is if they are not playing well, or they are playing another top 5 team like Maryland.
Eh, there are 20-30 teams this year that have a legitimate shot at making the Elite 8. It's wide open. It's not like Iowa is a can't miss to make it.
Iowa could drop a few on the road. Life is tough on the road in the Big 10. With that being said, Id take Iowa over any other team in the conference on a neutral floor.
MSU's annual end-of-season "they've figured out the best rotation" resurgence is one of the big reasons why I hope Iowa can win the B1G regular season championship and earn the #1 seed in the B1G tournament. IMO, MSU is going to finish in the 3rd slot and winning the B1G tournament as a #2 seed looks to be a far tougher road than winning the B1G tournament as a #1 seed.
I thought it somewhat interesting that three of the four teams Morris chose were coming off weekend losses.
Give me the Spartans again. Maybe Clemmons can make Brynn Forbes actually cry next time
That's a good one!
Let's hope that Clemmons' defense has Yogi Ferrell muttering to himself on Thursday night. You stop Ferrell's effectiveness and Indiana's offense is just not good; everyone is fueled through the point guard.
We need to match the number of made 3s by Indiana (it is their whole offense) and keep Woody out of foul trouble. IU turns the ball over about 19 times per game, so if we match their 3 point production and out-rebound them, we will have a LOT more 2 point field goals than the Hoosiers. I am not sure Wagner or Uhl can handle Thomas down low, though.
It would be nice if we could amp up our assist numbers, compared to our recent performances, as well.
I like that Mikey seems to have found his spot on the floor. 15 - 18 footer just inside the 3 point line. Would I PREFER it was a foot outside the 3-point line? of course... but I will take any production from Gesell ... especially since it tends to be as the shot clock is running low.
It would be nice if we could amp up our assist numbers, compared to our recent performances, as well.
I like that Mikey seems to have found his spot on the floor. 15 - 18 footer just inside the 3 point line. Would I PREFER it was a foot outside the 3-point line? of course... but I will take any production from Gesell ... especially since it tends to be as the shot clock is running low.
