Soars(sp?) Is a beast and will take MC out of the game.
Would be interested in seeing Stuelke try to defend / deny her.
Hawkeye Women's BBall Season 2022-2023
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Would be interested in seeing Stuelke try to defend / deny her.
I think we'll attempt to use Monika the way we used her in the Oregon State game going against the 6'9'' post. Namely, have her look to dish to cutters or kick out to a shooter. Or, put her in a high ball screen action to draw Soares out of the paint. When Soares goes to the bench, Monika will look to score more aggressively.
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anon_salmfilsntd0b
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Continuing the depth discussion…
I’ve been a bit bummed that Affolter hasn’t really had any signifcant buckets/plays yet. I’m glad Bluder is still putting her in, but you have to wonder if/when she’ll start hitting them. Thoughts?
Also, thoughts on why O’Grady has been so absent from the stat line? Have the last few games just been too big for her to step up (i.e., give her a break, the season only just started and she’s young)?
At the end of last year I was as sure about O’Grady being a dependable sub (and maybe even a regular contributor of ~4-6 pts?) this season as I was of Feuerbach.
It feels ATM like we’re less deep than last year, which is tbh nuts.
I’ve been a bit bummed that Affolter hasn’t really had any signifcant buckets/plays yet. I’m glad Bluder is still putting her in, but you have to wonder if/when she’ll start hitting them. Thoughts?
Also, thoughts on why O’Grady has been so absent from the stat line? Have the last few games just been too big for her to step up (i.e., give her a break, the season only just started and she’s young)?
At the end of last year I was as sure about O’Grady being a dependable sub (and maybe even a regular contributor of ~4-6 pts?) this season as I was of Feuerbach.
It feels ATM like we’re less deep than last year, which is tbh nuts.
OGrady is an a super short leash right now, she is not getting enough time to get into a flow. Kind of reminds me of Joe t last year. We saw that she is very capable of contributing last year, and she is a better rim protector than Monica. I'm not sure what the coaches are looking for that they are not seeing. She does need to get better at catching some of the passes, and seems to want to shoot facing up over making a post move in the Monica style? I remember Lisa saying that they were trying to get her to be more physical and embrace contact.
I would prefer to see Wetering get some minutes instead of Affolter. Wetering seems like the decidedly more athletic option to me. Affolter is a bit of a mystery to me. She has an athletic, driving style, but (IMO) lacks the athleticism to make that style work for her against more athletic teams. However, I know there are others who (unlike me) saw her play live for All Iowa Attack and believe she can contribute and make her style work. If she continues to get minutes, I hope they are right.
Sunday 4 bench players played a combine 22 minutes and only produced a combine 2 points. UConn played 2 players a combined 31 minutes for 19 points. If these 4 players can't produce Lisa needs to try others or the starters will be playing all 40 minutes and get gassed.
I don't think it's injury related. Wettering has not played either. McCabe did not play in the past two games. Bluder just shortened the bench. She's content playing 8-9. Unfortunately, in doing so she's not preparing the young players and she's going to wear down the starters. Unless there's a blowout I don't see Goodman playing.
I'm deferring to the coaches on Wetering simply because I have no idea where her game stands now. Coming in, she was extremely raw but very athletic. After two years of injuries is her athleticism the same? Has her game developed despite not being able to play (or practice) for much of the last two years? The coaches have an answer for that, but we haven't seen her enough to know.
The thing I like about Affolter is her aggressiveness on the boards. She rebounds much better than a player her height should. I think she could do the same defensively. Offensively, she's not very good, but she also won't be higher than the 4th or 5th option on the floor at any given time, so that's probably fine.
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anon_salmfilsntd0b
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Hypothetical question — if Warnock, Marshall and Martin consistently play as they did in the UConn game…would we feel differently about them taking the COVID year? As it stands, there’s room for 2 of them to come back (assuming Davis is invited back).
If anyone on the bench were to transfer, there’d be room for them all…
If anyone on the bench were to transfer, there’d be room for them all…
It would be great for them to come back. Losing four starters and have only one recruit coming in would be tough. I'd rather they come back than go to the transfer portal.
As of now, I'd want Warnock and Martin back. Martin keeps showing flashes of brilliance. If she can do that more consistently we're a dangerous team. Warnock is a steady performer. Maybe Stuelke is better overall by next year, but that's far from certain, and we can deploy Stuelke and/or Warnock at multiple positions. I think Marshall has played well the last couple games, but I also think Davis and McCabe can probably replicate her production by next year.
Alternatively, it would make a lot of sense to try to reload in the transfer portal next year. Getting transfers last off-season was going to be tough with all our starters returning. But next year's playing time is wide open. And I imagine we'd be a desirable transfer spot given that with Clark and the right transfers, we'd probably be a top 10 team again.
I know Coach Bluder isn't big into transfers, but the reality is this year and next are likely her last couple opportunities to have a great chance to make a deep tournament run.
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anon_salmfilsntd0b
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I've basically had this opinion awhile now. There's no arguing that you must allow your underclasswomen to develop. On paper, 3 seniors taking a 5th yr sounds like a bad idea for the future of a program. However, I've also felt Warnock should be asked back as such a reliable scorer. The idea of starting our offense and starter chemistry from scratch sounds painful -- and also a disservice to Clark's senior year. When Bluder said she might have to move Warnock to the 3, this possibility made even more sense.
But you have to at least wonder if it makes most sense to consider Martin/Marshall as well. Monika Czinano was neutralized in the UConn game due to being outmatched by an elite athlete...OTOH, Warnock, Martin, Marshall all thrived alongside Clark. Kate and Gabbie have both expanded their games since last season and are becoming potent defensive weapons.
Please correct me if I you disagree, but this was arguably the best game GM/KM/MW ever played as a trio. If this game is emblematic of the rest of this season (it may not be), won't it make sense to return all 4 starters if we can? It seems like an enviable position to be in...a more athletic 5 might actually be exactly what this team needs....
Of course, who that 5 may be also seems up in the air at this point. O'Grady has been off to a cool start, while Goodman has been absent from the floor. Edigar and Gyamfi are likely more athletic but perhaps likely not to be as dominant in the paint and have seen even fewer minutes.
Bluder is clearly higher on Stuelke than anyone else on the bench...and she has mentioned more than once that she's been trying Stuelke at the 5...how would we feel about a starting 5 of Clark, Marshall, Martin, Warnock, Stuelke? Assuming we have at least middling success this year -- say a Sweet 16 appearance and Top 3 in the Big 10...you'd think we'd still return in the pre-season Top 25 next year.
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Gabbie is a great defender. Kate and McKenna are not and lack the physical tools to be great defenders.
While we played well against UConn, KState absolutely abused our defense. I am fine with Gabbie coming back if her shooting is more consistent or if she comes back in limited role as a defensive presence.
Kate and McKenna played well against UConn without question. But they are not consistent and will disappear almost as easily. If they could be consistent game in/game out they are potent weapons. But given their history I just don't think it's their mentally. Too often they pass up shots and hang out on the perimeter.
I think it would be a complete disaster for the long term stability of the program to sacrifice another year of development for the underclassmen.
We have to ask ourselves what happens AFTER Clark graduates. With the way Bluder under utilizes her bench, there is a potential for a complete disaster of a season in 2025. I also think that if all three were allowed to return it would negatively affect recruiting. Coaches will negative recruit against Bluder pointing out that she only plays upperclassmen -- and they wouldn't be wrong.
And if all three come there is potential for mass attrition to the transfer portal as the young players who are barely playing now are not going to want to sit on the bench forever.
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anon_salmfilsntd0b
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I don’t think you’re necessarily wrong about any of this. We’re in a very unique (but enviable?) position…
Warnock has scored between 11-15 points in 5 of our 7 games. One of the two where she didn't was against Southern when the bench all played significant minutes. She also grabbed exactly 8 rebounds in 4 of our 7 games.
Warnock's game might not be flashy, but she's not inconsistent. I'd actually say she's our most consistent player. At the end of last year she had some bad games, but she was also playing hurt in that stretch.
Best catch and shoot 3 pointer threat on the roster too (**edit: among the main rotation players) and it's not particularly close...
Those 3 are awesome if they don't play with fear. Just figure out a way to not give up layups and I can live with their lack of athleticism.
Read two places, including Her Hoop Stats, that the line for tomorrow night's game is NC State by 5 or so. Surprised by that. If Iowa really is a top 15 team right now, need to win tomorrow night. But will need to do a better job on Diamond Johnson than the last time Iowa played her when she was at Rutgers.
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anon_salmfilsntd0b
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I don't think that's fair. When two top 15 teams play each other, it doesn't mean the loser isn't still Top 15.
I see that Tomi Taiwo is the leading scorer for TCU this year.
gofrogs.com
2024-25 Women's Basketball Cumulative Statistics - TCU Athletics
The official 2024-25 Women's Basketball cumulative statistics for the TCU Frogs
gofrogs.com
Loved Tomis energy, glad it's working out for herI see that Tomi Taiwo is the leading scorer for TCU this year.
2024-25 Women's Basketball Cumulative Statistics - TCU Athletics
The official 2024-25 Women's Basketball cumulative statistics for the TCU Frogs
That's part of the problem we have a bunch of catch and shoot scorers.
Any pressure at all and they won't shoot.
I dont know how Caitlin can stand up to a whole season the way we beat her like a rented mule every game.
No idea how much energy it takes for to Play at her pace 38 minutes a game.
She is phenomenal... and play on any team she wanted..
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anon_salmfilsntd0b
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I think this is it. Bluder’s assessment of this has been very frank (and I think she said it more than once). And O’Grady seems to strongly prefer playing the 4 as well. Could be an unfortunate combination for her minutes.
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anon_salmfilsntd0b
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True…tbh if a version of this team rly wants to achieve a final four, Warnock can absolutely be a part of it but a player with her skill level should be the weakest link. Last year however she was the 3rd best and this year she has been our 2nd best (just IMO). Either way, wont cut it.
Have to wonder how a lineup of Clark, Feuerbach, Warnock, Stuelke and…..tbd (???) might fare next year. Certainly more athletic, but Feuerbach looked as terrified on the floor last year as Gabbie this year.
Still can’t figure out why Gabbie is so hesitant. Remember her soph year when she had two separate games with 5 treys each? What happened to her confidence…
Similarly, when KF txfrd from ISU, I remember a poster on their forum saying they’d miss how “fearless” she was. I kept expecting to see that materialize but man she just looked scared most of the time.
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Agree, for Gabby her release is low and slow so she needs alot of space.
Except for the law firm and Stuelke they seem to be on playing on their heels..dont see the killer instinct?
I know Goodman has been brought up here a few times. I‘m hoping that if we have a couple of games that are closer to blowouts, she‘ll be able to get in for some good minute. I agree regarding O’Grady.
Interesting Stat…
Iowa is 17-4 when Gabbie Marshall makes 3+ three pointers
Iowa is 28-13 when Gabbie Marshall makes 0-1 three pointers and plays 15+ minutes
Iowa is 17-4 when Gabbie Marshall makes 3+ three pointers
Iowa is 28-13 when Gabbie Marshall makes 0-1 three pointers and plays 15+ minutes
If Tomi would have made this shot, a lot of problems could have been avoided. Rule #1 don't mess with the hair, I guess.I see that Tomi Taiwo is the leading scorer for TCU this year.
2024-25 Women's Basketball Cumulative Statistics - TCU Athletics
The official 2024-25 Women's Basketball cumulative statistics for the TCU Frogs
TCU Brawl
From TCU’s last game recap, QUOTE: Senior guard Tomi Taiwo continued to lead TCU on the offensive end of the floor with another dominant performance. Taiwo started the game with back-to-back 3-point field goals in the first six minutes of action and would go on to finish with a game-high 20 points.
Tomi would certainly be an asset on this year's team. That said, when the coaches/Tomi decided she would move on, Kylie Feuerbach was healthy and the plan presumably was for her to play most of the minutes at the backup 3/2.
We haven't talked about Feuerbach's injury much here, but it's certainly having an impact on our depth this season. Coach Bluder trusted Feuerbach in ways she just doesn't with Affolter, McCabe, and arguably Davis.
On the defensive side of things, the combination of the addition of Davis and the subtraction of Taiwo and Feuerbach is a net loss IMO. Davis is clearly a net plus on offense, but not on the defensive side of things.
I look forward to another post-game press conference where Bluder and players "tell us what they think we want to hear", which is that the defense was dogsh** once again and that it needs to get better..............
It's just too bad that there's a difference between telling us what's wrong after every game.....and actually fixing the f***ing problem (or even being capable of fixing the f***ing problem).
Should be fun watching that happen after another loss to Iowa State tonight!!
It's just too bad that there's a difference between telling us what's wrong after every game.....and actually fixing the f***ing problem (or even being capable of fixing the f***ing problem).
Should be fun watching that happen after another loss to Iowa State tonight!!
I guarantee it won't happen tonight.I look forward to another post-game press conference where Bluder and players "tell us what they think we want to hear", which is that the defense was dogsh** once again and that it needs to get better..............
It's just too bad that there's a difference between telling us what's wrong after every game.....and actually fixing the f***ing problem (or even being capable of fixing the f***ing problem).
Should be fun watching that happen after another loss to Iowa State tonight!!
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