Iowa is actually a better team WITHOUT Patrick McCaffery on the floor.
I get that he was one of the highest rated recruits in the McCaffery era (4**** rated the 15th best forward in the nation), but his out of control style and reluctance to pass the ball may outweigh his 12 points and 5 rebounds per game.
Since Patrick voluntarily left the team following an abysmal 3 game losing streak where it looked like the Hawks had no shot at making the tourney, they have been on fire. Reeling off 3 straight Big 10 wins without Patrick has put them right back in contention. If the Hawks win their next two games (both very winnable, at home against Maryland and Northwestern), it's going to be hard to justify benching someone in favor of putting Patrick back into the starting lineup. It could disrupt the team's new found chemistry.
I get that he was one of the highest rated recruits in the McCaffery era (4**** rated the 15th best forward in the nation), but his out of control style and reluctance to pass the ball may outweigh his 12 points and 5 rebounds per game.
Since Patrick voluntarily left the team following an abysmal 3 game losing streak where it looked like the Hawks had no shot at making the tourney, they have been on fire. Reeling off 3 straight Big 10 wins without Patrick has put them right back in contention. If the Hawks win their next two games (both very winnable, at home against Maryland and Northwestern), it's going to be hard to justify benching someone in favor of putting Patrick back into the starting lineup. It could disrupt the team's new found chemistry.