Northwestern strategy

[CoachoftheFuture1]

NW doesn't handle the ball well under pressure. Iowa wants to get off to fast start and get the crowd involved and keep it involved. So I would start with a tight full court press on Saturday--the press Iowa used in desperation time at Evanston.

Dial it up and disrupt the purple from the get-go. There's no better way to get the energy goin' than to unleash the press. I hope the Hawks put it to 'em from the opening tip.

 

[JeffHoelscher]

Guard the 3 and make them drive it among our bigs.

 

[CAHawk93]

A healthy dose of Clemmons guarding demps would be great for the defense.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

NW wants to make the game a three-point shooting contest, with a lot of contact being allowed around the basket. Iowa want the game to be played in the open court with contact around the basket being whistled.

 

[dawgs_04]

I would suspect we'll see a difference in minutes for two of the seniors compared to the first game.
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[coffhawk]

Originally posted by JeffHoelscher:
Guard the 3 and make them drive it among our bigs.

This, this, this and this. It worked at IN and will take the Cats down.

 

[unIowa]

It's a bad match-up for Woody again if they plan to run him on the baseline against the NW zone. Their big center is just going to sit in the middle of that lane and rim protect so we need someone that is quick and explosive to the rim to be the one attacking from the baseline (see White and Gabe).

I see a real opportunity of having Woody and Gabe play together in this one with Gabe working the baseline and Woody at the high post feeding him, kicking out to shooters, or putting up 10 footers. The other option would be to put JU at the high post in some situations get the ball to him and let him do work (shooting, driving, passing).

Things I don't want to see, Woody running the baseline, Woody trying to dribble to the hoop from the high post, White running the high post. Attack that zone with Woody or JU playing the high post, Gabe and White attacking from the baseline and Josh/Pete/JU hitting kick out threes from the high post and we should win going away.

Going to have to make some shots though bc NW will pack it in if the team isn't hitting.

 

[BeepBeepInMyJeep]

The three scholly seniors play good minutes anyhow so I don't think the rotations will change at all. Obviously if the game is 7+ points in the last minute he will call time to get denning in but that's it

 

[herkI]

Agree, need to get their center "Oafla" in foul trouble. He hurt us last game. Run White and the guards at him with screening help from our bigs.

 

[nu2u]

Originally posted by unIowa:

It's a bad match-up for Woody again if they plan to run him on the baseline against the NW zone. Their big center is just going to sit in the middle of that lane and rim protect so we need someone that is quick and explosive to the rim to be the one attacking from the baseline (see White and Gabe).

I see a real opportunity of having Woody and Gabe play together in this one with Gabe working the baseline and Woody at the high post feeding him, kicking out to shooters, or putting up 10 footers. The other option would be to put JU at the high post in some situations get the ball to him and let him do work (shooting, driving, passing).

Things I don't want to see, Woody running the baseline, Woody trying to dribble to the hoop from the high post, White running the high post. Attack that zone with Woody or JU playing the high post, Gabe and White attacking from the baseline and Josh/Pete/JU hitting kick out threes from the high post and we should win going away.

Going to have to make some shots though bc NW will pack it in if the team isn't hitting.

Good thought provoking analysis uI. I like your twin tower suggestion.

 

[DodgerHawki]

Iowa has played Woody and Gabe together very rarely this year. You won't see a departure from that, I wouldn't think. Every guy on the floor for Northwestern (including Olah) can shoot 3's. Asking Woodbury AND Olaseni both to track guys out at the 3-point line is asking for trouble.

Iowa has to be more effective in getting offensive rebounds and in scoring in transition than the first time around. It would help to make some shots too, but the big thing is to just get the pace of the game up in general. Northwestern has been VERY effective in its recent good streak of slowing the game to a crawl. Iowa and Northwestern had a 60 possession game that went to overtime. That is ridiculously slow. Wildcats had a 59-possession game with Minnesota, 57 possessions against Penn State, 57 possessions against Indiana, 66 in a 2-OT game with Michigan. Illinois was able to "speed" them up to 64 possessions in a loss, mostly due to Illinois getting a huge lead. They have been averaging mid to upper-50s for possessions lately in a regulation game.

Northwestern's zone and their own proclivity to hold the ball when they are on offense get the game to where Northwestern likes it. Getting a lead is going to be important, as it's much easier to play from the lead against a team that is working to bring things to a standstill.

 

[CoachoftheFuture1]

Exactly, and that's why Iowa should press from the git-go. Speed the game up immediately. Keep NW from EVER getting comfortable. Put that burr in their saddle from the start and the purple will be helpless.

 

[DodgerHawki]

It's a good idea, and I would guess we see a lot of the 1-2-2 zone press from Iowa.

The problem is Iowa can't just be overly aggressive and dumb about how they go about it once the Wildcats cross half court. Iowa's strength on defense is not in extending the defense and pressuring people on the perimeter. We just don't have the personnel to do it, even against Northwestern. Iowa's strength on D is making teams shoot contested jumpers over our taller players. This has worked to great success in the recent 7-2 stretch. But Iowa has not played very fast in those games.

McIntosh and Demps are good enough with the ball that if Iowa tries to just pressure them everywhere, those guys will either create shots for themselves or create them for others off the dribble.

I know people like to think of Iowa as a high-tempo team (and we have been under Fran). Just last year Iowa was 24th in the country at over 70 possessions per game. This year Iowa is just 206th in terms of pace at 64 possessions per game. That is playing to Iowa's strengths (size and ability to move/share the ball on offense).

Iowa will try to run when it can (either from rebounds or turnovers). Other than that, the best best is to get a lead so Northwestern isn't incentivized to bleed the clock every possession. The first 2 matchups with Iowa last year, Collins tried to let his team run with Iowa. It was a disaster for Northwestern. In the BTT last year, NW played the slow-down game and it worked. Same this year against Iowa, and in Northwestern's recent victories.

 

[IACentralHawk73]

Guard the 3, that killed us against them in Evanston. I'd also like to see a heavy dose of Uthoff and White, they're on hot streaks and I don't see how the Northwestern forwards can shut them down at this point. If we run in transition we'll be hard to stop as well. If Iowa does those things they blow the doors off Northwestern and they quiet all the Northwestern media as well!

 

[HawkImania1]

Post Woody at or near the top of the lane. Woody can hit that shot and it pulls their center away from the rim. White and Utoff will win that battle most of the time on missed shots. It also open the lane for driving to the basket.

 

[CoachoftheFuture1]

Sounds good to me. Let's really put the D on NW and put this one away early so all the seniors can get their due in the last few minutes. Let's do it right and roll into the Big Ten Tournament on a 6-game streak and all the momentum that goes with it.

 

[cleotishaywood]

Originally posted by unIowa:

It's a bad match-up for Woody again if they plan to run him on the baseline against the NW zone. Their big center is just going to sit in the middle of that lane and rim protect so we need someone that is quick and explosive to the rim to be the one attacking from the baseline (see White and Gabe).

I see a real opportunity of having Woody and Gabe play together in this one with Gabe working the baseline and Woody at the high post feeding him, kicking out to shooters, or putting up 10 footers. The other option would be to put JU at the high post in some situations get the ball to him and let him do work (shooting, driving, passing).

Things I don't want to see, Woody running the baseline, Woody trying to dribble to the hoop from the high post, White running the high post. Attack that zone with Woody or JU playing the high post, Gabe and White attacking from the baseline and Josh/Pete/JU hitting kick out threes from the high post and we should win going away.

Going to have to make some shots though bc NW will pack it in if the team isn't hitting.

Olah is another 7 footer who may have less dunks than Woody this year.

 

[Hawkeye_311]

Run them out of the gym. Run press fast break then run some more.

 

[hawk-i bob]

Players just need to R E L A X

Carver will make sure NW knows it is Senior Day

NW's zone has been the difference for them ... they can't zone us on the break..

and yes defend the 3...to the extent possible.

you worry about with the pregame stuff...coming out a little to ramped up...

these are the days Iowa BB fans have been waiting for a long time --- enjoy it ---

 

[HawkAttackDial911]

Plus, since Northwestern likes to use much of the shot clock on offense the press will take some time off the clock and give them less time to move the ball around and get an open shot.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Iowa needs to take the ball to the basket early and often. Force Olah to defend the basket regularly, and I think we can get him on the bench. Zebras are going to have a hard time not calling contact, like the first game. I think he is the key for NW to be able to defend the Hawks.

If the Hawks play aggressively and force NW to play at a high pace, I like our chances.