Hawkeye Women's Hoop season

[LarryMullenJr.]

I completely disagree with this. One it's almost impossible to assign fault when playing zone. Two you credit Tomi for 14.5 points which is negatively skewed against her. She played tough D all night. When she "gave up points" it was mostly 2nd chance points where she has a distinct height disadvantage.

You also don't account for 4 terrible calls against iowa. 3 obvious flops and a phantom foul against Taiwo where she never made any contact.

Efficiency ratings are a more useful analytic but unfortunately sidearm doesn't track it. If they did Tomi's efficiency would have been very high. The steal on the inbound and running the floor to score to end the half shows her value.

Not saying you're blowing your top, but ease up a bit. It's an interesting stat/dynamic to look at for analysis, but like EVERY stat, needs to be looked at in a broader sense, especially in a single-game parameter. Sometimes teams shoot the lights out--some of that is defense. Sometimes teams can't throw it in the ocean--some of that is defense. Yeah, Tomi's numbers don't look great, but it's interesting to look at them. Now if you take multiple games in this frame, you have a better look at what's happening, but there is some value and certainly some truth to be gleaned from this.

 

[DewHawk]

Need to see more Taiwo. Her energy was great tonight

I agree 100% and have wondered all year why Bluder was not playing her more. She quick, athletic, decent shooter, runs court very well, and pretty good on defense. Does need to work on making her lay ups though.

 

[DewHawk]

Agreed. I would also like to see Gabbie shoot more 3's.

Agreed, I would much rather see Gabbie shoot a three then stumble driving to the basket and lose the ball.

 

[SayHawkKid]

Megan was amazing. I loved watching her play. Caitlin is on a different plane. She is out of this world.

This is correct and last night was a perfect example. The difference is that post players of Megan's stature are very rare, especially at Iowa.

PS Caitlin should have had 12-15 assists last night. Lisa B really needs to come up with a transfer or 2 for 2021-22

 

[Gabe Sifuentes]

This is correct and last night was a perfect example. The difference is that post players of Megan's stature are very rare, especially at Iowa.

PS Caitlin should have had 12-15 assists last night. Lisa B really needs to come up with a transfer or 2 for 2021-22

Monica and Sharon both missed several bunnies last night. I'm more concerned about post defense though. Amanda Ollinger and Doyle covered up a lot of the flaws Last year with help defense.

We won last night because we kept NE on the perimeter jacking bricks. But when they got into the lane or rebounded in the paint NE scored at will.

We really need a better shot blocking presence and our guards need better lateral footwork to stay in front of the defender.

 

[DewHawk]

Monica and Sharon both missed several bunnies last night. I'm more concerned about post defense though. Amanda Ollinger and Doyle covered up a lot of the flaws Last year with help defense.

We won last night because we kept NE on the perimeter jacking bricks. But when they got into the lane or rebounded in the paint NE scored at will.

We really need a better shot blocking presence and our guards need better lateral footwork to stay in front of the defender.

The post play on defense is terrible. Slow to react, cannot jump over a dime, and move feet.

 

[jockos]

The post play on defense is terrible. Slow to react, cannot jump over a dime, and move feet.

Monika has regressed on defense this season, actually the whole team looks lost for the most part. Monika needs to be the anchor & talk more directing the zone to shift. It will be interesting to see how Sharon Goodman progresses (Off & Def) after a season in the program & a full summer of training. She already goes after the boards better than Monika.

I still think Caitlin has the ability to be a fine defender at 6'0, she just needs more offensive help & her teammates need to step up their game earning her trust.

 

[BraydonRoberts5]

Monika has regressed on defense this season, actually the whole team looks lost for the most part. Monika needs to be the anchor & talk more directing the zone to shift. It will be interesting to see how Sharon Goodman progresses (Off & Def) after a season in the program & a full summer of training. She already goes after the boards better than Monika.

I still think Caitlin has the ability to be a fine defender at 6'0, she just needs more offensive help & her teammates need to step up their game earning her trust.

Caitlin had a pretty good game defensively last night until the very end. Nebraska made a couple threes during its big run late because she intentionally played off her matchup daring them to shoot. I understand why she was doing it given how bad Nebraska shot from three that game, but with how much Nebraska was down, guarding them close and making them drive to score was better than giving up a wide open three.

 

[UpstreamHawkeye]

Agreed. I would also like to see Gabbie shoot more 3's.

I would like both Taiwo and Marshall be more assertive on layups and convert them. Taiwo missed like three of them last night.

 

[Kurt Warner]

Agreed, I would much rather see Gabbie shoot a three then stumble driving to the basket and lose the ball.

The games I've watched gabby is a very good 3 ball shooter

So the nebby game was on tv?

 

[Gabe Sifuentes]

The games I've watched gabby is a very good 3 ball shooter

So the nebby game was on tv?

it was on BTN last night.

Gabbie is an excellent 3 point shooter but she is tentative. She doesn't like to shoot unless she is wide open. Last night she did use the side step and drill her shot and fake pass freeze to drill a second.

She is more than capable but needs to develop a quick release and the confidence to hunt her shot.

Like all of Iowa's guards she needs to add strength particularly in her upper body to finish through contact.

This is really true of every position but it's more noticeable at guard. I really think the program needs to make changes in the S&C coaching staff because there's a clear physical disadvantage compared to the rest of the conference

 

[DougERot]

The post play on defense is terrible. Slow to react, cannot jump over a dime, and move feet.

From watching and reading about Alison Ediger, I believe she will be an upgrade for post interior defense. But of course that won't help this year.

 

[AMAYS]

. . . I'm more concerned about post defense though. Amanda Ollinger and Doyle covered up a lot of the flaws Last year with help defense. . . . We really need a better shot blocking presence and our guards need better lateral footwork to stay in front of the defender.

The post play on defense is terrible. Slow to react, cannot jump over a dime, and move feet.

. . . Very athletic teams are very hard for Iowa to play against.

. . . Lisa B really needs to come up with a transfer or 2 for 2021-22

For context, the defensive shortcomings of the current personnel make this perhaps the worst defensive team of the 21-year Bluder era. The team is currently 314th (out of 336) in the country in field-goal percentage defense. The previous worst of the Bluder era was the 2007 team (311 out of 324), and that team finished 9th in the Big Ten (out of 11). In the last 10 years, Bluder's worst defensive team was the 2016 team (287th in field-goal percentage defense), and that team finished 9th in the Big Ten. Even if this year's team is not the worst defensive Bluder team, it will be right there with the worst.

Unless O'Grady, Ediger and/or Affolter can help in a pretty big way next year on the defensive end, perhaps SayHawkKid is right about the need for a transfer. Finding someone who is quick to the ball on defense (and, on offense, strong with the ball or able to get somewhere on the bounce) would do wonders for the current team, which has a number of really good parts (including Warnock and others beyond the main two). With a historically great guard, and an historically efficient offensive post, it would be a shame if next year's team cannot compete with the league's better teams. Finally, if, as seems to be the case this year, the Big Ten is improving and becoming more athletic, it will be harder and harder to succeed in the Big Ten with mid-major level athleticism.

 

[BraydonRoberts5]

For context, the defensive shortcomings of the current personnel make this perhaps the worst defensive team of the 21-year Bluder era. The team is currently 314th (out of 336) in the country in field-goal percentage defense. The previous worst of the Bluder era was the 2007 team (311 out of 324), and that team finished 9th in the Big Ten (out of 11). In the last 10 years, Bluder's worst defensive team was the 2016 team (287th in field-goal percentage defense), and that team finished 9th in the Big Ten. Even if this year's team is not the worst defensive Bluder team, it will be right there with the worst.

Unless O'Grady, Ediger and/or Affolter can help in a pretty big way next year on the defensive end, perhaps SayHawkKid is right about the need for a transfer. Finding someone who is quick to the ball on defense (and, on offense, strong with the ball or able to get somewhere on the bounce) would do wonders for the current team, which has a number of really good parts (including Warnock and others beyond the main two). With a historically great guard, and an historically efficient offensive post, it would be a shame if next year's team cannot compete with the league's better teams. Finally, if, as seems to be the case this year, the Big Ten is improving and becoming more athletic, it will be harder and harder to succeed in the Big Ten with mid-major level athleticism.

Those are good numbers. To expand on them slightly, here are the numbers from the Elite 8 year (2018-2019) per the NCAA website:

Field goal percentage: 51.5% (1st nationally)
PPG: 78.4 (14th nationally)
Field goal percentage defense: 40.1% (191st nationally)
Opponent PPG: 70.5 (299th nationally)
Turnovers per game: 13.9 (71st nationally)

Here are the numbers for this year:

Field goal percentage: 50.7% (2nd nationally)
PPG: 87.4 (3rd nationally)
Field goal percentage defense: 44.6% (314th nationally)
Opponent PPG: 80.8 (336th nationally--dead last)
Turnovers per game: 15.5 (133rd nationally)

Overall, I'm pretty encouraged by this. The Elite 8 team's defense was solidly below average, but it still competed for a Big Ten title and made an Elite 8 on the back of its offense.

This team could well do the same. It scores a lot more points than the Elite 8 team, but is nearly as efficient. If we can move the defense from amongst the worst in the country to just below average, we could well compete at the top of the conference again as early as next year. I think that's achievable if the team buys in and focuses on defense in the off-season. Additions could obviously help too.

The stats also pass the eye test. We haven't beaten any of the top teams in the conference this year, but most of the games have been close. This team isn't as far away as its record might indicate.

 

[AMAYS]

. . . Overall, I'm pretty encouraged by this. The Elite 8 team's defense was solidly below average, but it still competed for a Big Ten title and made an Elite 8 on the back of its offense.

Appreciate the additional info, but not sure this is the right take on the 2019 team. When you look at the conference-only stats for 2019, Iowa was 4th in the league in field-goal percentage defense, and 2nd in the league in 3-pt percentage defense. From a Big Ten perspective, that is not below average. That team had Ollinger and Doyle (and also Stewart). Setting aside Clark, not sure anyone on the current roster can help as much on the defensive end as these three could (not that they were great defenders).

 

[Kurt Warner]

Dang, wished I would have known the game was on btn last night 🙄

Would someone please remind me next time😣

 

[pablow]

Can you explain your basis for claiming she wont be at Iowa for 4 years? The average WNBA salary in 2020 is $100,000. CC is far from average so maybe she can ultimately claim one of the precious few "star" salaries which is $221,000 (I believe this includes revenue sharing which was increased in 2020). Some of the WNBA players go to Europe to play a second season to compensate for the WNBAs relatively low pay but then they are playing basketball nearly the entire year raising the risk of injury. Basic economic logic would suggest you finish your degree to have a "fall-back" plan for when a pro basketball career is over which for some is much shorter than they expect. If CC can complete her degree in 3 years, then she might jump to pro basketball but otherwise I think she stays for four seasons of Hawkeye basketball!

I was thinking the same thing when I read his post. The rest of his post may be correct though - just have to see if she keeps it up and stays healthy. If she does, she'll be the best.

CC not only has the athleticism and talent, she's an assassin. And, you just can't coach that mental toughness - it's either there or it isn't. On the court, she's cold blooded.

 

[fish1hawk]

Any programming cancelled by covid means an opportunity for others. The game was given the spot on Tuesday. Michigan Ohio St wrestling got the spot planned for Iowa Penn ST match

 

[retrodent]

Agreed, I would much rather see Gabbie shoot a three then stumble driving to the basket and lose the ball.

. Why is she incapable of driving????? Drives me nuts

 

[Gabe Sifuentes]

. Why is she incapable of driving????? Drives me nuts

Gabbie is not incapable of driving. Driving is not the problem. She struggles to finish through contact as do Iowa's other guards other than Clark. Tomi has seen limited success. Gabbie and Megan in particular need to adds some muscle, particular upper body strength to be able to absorb and finish through contact instead of being blocked. The other thing that hasn't happened is Iowa's bigs have failed to screen and seal off defenders while the guards are driving allowing helpers to collapse in the paint. Even with upper body strength it's difficult to finish when being double or triple teamed.

Clark and Tomi tend to get vertical just outside the protected area and either bank the shot off glass, or get fouled. Gabbie and Megan tend to drive closer to the rim and get blocked but have both shown they can be effective with backside cuts.

 

[BraydonRoberts5]

Appreciate the additional info, but not sure this is the right take on the 2019 team. When you look at the conference-only stats for 2019, Iowa was 4th in the league in field-goal percentage defense, and 2nd in the league in 3-pt percentage defense. From a Big Ten perspective, that is not below average. That team had Ollinger and Doyle (and also Stewart). Setting aside Clark, not sure anyone on the current roster can help as much on the defensive end as these three could (not that they were great defenders).

I was just looking at the national numbers, not the Big Ten specifically when I said below average.

Personally, I'd like to see Iowa dedicate more time to the 2-3 zone in the off-season and going forward. I think it's been the worst of Iowa's three defenses so far, but I think it could be the best if they could get rotations right. A 2-3 zone would do more to mask Czinano's defensive issues, because she has less area to guard. It also gives Marshall and Clark more freedom to anticipate passes and generate steals.

I agree that most or all of the roster won't be good individual defenders. A zone can help mask those individual deficiencies somewhat, but only if the team is good at rotating in the zone. Right now they're not close to that.

 

[hawkshawn]

Can you explain your basis for claiming she wont be at Iowa for 4 years? The average WNBA salary in 2020 is $100,000. CC is far from average so maybe she can ultimately claim one of the precious few "star" salaries which is $221,000 (I believe this includes revenue sharing which was increased in 2020). Some of the WNBA players go to Europe to play a second season to compensate for the WNBAs relatively low pay but then they are playing basketball nearly the entire year raising the risk of injury. Basic economic logic would suggest you finish your degree to have a "fall-back" plan for when a pro basketball career is over which for some is much shorter than they expect. If CC can complete her degree in 3 years, then she might jump to pro basketball but otherwise I think she stays for four seasons of Hawkeye basketball!

Here's the language on draft eligibility from the WNBA website:

1. Who’s eligible to be drafted?

The league requires draft entrants to be at least 22 years old during the year in which the draft takes place and has no remaining college eligibility or renounces any future college eligibility.


Caitlin turned 19 in January, which means she wouldn't turn 22 until January of her senior season (her 4th season, I'm not sure how her eligibility will look with covid). So, if I'm understanding it correctly, she wouldn't be able to declare until after her senior year. Paige Bueckers, UConn's freshman star, turns 22 in October of the previous year, so I believe she would be eligible to leave after her junior season, unlike Caitlin.

There's already been some conversation about Bueckers being ready for the WNBA now, and so I suppose there's a chance that rule could be changed. That said, I don't know if that could only been changed with their next collective bargaining agreement, which expires in 7 years.

Anyway, I think this means Clark will likely be here for at least 4 years.

 

[wneff]

Thursday's game time? Hawkeyesports.com still says TBA. The Penn State site says 4 PM and on BTN, which would would be 3 PM CST in Iowa City.

2024-25 Women's Basketball

2024-25 Women's Basketball

gopsusports.com

The BTN website lists an unspecified women's basketball game at that time, so guessing that might be us. Just happy if it is not being played the same time as the men's game.

 

[brfhilltop]

Iowa site has 3pm on BTN.

 

[BraydonRoberts5]

Do we think the Maryland and Rutgers games are going to get made up at this point? Looking at the schedule, Iowa plays Thursday (Feb. 18), Sunday (Feb. 21), Thursday (Feb. 25), Sunday (Feb. 28), and Friday (Mar. 5) for the last 5 games of the season. The Big Ten Tournament is scheduled March 9-13. Selection Monday is March 15.

I suppose they could try to fit a game in on a Tuesday, but that would make things fairly crowded. The Iowa-Maryland game probably doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things, but Rutgers has played so few games that it might need more wins against quality opponents to get into the NCAA Tournament.

If we do only have 5 regular season games left, I think 3-2 in those final 5 should make us feel okay about making the NCAA Tournament. Beating Indiana or Michigan would help, but I don't feel confident about either of those games. A loss to any of Penn State, Wisconsin, or Nebraska wouldn't be great.

 

[LinusPF]

On Bluder's show Monday she said the Maryland game will likely be made up, but the Rutgers game not. B1G likes to make sure each team plays each other at least once. She mentioned the last week of the regular season, between Wisconsin on the 28th and Nebraska on March 5/6. I'm guessing March 3.

 

[Suterman]

Here's the language on draft eligibility from the WNBA website:

1. Who’s eligible to be drafted?

The league requires draft entrants to be at least 22 years old during the year in which the draft takes place and has no remaining college eligibility or renounces any future college eligibility.


Caitlin turned 19 in January, which means she wouldn't turn 22 until January of her senior season (her 4th season, I'm not sure how her eligibility will look with covid). So, if I'm understanding it correctly, she wouldn't be able to declare until after her senior year. Paige Bueckers, UConn's freshman star, turns 22 in October of the previous year, so I believe she would be eligible to leave after her junior season, unlike Caitlin.

There's already been some conversation about Bueckers being ready for the WNBA now, and so I suppose there's a chance that rule could be changed. That said, I don't know if that could only been changed with their next collective bargaining agreement, which expires in 7 years.

Anyway, I think this means Clark will likely be here for at least 4 years.

This is good news. I thought that the WNBA had the same rules as the NBA but clearly they don't. Caitlin here for 4 years makes me very happy. She is great already and is going to get better.

 

[AMAYS]

Iowa down to PSU 52-41 at the half. Athleticism deficit for the Hawks on full display in the first half, but still in it on 50% shooting. PSU had 17 offensive rebounds to 3 for Iowa. Rebounds and poor defense allowed PSU to shoot 25 3s. Big Ten WBB record for attempted 3s in a conference game is 39, so PSU may challenge that.

 

[AMAYS]

Iowa down to PSU 52-41 at the half. Athleticism deficit for the Hawks on full display in the first half, but still in it on 50% shooting. PSU had 17 offensive rebounds to 3 for Iowa. Rebounds and poor defense allowed PSU to shoot 25 3s. Big Ten WBB record for attempted 3s in a conference game is 39, so PSU may challenge that.

Iowa up 2 69-67 after 3 on 55% shooting.

 

[Trumpet21]

With 5:11 left in the game, Iowa is up 81-70. Taiwo has played 17 minutes for her defense.

 

[AMAYS]

Iowa wins going away in the 4th, 96-78. Crazy stat game.

 

[Gabe Sifuentes]

Kate Martin is the x-factor for this team. If she plays aggressive like she did today Iowa can play with anybody in the conference.

 

[BraydonRoberts5]

Here's my recap of the Penn State game. I added some analysis on a couple of tactical decisions in the 2-3 zone that I think caused issues today and throughout the season. Otherwise that was easily Kate Martin's best game at Iowa and Clark had another great run down the stretch. The offense is a lot of fun to watch when everything clicks.

https://www.goiowaawesome.com/iowa-...196/iowa-96-penn-state-78-second-half-blowout

 

[mphawk]

Here's my recap of the Penn State game. I added some analysis on a couple of tactical decisions in the 2-3 zone that I think caused issues today and throughout the season. Otherwise that was easily Kate Martin's best game at Iowa and Clark had another great run down the stretch. The offense is a lot of fun to watch when everything clicks.

https://www.goiowaawesome.com/iowa-...196/iowa-96-penn-state-78-second-half-blowout

You mention that the next game is at Maryland on Tuesday. Any idea why the game at Indiana this coming Sunday is now listed as Postponed? Indiana just played tonight so I can't be Covid. Just surprised they would cancel a game already on the schedule, but maybe it is because Iowa has already played Indiana once and Maryland not at all.

 

[brfhilltop]

I think the reason that Iowa doesn't play the 2-3 zone the way they use to. ( the way you suggested). Is because that would leave Monika vulnerable in the middle. She just is not quick enough, so they either have to drop the guards or forwards in the lane depending were the ball is. I think one of the coaches made a comment to this either before or after the game. Not totally sure though.

 

[BraydonRoberts5]

You mention that the next game is at Maryland on Tuesday. Any idea why the game at Indiana this coming Sunday is now listed as Postponed? Indiana just played tonight so I can't be Covid. Just surprised they would cancel a game already on the schedule, but maybe it is because Iowa has already played Indiana once and Maryland not at all.

They moved the Indiana game to March 3. It sounds like they really wanted to get the Iowa-Maryland game in, and I assume Indiana was available March 3 while Maryland wasn't, so that's why the switch happened. It was a really sudden change. I already had the last paragraph written about Indiana, went to the schedule to look for something else, and saw the game was postponed.

 

[BraydonRoberts5]

I think the reason that Iowa doesn't play the 2-3 zone the way they use to. ( the way you suggested). Is because that would leave Monika vulnerable in the middle. She just is not quick enough, so they either have to drop the guards or forwards in the lane depending were the ball is. I think one of the coaches made a comment to this either before or after the game. Not totally sure though.

That could be. It was a worthwhile experiment given Monika's limitations, but at this point, I think it's time for the experiment to end. Either abandon the 2-3 zone this year, or go back to the way it was played in prior years. Today's first half defense was as close to rock bottom as I hope we ever get.

 

[Gabe Sifuentes]

Women down 24-9 vs UM halfway thru Q1

 

[Chuck C]

Maryland started out 7-7 from 3 point range.

 

[Gabe Sifuentes]

41-21 after 1. Get Meyer in.