Dembele needs to sit

[Mohawkeye]

I agree Dembele is not a PF. He gets lost on defense. He had some good minutes vs ISU backing up FReeman at center and he can be positive if he's making his 3's---but its too early to say he can shoot 3-ball at high enough percentage to be a positive.

Dembele hasn't shown much touch inside the paint--maybe it will come, but you can't post him up and expect him to get a basket, so that is limitation with him at center.

PF is a position of need.

Traore is athletic enought to play PF, but on small side and lacks offense. Payton is lacking muscle to defense/rebound the opposing PF and unfortunately, he's a bad shooter this season so far.

I see a team with some guys that at times look good on offense. They get abused really bad on the boards and defense is so-so. Fran has an unorthodox, interesting team---but I doubt that translates into any type of special season.They have to improve a lot from here to do any better than what Fran teams typically do...ie. 10-10 in B1G to 11-9, DOA in NCAA tourney

Dembele’s shot looks pretty good. I think it’s legit. He should never dribble or post up, he doesn’t have the inside game.

I liked the quickness of the 3 guard starting lin up tonight. If Freeman plays smart I think it could work. Overall the defense was pretty good, especially in the first half.

 

[Bearhawk0505]

I would prefer Fran go more athletic and start Sandfort at the 4. Start Thelwell in the backcourt with Harding and Dix. Dembele will be needed this year for plenty of minutes. He has looked decent, which is pretty much what I expected.

I like the lineup tonight. Still need more Traore though.

 

[Rifler]

Dembele looked good tonight,.. perhaps coming off the bench lit a fire under his ass?

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Interesting that if anyone needed to sit more last night, it was Freeman. He was regularly getting lost on defense and leaving us with no big guarding the basket or trying to get a defensive rebound. Dembele was doing a better job of not wandering off from the basket, and his shot looked beautiful last night. Teach him how to dunk, and we might have something.

Any theories why Owen's conditioning seems to be so bad? He looks much slower than he did last year, and seems to get winded pretty quickly. That shouldn't be the case more than a third of the way through the season. I thought Fran should have brought Dembele in to give Freeman a blow in the last 7-8 min, when Iowa basically fell apart on offense.

You aren't going to win very many games with the opponent getting 17 offensive boards to your 5. That was basically the game.

 

[Mohawkeye]

Interesting that if anyone needed to sit more last night, it was Freeman. He was regularly getting lost on defense and leaving us with no big guarding the basket or trying to get a defensive rebound. Dembele was doing a better job of not wandering off from the basket, and his shot looked beautiful last night. Teach him how to dunk, and we might have something.

Any theories why Owen's conditioning seems to be so bad? He looks much slower than he did last year, and seems to get winded pretty quickly. That shouldn't be the case more than a third of the way through the season. I thought Fran should have brought Dembele in to give Freeman a blow in the last 7-8 min, when Iowa basically fell apart on offense.

You aren't going to win very many games with the opponent getting 17 offensive boards to your 5. That was basically the game.

Agree. I think Freeman is taking too many risks on defense. He needs to be getting 9 rebounds a game for us. He had some sort of significant injury or illness in the summer, but I’ve never heard what it was. Hopefully his conditioning improves pretty soon.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

Interesting that if anyone needed to sit more last night, it was Freeman. He was regularly getting lost on defense and leaving us with no big guarding the basket or trying to get a defensive rebound. Dembele was doing a better job of not wandering off from the basket, and his shot looked beautiful last night. Teach him how to dunk, and we might have something.

Any theories why Owen's conditioning seems to be so bad? He looks much slower than he did last year, and seems to get winded pretty quickly. That shouldn't be the case more than a third of the way through the season. I thought Fran should have brought Dembele in to give Freeman a blow in the last 7-8 min, when Iowa basically fell apart on offense.

You aren't going to win very many games with the opponent getting 17 offensive boards to your 5. That was basically the game.

He gained weight not muscle. The lack of a real strength and conditioning program is a fran staple.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

He gained weight not muscle. The lack of a real strength and conditioning program is a fran staple.

Agree. I think Freeman is taking too many risks on defense. He needs to be getting 9 rebounds a game for us. He had some sort of significant injury or illness in the summer, but I’ve never heard what it was. Hopefully his conditioning improves pretty soon.

Whatever the issue, I hope it gets better soon. The 3 guard line up could be very effective, but only if Owen becomes the man in the middle on defense. He has taken a step backwards this year IMO, mostly because he is slower and less fit. He still has a tendency to roam and reach on defense, and that is not what we need him to do.

Very encouraged by Ladji, who finally looked like the player I thought Iowa would have this year. I do think he is better as a 5, who can guard the basket area and rebound on defense and pick and spot up for shots on offense.

 

[Hawksfinal4]

Last few games Ladji playing much better all around

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Last few games Ladji playing much better all around

Ladji will keep getting better. He even had some post up moves and a sort of dunk on a fast break.

 

[eyesofhawk]

Cute thread guys

 

[Fran-Con-2]

Last few games Ladji playing much better all around

I do think he - and the team - have been playing better after Fran’s decision to bring him off the bench.

Kind of like the Bryce Young benching. Just take some pressure off the kid then work him back into the fold.

 

[icwesthawk]

Cute thread guys

 

[perryhawk]

Please tell me he's better than this and will be a good contributor this year.... but he looks terrible on both ends of the floor now

He has been a good contributor already this year. He’s better than you thought.