*****Iowa vs Illinois Game Thread*****

[HawkLogic]

That is what frustrates me the most. If PMac had the role your suggesting since the beginning of the year, guys like Dembele, Harding, and Bowen would have gained a lot of valuable experience and could potentially be counted on as the 5th player on the floor during important stretches. But, alas...

Dimbele is not as bad as he's made out to be. Put him on Coleman Hawkins and I don't think Hawkins goes 4/5 to start the game. There is double standard that if you score, it doesn't matter how bad your defense/rebounding is.

The Freshman class is pretty good. Freeman, Dimbele, Harding, and Pryce....don't sleep on Pryce, he can move his feet and guard better than Payton.

 

[Mohawkeye]

So winning the next 3 is necessary for NCAA bit or else wining B1G ten tournament? Are we close to MarkfromJ admitting the next few games are must wins or are we relying on winning the Big10 Tournament as our way into NCAA tourney?

It was good effort today.. I doubt this team wins at Carver vs Illini. Illini just too many weapons, including off the bench.

I don’t know, we played them pretty close today and both Sandfort and Freeman had bad games. I’d say we have a 50/50 shot at home. Illinois won’t be playing for anything but pride.

 

[Barnbomber]

There will poster's talking about that one rebound for days

In Patrick's defense, it was the first in traffic rebound I've seen him get in 5 years. Most of his rebounds come with nobody around

 

[NI hawk]

Dimbele is not as bad as he's made out to be. Put him on Coleman Hawkins and I don't think Hawkins goes 4/5 to start the game. There is double standard that if you score, it doesn't matter how bad your defense/rebounding is.

The Freshman class is pretty good. Freeman, Dimbele, Harding, and Pryce....don't sleep on Pryce, he can move his feet and guard better than Payton.

Iowa has a very good freshman class.

 

[RocknRollface]

So winning the next 3 is necessary for NCAA bit or else wining B1G ten tournament? Are we close to MarkfromJ admitting the next few games are must wins or are we relying on winning the Big10 Tournament as our way into NCAA tourney?

It was good effort today.. I doubt this team wins at Carver vs Illini. Illini just too many weapons, including off the bench.

4 more wins probably does it in some combination.

Minnesota win turning into q1 helps.

 

[RocknRollface]

Dimbele is not as bad as he's made out to be. Put him on Coleman Hawkins and I don't think Hawkins goes 4/5 to start the game. There is double standard that if you score, it doesn't matter how bad your defense/rebounding is.

The Freshman class is pretty good. Freeman, Dimbele, Harding, and Pryce....don't sleep on Pryce, he can move his feet and guard better than Payton.

I agree on all points.

Dembele is going to be very good and so is Pryce.

Pryce has more to his game than Payton.

 

[Hawksfinal4]

Looking forward to the 2 recruits added to this team next year and hope that Perk comes back for one more too

 

[DewHawk]

Looking forward to the 2 recruits added to this team next year and hope that Perk comes back for one more too

agreed and no PMac

 

[Hawkman34]

Must be the Quad Cities in me but in basketball they are the most interesting game for me year after year.

Oh, I LOVE the game.....it is the dislike that drives it for me. BTW....I am an Eastern Iowa guy myself.

 

[herkhatescy]

Bowen didn't play at all again correct?

 

[IllQChawk]

Nah. If we win the next 3 and 1-2 in the BTT we’re in. Quad 1 opponents coming up in Northwestern and Illinois.

You're funny! Why would you want Iowa to win the next 3, so they could get into the playoff games in Dayton and either lose there or in the first round. Iowa is not good enough to win 3 of the remaining games and even if they win 1 game in the BTT you want Iowa to get a 8th or 9 seed so even it they win the first round game they get a number 1 seed, so you can bitch that Fran didn't get to the 2nd week again. OK.
Me, this team is not strong enough or savvy enough to do any good in the NCAA's and I'd rather see them get into the NIT and at least get 1 home game and maybe make a run giving the 4 freshmen more post game experience, but hey knock yourself out thinking Iowa has a chance to get into the round of 64 or whatever, you'll blame everything on Fran either way.

 

[longliveCS40]

Saw most of the game. I thought overall they played very well. Dix is going to be really good in the next 2 years.

This team just fades late in games. I think it's a combination of mental and physical. Just can't get stops when they need to. This team is better than I thought they'd be this year. If they could close out games, they'd be an NCAA tourney team.

 

[drew_hawk]

You're funny! Why would you want Iowa to win the next 3, so they could get into the playoff games in Dayton and either lose there or in the first round. Iowa is not good enough to win 3 of the remaining games and even if they win 1 game in the BTT you want Iowa to get a 8th or 9 seed so even it they win the first round game they get a number 1 seed, so you can bitch that Fran didn't get to the 2nd week again. OK.
Me, this team is not strong enough or savvy enough to do any good in the NCAA's and I'd rather see them get into the NIT and at least get 1 home game and maybe make a run giving the 4 freshmen more post game experience, but hey not yourself out thinking Iowa has a chance to get into the round of 64 or whatever.

My opinion is that the experience of being in the NCAA tournament at all would be the better experience for the freshmen.

 

[RocknRollface]

You're funny! Why would you want Iowa to win the next 3, so they could get into the playoff games in Dayton and either lose there or in the first round. Iowa is not good enough to win 3 of the remaining games and even if they win 1 game in the BTT you want Iowa to get a 8th or 9 seed so even it they win the first round game they get a number 1 seed, so you can bitch that Fran didn't get to the 2nd week again. OK.
Me, this team is not strong enough or savvy enough to do any good in the NCAA's and I'd rather see them get into the NIT and at least get 1 home game and maybe make a run giving the 4 freshmen more post game experience, but hey knock yourself out thinking Iowa has a chance to get into the round of 64 or whatever, you'll blame everything on Fran either way.

I would agree with that if this team was in rebuilding mode but they aren't.

The big majority of the minutes are going to the upperclassmen.

NIT won't do much good for experience when the guys who could use it aren't playing much if at all.

 

[RocknRollface]

Saw most of the game. I thought overall they played very well. Dix is going to be really good in the next 2 years.

This team just fades late in games. I think it's a combination of mental and physical. Just can't get stops when they need to. This team is better than I thought they'd be this year. If they could close out games, they'd be an NCAA tourney team.

It's because there's no pg to handle the pressure at the end of games.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

I would agree with that if this team was in rebuilding mode but they aren't.

The big majority of the minutes are going to the upperclassmen.

NIT won't do much good for experience when the guys who could use it aren't playing much if at all.

Exactly.

 

[iahawks10]

Bowen didn't play at all again correct?

No Bowen for the third straight game. Against MSU he was on the bench with his warmups off. Never came in though.

 

[Legs94]

Wanna bet?

Krikke and PMAC have soem talnet on offense but I don't think Iowa will miss their defense/rebounding next year. Dimbele has a chance to be decent but he has to play a lot smarter on defense.

PMAC talent on offense? You mean wondering in the lane where the ball and either making a bad pass or chucking up a terrible shot? Sometimes he gets bailed out by a foul I guess?? 20 minutes, 1-4 shooting and 4 points. He made an effort on 1 rebound and played a lot of effortless, shitty defense. He should play 5 minutes much less 20.

 

[Moral]

No Bowen for the third straight game. Against MSU he was on the bench with his warmups off. Never came in though.

I was wondering about that. He gone?

 

[IllQChawk]

My opinion is that the experience of being in the NCAA tournament at all would be the better experience for the freshmen.

So, how has the experience in the NCAA tournament the past 5 years helped this team? This team is so young and the veterans like Krikke and PMac are so unpredictable, but if your wish is for Iowa to get into the NCAA tournament and get embarrassed again, then I hope you get your wish.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

It's because there's no pg to handle the pressure at the end of games.

The pg also has to be able to make a play when the defense stiffens. We have 1 playmaker and fran won’t play Harding because the defense may back him down. But we’ll watch blow byes in a zone and no block outs.

 

[markfromj]

Or.....I was actually paying attention and made a correct assessment based on Iowa's lack of defense and poor shooting.

No. You made a prediction that became correct.

Same one you made last year with 1:11 to go at home last year against MSU.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

Any good pg looks at what fran had done to the position and would never come to Iowa.
Pg’s have to be creative and fran doesn’t like that.

 

[markfromj]

I think the only chance the Hawks have now is to win the BTT. Which is highly unlikely.

This isn’t even close to true. Win next 3, and they are likely in.

 

[drew_hawk]

I was wondering about that. He gone?

 

[Chishawk1425]

I think we need exactly 4 more wins and we're in.

Bingo. You get it.

 

[Chishawk1425]

This isn’t even close to true. Win next 3, and they are likely in.

4, last 3 of regular season and 1 in BTT

 

[longliveCS40]

It's because there's no pg to handle the pressure at the end of games.

I don't think that's it. They aren't turning the ball over. I think it's more of a lack of a go to guy in crunch time. Tony is sometimes but not always. They don't have a Keegan or Kris to go to when it's crunch time.

But I see Dix and Freeman growing into that role. The future looks positive.

 

[markfromj]

So winning the next 3 is necessary for NCAA bit or else wining B1G ten tournament? Are we close to MarkfromJ admitting the next few games are must wins or are we relying on winning the Big10 Tournament as our way into NCAA tourney?

I’m close. Now, I do think winning 2 of next 3, and then getting to Sunday (or maybe Saturday) in the BTT might get us in. Is lose to PSU and then get 2 Q1 wins better than beat PSU and then get 1 of 2? I dunno.

This is the problem with non-formulaic team selection: You don’t really know what is a must win, because you don’t know what everyone else is gonna do, and what you are gonna do in the BTT.

 

[drew_hawk]

I don't think that's it. They aren't turning the ball over. I think it's more of a lack of a go to guy in crunch time. Tony is sometimes but not always. They don't have a Keegan or Kris to go to when it's crunch time.

But I see Dix and Freeman growing into that role. The future looks positive.

I agree to some extent, however Perkins did commit two crucial turnovers down the stretch, both of which a solid true PG wouldn't/ shouldn't make.

 

[Chishawk1425]

I agree to some extent, however Perkins did commit two crucial turnovers down the stretch, both of which a solid true PG wouldn't/ shouldn't make.

Lost his balance on 1. Just some bad breaks.

 

[RocknRollface]

I don't think that's it. They aren't turning the ball over. I think it's more of a lack of a go to guy in crunch time. Tony is sometimes but not always. They don't have a Keegan or Kris to go to when it's crunch time.

But I see Dix and Freeman growing into that roll. The future looks positive.

Same thing.

3 TOs in last 5 minutes today.

When I say handle pressure I mean someone who can drive the ball and create looks against a physical half court defense when the reffs are swallowing the whistle at the end of games.

Most of the time that's a pg. Keegan was that guy, I don't think Kris was ever really that guy.

Dix yeah, but a 5 can't really be the go to guy.

 

[RocknRollface]

I’m close. Now, I do think winning 2 of next 3, and then getting to Sunday (or maybe Saturday) in the BTT might get us in. Is lose to PSU and then get 2 Q1 wins better than beat PSU and then get 1 of 2? I dunno.

This is the problem with non-formulaic team selection: You don’t really know what is a must win, because you don’t know what everyone else is gonna do, and what you are gonna do in the BTT.

Yes.

I tend to think it's most likely to beat psu and Illinois and lose to NW.

That leaves iowa needing to pick up two quality wins in the tournament IMO.

 

[iahawks10]

I was wondering about that. He gone?

That’s what I was thinking too. He told Fran that he’s leaving. But then he was sitting on the bench, one or two spots down from Fran, with his warm up off. Looked like he was ready to check in. So who knows?

 

[Barnbomber]

PMAC talent on offense? You mean wondering in the lane where the ball and either making a bad pass or chucking up a terrible shot? Sometimes he gets bailed out by a foul I guess?? 20 minutes, 1-4 shooting and 4 points. He made an effort on 1 rebound and played a lot of effortless, shitty defense. He should play 5 minutes much less 20.

Patrick just bogs down the offense. Holds the ball too much, dribbles aimlessly, doesn't cut.

 

[83Hawk]

No. You made a prediction that became correct.

Same one you made last year with 1:11 to go at home last year against MSU.

Ha ha! Wrong! I made no such prediction in the MSU game. Your takes are really bad.

 

[jonesy5960]

I agree to some extent, however Perkins did commit two crucial turnovers down the stretch, both of which a solid true PG wouldn't/ shouldn't make.

Perkins had a rough game offensively. It happens. Overall he's been solid.

 

[sm_hawkeye]

Honestly what helped them play at a high level in last couple of key wins, was Patrick providing scoring off the bench. While they were on a tear in the first half, Patrick put up some ridiculous ugly looks. And it seemed contagious for other players to attempt in second half. If they wanted to take advantage of defensive technique, they should have pushed for players with talent at that mid range/ floater looks. And told anyone putting up anything ugly there to pass out of it going forward.

Really disappointing the rest of the team wasted Dix and Krikkes great performance. They were combined 16 for 24. So frustrating that Fran doesn’t move the rotation much based on performance. Standfort and Freemen should have lost minutes to Dembele and maybe throw Evans? some minutes.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

Same thing.

3 TOs in last 5 minutes today.

When I say handle pressure I mean someone who can drive the ball and create looks against a physical half court defense when the reffs are swallowing the whistle at the end of games.

Most of the time that's a pg. Keegan was that guy, I don't think Kris was ever really that guy.

Dix yeah, but a 5 can't really be the go to guy.

This. If you don’t understand what he’s saying you have no clue what a pg does.
It’s like the Iowa fans that think we have a pg because of their assist to to ratio is good, they have no clue.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

Perkins had a rough game offensively. It happens. Overall he's been solid.

This does happen. Just more often to people that aren’t real pg’s. Patrick is not a ball handler. He’s just a guy who can dribble against average pressure. When teams get agressive with him, his ball handling is poor.
He doesn’t even look comfortable dribbling with no pressure. Watch him, he has all these random high dribbles for no reason. It’s really wierd.
Look, he’s a good off guard, just not a pg.