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Game Thoughts

Auger

HR All-American
Sep 14, 2007
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I was pleased with what I saw overall tonight even though these types of games don't tell you much.

Kris and Perkins are athletic freaks that will be a great 1-2 punch. I stand by my summer prediction Perkins will avg around 14ppg this season.

I am not sold on Perkins being a PG but he could be a great combo guard. I am skeptical of the Iowa PG position this year. Fran not getting a veteran PG in the portal could be a slight issue. Bowen showed some solid ball skills tonight but he will have plenty of growing pains which is expected. Huge ceiling for him though.

Shooting - Iowa will have plenty of shooters on this team which will help Iowa overcome some of its limitations and keep the team in games. CMac clearly worked on his shooting form.

PMac will be an up and down player. He will have big games and his lows won't be dramatic shifts but I don't think Iowa can look for him to be a consistent player on either side of the court. Between him and Sandfort I think Iowa has solid 3rd options every game and even 2nd options when Perkins has an off night. Scoring won't be an issue on this team.

The 5 will be an issue and cost Iowa some games. Fran not getting a traditional 5 in the portal will keep a talented team from really fighting for a top 4 spot in the conference standings and challenging for a B1G crown. Josh will play limited mins and Mulvey looks another year away. Rebraca would be a solid 4 in the B1G but he is limited at the 5.

I hope Fran keeps a small bench this season. I think Kris, Perkins, Sandfort, PMac, Rebraca, CMac, and either Ulis or Bowen could get Iowa back to the dance with a decent seed if Fran plays them all 25 mins or more. Beyond those 7 maybe 8 guys playing anyone else much more than 7-8 minutes will spell trouble. Fran really needed to grab a veteran transfer in the portal but just because he didn't it shouldn't mean playing guys who aren't ready extended mins.
 
Other than poor post play, poor defense, streaky wings, and lousy rebounding we’ll be tough to beat.

Fortunately it’s only one exhibition game and we put up 118 points. We’ve got plenty of room to grow. Preseason we all hope that everyone makes a huge step, but it rarely works that way.

We’ll learn a lot when real bullets start to fly. (Duke) To try to take away anything from tonight is fools gold, but we’ve all been hungry
for hoops news after our football disappointments.
 
Other than poor post play, poor defense, streaky wings, and lousy rebounding we’ll be tough to beat.

Fortunately it’s only one exhibition game and we put up 118 points. We’ve got plenty of room to grow. Preseason we all hope that everyone makes a huge step, but it rarely works that way.

We’ll learn a lot when real bullets start to fly. (Duke) To try to take away anything from tonight is fools gold, but we’ve all been hungry
for hoops news after our football disappointments.
Yeah I agree. I saw a typical Fran team but with a couple potential stars with a couple solid 3rd and 4th options Those Fran teams have limitations but tend to be his best teams. I do think he needs to run a smaller than normal rotation. Possibly much smaller (7 guys). If Fran would have been able to snag a solid PG that can play D and a defensive 5 that can rebound like ISU got I think this team would be top 4 in the B1G. Fran always seems to be just a player or two short with his best teams.
 
Kris/Cmac is the back up 5 vs many teams. Obviously you have the big dudes to come in and foul vs Edey and such, but im not sure the are playable in most situations.
 
I was pleased with what I saw overall tonight even though these types of games don't tell you much.

Kris and Perkins are athletic freaks that will be a great 1-2 punch. I stand by my summer prediction Perkins will avg around 14ppg this season.

I am not sold on Perkins being a PG but he could be a great combo guard. I am skeptical of the Iowa PG position this year. Fran not getting a veteran PG in the portal could be a slight issue. Bowen showed some solid ball skills tonight but he will have plenty of growing pains which is expected. Huge ceiling for him though.

Shooting - Iowa will have plenty of shooters on this team which will help Iowa overcome some of its limitations and keep the team in games. CMac clearly worked on his shooting form.

PMac will be an up and down player. He will have big games and his lows won't be dramatic shifts but I don't think Iowa can look for him to be a consistent player on either side of the court. Between him and Sandfort I think Iowa has solid 3rd options every game and even 2nd options when Perkins has an off night. Scoring won't be an issue on this team.

The 5 will be an issue and cost Iowa some games. Fran not getting a traditional 5 in the portal will keep a talented team from really fighting for a top 4 spot in the conference standings and challenging for a B1G crown. Josh will play limited mins and Mulvey looks another year away. Rebraca would be a solid 4 in the B1G but he is limited at the 5.

I hope Fran keeps a small bench this season. I think Kris, Perkins, Sandfort, PMac, Rebraca, CMac, and either Ulis or Bowen could get Iowa back to the dance with a decent seed if Fran plays them all 25 mins or more. Beyond those 7 maybe 8 guys playing anyone else much more than 7-8 minutes will spell trouble. Fran really needed to grab a veteran transfer in the portal but just because he didn't it shouldn't mean playing guys who aren't ready extended mins.
So if Fran brings in a couple of guys in the portal who's going to go? I'm pretty sure he looked hard at a 5 and couldn't get anyone to sign, which is why Josh is back. Pretty early to be giving up on Ulis/Bowen.....
 
I was pleased with what I saw overall tonight even though these types of games don't tell you much.

Kris and Perkins are athletic freaks that will be a great 1-2 punch. I stand by my summer prediction Perkins will avg around 14ppg this season.

I am not sold on Perkins being a PG but he could be a great combo guard. I am skeptical of the Iowa PG position this year. Fran not getting a veteran PG in the portal could be a slight issue. Bowen showed some solid ball skills tonight but he will have plenty of growing pains which is expected. Huge ceiling for him though.

Shooting - Iowa will have plenty of shooters on this team which will help Iowa overcome some of its limitations and keep the team in games. CMac clearly worked on his shooting form.

PMac will be an up and down player. He will have big games and his lows won't be dramatic shifts but I don't think Iowa can look for him to be a consistent player on either side of the court. Between him and Sandfort I think Iowa has solid 3rd options every game and even 2nd options when Perkins has an off night. Scoring won't be an issue on this team.

The 5 will be an issue and cost Iowa some games. Fran not getting a traditional 5 in the portal will keep a talented team from really fighting for a top 4 spot in the conference standings and challenging for a B1G crown. Josh will play limited mins and Mulvey looks another year away. Rebraca would be a solid 4 in the B1G but he is limited at the 5.

I hope Fran keeps a small bench this season. I think Kris, Perkins, Sandfort, PMac, Rebraca, CMac, and either Ulis or Bowen could get Iowa back to the dance with a decent seed if Fran plays them all 25 mins or more. Beyond those 7 maybe 8 guys playing anyone else much more than 7-8 minutes will spell trouble. Fran really needed to grab a veteran transfer in the portal but just because he didn't it shouldn't mean playing guys who aren't ready extended mins.

Yes Fran gets an F for the off season not bringing in a PG and/or Center.
 
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No Ulis last night, so TBD on if his offense will be better now that his wrist has healed. I was impressed by Bowen. He didn't try to force the issue but was selectively aggressive and showed excellent court awareness. Great looking shot-- had a 3 go in and out and knocked down at least one pull up mid-range jumper. Connor, Perkins, Sandfort, Kris and Dix shot it really well--Kingsbury's shot looked just like his dad's.

Iowa will create match up problems by spreading the floor with shooters and IMO the PG spot will be fine with Ulis, Bowen, Perkins, Connor and potentially Eldridge for spot duty. Iowa should fare well against teams that play similar styles, but may struggle against bigger, more physical teams that extend defensively and crash the boards. Fran wants to get out and run but Pmac, Sandfort, and Kris will need to commit to the glass to help Rebraca out.
 
Thousands in the portal, none of them come to Iowa
No one in the portal who is any good or wanted by anyone else is going to choose Iowa until Iowa NIL orgs pay players to come or the rules change on the NCAA side. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. I love what the Swarm collective has been doing for Iowa athletes, but when players are getting a guaranteed dollar figure to go to another school guess where they are going to go?
 
I would take this one step further, any long-term predictions after any one game, especially early in the season, are laughable.
Agreed. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy these games. But I don't think they mean anything.
 
I was pleased with what I saw overall tonight even though these types of games don't tell you much.

Kris and Perkins are athletic freaks that will be a great 1-2 punch. I stand by my summer prediction Perkins will avg around 14ppg this season.

I am not sold on Perkins being a PG but he could be a great combo guard. I am skeptical of the Iowa PG position this year. Fran not getting a veteran PG in the portal could be a slight issue. Bowen showed some solid ball skills tonight but he will have plenty of growing pains which is expected. Huge ceiling for him though.

Shooting - Iowa will have plenty of shooters on this team which will help Iowa overcome some of its limitations and keep the team in games. CMac clearly worked on his shooting form.

PMac will be an up and down player. He will have big games and his lows won't be dramatic shifts but I don't think Iowa can look for him to be a consistent player on either side of the court. Between him and Sandfort I think Iowa has solid 3rd options every game and even 2nd options when Perkins has an off night. Scoring won't be an issue on this team.

The 5 will be an issue and cost Iowa some games. Fran not getting a traditional 5 in the portal will keep a talented team from really fighting for a top 4 spot in the conference standings and challenging for a B1G crown. Josh will play limited mins and Mulvey looks another year away. Rebraca would be a solid 4 in the B1G but he is limited at the 5.

I hope Fran keeps a small bench this season. I think Kris, Perkins, Sandfort, PMac, Rebraca, CMac, and either Ulis or Bowen could get Iowa back to the dance with a decent seed if Fran plays them all 25 mins or more. Beyond those 7 maybe 8 guys playing anyone else much more than 7-8 minutes will spell trouble. Fran really needed to grab a veteran transfer in the portal but just because he didn't it shouldn't mean playing guys who aren't ready extended mins.

Connor's release is quicker, too. Fran said Connor was shooting really well and most on here mocked him.

It will be interesting to see if Ulis starts on Nov 7. Fran has stated he's been practicing well. But Fran can play Tony and CMac at the 1, if needed.

I agree that scoring won't be an issue on this team (unless we are playing with a Wilson ball).

Fran tried to get a big in the portal; he had a lot to offer, expect NIL cash.

I don't see Fran playing any more than 9. The exceptions are foul trouble and situations (playing physical teams like Purdue, where Ogundele has shown to be effective).

Of the 4 walk ons, Carter Kingsbury was the first off the bench, but in mop up duty, of course.
 
My take is that any long-term predictions after this game are laughable. It was barely a scrimmage.
I disagree. Based upon this game I am nearly certain that Filip still struggles at the foul line and I predict will shoot under 70% for the year. 😊
 
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When Ogundele is on the court, there is no way Iowa can play man to man. He has no quickness and offensively is very limited. If he is the best we have to back up Rebraca against the likes of Edey, Dickinson and the likes, it might work for a change of pace but again Iowa is hampered by a lack of a quality second team big.
As most have said Filip is a descant sized forward but is not a Big Ten center. Can Iowa make do again this season like last year, playing Murray, Connor, or someone else to fill the void when Rebraca is in foul trouble or injured. We'll see what magic Fran can stir up in the coming months, it will be a challenge.
 
I was pleased with what I saw overall tonight even though these types of games don't tell you much.

Kris and Perkins are athletic freaks that will be a great 1-2 punch. I stand by my summer prediction Perkins will avg around 14ppg this season.

I am not sold on Perkins being a PG but he could be a great combo guard. I am skeptical of the Iowa PG position this year. Fran not getting a veteran PG in the portal could be a slight issue. Bowen showed some solid ball skills tonight but he will have plenty of growing pains which is expected. Huge ceiling for him though.

Shooting - Iowa will have plenty of shooters on this team which will help Iowa overcome some of its limitations and keep the team in games. CMac clearly worked on his shooting form.

PMac will be an up and down player. He will have big games and his lows won't be dramatic shifts but I don't think Iowa can look for him to be a consistent player on either side of the court. Between him and Sandfort I think Iowa has solid 3rd options every game and even 2nd options when Perkins has an off night. Scoring won't be an issue on this team.

The 5 will be an issue and cost Iowa some games. Fran not getting a traditional 5 in the portal will keep a talented team from really fighting for a top 4 spot in the conference standings and challenging for a B1G crown. Josh will play limited mins and Mulvey looks another year away. Rebraca would be a solid 4 in the B1G but he is limited at the 5.

I hope Fran keeps a small bench this season. I think Kris, Perkins, Sandfort, PMac, Rebraca, CMac, and either Ulis or Bowen could get Iowa back to the dance with a decent seed if Fran plays them all 25 mins or more. Beyond those 7 maybe 8 guys playing anyone else much more than 7-8 minutes will spell trouble. Fran really needed to grab a veteran transfer in the portal but just because he didn't it shouldn't mean playing guys who aren't ready extended mins.
This was the biggest problem with the offseason imo. They need a body and rim protector. Could have gotten a 6'10 guy that is super athletic with no scoring ability and it would have helped this team immensely.
 
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No Ulis last night, so TBD on if his offense will be better now that his wrist has healed. I was impressed by Bowen. He didn't try to force the issue but was selectively aggressive and showed excellent court awareness. Great looking shot-- had a 3 go in and out and knocked down at least one pull up mid-range jumper. Connor, Perkins, Sandfort, Kris and Dix shot it really well--Kingsbury's shot looked just like his dad's.

Iowa will create match up problems by spreading the floor with shooters and IMO the PG spot will be fine with Ulis, Bowen, Perkins, Connor and potentially Eldridge for spot duty. Iowa should fare well against teams that play similar styles, but may struggle against bigger, more physical teams that extend defensively and crash the boards. Fran wants to get out and run but Pmac, Sandfort, and Kris will need to commit to the glass to help Rebraca out.
Completely agree on PG sitch. Ulis provides a fairly high floor and with all the shooters will not be asked to score a lot, but needs to be more efficient, especially point blank.
bowen gives likely a much higher ceiling, but is a freshman, so mistakes will be expected.
 
So if Fran brings in a couple of guys in the portal who's going to go? I'm pretty sure he looked hard at a 5 and couldn't get anyone to sign, which is why Josh is back. Pretty early to be giving up on Ulis/Bowen.....
Whoa I am not giving up on Ulis or Bowen. I clearly was saying one of them should be getting 25mins a game. Also yeah Fran went after transfers but he struck out. It will leave Iowa thin. Even the top programs who are loaded with talent go after transfers. Its not a bad thing.
 
Nimmers did not play.

The other 3 walk ons saw some late game action:

7 min Kingsbury (2-2 from three, 6 points)
3 min Laketa (0-2, 0 points)
3 min Eldridge (2-2, 4 points)
I'll add that Nimmers was the only true freshman walk-on. Eldridge came from Kirkwood. He is probably going to redshirt this year but, even so, could have played in this game without endangering that.
 
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They'll be really good on offense, could be best offense under Fran. They'll be very up and down on defense.

Lastly, they'll be very entertaining and at times very frustrating.
 
You people are selling Ulis short. He's a good defender and he's physical. He has major upside. He has gotten better every year. I think he is going to have a great year.
Ulis is a tremendous athlete. Maybe the best pure athlete on the team. He has all the requisite skills except for an outside shot. That will keep him off the floor. For reference see Joe T.
 
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Ulis is a tremendous athlete. Maybe the best pure athlete on the team. He has all the requisite skills except for an outside shot. That will keep him off the floor. For reference see Joe T.
Ahron played more down the stretch in games than Joe did last year. The only two things that will keep him out of the lineup this year will be Ahron himself and Dasonte, if he progresses enough.
 
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You people are selling Ulis short. He's a good defender and he's physical. He has major upside. He has gotten better every year. I think he is going to have a great year.
I largely agree, as he is very good at defense, rebounding, FT shooting, passing and has a high bb IQ. He is a good ball handler and decent creator. His Achilles heal has been shooting. I dont expect that he all of a sudden becomes a lights out 3 point shooter, but if he can convert a reasonable percentage of layups and shorter jumpers, we will be in great shape. Anything above that will be a warm bucket of gravy.
 
No one in the portal who is any good or wanted by anyone else is going to choose Iowa until Iowa NIL orgs pay players to come or the rules change on the NCAA side. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. I love what the Swarm collective has been doing for Iowa athletes, but when players are getting a guaranteed dollar figure to go to another school guess where they are going to go?
Wally World Dad?
 
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Ulis is a tremendous athlete. Maybe the best pure athlete on the team. He has all the requisite skills except for an outside shot. That will keep him off the floor. For reference see Joe T.
I respect your opinion and you seem to contribute some good thoughts analysis to these discussions.

So, take this only as a different perspective and not a slight to your post. I don't see Ulis as a "tremendous" athlete...unless you're comparing him to me or most that post here (lol). I think that he has average athleticism in comparison to other B10 level PGs. Where I think he is above average is in the combination of size, athleticism, and BB IQ. He is a player that seems to play within his own abilities, is clearly a team first guy, and makes a strong effort on the defensive end.

Due to his wrist injury we don't know what he's really capable of. He shot free throws pretty well early in his career, but hasn't shown much as far as the outside shot or finishing at the rim. I think, my guess, is that he will be a solid PG as a distributor and a FT shooter as well as defensively. IF he adds a somewhat consistent outside shot I think he will be a very good PG without being flashy or seen as a standout.....kind of like Nate Stanley as a QB....doesn't jump out at you as a standout, but when you look at the stats and what he accomplished he's pretty high level...just my guess and observations.

**I have gone back and watched games from last year with special attention to watching Ulis....and I get the feel that give the opportunity to play regularly and get comfortable on the floor, he will be pretty good.
 
Ahron played more down the stretch in games than Joe did last year. The only two things that will keep him out of the lineup this year will be Ahron himself and Dasonte, if he progresses enough.
So sensitive. What I said was entirely accurate. If Ahron's outside shot isn't improved he won't get more than 15 minutes per game. It's the only thing holding him back from starters minutes.
 
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