Not DanL Again!

[DanL53]

Yeah, sorry. I'm back. I had a family emergency and didn't see the game. I saw that we had a one point lead with five minutes to go. And then saw that we had lost by one.

It sounds as if I'm lucky to have not seen a team that looks to have played the starters too long and gave up a big lead and get beat by the top five rated Cyclones, in their building, by one point. If I had, I'd be convinced we stunk...and based on posts on here I'd be right there with the majority of fans disappointed in the outcome.

So, thank the Heavens that the one game I missed in the McCaffery era was a one point loss to instate rival Iowa State at their place! I actually haven't lost my enthusiasm for what I've felt like all along could be a team that goes 9-3 in the nonconference, 10-8 in the Big Ten, and earns an NCAA invite based on being willing to play a very tough schedule.

Yes, certainly it seems the WAY we lost mirrored some problems from the past. One big problem being we just weren't in so many competitive games eight, seven, six and five years ago! Horrible we are exposed as only good enough to make a game of it like we did Thursday night! Oh, for the old days when things were over by the half!

So, I'll be appreciative of my ignorance is bliss moment this week, cuddle with my KenPom 14th best team in the country rating, and continue to be excited for the rest of the season. And I'll hope, that whatever we couch coaches have identified as a major flaw causing McCaffery to suffer debilitating, mind altering moods at the end of close games ends up being more that we have just lacked the overall skill to get over that hump. Or maybe have just been unlucky?

Who knows, maybe the new guys coming in will have a little different fiber in their loins? Or maybe our current group can rally still and win some close ones, like when we beat FSU?

Yeah, who knows. But if we finish 9-3 with this nonconference schedule, regardless how we won or lost them? I'll be satisfied.

 

[RocknRollface]

You are very lucky to not have seen the last two attempts at inbounding the ball.

One of the saddest things I've seen in sports.

 

[DanL53]

You are very lucky to not have seen the last two attempts at inbounding the ball.

One of the saddest things I've seen in sports.

Sounds like a major breakdown somewhere. Whatever it was, tired players, poor game time coaching, you are right, I'm glad I didn't see it.

 

[EZ2BJZ]

I think overall that's a pretty good and accurate perspective on things. In truth, good teams, especially at home and in a rivalry game, find ways to fight and climb back into games. In short, you had to expect Iowa State would make a run in the 2nd half.

The problem, however, is with how Iowa fell apart the last minute of the game. It's not like someone on the Cyclones went Reggie Miller vs the Knicks on them and scored 8 points in like 10 seconds. No. Iowa up 6 couldn't inbound the ball. Twice. And then up 1 and with possession of the ball became deer-in-headlights and couldn't manufacture a decent shot. I think that is where I and many have issues with this team, because they are senior-laden (starting 5-wise) with TONS of experience but played like wide-eyed, pants-wetting 18-year-old freshmen.

Regardless, I hope you are right and they do rebound from last night's debacle. Regardless, I like Fran and like the direction of the program.

 

[PhantomFlyer]

Sounds like a major breakdown somewhere. Whatever it was, tired players, poor game time coaching, you are right, I'm glad I didn't see it.

Fatigue might have been a small factor, but if you look ISU had 4 starters who played the same amount as Iowa's starters. Nader only played 13 minutes but that was a good thing as he had their worst game, and Thomas, off the bench, played great. The other thing is Iowa had a 21 pt lead, ISU expended a lot of energy to get back in the ballgame. Fatigue should have been more of a problem with ISU, not Iowa.

I keep going back to the comments from the coach of one of Iowa's opponents last year (somewhere in Fla) when he basically said the team is mentally weak. Based on the comments Niang made after the game, it looks like this might still be a problem. It may not be a problem in following years, but it does appear these upper classmen are not very mentally tough. Everyone knew ISU was going to make a run but your body language shouldn't be "oh sh*t, here we go again", which is basically what Niang said and when he knew they would beat Iowa. They weren't playing with the confidence they played in the first half.

 

[SigMaintHawk]

Not that it matters, but the HC, Phantom is talking about, is North Florida's-Matthew Driscoll.

 

[PhantomFlyer]

I think overall that's a pretty good and accurate perspective on things. In truth, good teams, especially at home and in a rivalry game, find ways to fight and climb back into games. In short, you had to expect Iowa State would make a run in the 2nd half.

The problem, however, is with how Iowa fell apart the last minute of the game. It's not like someone on the Cyclones went Reggie Miller vs the Knicks on them and scored 8 points in like 10 seconds. No. Iowa up 6 couldn't inbound the ball. Twice. And then up 1 and with possession of the ball became deer-in-headlights and couldn't manufacture a decent shot. I think that is where I and many have issues with this team, because they are senior-laden (starting 5-wise) with TONS of experience but played like wide-eyed, pants-wetting 18-year-old freshmen.

Regardless, I hope you are right and they do rebound from last night's debacle. Regardless, I like Fran and like the direction of the program.

This is why I'm actually more excited about the chances for next year's team (and the following year) tea, more so than this team. If these guys are still choking games at the end as seniors, I'm not optimistic they'll turn this around in the B1G. What I like about the underclassmen is they are more athletic. Our guards aren't athletic/quick enough when athletic/quick teams turn up the pressure at the end of games.

 

[DanL53]

Not that it matters, but the HC, Phantom is talking about, is North Florida's-Matthew Driscoll.

I don't read Phantom, but another head coach who talked about us prior to last year's season was Tom Izzo. As I recall, and this has been awhile ago, he talked about Fran and Patrick McCaffery and having spoken with Fran during that time. Later he went on to mention that Iowa's tough losses were something that teams without tradition of winning need to overcome, to get that confidence that they can make shots, etc., come crunch time. Izzo also said that knowing McCaffery he'd get the job done.

Just saying that as a little bit of extra info. This is also the same guy who complained when Iowa fired Lickliter, so, take it for what it's worth. Probably Izzo just saying something that is good for Izzo in some way.

My personal take? And this is being bold having not seen the game. All coaches have certain philosophies that they never seem to change. I recall often the Dr. Tom ten second's left play where the point guard would pick from two screens at the top of the key to use to drive to the basket for a last second shot. When we had Andre Woolridge? I loved it. In fact I would have been happy if they ran it anytime in the shot clock. When we had Troy Skinner? I hated it. Drove me nuts. Same play.

Maybe, going on the fourth year of certain guys who I do appreciate for other things. Maybe, these guys and McCaffery's end of games philosophies don't exactly jive? I'm just so thrilled with the overall improvement that this could be something I tend to look past. But maybe the day comes with other personnel those same things will work? Hope so, because unless Fran makes adjustments that he's been slow to make...we're just going to have to hope what we tries starts to work.

 

[FlintTown]

I don't read Phantom, but another head coach who talked about us prior to last year's season was Tom Izzo. As I recall, and this has been awhile ago, he talked about Fran and Patrick McCaffery and having spoken with Fran during that time. Later he went on to mention that Iowa's tough losses were something that teams without tradition of winning need to overcome, to get that confidence that they can make shots, etc., come crunch time. Izzo also said that knowing McCaffery he'd get the job done.

Just saying that as a little bit of extra info. This is also the same guy who complained when Iowa fired Lickliter, so, take it for what it's worth. Probably Izzo just saying something that is good for Izzo in some way.

My personal take? And this is being bold having not seen the game. All coaches have certain philosophies that they never seem to change. I recall often the Dr. Tom ten second's left play where the point guard would pick from two screens at the top of the key to use to drive to the basket for a last second shot. When we had Andre Woolridge? I loved it. In fact I would have been happy if they ran it anytime in the shot clock. When we had Troy Skinner? I hated it. Drove me nuts. Same play.

Maybe, going on the fourth year of certain guys who I do appreciate for other things. Maybe, these guys and McCaffery's end of games philosophies don't exactly jive? I'm just so thrilled with the overall improvement that this could be something I tend to look past. But maybe the day comes with other personnel those same things will work? Hope so, because unless Fran makes adjustments that he's been slow to make...we're just going to have to hope what we tries starts to work.

Izzo will defend every coach in the Big Ten (even Bo Ryan) whenever they get fired, whether it's a crummy coach like Licklitter or an idiotic move like UM pushing Tubby out of Minneapolis. Coaching in the Big Ten is a bitch. That's why they're a fraternity. And Izzo is the dean.

 

[PhantomFlyer]

Izzo will defend every coach in the Big Ten (even Bo Ryan) whenever they get fired, whether it's a crummy coach like Licklitter or an idiotic move like UM pushing Tubby out of Minneapolis. Coaching in the Big Ten is a bitch. That's why they're a fraternity. And Izzo is the dean.

Correct, I'm not sure why Dan is making a big deal about his support of Lick. Most B1G coaches will back the current coach, like you said it's a fraternity.

Driscoll's critique of the mental toughness of these players has been spot on. We've seen it play out time and again.

 

[Myvue]

Sounds like a major breakdown somewhere. Whatever it was, tired players, poor game time coaching, you are right, I'm glad I didn't see it.

DanL in case you or anyone that didn't see the game wants to see it. You would especially love the first half when Iowa shot lights out. I don't think they got past the Cyclone players for baskets as much as they shot over the Cyclones. The Hawks were in a rhythm and when that happens it seems a player hardly has to look at the basket and it goes in. Like many games it was a tale of two halves.

I think the Cyclones like to play at a fast pace but it seemed the Hawks were playing at a higher speed than they expected.

You can quit watching anytime you want but it was a clinic in the first half.

If you have access to the Cyclone TV channel on Mediacom it will be played starting at noon tomorrow again at 6 p.m., midnight and 6 a.m. Sunday. That is how they air games and other programs. A six hour segment of programming repeated four times over 24 hours. They cut out the half time so it takes a shorter amount of time to watch the games.