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Fran's Feb-March and tourney records

uihawk82

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Nov 17, 2021
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I didnt count the first two rebuilding years. There are a whole lot of early exits from the Big BB tourney; a few really good Feb-March records but mostly the end of the year has been about 50-50 with a few crashes. I am not the only person who has mentioned this over the years but some people do not believe it. Yes the Big 10 is tough and I am super glad they got the tourney Champ last year as it was great to watch. I would also love to see a regular season Big championship as it has been a very long time and I remember when they had a bunch of them of course back in the day.


Year Record Comments
2010-11 and 2011-12 rebuilding

2012-13 25-13 2nd round Big tourney loss; Good late season run to the NIT champ game

2013-14 20-13 Started 10-1; 10-12 the last 22 games, lost to jNW in first round of Big tourney after beating the Cats by 26 2 months earlier; Finished the season 4-9 from last game in January;

2014-15 22-12 Started 11-4; finished 11-8; another first round early Big tourney exit with loss to PSU; did get the first NCAA tourney win

2015-16 22-11 started 9-3; finished 12-8; another 1st round Big Tourney loss; did get 1 Ncaa win

2016-17 20-15 9-5 non-conf with a loss to Omaha in Iowa City the low point; 11-10 the rest of the way; another 1st round loss in Big Tourney; 1-1 NIT

2017-18 14-19 5 exhibition wins then 10-3 non-conf; losing Big 10 record and no post season/post Big tourney

2018-19 23-12 11-0 perfect pre-season then 12-12 the rest of the way; 1-1 Big tourney record; did get an NCAA win

2019-20 20-11 9-2 Non conf record with a coupl good wins; 11-9 big ten record; no tourney

2020-21 22-9 Decent late season finish in Big 10 and one Big tourney win
 
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I didnt count the first two rebuilding years. There are a whole lot of early exits from the Big BB tourney; a few really good Feb-March records but mostly the end of the year has been about 50-50 with a few crashes. I am not the only person who has mentioned this over the years but some people do not believe it. Yes the Big 10 is tough and I am super glad they got the tourney Champ last year as it was great to watch. I would also love to see a regular season Big championship as it has been a very long time and I remember when they had a bunch of them of course back in the day.


Year Record Comments
2010-11 and 2011-12 rebuilding

2012-13 25-13 2nd round Big tourney loss; Good late season run to the NIT champ game

2013-14 20-13 Started 10-1; 10-12 the last 22 games, lost to jNW in first round of Big tourney after beating the Cats by 26 2 months earlier; Finished the season 4-9 from last game in January;

2014-15 22-12 Started 11-4; finished 11-8; another first round early Big tourney exit with loss to PSU; did get the first NCAA tourney win

2015-16 22-11 started 9-3; finished 12-8; another 1st round Big Tourney loss; did get 1 Ncaa win

2016-17 20-15 9-5 non-conf with a loss to Omaha in Iowa City the low point; 11-10 the rest of the way; another 1st round loss in Big Tourney; 1-1 NIT

2017-18 14-19 5 exhibition wins then 10-3 non-conf; losing Big 10 record and no post season/post Big tourney

2018-19 23-12 11-0 perfect pre-season then 12-12 the rest of the way; 1-1 Big tourney record; did get an NCAA win

2019-20 20-11 9-2 Non conf record with a coupl good wins; 11-9 big ten record; no tourney

2020-21 22-9 Decent late season finish in Big 10 and one Big tourney win
Really, "a bunch of them" When, in the mid 50's? Who is the last Iowa coach to win "a bunch of BIG regular season championships"? o_O
 
two in the late 50's, highly rated off and on in th3 60's, Miller wins two in '68 and 70. Iirc Lute shared one and if that is correct then that is 5 regular season championships or at least 4 in 26 years. That is much better than the last 40 years.

I am no Fran hater nor want him gone but I would like to see much stronger finishes to the year. Get the team humming by Feb and finish strong way more often than not.

Unfortunately, last years 1st round ncaa loss was too typical.
 
The 20-21 team finished pretty strong finishing 15 and 6 if my count is correct
 
No Iowa coach has won more than 2 regular season conference titles. The last coach to do that was Ralph Miller. They won 2 regular season titles in my lifetime...I'm 53 and I remember one of them. They've also made it to 1 Final Four, 2 Elite 8s and 6 Sweet Sixteens in my lifetime.

Let's not act like Iowa is competing with UNC, Kansas or Kentucky for blue blood status. They've had a good, not great, history.
 
two in the late 50's, highly rated off and on in th3 60's, Miller wins two in '68 and 70. Iirc Lute shared one and if that is correct then that is 5 regular season championships or at least 4 in 26 years. That is much better than the last 40 years.

I am no Fran hater nor want him gone but I would like to see much stronger finishes to the year. Get the team humming by Feb and finish strong way more often than not.

Unfortunately, last years 1st round ncaa loss was too typical.
I just think your ssstttrrreeetttccchhhiiinnnggg the Bunch of them thing. Just like throwing in the "highly rated off and on. All that and a bag of magic beans will get you, hmmm, a beanstock I guess. Basically since the mid 50's , (which was a totally different game), we've won TWO outright BIG titles. So thats TWO in almost 70 years.
 
two in the late 50's, highly rated off and on in th3 60's, Miller wins two in '68 and 70. Iirc Lute shared one and if that is correct then that is 5 regular season championships or at least 4 in 26 years. That is much better than the last 40 years.

I am no Fran hater nor want him gone but I would like to see much stronger finishes to the year. Get the team humming by Feb and finish strong way more often than not.

Unfortunately, last years 1st round ncaa loss was too typical.
I think, in my review of Fran's history at Iowa he has gradually improved talent on the roster and the results have mostly been an indication of that. I can't look at the 1st round loss last year and use that as a trend or indicator of where we are heading.....last year we won 26 games. Most in Fran's tenure and 2nd most in school history! Then we won a B10 tournament Championship last year......those dramatically outweigh the super depressing 1st round loss. I wish the arc was trending up faster....but it is slow and deliberate with the occasional set back. IF NIL doesn't derail things, I think that the best is yet to come for Fran and where he takes the program.
 
two in the late 50's, highly rated off and on in th3 60's, Miller wins two in '68 and 70. Iirc Lute shared one and if that is correct then that is 5 regular season championships or at least 4 in 26 years. That is much better than the last 40 years.

I am no Fran hater nor want him gone but I would like to see much stronger finishes to the year. Get the team humming by Feb and finish strong way more often than not.

Unfortunately, last years 1st round ncaa loss was too typical.
Good thing you don't like Iowa men's basketball being rated so highly then, isn't it?

;)
 
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I think I read somewhere that when looking at 20 win seasons Fran has 5 in a row and 9 of the last 11 years.....that's a rock solid and good program. Best thing is, I think he continues to move in an upward trend.
Other than 2017-2018, McC has put out decent teams. That year Iowa stunk. They suffered from a recruiting drought from previoous seasons. The 2 upper classmen were Dom Uhl (Sr), Brady Ellingson (RS Jr), Nicholas Baer (RS Jr), and Ahmad Wagner (Jr). Not exactly a stellar group to lead the underclassmen.
 
No Iowa coach has won more than 2 regular season conference titles. The last coach to do that was Ralph Miller. They won 2 regular season titles in my lifetime...I'm 53 and I remember one of them. They've also made it to 1 Final Four, 2 Elite 8s and 6 Sweet Sixteens in my lifetime.

Let's not act like Iowa is competing with UNC, Kansas or Kentucky for blue blood status. They've had a good, not great, history.
Correct. It's been 43 freaking years since Iowa won a Big 10 regular season title and now 23 years since Iowa made it out of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. I'm resigned myself to the fact Iowa just isn't likely to win another Big 10 regular season title in my lifetime (I'm about your age). Not with Iowa's approach to NIL. Fran put together a NCAA tournament quality team now for 4 consecutive years (2020 they would have been in). If they do it again this year, that would be 5 in a row. That level of consistency is something that should not be taken for granted

Was very happy for the players and Fran himself that they got the Big Ten tourney monkey off their back last year. Gives me hope that the Sweet 16 can happen at some point. But man, last year was a kick in the slats against Richmond. Been since 1987 Dr. Tom team that Iowa had as clear a path to the Sweet 16 as last year. Those don't come around very often.
 
"I would also love to see a regular season Big championship as it has been a very long time and I remember when they had a bunch of them of course back in the day."

In the entire 100+ year history of the program we've won 8 regular season titles. The last one was in 1979 (shared).

"Bunch" ... you should probably look it up.

...and you remember the 50s? lol... explains much.
 
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Fran is an OK coach with decent, not great, B1G regular season performance. His teams also play an entertaining brand of ball.

His primary failure is the team's dismal NCAA tourney performance. The past 2 flops as a glaring example.
 
And he was terrible to start his career. Cherry picking works both ways
I guess I'm more interested in the present and the current trajectory than 10 years ago, but if you want to live in the past, you do you.
They've also finished .500 or better in the conference every year except 1 since 2013 and their average finish in the conference the last 10 years is 5.2 and that includes an 11th place finish. I just think people have this perception that Iowa has been much worse than they actually have been.
 
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You can’t say no tournament for the 19-20 season. That team was a lock for the tournament and could have made some noise if it wasn’t cancelled.


Here’s what I know. I think we’ve seen the ceiling with Fran in conference play. He doesn’t recruit well enough to really have a shot at a regular season title. I think Fran can eventually get to the 2nd weekend of NCAAs, but that depends upon the matchups we get in the bracket. There are also several schools in the conference that would gladly trade places with our history the last 10 years. Minnesota has every advantage in the world over us and they would trade results with us. That tells me that Fran is doing something right. He has limitations though in terms of loyalty to his players hurting his willingness to recruit the portal and his inability to put in effort on defense. Those two things are really limiting his performance.
 
"There are also several schools in the conference that would gladly trade places with our history the last 10 years."

Seems like a pretty paltry standard for measuring success. Would several sh*ttier programs gladly trade places with you? Well then, that's an impressive body of work indeed! Here's your bonus and extension.

lol

Wins and losses tell the story. Period. Iowa has the second most league wins over the last three years. Bad coaches don't have results like that.
 
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Fran is a great coach and has been a Godsend for Iowa basketball.

Iowa was 12-3 in their last 15 games last year, and won a Big Ten tournament championship, which is very, very hard to do.

The Big Ten tournament championship is the true championship of the Big Ten in basketball. The regular season race is quite distorted since it involves 14 teams and very uneven, unfair scheduling at times.

The Big Ten tournament is just like the NCAA tournament (seeding and single elimination) and is the best way to determine the true championship. There are no co-championships or teams winning because of a favorable schedule.

Iowa last year beat the highest nationally ranked team in the Big Ten (Purdue) to win the title, after rallying from double digit deficits to beat two tournament teams: Rutgers and Indiana. Very, very impressive.
 
You can’t say no tournament for the 19-20 season. That team was a lock for the tournament and could have made some noise if it wasn’t cancelled.


Here’s what I know. I think we’ve seen the ceiling with Fran in conference play. He doesn’t recruit well enough to really have a shot at a regular season title. I think Fran can eventually get to the 2nd weekend of NCAAs, but that depends upon the matchups we get in the bracket. There are also several schools in the conference that would gladly trade places with our history the last 10 years. Minnesota has every advantage in the world over us and they would trade results with us. That tells me that Fran is doing something right. He has limitations though in terms of loyalty to his players hurting his willingness to recruit the portal and his inability to put in effort on defense. Those two things are really limiting his performance.
People also said that Fran would never win a Big Ten tournament title. He did it.

I think Iowa will contend this year for a regular season title because we have a favorable schedule.
 
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Fran is an OK coach with decent, not great, B1G regular season performance. His teams also play an entertaining brand of ball.

His primary failure is the team's dismal NCAA tourney performance. The past 2 flops as a glaring example.
Iowa has played in the second round 4 times under Fran. All four times they have trailed by double digits at halftime and lost all four. Great draw last year and lose to a bad Richmond team.
 
And he was terrible to start his career.
You are usually pretty objective.....and have pretty good analysis. But that said, at the end of the Lick era.....our roster was really poor. You have to give a coach those couple of years to get a roster and get geared up.....rarely does a new coach inherit what Dr. Tom did from the Rav......if ever.
 
I suspect there are several fanbases that would gladly trade for the success Iowa has had under McCaffery, many of which have changed coaches once or twice.
Overall, given the disadvantages McCaffery is stuck with, some that could be changed, many that can't, he has done a very good job. And he has done it without the hint of scandal and with great young men we Iowa fans can be proud of.
 
I’m fully on board with Fran’s all out offense and lackluster defense, as long as we rebound and shoot well from perimeter. It’s produced some All Big Tenners through the years and we just need a few more to get us to a higher level. I really feel good about this team going into the season because I see upper division talent. Not throughout the lineup, but enough if those individuals stay healthy. Obvs, things need to bounce our way, but that can be said about every school.

Rebound and 50-50 balls. Same formula for many teams. Gotta love having and scoring the ball more than your opponents.
 
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The Fran Feb fade is a myth as a few posters above make clear.

I'd sum up Fran's tenure this way; given Iowa's mediocre basketball fanbase and mediocre arena, plus inherent recruiting disadvantages, Fran has outperformed expectations. The team is extremely competitive and successful in the Big Ten, the image/brand of the program is at near-term highs (3 draft picks the last two years, consecutive Big Ten Players of the Year, plus the Big Ten Tourney championship), just need to improve in the Dance.
Not to mention, people seem to forget the Hawks were an overtime away against Tennessee from getting off the Sweet 16 schneid.

Keep pushing and supporting, good things on the horizon.
 
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I just think your ssstttrrreeetttccchhhiiinnnggg the Bunch of them thing. Just like throwing in the "highly rated off and on. All that and a bag of magic beans will get you, hmmm, a beanstock I guess. Basically since the mid 50's , (which was a totally different game), we've won TWO outright BIG titles. So thats TWO in almost 70 years.
And comparing the 50's and 60's to modern day college basketball doesn't work - as it doesn't in college football either.

The "Fran Fade" has been proven to be a myth perpetuated by 1-2 years when things went sideways. Now up until last year, Fran didn't have the best record in the Big Ten Tourney ... hopefully last year was just the beginning of some fun runs in the Big Ten Tournament.

Yes, we all want to see them get to the Sweet 16. Last year was crushing for as good as they were playing but they played their worst game of the year at the worst time ... could have been worn out from the Big Ten run, could have just been a bad game ... happens to teams all the time in the NCAA Tourney.

Hell, the 1988-1989 Iowa team had 3 AA caliber players in Armstrong, Marble, and Horton + a long-term NBA player in Bullard + a stud Freshman in Ray Thompson and STILL couldn't make it to the 2nd weekend.

I grew up on Dr. Tom's teams and that begun my love for Iowa bball but I would take Fran over Dr. Tom ... I am convinced any decent coach could have won like Dr. Tom did his first 3 years with Raveling's recruits. Fran has rebuilt the program that was in terrible shape when he came into a solidly consistent team who has a knack for finding under-the-radar talent and developing them. We all hope for that next step is reach that 2nd weekend and compete for Big Ten titles but am happy with the direction the program has been trending.
 
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The Fran Feb fade is a myth as a few posters above make clear.

I'd sum up Fran's tenure this way; given Iowa's mediocre basketball fanbase and mediocre arena, plus inherent recruiting disadvantages, Fran has outperformed expectations. The team is extremely competitive and successful in the Big Ten, the image/brand of the program is at near-term highs (3 draft picks the last two years, consecutive Big Ten Players of the Year, plus the Big Ten Tourney championship), just need to improve in the Dance.
Not to mention, people seem to forget the Hawks were an overtime away against Tennessee from getting off the Sweet 16 schneid.

Keep pushing and supporting, good things on the horizon.
Good post
 
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I suspect there are several fanbases that would gladly trade for the success Iowa has had under McCaffery, many of which have changed coaches once or twice.
Overall, given the disadvantages McCaffery is stuck with, some that could be changed, many that can't, he has done a very good job. And he has done it without the hint of scandal and with great young men we Iowa fans can be proud of.
Good point to on the off-the-court piece. Fran's had a very minimal amount of issues with players away from the court. He seems to make it a high priority to recruit quality kids.
 
Fran is an OK coach with decent, not great, B1G regular season performance. His teams also play an entertaining brand of ball.

His primary failure is the team's dismal NCAA tourney performance. The past 2 flops as a glaring example.
Saying he is an "ok" coach is pretty weak. You don't win like he has at 4 different D1 stops by being an ok coach. In addition, you don't rebuild a program from scratch and sustain solid success by being an ok coach ... an ok coach would be fired at least once over a 30+ yr coaching career.

I am not saying he is a top-tier coach but he's definitely better than ok.

While the last 2 years in the NCAA Tourney have been disappointing, up until that point, his teams performed to their seed in the NCAA Tourney and he also had a team that would have been another NCAA Tourney team in 2020.
 
Good point to on the off-the-court piece. Fran's had a very minimal amount of issues with players away from the court. He seems to make it a high priority to recruit quality kids.
Fran has always had quality kids.
 
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