Indiana is now a must win...

[Hawkfan_08]

For my sanity and to try and obtain a double bye in the BTT.

I need to stop posting because all it will be is something negative towards Bohannon's defense, substitution patterns, Bohannon and Connor's defense together, Connor's role or "yes men" assistants who also can't coach defense.

 

[Raptorpeeps]

It’s a must win for IU too.

 

[DewHawk]

It’s a must win for IU too.

You can't sleep either.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

I really think Iowa can win the next 5 IF, and this is a big if, Fran scratches where it itches. In other words, if the starters, like a certain player who scored 18 but also gave up double that on D, won’t or can’t D up then you have to sit them.

If Fran continues down the path of just trying to outscore the other team and appease the starters with guaranteed minutes...well....we know how the season is likely to end.

Iowa finally has a good bench. Not just a “deep” bench of marginal players like most normal years. We could roll out a lineup of Joe T Ulis Perkins Pat Mc and Nunge as starters and be relatively competitive because the guards can D up.

If I’m Fran I’m starting the following players on order to find a better O/D balance.

Joe T or Ulis
Bohannon or CJ
Joe W
Keegan
Garza

Starting a different, better defending, PG helps cover Jordan and CJ’s deficiencies on the D end(I happen to think CJ struggles in zone while Jordan is simply bad on D) Plus this would allow Jordan to run off screens and take responsibility of running the team off of his shoulders.

 

[markfromj]

No, it’s not.

 

[General Tso]

This team has flushed away any opportunity for there to be a must win game. This season is settling in to a yawn.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

You're putting a lot on this one game.

Of course the Hawks can win, but I won't be surprised if they don't.

 

[Rifler]

Sunday is no longer a must win game,.. I'm back to watching for amusement now that the possibility of a Big Ten championship is totally off the radar...

 

[AJBHawkeye]

I think it is a must win for their confidence, but yeah, we are just playing to hope to slide into a descent seed now for the tournament.

 

[BlackNGoldBleeder]

I really think Iowa can win the next 5 IF, and this is a big if, Fran scratches where it itches. In other words, if the starters, like a certain player who scored 18 but also gave up double that on D, won’t or can’t D up then you have to sit them.

If Fran continues down the path of just trying to outscore the other team and appease the starters with guaranteed minutes...well....we know how the season is likely to end.

Iowa finally has a good bench. Not just a “deep” bench of marginal players like most normal years. We could roll out a lineup of Joe T Ulis Perkins Pat Mc and Nunge as starters and be relatively competitive because the guards can D up.

If I’m Fran I’m starting the following players on order to find a better O/D balance.

Joe T or Ulis
Bohannon or CJ
Joe W
Keegan
Garza

Starting a different, better defending, PG helps cover Jordan and CJ’s deficiencies on the D end(I happen to think CJ struggles in zone while Jordan is simply bad on D) Plus this would allow Jordan to run off screens and take responsibility of running the team off of his shoulders.

This is all accurate.

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[IllQChawk]

Must win games are not in Fran's vocabulary, his teams have had double digits loses every year he's been at Iowa and this year probably won't be any different. Expect another 5 or more loses before the end of the year. Fran just can't get out of his own way....

 

[CleteyColgate]

For my sanity and to try and obtain a double bye in the BTT.

I need to stop posting because all it will be is something negative towards Bohannon's defense, substitution patterns, Bohannon and Connor's defense together, Connor's role or "yes men" assistants who also can't coach defense.

Then Iowa's rotations need to be radically different, playing those who play with a sense of urgency

 

[24 so far]

We have already had some must win games, and we lost them, so that ship has sailed until Tourney time.

 

[katman15]

I think they can , but they won’t . I hope they can play 500 ball the rest of the way....

 

[skydog0784]

Does it really matter at this point?

Fading towards top half of B1G, win or two in the BTT, sweet 16 at best (and I’m beginning to lean towards one and done at this point).

 

[HawkLogic]

This is not a must win game if team is happy with 10-10 or 11-9 type record in B1G play.

 

[Bee93]

I think it is a must win for their confidence, but yeah, we are just playing to hope to slide into a descent seed now for the tournament.

WOB alert.

 

[SicIturAdAstra]

Iowa is better than Indiana. Indiana was better on a specific night where a key Iowa player got hurt, but Iowa "should" win this game by 7-10 I think. This game is degrees more a "must win" for IU. They've pissed away home games to NW, Illinois, Rutgers, and at Wisconsin. They lose to Iowa (which I think they will), and they're on the outside of the bubble with a tough stretch to end the year. Win, and they're still in tourney with hope of improvement.

 

[QChawks]

This team has flushed away any opportunity for there to be a must win game. This season is settling in to a yawn.

this.

the big ten season is over. Just need enough wins to avoid Thursday game in B1G. Need CJF healthy and the rest is whatever.

 

[RocknRollface]

I really think Iowa can win the next 5 IF, and this is a big if, Fran scratches where it itches. In other words, if the starters, like a certain player who scored 18 but also gave up double that on D, won’t or can’t D up then you have to sit them.

If Fran continues down the path of just trying to outscore the other team and appease the starters with guaranteed minutes...well....we know how the season is likely to end.

Iowa finally has a good bench. Not just a “deep” bench of marginal players like most normal years. We could roll out a lineup of Joe T Ulis Perkins Pat Mc and Nunge as starters and be relatively competitive because the guards can D up.

If I’m Fran I’m starting the following players on order to find a better O/D balance.

Joe T or Ulis
Bohannon or CJ
Joe W
Keegan
Garza

Starting a different, better defending, PG helps cover Jordan and CJ’s deficiencies on the D end(I happen to think CJ struggles in zone while Jordan is simply bad on D) Plus this would allow Jordan to run off screens and take responsibility of running the team off of his shoulders.

If Fran would just surround the best scorer in the country with the best defenders he has Iowa might not lose another game this season.

But he won't do it.

Hes gona let it ride on 3pt shooting, no defense and what ever it is that Connor supposedly does.

 

[Herky58]

From this point forward they ALL are must win games

 

[the24fan]

after watching the last 4 games or so I have zero confidence in any game the way the Hawks play defense . I’m waiting for the next bench guy to come off the opposing pine and light is up for 5-6 3 balls and have his career high in points . Almost like clock work in any given season

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[Aleksei]

No, it’s not.

If we lose, we have lost 4 of our last 5. It wouldn’t look good.

 

[NevadaHawk]

I want Iowa to win in the worst way tomorrow but I am not confident they will. I will gladly eat crow if they can somehow pull this game out.

 

[24 so far]

I want Iowa to win in the worst way tomorrow but I am not confident they will. I will gladly eat crow if they can somehow pull this game out.

There is zero reason to believe they will win this game. 3 pt. favorite apparently, I guess somebody has to be favored.

I still say Indiana isn't very good, but we aren't all that great now either.

 

[Robster Raws]

Can’t wait to spot IU the obligatory 8-10 point lead by the first tv timeout.

Then Fran throw a tantrum as if he didn’t expect the same thing to happen that’s happened at least 50x before. It’s getting all so tiresome to watch Iowa February on.

 

[TJHawkeye]

We've really been hurt by the physical beatings Luka has been taking in the paint. Refs are either just letting more stuff go later in the season or they are getting tired of calling fouls on those players and taking them out of the game. Where are the Hansen brothers from Slapshot when you need them.

 

[Hawksfor3]

Joe T Ulis Perkins

And these 3 had a combined 6 minutes against Ohio St. Gotta play 'em, Fran.

 

[Eternal Return]

Iowa is better than Indiana. Indiana was better on a specific night where a key Iowa player got hurt, but Iowa "should" win this game by 7-10 I think. This game is degrees more a "must win" for IU. They've pissed away home games to NW, Illinois, Rutgers, and at Wisconsin. They lose to Iowa (which I think they will), and they're on the outside of the bubble with a tough stretch to end the year. Win, and they're still in tourney with hope of improvement.

Iowa won't win if Bohannon plays without Joe T, Ulis, or Perkins in the backcourt with him. He can't play D against IU and he can't get open against their guards, either. It's a horrible matchup for him, but maybe he can Iog 15 or 20 minutes as the 2.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

Please don’t think I’m comparing their over games but JBo should get Jeff Moe type minutes. 20 minutesish/game while providing a shooting spark.

 

[HawkRugged17]

We've really been hurt by the physical beatings Luka has been taking in the paint. Refs are either just letting more stuff go later in the season or they are getting tired of calling fouls on those players and taking them out of the game. Where are the Hansen brothers from Slapshot when you need them.

 

[Hawksfinal4]

Trouble with the Indiana game is we have a win and ok maybe we righted the ship a little but it’s a game we were supposed to win by the metrics. Move on.
Now if we lose we are a sinking ship, been exposed, every bad thing you can think of is being hurled at this team and maybe even some players begin to doubt how good a team this can be.
so we really have no choice but to win as convincingly as possible. Not only need to win to change the narrative but need to play best game of the season.
and that’s all I have to say about that. Now I’m going runnin

 

[Suterman]

If we lose this one we are back in the pack and separating from the lead group. We do need to win today and I don't feel good about it.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Another loss here would hurt NCAA tourney seeding. Losing twice to just an OK indy team doesn't make a good case for a decent line.

 

[QChawks]

Must win for what?

seeding?

this team is going anywhere this year.

 

[HawkRugged17]