Iowa's tougher non conference schedule will help more than hurt

[isuisshit]

Iowa finished 26-9, won 11 of their final 13 and the big ten tournament last year and wound up with a 5 seed due to their usual weak ass non conference schedule. Wasn't the only factor (record vs. ranked teams was not great) but it certainly didn't help. Iowa plays not as many cupcakes teams where you have no idea what part of the country they are from. I see this as a positive, better competition means you figure out what you are good and what you are bad at early on before conference play.

 

[Franisdaman]

Iowa finished 26-9, won 11 of their final 13 and the big ten tournament last year and wound up with a 5 seed due to their usual weak ass non conference schedule. Wasn't the only factor (record vs. ranked teams was not great) but it certainly didn't help. Iowa plays not as many cupcakes teams where you have no idea what part of the country they are from. I see this as a positive, better competition means you figure out what you are good and what you are bad at early on before conference play.

Actually, they won 12 of their final 14 (not 11 of 13) before heading into the NCAA Tournament. And the team ending up with a 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament was the result of the decisions Fran made on Feb 6, way after the nonconference schedule had been completed.

On Jan 31, Iowa lost at Penn State 90-86 in double OT. Iowa's record after that game was 14-7, 4-6. An NCAA Tournament appearance was in big time jeopardy because of Iowa's poor B1G record at that time.

On Feb 6, vs Minnesota, Fran made 2 changes :

(1) Jordan was back at starting Point Guard (with Joe being benched)

(2) Tony Perkins was the new starting 2 guard.


The result of these changes?

* Iowa won 12 of its last 14 and its record went from 14-7 to 26-9.

* They won a B1G Tournament Championship for the first time since 2006.

* Iowa went from a Bubble Team to a 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament

 

[perryhawk]

I get the whole tougher teams concept......Izzo does that and for years had great success. The idea being that you learn your weaknesses and then build stronger as a result of tough competition. However......a team could get their ass handed to them and destroy their confidence....and then not have the record necessary to get in the tournament.

Then there is the factor related to how mature or experienced your team is. With a more mature team you should be able to handle a tougher schedule and come out of it all the better for having played it....but with a new young team you play some cupcakes to get the confidence and continuity that helps your team be as successful as possible......at least that is how the theory goes.

We will find out this year if the tough schedule part works.

That said, I also think that the B10 is as open to Iowa winning a regular season championship as it has been in quite some time. I think the league is down a little and I think our schedule is pretty decent.....but as much as I like this Iowa team it is about 1 injury to a significant contributor away from not being deep enough to capitalize....that's my guess.

 

[isuisshit]

Actually, they won 12 of their final 14 (not 11 of 13) before heading into the NCAA Tournament. And the team ending up with a 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament was the result of the decisions Fran made on Feb 6, way after the nonconference schedule had been completed.

On Jan 31, Iowa lost at Penn State 90-86 in double OT. Iowa's record after that game was 14-7, 4-6. An NCAA Tournament appearance was in big time jeopardy because of Iowa's poor B1G record at that time.

On Feb 6, vs Minnesota, Fran made 2 changes :

(1) Jordan was back at starting Point Guard (with Joe being benched)

(2) Tony Perkins was the new starting 2 guard.


The result of these changes?

* Iowa won 12 of its last 14 and its record went from 14-7 to 26-9.

* They won a B1G Tournament Championship for the first time since 2006.

* Iowa went from a Bubble Team to a 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament

good catch, you'll get a like from me

of course I do have to point out that they did win 11 of 13 because they won 12 out of 14 so

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

Yes

 

[SDHawkDoc]

I'm all for getting the worst of the worst off the schedule, or at least severely curtailed.

I think it was relatively recently that there was a noncon schedule with 5 teams at #300 and below. One, maybe two at most. But 5 teams in that range on the noncon should never happen.