Good teams need to play bad opposition. Early in the season, it gives coaches an opportunity to see their full roster in game action and to work on things like rotations, offensive sets, and defenses. Later in the year, playing bad teams gives good teams a bit of a mental break from grueling games against the conference’s best teams. It allows them to work through any issues they’ve been having.
But games against bad teams are also a delicate balance. Losses to bad teams can kill your NCAA Tournament resume. They can demoralize players and potentially derail an otherwise promising season.
To gain the benefits of playing a weaker opponent, good teams have to stay focused. They have to play well early to build a lead they can feel comfortable with. If they don’t, doubts start creeping in. The weaker team starts to believe they can pull an upset.
Northwestern is a good example of a weaker team. At 6-9 overall and 0-5 in the Big Ten, the Wildcats certainly don’t seem intimidating. Most would look at Iowa’s home matchup with Northwestern and conclude that it should be an easy night for Iowa.
But Northwestern is also a team that has given Iowa trouble recently, and has played Michigan and Illinois closer than you would expect this season.
Would Iowa stay focused early and earn the benefits of a blowout victory, or would Northwestern keep things too close for comfort?
MORE HERE: https://iowa.rivals.com/news/no-12-iowa-93-northwestern-64
But games against bad teams are also a delicate balance. Losses to bad teams can kill your NCAA Tournament resume. They can demoralize players and potentially derail an otherwise promising season.
To gain the benefits of playing a weaker opponent, good teams have to stay focused. They have to play well early to build a lead they can feel comfortable with. If they don’t, doubts start creeping in. The weaker team starts to believe they can pull an upset.
Northwestern is a good example of a weaker team. At 6-9 overall and 0-5 in the Big Ten, the Wildcats certainly don’t seem intimidating. Most would look at Iowa’s home matchup with Northwestern and conclude that it should be an easy night for Iowa.
But Northwestern is also a team that has given Iowa trouble recently, and has played Michigan and Illinois closer than you would expect this season.
Would Iowa stay focused early and earn the benefits of a blowout victory, or would Northwestern keep things too close for comfort?
MORE HERE: https://iowa.rivals.com/news/no-12-iowa-93-northwestern-64
