Great guard play equates to championships in the NCAA

[GunnerHawk]

College basketball is definitely guard oriented. Guards who can stroke the three but even more inportant, drive and dish to open shooters. That is why getting Bowen to Iowa is critical to the future. He is long and athletic. You see a metamorphosis of our offense when JoeT is in the game, our pace picks up and we fast break better. Ulis is also very quick, next year with more playing time
and some work in the weight room you'll see much improvement. Bowen brings that with length.

I hope Fran can get either Nickel or Shutt, both pure shooters who Fran gives the green light to on offense. We will need a replacement for Joe and CJ. Add two of these three with Mulvey and we would have a very good class. FWIW, Mulvey is a very good shot blocker and rebounder already. He is going to be very good for the Hawks in a few years.

 

[amahawk]

Yes!

 

[HawkeyeInCentralIowa]

Fran has started to shift towards more athletic guards in the past couple classes with Ulis, Joe T, and Perkins. For the style of offense Fran wants to play, he needs to have an athletic Point Guard that can run the offense, penetrate, dish, and also play good defense. This is what Joe T can 100% bring to the table. He also needs to have either a slashing defender or 3&D guy at the 2. Perkins and CJF are examples of both. At the forwards, he needs to have at least 1 good-greater shooter while also being someone who can penetrate inside, and you also someone that is a two way player. Keegan and Pat can 100% be this tandem. Finally, Fran’s offense needs a good Center. You won’t ever see another Luka Garza at Iowa, and while I love Luka, he was a one dimensional player who struggled on the defensive end. Fran needs to have a guy that can bully people in the paint, and also stretch the floor. Nunge is a good rim protector and rebounder, and he also can stretch the floor. However, he isn’t a bully in the paint like Luka. He isn’t very strong, and he isn’t a great paint scorer. A guy like Josh O can become that mean presence we need down low.

 

[Rifler]

Guard play is the foundation of any basketball team and when you're playing in a one and done tournament against unfamiliar opponents you need a solid foundation...

 

[HawkLogic]

B1G has been the Big Man conference for last few years and guard play spotty. Purdue has specialized in Big man ball and underwhelmed in NCAA. B1G had an epic flop/fail in NCAA. The facts don't lie---B1G B-ball is poor quality if you value winning in NCAA tournament.

Watching Alabama and Oregon....5 athletes that either shoot 3's or if you come out on them, blow by for dribble
drive and you don't even need a big. PAC12 kicked ass. If you have a traditional Big like say Oregon state, you are still golden as long as you have 3-4 other guys that can shoot/get their own shot AND defend.

Fran won't be able to get an entire team of elite athletes that Oregon has---ever. So Fran has to put together a team the can at least DEFEND those type teams and and still run an offense. A mix of shooters with some base amount of athleticism and real athletes that can get their own shot off the bounce and defend at high level.

 

[24 so far]

B1G has been the Big Man conference for last few years and guard play spotty. Purdue has specialized in Big man ball and underwhelmed in NCAA. B1G had an epic flop/fail in NCAA. The facts don't lie---B1G B-ball is poor quality if you value winning in NCAA tournament.

Watching Alabama and Oregon....5 athletes that either shoot 3's or if you come out on them, blow by for dribble
drive and you don't even need a big. PAC12 kicked ass. If you have a traditional Big like say Oregon state, you are still golden as long as you have 3-4 other guys that can shoot/get their own shot AND defend.

Fran won't be able to get an entire team of elite athletes that Oregon has---ever. So Fran has to put together a team the can at least DEFEND those type teams and and still run an offense. A mix of shooters with some base amount of athleticism and real athletes that can get their own shot off the bounce and defend at high level.

IDK, Illinois has a lot of those players and they got beat, and Ohio State to some degree. Even Iowa was doing just fine and one terrible 10-0 stretch at the end of the first half that ended up sealing their fate. Yes, the Big Ten underwhelmed as a Conference, but I don't think it's as bad as people think. Play all those same games a week later and you'd likely have a lot of different outcomes. Shit happens, and it happened to the Big Ten a lot, but that doesn't mean they can't or don't play good basketball, the eye test says they do.

 

[Titanhawk2]

Seems I noticed a lot of quick guards over the weekend, all making terrible plays/decisions along with making very athletic plays - too often, thinking they "can" when they actually "shouldn't". Just thought some of those games, near the end, were just horrible examples of basketball.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

I've said it many times on this board - this Iowa team is exactly what we thought it would be. You have guard and wings in JBo. JoeT, JoeW, CJ and Connor - and only JoeW can get a shot off against tough defense. JoeT can create something, but I don't think you can win games with the kinds of shots he takes.

Jack & Garza were tough inside, but below average in speed & quickness.

Need more guys like KM.

 

[David1979]

IDK, Illinois has a lot of those players and they got beat, and Ohio State to some degree. Even Iowa was doing just fine and one terrible 10-0 stretch at the end of the first half that ended up sealing their fate. Yes, the Big Ten underwhelmed as a Conference, but I don't think it's as bad as people think. Play all those same games a week later and you'd likely have a lot of different outcomes. Shit happens, and it happened to the Big Ten a lot, but that doesn't mean they can't or don't play good basketball, the eye test says they do.

Illinois also got screwed by the committee when they whiffed on Loyola's seeding. Loyola shouldn't have been an 8 seed. They were at top 15 to top ten team on KP should have at least been a 3 seed and at worst a 4. I think both Oregon and USC were underseeded as well. I think in a normal year Oregon probably would have been a top 4 seed and you aren't facing them until the second weekend.

But you are right that a lot of those games would go the other way if you played again. Heck, Rutgers should have upset Houston. I think too much is made of the tournament in terms of looking at it as a reflection on how good one team is or one conference is. It is just not a good way for determining who are the best teams in college basketball.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

IDK, Illinois has a lot of those players and they got beat, and Ohio State to some degree. Even Iowa was doing just fine and one terrible 10-0 stretch at the end of the first half that ended up sealing their fate. Yes, the Big Ten underwhelmed as a Conference, but I don't think it's as bad as people think. Play all those same games a week later and you'd likely have a lot of different outcomes. Shit happens, and it happened to the Big Ten a lot, but that doesn't mean they can't or don't play good basketball, the eye test says they do.

Right? Guard play wasn’t the problem for Illinois. They got worked over by a second shift factory worker.

 

[24 so far]

Right? Guard play wasn’t the problem for Illinois. They got worked over by a second shift factory worker.

Well I was on the road so I only listened to it, but I know their 6'5" All-American guard didn't show up, and he's the poster child for what wins in the tournament. Like I said, shit happens.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

Well I was on the road so I only listened to it, but I know their 6'5" All-American guard didn't show up, and he's the poster child for what wins in the tournament. Like I said, shit happens.

People are way too caught up in the conference vs conference narrative. The tournament is all about matchups. Play poorly, while it’s a less than optimal matchup, and you’re done.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

It you don’t have the athletes you better walk it up the court and turn the game into a coaching / execution style of game.

what Fran did against Oregon was stupid, pig headed, and IMO a fireable action.

you can’t tell me they did see that result coming.

 

[MAXIMUSHAWKEYE]

IDK, Illinois has a lot of those players and they got beat, and Ohio State to some degree. Even Iowa was doing just fine and one terrible 10-0 stretch at the end of the first half that ended up sealing their fate. Yes, the Big Ten underwhelmed as a Conference, but I don't think it's as bad as people think. Play all those same games a week later and you'd likely have a lot of different outcomes. Shit happens, and it happened to the Big Ten a lot, but that doesn't mean they can't or don't play good basketball, the eye test says they do.

I wish that Oregon had played their game against vcu. We don't know how that game would have played out. Maybe VCU forces them and overtime. Or VCU wins. The fact that Oregon did not have to play that first game I believe wasn't advantage. Cuz he obviously didn't have nerves and they weren't rusty. Don't know if it would have made a difference but maybe their legs would have been a bit tired and they're not in Fuego drilling three-point shots and blowing bias on defense

 

[AwkHawk]

Well I was on the road so I only listened to it, but I know their 6'5" All-American guard didn't show up, and he's the poster child for what wins in the tournament. Like I said, shit happens.

To add to that, I thought Loyola had a great game plan on offense to keep Cockburn from shutting down everything in the lane.

 

[SSG T]

I've said for a long time, when it comes to guards, emphasize ball handling, athleticism and ability to attack. Put a shooter or two with them, but hit the lane hard and drive/dish drive/kick. It stabilizes the offense.

And guess what, it's not 100%, but athletic guards have a wider variety of players they can guard. Which has been Iowa's biggest failing for most of Fran's tenure.

 

[David1979]

I've said for a long time, when it comes to guards, emphasize ball handling, athleticism and ability to attack. Put a shooter or two with them, but hit the lane hard and drive/dish drive/kick. It stabilizes the offense.

And guess what, it's not 100%, but athletic guards have a wider variety of players they can guard. Which has been Iowa's biggest failing for most of Fran's tenure.

The best defensive teams now usually have guys where they just switch on almost every screen. That versatility is huge.

 

[blhawk]

B1G has been the Big Man conference for last few years and guard play spotty. Purdue has specialized in Big man ball and underwhelmed in NCAA. B1G had an epic flop/fail in NCAA. The facts don't lie---B1G B-ball is poor quality if you value winning in NCAA tournament.

Watching Alabama and Oregon....5 athletes that either shoot 3's or if you come out on them, blow by for dribble
drive and you don't even need a big. PAC12 kicked ass. If you have a traditional Big like say Oregon state, you are still golden as long as you have 3-4 other guys that can shoot/get their own shot AND defend.

Fran won't be able to get an entire team of elite athletes that Oregon has---ever. So Fran has to put together a team the can at least DEFEND those type teams and and still run an offense. A mix of shooters with some base amount of athleticism and real athletes that can get their own shot off the bounce and defend at high level.

They haven't won it all but the bten is tied with acc for most final 4's in the last 20 years....check out the b12 final fours if you want to see poor quality in ncaa. I agree guards need to be better, baffling Fran was a guard and has delivered so few quality ones so far

 

[Ronman]

Really tired of all this "underseeded" crap. You're not going to win the tournament without playing tough teams, whether is be in the first round or the championship game. You just have to be on your best and plow through the opponents in front of you.

 

[CFBFanatic2]

Guards like this are essential.

 

[Suterman]

Why repost a month old bitchy thread?

 

[RocknRollface]

Fran has started to shift towards more athletic guards in the past couple classes with Ulis, Joe T, and Perkins. For the style of offense Fran wants to play, he needs to have an athletic Point Guard that can run the offense, penetrate, dish, and also play good defense. This is what Joe T can 100% bring to the table. He also needs to have either a slashing defender or 3&D guy at the 2. Perkins and CJF are examples of both. At the forwards, he needs to have at least 1 good-greater shooter while also being someone who can penetrate inside, and you also someone that is a two way player. Keegan and Pat can 100% be this tandem. Finally, Fran’s offense needs a good Center. You won’t ever see another Luka Garza at Iowa, and while I love Luka, he was a one dimensional player who struggled on the defensive end. Fran needs to have a guy that can bully people in the paint, and also stretch the floor. Nunge is a good rim protector and rebounder, and he also can stretch the floor. However, he isn’t a bully in the paint like Luka. He isn’t very strong, and he isn’t a great paint scorer. A guy like Josh O can become that mean presence we need down low.

I think he's always gone after skilled athletic guards as his top choices and just never landed them.

Probably setting his sights a little too high to start imo, and expending to much energy on trying to hit a home run.

Then he seemed to go for shooting over athleticism with less skill as his second tier choices.

Lately, trying to find the under the radar athletic guys like Toussaint and Perkins is probably a more realistic approach to being competitive.

 

[HawkeyeInCentralIowa]

I think he's always gone after skilled athletic guards as his top choices and just never landed them.

Probably setting his sights a little too high to start imo, and expending to much energy on trying to hit a home run.

Then he seemed to go for shooting over athleticism with less skill as his second tier choices.

Lately, trying to find the under the radar athletic guys like Toussaint and Perkins is probably a more realistic approach to being competitive.

Exactly. Find guys who are athletic, they just need to be developed. His system can work, he just needs the correct players.