I think one of Iowa's biggest problem is how rattled they get late in games. We can fill the floor with veterans and it doesn't seem to matter. They looked like a team of 8 year old girls late in the ISU game. I think this is largely to do with how players emulate their head coach. Composure and holding things together has never been Fran's strong suit IMO. Iowa State has had players that seem to make big plays down the stretch, and a reflection of the head coaches they have had recently.
Lack of Composure
- Thread starter SKOL
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Yes, a reflection of Hoiberg and Prohm. Prohm is 1-0 in games decided by five or less points or overtime. And Hoiberg?
A fabulous 24-22 record in the same types of games over his entire Cyclone coaching career.
Iowa State has had players make big plays down the stretch in about half their close games. Is that better than what Iowa has accomplished in five+ years? Yes, fair to say it is.
But the Cyclones haven't been all that special.
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I think the point is, Iowa needs to close out games better. They seem to play really well in stretches, but play pretty poorly at the end. I heard on the BTN that they shoot 40% in the last 4 minutes of games. It's been a common theme in the last several years (I think they were better last year because of Aaron White) that they fold or don't finish well. Personally, I'd like to see them drive the ball to the hoop more and get closer in shots or get to the free throw line more at the very end of games vs. shooting 20 ft fade away's with a hand in the face. Uthoff is a great scorer, but shooting percentages go way down the further away from the basket you get. Fran's got to get them focused more on what they need to do to win during crunch time because they have the potential for sure. The other thing that bothers me is he never calls timeouts, either, in the end, and it looks like the guards don't really know what to do with the ball. Hopefully they continue to improve and figure out how to win the close ones.
It's because they are not mentally tough (The N. Fla coached said the same thing about them last year). Look at the faces Wis players at the end of game and look at Iowa's. Wis players are mentally tough. They always have a guy who wants the ball at the end of the game and believe they are going to win. They have confidence in themselves. Iowa looks like a deer in headlights. They are great when things are going good, but when they get faced with any real adversity they cower. They have little confidence. Nobody want to shoot the ball. You can see the "Oh shoot, here we go again". It's kind of like the visualization professional golfers use before they take a shot. If Iowa players did this they see themselves turning the ball over or throwing up a clunker. They don't believe good things are going to happen.
It comes down to lack of elite PG play, and lack of guys that can create their own shot in general. If Iowa had Monte Morris, they would win the majority of the close games.
Iowa's lack of finishing games doesn't mean there aren't worse teams at it. I've seen way worse than them. I just think they can tweak some things to make themselves have a better chance to close games. They really shouldn't have lost that ISU game I think even ISU fans would tell you that. It's also not a secret that they've been ridiculed for not closing out games in the past and statistics prove that to be the case. I'm just being honest with what I see.
DanL already posted the best evidence to support this in the other thread of the same topic.
9-20. That's Iowa's record in these close games.
While 24-22 isn't spectacular, it's certainly much better than 9-20.
9-20. That's Iowa's record in these close games.
While 24-22 isn't spectacular, it's certainly much better than 9-20.
Agree. Why hasn't Fran tried to recruit/sign this type of PG? I guess he did with Ulis, but he's not the only quick PG in college basketball. I don't even think Iowa needs elite, they need an above avg PG. They need a PG with some quickness, who can beat someone off the dribble and defend the quick PGs. Getting a very extremely athletic PG seems to be a low priority with Fran. I'm bewildered how he doesn't bring in a quick PG in the 2015 or 2016 class. Maybe Fran is right and you don't need that type of player at PG, but I'm struggling to think of top rated teams who have a PG in the Fran mold.
This is 90% of the problem, you don't even have to be elite. Just need a guy who can handle the ball really well under pressure.
You need that one guy ( at least one, good teams usually have a few) who you can give the ball to and know its relatively safe in their hands.
We don't have that.
Monte Morris is about as good as it gets in that regard. Never out of control, never rushing, always head up, almost always makes the right play.
Our best guy is unfortunately usually rushing and out of control far to often, and whether you want to admit it or not, we all know its true.
Hes tried a bunch of times. Hes just can't land them for some reason and when he has they don't work.
Remeber Dickersen?
Mike G. has also seemed to have more issues against the "local" teams where he knows people and has relationships...i.e. Nebraska, UNI, Iowa State, etc. Mike G. was fearless in Chapel Hill last year. It's not all on him either. It's PG, coaching and overall swagger factor when game is on the line. Some guys want the rock and others don't. We don't have the ice in the vein types. Hopefully, we will find some of that DNA in future classes.
Yes, but even Dickerson wasn't an above avg PG, who had very good handles. He was quick. I think he could have been a decent backup PG, change of pace guy, and honestly, I'd take that right now. Still, Dickerson would have been a senior this year (I believe), you would have still needed a PG for next year and Fran didn't land one in the 2015 and 2016 classes. Maybe someone like Williams will surprise us (or at least me) and be that PG, but given Fran's track record in this area, I'm not optimistic.
No he wasn't but the point was Fran has been trying to bring in quick pgs, hes offered allot just hasn't landed any so your statment about it not being a priority is not accurate.
How many offers has Fran made to PG's that considered Iowa? I know Ulis was one but they didn't offer any other PG, so when he fell through they went with Dickerson. By the time Fran focused on PG's (other than Ulis) it was too late. The good ones had already committed.
Also, who are the PG's Iowa offered in the 2015 and 2016 classes? If it was the priority you are making it out to be then one wonders how Fran is able to have little/no problem getting wing players or even bigs to commit, but he can't get PG's. High school kids are high school kids. Basketball players are basketball players. A PG isn't wired differently than other players.
So, my question is why can Fran close the deal for every other position but PG? Why can't he close the deal for a PG? Is there a PG strike against Fran? Fran has went the last 2 seasons without a true backup PG. I'm sorry, that is lack of commitment. If you have to make 10 offers to PG's, you do it until you land one. Not recruiting a PG is like the football coach not signing a QB.
Whenever Fran talks about recruits, he brings up that they can play multiple positions. Ok, that is great to an extent, not for the 1 and the 5. I don't see any value in getting a 5 who doesn't want to play in the post nor do I see value in getting a 2 or 3 who can also play the point at the expense of a true PG.
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