Early Top 25 Prediction

[HoustonREDHawk]

Cook's conference advanced metrics tell the truth. His player efficiency rating is only 16.7 and a WS/40 of only .072 in conference play.

His total, including non-conference opponents, was a solid PER of 19.3 and WS/40 of .122.

He did well in non-conference play but was below average in Big Ten play. For all the things he does well, his liabilities including, inability to shoot, poor FT average, below average defense and a high turnover rate, made him an average player at best.

He won't be as difficult to replace as some believe. Some may point to his energy like the second half vs Tennessee but his poor play in the first half of the Tenn and Cincy games was largely responsible for the large deficits Iowa incurred.

Secondly, his style of play contrasts with the rest of the roster. He can be a black hole when he receives the ball without the ability to pass out to open shooters. Players like Nunge with more range will be able to spread the floor more. Nunge should be ideal in the pick and role because unlike Garza, he can handle the ball and unlike Cook, he can hit the 15 footer.

If Cook is back I think he'll add value and the type of skill set we don't have elsewhere on the roster but I also feel comfortable with Nunge, Pemsl, Garza and Kriener handling the 4-5 spots.

Good info. Pretty much confirms what my eyes have seen. The spectacular dunks just don't make up for the rest of Tyler's game most of the time. A lot depends on how much Nunge has progressed. I wish Cook would come back and focus primarily on playing defense and rebounding, but I doubt that will happen.

 

[hawkjt]

I am concerned about being probably among the bottom three least athletic teams in the and then losing our most athletic player.
Watching TT and Virginia big guys last nite made me think about how slow our returning bigs will be by comparison. Quick explosive bugs all over the court last nite. TC is our only guy even close.

 

[TampaHawkfan]

It's fun message board fodder but pre-season picks mean squat. Whether Iowa is ranked or not.. Everyone has to go out and get it done on the court. There are surprise teams, and others disappoint.

But #9 does seem high to me.. I would have guessed maybe 22-23 or so pre-season.

 

[brokenarrow73]

Beat writer for the Big East just curious in thoughts seeing Iowa’s ranking. USA today too early has Iowa at 16

Brad Cavallaro (@BradCav2)
4/7/19, 2:22 PM
Too Early top 25, Unc moves in if/when they get Anthony. Will change w/NBA/transfers

1 UK
2 UVA
3 MSU
4 Mich
5 Miss St
6 Ariz
7 FSU
8 Duke w/Tre
9 Iowa
10 Oregon
11 Cinci
12 Mary
13 Creigh
14 SH
15 KU
16 Fla
17 Marq
18 Utah St
19 VCU
20 OSU
21 T

22 Baylor
23 Hou
24 Xav
25 NCST

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

First, is it really reasonable to compare Iowa to the national finalists? If so, you got us....we are not sufficiently talented to compete for the national title. Since we haven't made the Sweet 16 for 20 years, the Regional Final for 32 years and the FF for 39 years the inability to compete for the national title probably shouldn't surprise people.

There have been four Iowa teams in the last 20 years that have won 23 or more games. Neither of the 25 win teams (06 & 12) even featured an NCAA win (Rd 1 loss, NIT Finals). The other season was 2001-which will be recalled as the miracle win in the BTT after having a losing record in conference.

Second, the talent level on Iowa's roster is the best and deepest its been since that Sweet 16 team and more generally the Settles, Woolridge, Kingsbury, Bowen, Millard squad from 95-96.

Now, we've made the NCAA four of the last six seasons-which hasn't happened since Acie Earl graduated-26 years ago. This year we won 22 reg season games and an NCAA game. The players are getting better and the record is improving.

In the real world, where performance and outcomes do not exist in an ideal vacuum, the Iowa trend line is up.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

I am concerned about being probably among the bottom three least athletic teams in the and then losing our most athletic player.
Watching TT and Virginia big guys last nite made me think about how slow our returning bigs will be by comparison. Quick explosive bugs all over the court last nite. TC is our only guy even close.

Which means Iowa finished ahead of at least five more athletic teams in the B!G. That must mean good coaching. Or it could mean there a whole bunch of athletic guys that aren't necessarily good basketball players. Not the same thing you know.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

I was a bit surprised yesterday looking at ESPN's Way Too Early Bracketology (I'm assuming it's Lunardi's take on it). They had Iowa as a #3 seed which would be fantastic obviously, so that would put us in that top 9-12 range. Please make it so!

 

[cosmo90]

I bet that they are in every preseason ranking. Top 10 seems a bit high but they will be between 10-20 in all of them.

Iowa is not even in Seth Davis' Top 45 for next year in the Athletic.

Illinois, Indiana, tOSU, Wisky, Nebraska all in there.

Guess that makes us 10th at best in the B10 according to Seth. I love it. He's horrible at picking games.