Need to Remember the Importance of Defense and Rebounding

[drew_hawk]

These things seemed to have been severely lacking tonight, and have been a general bugaboo for us this season; this is very disconcerting to me, especially after it appeared that we had more or less shored up these issues. I'm not trying to be negative, but my honest assessment is that tonight's effort would not have cut it against a top-25 caliber opponent, or against a team that has at least three strong 3-point shooters, especially if they get hot. Allowing this many second chances will kill you in close games against high-quality opponents. Am I wrong?

 

[StormHawk42]

It wouldn’t have but that’s not who we were playing. Once they were up 18, I wanted to see them crush them but it was pretty clear to see they flipped the switch off and got comfortable just playing it out.

 

[drew_hawk]

It wouldn’t have but that’s not who we were playing. Once they were up 18, I wanted to see them crush them but it was pretty clear to see they flipped the switch off and got comfortable just playing it out.

I hear that, and I guess I just would have felt better about the game overall had I seen that killer instinct resulting in a blowout. I think I just have a weakling version of PTSD from all of the double-digit leads we've given up over the course of the season; I just want my happy ending.

 

[icwesthawk]

It was the problem with the game. We were undersized today and they outrebounded us by 4, I think. Gotta keep Garza and Keagan on the court to rebound. Great game though and to win by 12 and get outrebounded, take it and run

 

[Buffalo43]

These things seemed to have been severely lacking tonight, and have been a general bugaboo for us this season; this is very disconcerting to me, especially after it appeared that we had more or less shored up these issues. I'm not trying to be negative, but my honest assessment is that tonight's effort would not have cut it against a top-25 caliber opponent, or against a team that has at least three strong 3-point shooters, especially if they get hot. Allowing this many second chances will kill you in close games against high-quality opponents. Am I wrong?

No

 

[Buffalo43]

No

I thought Garza gave up a lot of layups

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Poor rebounding was disappointing to see.
They went into cruise control the last 3 minutes or so and got lackadaisical. Made it look closer in the end, but never any danger.

 

[RocknRollface]

These things seemed to have been severely lacking tonight, and have been a general bugaboo for us this season; this is very disconcerting to me, especially after it appeared that we had more or less shored up these issues. I'm not trying to be negative, but my honest assessment is that tonight's effort would not have cut it against a top-25 caliber opponent, or against a team that has at least three strong 3-point shooters, especially if they get hot. Allowing this many second chances will kill you in close games against high-quality opponents. Am I wrong?

No you are not wrong.

 

[RocknRollface]

It wouldn’t have but that’s not who we were playing. Once they were up 18, I wanted to see them crush them but it was pretty clear to see they flipped the switch off and got comfortable just playing it out.

So basically like the games against Indiana and losses to OSU and Minnesota?

This is not the time to be doing that shit.

 

[StormHawk42]

So basically like the games against Indiana and losses to OSU and Minnesota?

This is not the time to be doing that shit.

Yeah but I’m not the coach so I’ll let someone else tell them that

 

[Mohawkeye]

Garza definitely went soft in the 2nd half, trying not to get in foul trouble. We really miss Nunge when we play bigger teams. Murray is incredible, but he’s not 7 foot.

 

[Hawksfor3]

I agree that we need to block out better. I think we have a tendency to not leave our feet also, but stand with our hands up to avoid contact.

 

[Rambler Hawk]

These things seemed to have been severely lacking tonight, and have been a general bugaboo for us this season; this is very disconcerting to me, especially after it appeared that we had more or less shored up these issues. I'm not trying to be negative, but my honest assessment is that tonight's effort would not have cut it against a top-25 caliber opponent, or against a team that has at least three strong 3-point shooters, especially if they get hot. Allowing this many second chances will kill you in close games against high-quality opponents. Am I wrong?

Valid concerns indeed. I enjoyed the Win, but the realist in me is saying that this team will not go deep unless we play that same type of Defense that we showed against Wisconsin...just last week. I am wondering if we just put it in cruise control to save their legs, but this won't cut it going forward like you said. To be blunt, we just are not THAT GOOD where we can do that against quality teams...

 

[mazda1]

I think Luka was not aggressive on D after his 2nd foul. Smart. He had to be on the floor. Didn’t battle for rebounds like he normally does. There wasn’t good perimeter D either. Joe T got beat for a couple of wide open threes. CJ is also not his normal self after his foot problems. We mis

 

[drew_hawk]

Valid concerns indeed. I enjoyed the Win, but the realist in me is saying that this team will not go deep unless we play that same type of Defense that we showed against Wisconsin...just last week. I am wondering if we just put it in cruise control to save our legs, but this won't cut it going forward like you said. To be blunt, we just are not THAT GOOD where we can do that against quality teams...

 

[desihawk]

Gcu took 70 shots at the basket (iowa only got 54 looks). That feels like a pretty big differential, not sure how that compares with our other games

 

[kcgolfer]

Both areas need to be better from here on out.

 

[kceasthawk]

It wouldn’t have but that’s not who we were playing. Once they were up 18, I wanted to see them crush them but it was pretty clear to see they flipped the switch off and got comfortable just playing it out.

This. Could be a lot worse. We could be OSU, Purdue, or Virginia right now. I agree that we had a hard time on the boards after Luka got that (ridiculous 2nd double foul call). At that point he already had 6 boards and he ended with 6. After that we went small. Thought their big guy was very well coached by Drew. He would ball fake Luka and although he doesn't really jump much he extends his length and then can't recover to the up and under. Almost all of his baskets were made with that same move. Conversely he had no answer chasing Luka out to the three point line, and Luka torn him a new one from deep.

 

[Buffalo43]

I love Luka but he does not recover well defending ball screen action

 

[cleotishaywood]

I love Luka but he does not recover well defending ball screen action

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
********** VERY TRUE *********

 

[iahawkeyes17]

Once again fran proved why we shouldn’t play zone. Went to it with about 10 min for about 5 min and couldn’t get a stop along with countless times of us playing it off an inbounds play. I was just thinking no clue why Fran switched it up but timing of it was odd and made no sense.

 

[ANYCHawk]

How much of it was pulling of the gas when they knew we'd win and not to get into their pushing and shoving, though?

 

[kwik44]

How much of it was pulling of the gas when they knew we'd win and not to get into their pushing and shoving, though?

Typical iowa runs the late 15 up to 19-21ish. At this point, just relax and advance. You already have to hobbled shooters out there, although Weezy looks almost back to normal.