They need strength to finish through contact and to learn body control to turn blocks into fouls. Caitlyn knows sometimes you have to initiate some of the contact and force the defender to react in a way that the foul is called. I know they have been working with Gabbie on a pull up.
Hawkeye Women’s BBall Season 2021-2022
- Thread starter huntermmm
- Start date
Some select statistical and other context for 2021-22.
1. The Big Ten was very good this year. Not as good as some, but still very good. After a decade+ of relative mediocrity in Big Ten WBB, we’ve now had back-to-back years of 4 Sweet 16 Big Ten teams. 5 Big Ten teams finished in the top 14 of the final AP poll. So the league is definitely a lot better. Big Ten skeptics, like me, now have confirmation that the league is much better (though the recruiting still needs to improve).
2. Sharing the regular season title and winning the BTT in a very good league in 2021-22 are major accomplishments. Contrast this year to 2008, the last time Iowa shared the regular season title. That year, Iowa and OSU shared the title at 13-5, and Iowa finished unranked in both polls, and OSU finished 25/unranked. The Big Ten went 1-4 in the NCAA tourney that year with no Sweet 16 teams. The Big Ten in 2021-22 is so much better than it has been, and Iowa took home two Big Ten championship trophies. Major impressive.
3. The defense improved markedly. In 2020-21, Iowa was 319th in the country in opponents’ field goal percentage (44.5%). This year, Iowa was 122nd in the country (38.9%). The coaches and players deserve credit for this huge improvement. Just like it is for a fledgling rock band, going from abysmal to mediocre is a huge improvement. Could Iowa be better on defense? Sure, but IMO, the major defensive issues are personnel issues, which hopefully recruits and development of bench players can help further improve.
4. Defensive rebounding was much better in 2021-22. As an aside, rebounding stats are tricky for a team like Iowa, because Iowa shoots at such a high clip, meaning that Iowa has many more defensive rebounding opportunities than its opponents. Because even bad rebounding teams get the majority of defensive rebounds, total rebounds and rebounding margin are worthless stats for Iowa. What matters are defensive and offensive rebounding rates. In 2020-21, Iowa was 236th in defensive rebound rate (66.6%). This year, Iowa was 111th (70.6%). That also is a huge improvement, even if a guard is responsible for much of that improvement. For further context, 111th is the second highest rank for Iowa over the last 10 years, and Iowa has not ranked in the top 100 since the Kachine Alexander era. Here too, further improvement will depend largely on changes in personnel on the floor/improvements in athleticism.
5. Offensive rebounding remained abysmal in 2021-22. Iowa was ranked 284th in offensive rebound rate this season, compared to 253rd last season and 259th the year before. This is an athleticism stat, and we know where Iowa ranks in that category.
1. The Big Ten was very good this year. Not as good as some, but still very good. After a decade+ of relative mediocrity in Big Ten WBB, we’ve now had back-to-back years of 4 Sweet 16 Big Ten teams. 5 Big Ten teams finished in the top 14 of the final AP poll. So the league is definitely a lot better. Big Ten skeptics, like me, now have confirmation that the league is much better (though the recruiting still needs to improve).
2. Sharing the regular season title and winning the BTT in a very good league in 2021-22 are major accomplishments. Contrast this year to 2008, the last time Iowa shared the regular season title. That year, Iowa and OSU shared the title at 13-5, and Iowa finished unranked in both polls, and OSU finished 25/unranked. The Big Ten went 1-4 in the NCAA tourney that year with no Sweet 16 teams. The Big Ten in 2021-22 is so much better than it has been, and Iowa took home two Big Ten championship trophies. Major impressive.
3. The defense improved markedly. In 2020-21, Iowa was 319th in the country in opponents’ field goal percentage (44.5%). This year, Iowa was 122nd in the country (38.9%). The coaches and players deserve credit for this huge improvement. Just like it is for a fledgling rock band, going from abysmal to mediocre is a huge improvement. Could Iowa be better on defense? Sure, but IMO, the major defensive issues are personnel issues, which hopefully recruits and development of bench players can help further improve.
4. Defensive rebounding was much better in 2021-22. As an aside, rebounding stats are tricky for a team like Iowa, because Iowa shoots at such a high clip, meaning that Iowa has many more defensive rebounding opportunities than its opponents. Because even bad rebounding teams get the majority of defensive rebounds, total rebounds and rebounding margin are worthless stats for Iowa. What matters are defensive and offensive rebounding rates. In 2020-21, Iowa was 236th in defensive rebound rate (66.6%). This year, Iowa was 111th (70.6%). That also is a huge improvement, even if a guard is responsible for much of that improvement. For further context, 111th is the second highest rank for Iowa over the last 10 years, and Iowa has not ranked in the top 100 since the Kachine Alexander era. Here too, further improvement will depend largely on changes in personnel on the floor/improvements in athleticism.
5. Offensive rebounding remained abysmal in 2021-22. Iowa was ranked 284th in offensive rebound rate this season, compared to 253rd last season and 259th the year before. This is an athleticism stat, and we know where Iowa ranks in that category.
I was crushed after that loss.... first time back on this board...... didn’t watch the post game press conference either
I only bring this up because imagine the players and coaches heartbreak..... I have really appreciated this thread over the course of the season and the contributions from those of you much more connected to and knowledgeable about the sport
I’m an old wrestler.... know very little about basketball and the Hawkeye teams are the only basketball I follow.... that being said I watch every game and probably get too emotionally invested..... especially in the Women’s team..... I’m a huge fan of Bluder and Jensen and how they represent the University on and off the court
as sadly as the season ended..... there’s a ton of things to be excited about for next season .... hopefully the core group that participated in this thread all season will be back..... was nice to check in daily and get good input that was mostly positive and informative..... that’s unusual on these boards overall
Go Hawks!!
I only bring this up because imagine the players and coaches heartbreak..... I have really appreciated this thread over the course of the season and the contributions from those of you much more connected to and knowledgeable about the sport
I’m an old wrestler.... know very little about basketball and the Hawkeye teams are the only basketball I follow.... that being said I watch every game and probably get too emotionally invested..... especially in the Women’s team..... I’m a huge fan of Bluder and Jensen and how they represent the University on and off the court
as sadly as the season ended..... there’s a ton of things to be excited about for next season .... hopefully the core group that participated in this thread all season will be back..... was nice to check in daily and get good input that was mostly positive and informative..... that’s unusual on these boards overall
Go Hawks!!
Logan Cook is in the transfer portal as a grad transfer. Best of luck to her in her future endeavors.
I hope she finds a home to play and flourishes. She's really an undersized five and is really good around the rim. She does a lot of little things well like rebounding and setting screens. Hopefully she can catch on with a small school and be able to make an impact and have that super senior moment. Not the most athletically gifted, but she was all hustle during her time at Iowa.
Gabby drives me nuts with her drives and dribbling back out. Totally afraid of contact it seems
Very well said. As much as this loss crushed us all, the players and coaches are feeling it 10x worse. It doesn’t help that this was probably one of the most painful losses in years considering the expectations.
I too am emotionally invested in this team which means the highest of highs are amazing and the lowest of lows are devastating. And even though it was a sad ending, this team has nothing to be ashamed about it. Could we improve on some things? Sure. But so does every single team in the tourney and in general. There’s only one winner at the end.
Yes it sucks that we got bounced in the second round but this team accomplished a share of the big ten regular season title as well as the big ten tournament title. And that’s something to be proud of despite the ending.
Ditto
Huge disappointment among mixed emotions but just focusing on the positives. This team will return mostly intact for the second consecutive year (third season together) and will have [one of, if not] the most experienced teams ever. The Hawkeyes also will welcome three new freshmen who have much promise for increasing overall team athleticism. The ceiling for them is high. Similarly, I believe this past year’s freshmen have significant untapped potential as well. With all that potential in the underclassmen next season, there should be considerable upside for the team overall. I don’t believe the Hawkeyes even need to add a transfer as long as everyone returns. With this team as it is at this moment, I think the final four is a reasonable hope for next season. I can hardly wait for it to begin.
I would like to see Kylie and maybe Sydney work on becoming mid range jump shooters. Kylie has a very quick first step but when she gets to the rim she is defended by the interior bigs and often loses the ball, doesn't get the shot off are once in a while will get the foul call. She could really take her game to another level if she would stop and pop, shoot a floater or rise up and shoot a 10-12 footer. Grace Berger comes to mind as someone who really has that in her arsenal. Even after watching the Illinois St. game Friday, JuJu Redmond got most of her points by beating our perimeter defender and pulling up around the free throw line for a jump shot. A couple of the Lady Hawks could really make Iowa hard to guard if they work on adding that to their game. Seems like we are too reliant on Monica down low and 3 point shots from everyone else.
Tomi Taiwo has also entered the transfer portal as a grad transfer
2-point jumpers (from more than a few feet away) are one of the least efficient shots in basketball. You have to be really good at hitting them to make them a good shot. Berger is maybe the best in college basketball at hitting that shot. Clark is also fairly good at it.
Not taking many 2-point jumpers is actually one of the things I like most about our offense. I do think several of our players should work on developing a floater or a short jumper from around 5-feet. If refs aren't calling fouls around the basket, those are the shots I'd like to see in response.
Didn’t see this coming. A bad sign? Would Bluder not allow her to come back for her Covid year?
Not news. They had this conversation before this season even started. Same with Logan Cook. Good for both of them. And Iowa needs to give the incoming freshmen a chance.
Iowa will be at 14 scholarship players next season. And the final scholarship will likely be banked. Bluder does not like to use all 15. It was announced on Sr. day that Monika would come back and it was eluded to during the press conference that Tomi would not be. I would have liked to see Tomi come back personally.
I don't expect we will see Bluder pursue anyone in the transfer portal either.
I misunderstood. I thought Taiwo was not coming back because she was headed to grad/med school, not that she wanted to keep playing and would play elsewhere.
Echoing other, it's sad to see Tomi and Logan go, but I hope they find a good fit somewhere. My understanding was that both wanted to go to medical school, or at least something in the biomedical sciences domain as opposed to the pro-basketball/coaching route. Is that still true? Anyone know if their plans have changed or if they are just on hold for a year while they exhaust their basketball eligibility?
Similarly, does anyone with insider knowledge know if the coaches considered giving the final scholarship to Tomi, as opposed to keeping it open? Were feelings hurt in the process?
Similarly, does anyone with insider knowledge know if the coaches considered giving the final scholarship to Tomi, as opposed to keeping it open? Were feelings hurt in the process?
No bad feelings on either side. Typical grad transfer situation where having that extra year to play somewhere else to see if it's possible to give it one last go before moving on with your life.
Normally Braydon, I agree with most of your analysis but in this case I have to disagree. As a former 5'10 HS basketball shooting guard, it didn't take very long for me to realize that if I beat my perimeter defender that I would be much more successful if I learned to make 8-12 foot pop up jumpers from baseline to baseline than to drive on a layup against defenders that were 5-6 inches taller and 30-40 lbs. heavier. After an off season of work, I had a moderate level of success. My point being, if Kylie puts in the work in the off season, I really believe she could be a reasonable good stand still jump shooter inside the free throw lane extended. She is 6'0 tall after all. But in the womens' game, players aren't going to have much success trying to drive for a layup against taller players at the rim. I've seen it too many times where a guard drives inside and either gets their shot blocked or they throw up a prayer that doesn't even hit iron.
No 23 recruits yet. Maybe the afore mentioned vets will be back.
Here's a really good video that explains more about what shots are most valuable. The numbers in the video are based on the NBA (which I don't watch much), but they still apply to all levels of basketball, just in slightly different percentages.
The basic premise is that the three most valuable shots in basketball are: 1) free throws, 2) layups, and 3) three-pointers. Mid-range jumpers are usually considered the worst shots, because the expected points per shots is lowest of any shot you might take.
I want Kylie (a 6'0' athletic guard) to attack the basket because even though she might get blocked some, when she isn't getting blocked, she's either getting layups or getting fouled. So long as she doesn't get blocked a ton, that's a good outcome.
The video also shows that there is still value to mid-range jumpers, but that value is diminished unless the shooter is a really good mid-range shooter. Berger is great at it. So is Clark. If Kylie can become a great mid-range shooter, she could add value there too. But the issue is that most players aren't great mid-range shooters.
The video doesn't touch on this in-depth, but it does show that short jumpers in the 5-8ft range also have a lot of value, because the player is in closer and more likely to make the shot. That's the shot I would like our players to work on more. Against teams like Creighton, and especially in games where fouls aren't being called, I think those shorter jumpers can help give us an offensive edge while not losing our efficiency.
I decided to crunch the numbers and apply them to Iowa. The results are below. Each number represents the points we should expect per shot taken based on the team's field goal percentage.
Per 2 free throws attempted: 1.69
Monika 2-pointer: 1.358
Team 2-pointer: 1.162
Team 2-pointer (without Monika): 1.07
Team 3-pointer: 1.053
Gabbie 2-pointer: 0.902
As you can see, free throws are far and away the best shot we can get. We are a really good free throw shooting team, so that makes sense. Monika's shots are also really good because she shoots so well.
I don't have the data I would need to break this down for mid-range jumpers vs. layups. I did throw Gabbie's expected points on 2-pointers into the mix, though. I think it's safe to say Gabbie is the player who took the highest percentage of mid-range shots compared to layups. You can clearly see that her expected points on 2-pointers are well below the team averages.
Per 2 free throws attempted: 1.69
Monika 2-pointer: 1.358
Team 2-pointer: 1.162
Team 2-pointer (without Monika): 1.07
Team 3-pointer: 1.053
Gabbie 2-pointer: 0.902
As you can see, free throws are far and away the best shot we can get. We are a really good free throw shooting team, so that makes sense. Monika's shots are also really good because she shoots so well.
I don't have the data I would need to break this down for mid-range jumpers vs. layups. I did throw Gabbie's expected points on 2-pointers into the mix, though. I think it's safe to say Gabbie is the player who took the highest percentage of mid-range shots compared to layups. You can clearly see that her expected points on 2-pointers are well below the team averages.
I agree wholeheartedly with you on this. I don't understand why anyone would not want a player to work to be a good 10-12 foot jump shooter and then use it successfully in games. I'll throw one other thing in there regarding your last sentence and that is getting in the paint with no options and then lose the ball. A stop and pop for 2 would be a nice option.
Go Iowa Awesome - Hawkeyes return plenty of talent
The end came sooner than everyone expected, but Lisa Bluder has a very talented team returning next season.
iowa.rivals.com
Could have been the first post in the 22-23 thread.
Go Iowa Awesome - Hawkeyes return plenty of talent
The end came sooner than everyone expected, but Lisa Bluder has a very talented team returning next season.
Good article but none of it matters if they don’t decide to rebound, play defense, and take care of the ball.Go Iowa Awesome - Hawkeyes return plenty of talent
The end came sooner than everyone expected, but Lisa Bluder has a very talented team returning next season.
They did all of those things better this year then they did last year, so it’s reasonable to believe they can do it again.
It's relatively impossible for a defense to defend the rim, the 3-point line and mid-range.
Most teams try take away the 3-point or protect the rim so the mid-range shot is relatively wide open and a good option for a player who can hit them.
Best of luck to Logan with her new team!
Blackwell has had some off the court issues which has led to her being suspended from games by the university.
Just this past month or so she was suspended for 2-3 games for “not living up to the expectations of a student-athlete at Missouri”. Basketball wise, she doesn’t fit Iowa’s style of play. She is ball dominant and not as efficient away from the ball.
I think the wanting to go the transfer portal is overrated for this scenario.
You aren’t going to find someone who can score as efficiently as Monika. 78% from the floor the last 8 games is insane.
Addison showed potential as a rebounder, but just needs to grow under Jan Jansen’s coaching and same with Ediger.
Sharon Goodman was out all year and Bluder talked about how much she had improved before her injury.
Bringing someone in to player major minutes over Czinano, O’Grady, Goodman would just be ridiculous.
I believe Bluder had eluded to that too. I’m still trying to confirm the portal on both. I haven’t seen a real good source as it yet.
We have a good team and good players coming in. We do not need to go the transfer/portal route in my opinion.
Most people wanting a transfer don't want someone who plays the 5 though. I've said a really good defensive wing would help the team significantly. I mentioned Blackwell as the type of player who can play the 3 or 4 and rebound really well. I've seen others wanting a backup 1.
Stuelke is coming in to play the 4 behind Warnock. Also have Wetering back from injury and Jada Gyamfi.
I’m curious to see how Feuerbach grows over the off-season. You are only looking to cover 5-8 minutes off the bench at the 1, so if Feuerbach can improve on ball handling, plus you still have Gabbie and Kate.
I would be shocked if anyone other than a freshman redshirts (for non-medical reasons). 5 is the position where we have the most depth, but I don't see how a redshirt benefits either O'Grady or Goodman. If O'Grady redshirts, she'd end up with the same eligibility as Goodman (who would be ahead of her on the depth chart in that scenario). If Goodman redshirts, she'd be heading into her 4th year in college with the eligibility of a freshman.
At other positions, I don't see what the point would be either. Wetering or Affolter could redshirt I guess, but would an extra year make them any more likely to play? If they're that far down the depth chart they probably either, 1) are fine with it and will stay 4 years and graduate, or 2) will strongly consider the portal.
McCabe and Stuelke won’t redshirt, so your only option would be Gyamfi
I haven't been advocating the backup 1 option because I don't think many players would sign up for such a limited role. I think we have to fill that in house as you said, be that Feuerbach, McCabe, Martin, or other.
A 4 certainly isn't our biggest need, but if an athletic and great rebounding 4 wanted to come to Iowa, I think you would have to consider it. Our rebounding was better this year, but if we could add a really great rebounder at a position other than 5, this team's ceiling goes up quite a bit.
As for the 2 and 3 positions, the production there has to get better. Whether that's Kate and Gabbie getting more consistent, internal options filling in with more quality minutes, or an external option, I don't really have much of a preference. If a player like Lexi Donarski (just as an example) decided to enter the portal, though, I think you have to make a call and see if she's interested.
Yeah the off-season will be interesting. It's good to have returning, experienced players. 100% agree. The only downside is that the team weaknesses are going to largely remain. Yes, players improve. But the core group has 2 straight years. They did improve on defense, but the offensive efficiency also lacked for much of the year. I don't know if those 2 are related.
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