Iowa K-State game thread 11/17 8PM ESPN+
- Thread starter creslin_hawk
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Maybe will be better later in the year, but nothing tonight to indicate that will happen. Really disappointed in our veterans.
Iowa’s end of game management cost them tonight. It cost them against Creighton, when Creighton ran some great sets. Not great.
Maybe an L will loosen them up a bit. They’ve been tight all season. Need to be brought down to 15-20 in the rankings.
So many bad turnovers and so much awful defense.
Bad call on Martin to get the lead total bullshit.
Yup.
Trash defense. Basically akin to the football team's offense. They've fully adopted the men's prior philosophy of all offense and no defense. Clark especially.
Trash defense is trash.
Enjoy the L and regroup from it while you figure out whether you want to put the effort in to be a better defensive team or lose to Creighton in the f***ing 2nd Rd again............
Sit the f*** down Iowa women's basketball.
Three and four year veterans should not need several games to get into the swing of things. This should be a plug and play team if they truly are an elite squad; nothing out there to indicate they are. No defense; Warnock, Marshall, Martin, Czinano all very pedestrian. Really disappointed in their performances. If they're counting on Caitlin to carry them to the Final Four all by herself they're delusional.
Very frustrating to watch because this team won’t go anywhere again if the defense is what it was last year….and it sounds like it is. A lot of talent and promise in this group but they aren’t athletic enough as a unit to go far in March. Entertaining to be sure but count on an early exit again unless things change
I'm disappointed with the coaches more than individual players. McKenna and Kate could clearly not contain Gregory on the block 1-on-1 without fouling. That's just a fact with how the game was being called. But at no point did we send a double team or do anything other than leave them on an island when the refs were calling every bit of contact. Gotta try a different scheme at some point -- that's on the coaches. I would've liked to see Stuelke get the assignment on Gregory, but then again she is foul prone too so might not have been much better. At some point the coaches just have to make and adjustment other than, "Let's try a zone!!."
As far as Marshall, she was overmatched guarding Sundell, a 6'2'' PG with good strength too. Think we could have made an effort to put a different defensive look on her. Davis did have more success against her but committed a critical foul in one of the last few possessions.
How many of the turnovers were of the “careless” variety?
On radio, Jan Jensen said that Clark’s ankle is nothing major.
TBH that's not at all a fair assessment of Clark tonight or in general. The players she guarded weren't hurting us in the slightest. She was doing the job the coaches gave her -- pretty much "don't give up wide open layups" and then crash the defensive boards, both of which she did well. We were getting hurt in other areas:
--could not stop their PG Sundell driving to the basket (zero help defense? try a longer defender on her?)
--could not defend their SF Gregory on the block (tell them not to foul or try sending a double team or try Stuelke?)
--routinely gave up wide open three's to one of their C's (tell Czinano to get out and guard her or make sure we are switching screens to get a hand in her face)
We just have nobody on the court that can stay in front of anyone. It’s so hard to watch. Don’t understand it.
I'm disappointed at both. How many times are we gonna give a wide open three to the same player?
And why not get Wettering in the game. She knows how to play defense on the perimeter.
The defense lost this game but the refs did us no favors. Gregory initiated ALOT of contact in the post and should have been called for at least 2 or 3 offensive fouls. One of the fouls on Mckenna, Gregory hip checked her twice and no call.
But if we don't give up 10 mostly uncontested threes we probably win this game going away.
We will not get to the Final Four with Bluder as the coach until Bluder decides that playing defense is just as important as playing offense.
6-10
8-12
9-28
6-17
games get tough and she goes solo mode. hopes for the foul call on the drives to the basket.
Fair in the bigger games but those are efficent numbers for the first two games against lesser opponents.
Free throws are easily the most efficient shot in basketball for a good free throw shooter. Kansas State had 21 fouls tonight and I'd guess Clark drew at least 60% of them. She shot 16 free throws total. With the way the game was being called, driving and trying to draw fouls was absolutely the best strategy.
Good point, you should be able to sweep the legs out from under an opponent.
You're such a sweet heart. Glad you have nothing else to do but bitch...Good for you...
D is killer for this team. On offense though they need to get the ball into the post more in games like this. It was open and Iowa was scoring at a high percentage. They need to figure out ways to get Warnock involved more. She is a major mismatch. Czinano needs to be get 10+ shots off a game but Warnock is the key to relieve pressure off Clark. She has a rare ability to post you up, hit pop up 2s, and drain 3s. She isn't getting enough touches.
Not like Drake and K-State are athletic teams....wait until we encounter someone who's really quick.
Im no basketball ball guru, but after watching the last 2 games i would pump fake and drive to the rim on this team.
I've said it before, they kind of are what they are. They have been this exact team for going on 3 years now. It's all the same players, so expecting that there would be this defensive renaissance is more hope than reality. Yes, they could play slightly better defense. But they literally don't have the athletic ability to stay in front of drivers, and have no one that can protect the rim. It's a very bad combination for playing good defense.
Realistically, they are a top 12-20-ish (not top 5) team that on a given night can beat most teams if Clark gets hot or the other players are hitting 3's. I think they will find their rhythm and get it sorted out. But they just aren't among the top 4-5 teams in the country. If you can't defend, you lose games you shouldn't. They got the short end of the calls against K-State, which happens when you go on the road. Welcome to every team taking its best shot at you with a high ranking and one of the most high-profile players in the country. No one overlooks Iowa.
There is a dearth of good referees at every level. More so on the women's side than the men's. The refs that end up doing college games start out doing middle school and high school games. The experience there from fans, is well, less than ideal. So not surprising that many don't stay with it.
CC has attempted 67 shots this year and making just over 40%. That's 17 more shots than Czinano and almost 3x more shots than Warnock.
This will not get the team to an elite 8 or win the conference this year.
I think we all love CC's craft but it's time for her bulk shooting to be balanced and we figure out how to play as a team.
If she can figure that out, scoring will come easier for her in the long run because there's more of a threat than just her and Monica.
I'm just not impressed with this team as it stands. They might be the 4th best team in the B1g? And remember last year, Several teams didn't play games due to covid or we'd likely not of won the B1g regular season. There's no covid help this year. Maryland and Michigan come to mind.
Perhaps my favorite play right now is when Gabby looks CC off.
This will not get the team to an elite 8 or win the conference this year.
I think we all love CC's craft but it's time for her bulk shooting to be balanced and we figure out how to play as a team.
If she can figure that out, scoring will come easier for her in the long run because there's more of a threat than just her and Monica.
I'm just not impressed with this team as it stands. They might be the 4th best team in the B1g? And remember last year, Several teams didn't play games due to covid or we'd likely not of won the B1g regular season. There's no covid help this year. Maryland and Michigan come to mind.
Perhaps my favorite play right now is when Gabby looks CC off.
Yeah, when parents are banned from middle school--or younger--games due to behavior, it's pretty easy to see why. I still complain about the poor officiating, and it shocks me how bad they are....and before anyone says it, I did do it, but after a blown out knee, retirement came quickly.
I get what you are saying, but it's not as easy as just being tough. People describe Perkins on the men's team as "tough" and he really is. Got numerous difficult baskets close to the rim. But he is an incredibly explosive athlete that is very strong and can really explode off the ground, so it's easier for him to go the rim, absorb contact and still make a shot.
It takes more than just trying harder or bearing down or whatever. You also need to have the requisite athletic ability to do the thing. Iowa just doesn't have anyone (aside from Stuelke or Clark) who is good enough athletically to overcome physical play. It will take time for Stuelke to grow into that (just like it took Tony Perkins a couple of years).
Aaron White made a career out of that strategy--dunks and free throws!
The bulk shooting is great when she's hitting 41% of 3's, like she did her first year. It's obviously not as good when she's making 33% or so, like she has since then.
In Bluder and the team's defense, similar stuff was being said last year and then they won 8 in a row, got tie for Big Ten regular season title and won the BTT before losing to Creighton in NCAA. The season is a process, and this year no one is overlooking them. My uninformed opinion is that the team will have to learn to play with expectations, which they aren't handling the best right now. I would guess they will have a few more struggles before they end up finding it. Doesn't mean they are going to the Final 4 (I just don't thikn they have the team for it), but that home games for the first 2 rounds of the tournament and Sweet 16 berth are strong possibilities.
