“Shots aren’t going down as well for us, we’re not playing with as much energy,” senior Jarrod Uthoff said. “That’s what it all boils down to. We’re not playing with enough energy.”
Uthoff rattled off one of the symptoms without even knowing he did. Four of the Hawkeyes' five starters, including Uthoff, have averaged 30-plus minutes per game in conference play. That’s the most among the top five teams in the league.
Coach Fran McCaffery generally uses a seven-man rotation, so there hasn’t been a lot of rest available.
Fatigue may also be why the Hawkeyes haven’t been able to pull out games late. Four of their recent losses have all come within a four-point margin, including their home loss to Indiana on March 1.
Iowa entered Thursday’s game leading the conference in 3-point percentage defense, allowing opponents to connect on just 31 percent a game. The Illini made nine of their first 17 and finished 10-of-23 from behind the arc. They weren’t hitting miracle shots or a lot of contested shots either. Iowa allowed penetration and kick outs for wide-open looks or had defenders run off screens.
“We’re not dialed in on defense as we were in the beginning of the season as a team,” Jok said. “We definitely need to pick that up when we start the NCAA tournament.”
Ultimately, McCaffery will turn to his four seniors in Clemmons, Gesell, Uthoff and Woodbury to help the Hawkeyes recapture the rhythm they had earlier in the season.
“When you’re a senior, I think you should realize that tournament play is different,” McCaffery said. “It just is. And you’ve got to be ready.”
The entire article: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebask...iowa-running-out-of-time-to-snap-out-of-slump
Uthoff rattled off one of the symptoms without even knowing he did. Four of the Hawkeyes' five starters, including Uthoff, have averaged 30-plus minutes per game in conference play. That’s the most among the top five teams in the league.
Coach Fran McCaffery generally uses a seven-man rotation, so there hasn’t been a lot of rest available.
Fatigue may also be why the Hawkeyes haven’t been able to pull out games late. Four of their recent losses have all come within a four-point margin, including their home loss to Indiana on March 1.
Iowa entered Thursday’s game leading the conference in 3-point percentage defense, allowing opponents to connect on just 31 percent a game. The Illini made nine of their first 17 and finished 10-of-23 from behind the arc. They weren’t hitting miracle shots or a lot of contested shots either. Iowa allowed penetration and kick outs for wide-open looks or had defenders run off screens.
“We’re not dialed in on defense as we were in the beginning of the season as a team,” Jok said. “We definitely need to pick that up when we start the NCAA tournament.”
Ultimately, McCaffery will turn to his four seniors in Clemmons, Gesell, Uthoff and Woodbury to help the Hawkeyes recapture the rhythm they had earlier in the season.
“When you’re a senior, I think you should realize that tournament play is different,” McCaffery said. “It just is. And you’ve got to be ready.”
The entire article: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebask...iowa-running-out-of-time-to-snap-out-of-slump
