...by a combined 49 points. Wow, what happened?
So we swept the two teams playing for BTT title...
- Thread starter El Simbolo
- Start date
Pretty simple we had 6-8 guys all playing great basketball for a period of time. After that time, we just have not had that same consistency. Some of the guys were playing way above their norms to like Uhl shooting 55% from 3. There was bound to be a return to the mean for guys. When that play tapered off so did the team's confidence.
As the immortal Hawk Harrelson who does the TV games
for the Chicago White Sox said:
"It is not who you play, it is when you play them.
The Hawkeyes played Michigan St. and Purdue when the
confidence level of Iowa was sky high. Now our confidence
is in the deepest valley and we could not beat either one of
them.
for the Chicago White Sox said:
"It is not who you play, it is when you play them.
The Hawkeyes played Michigan St. and Purdue when the
confidence level of Iowa was sky high. Now our confidence
is in the deepest valley and we could not beat either one of
them.
My assumption is that Iowa was somewhat lightly scouted early in the year. People expected Uthoff to be good, but not THAT good, people expected Jok to be solid, but not THAT solid. The bench was scoring way more points than what was expected.
Teams understand how to defend Iowa now. Harass Uthoff and Jok, they will get theirs but make it difficult. Never double on Woody because he won't beat you consistently in the post. Make Gesell and Clemmons beat you. If they do, great... odds are that they won't.
Indiana has done a great job of pulling Woody out of the paint defensively, launching a three, crashing the boards and getting a reboot on the shot clock.
Honestly, it really just seems like Iowa has been scouted and they don't really have much of an answer outside of hoping someone besides Jok and Uthoff can put up some points.
Teams understand how to defend Iowa now. Harass Uthoff and Jok, they will get theirs but make it difficult. Never double on Woody because he won't beat you consistently in the post. Make Gesell and Clemmons beat you. If they do, great... odds are that they won't.
Indiana has done a great job of pulling Woody out of the paint defensively, launching a three, crashing the boards and getting a reboot on the shot clock.
Honestly, it really just seems like Iowa has been scouted and they don't really have much of an answer outside of hoping someone besides Jok and Uthoff can put up some points.
That is good coaching by our opponents and poor coaching by the Iowa staff to make any changes
It might be, but it's not like coaching is going to turn Gesell, Clemmons, and Woody into scorers. The biggest problem this team has is a lack of a 3rd option offensively. Recruiting misses maybe. but meh.
While Iowa might struggle next year, i think in the long run if he continues to recruit lengthy players we will be better. Not many true centers anymore but 2-3 forwards who are 6-8 or 6-9 and can shoot the three and play inside. This is what he truly wants just taking longer to get there as he has to get Iowa back to respectibility to be able to recruit better.
I would bet everything I have that Gesell and Clemmons won't beat anyone, it's not gambling if you know you're going to win.
I think what happened the past 3-4 weeks is well below the "mean" ...but your point is valid.
That's the 89.54 million dollar question, and one that has been asked at least that many times in the last six weeks. ...
In better days, you were guaranteeing an Iowa win over Indiana--wish you had been right.
Uthoff and Jok had spectacular years. Gesell, Clemmons, Baer, Uhl were hot for awhile, now they are not. Woody is Woody. Fran wasted a chance to make a run for B1G title. Iowa rarely has two players of Uthoff/Jok Caliber. All Fran needed to do is recruit a decent guard, and he didn't get it done. Clemmons/Gesell--4 years of Meh. Hard to believe, but they haven't improved their offensive game at all in 4 years.
Indeed I was, unfortunately I was horribly wrong. I really should have saw it coming but was blinded by optimism. Oh well, live and learn.
We need a third scorer. Swap out Clemmons with Baer or Uhl. Have Clemmons replace Gesell to keep both guards better rested.
We do not have an answer. Uhl was. But then he stopped playing out of his mind, unfortunately.... We just need a third option, which we do not have. Missing Dale Jones here...
MG and AC are too inconsistent. Woody won't look to score when he is 3 feet from the basket with nobody to his back.
That leaves the bench. The closest thing we have to an answer is Baer. And he is a freshman that does not play a whole lot. Maybe we should increase his PT? I do remember saying I wanted him back in the game at the end against Illannoy. Increase his minutes? It cannot hurt can it...?
Hopefully our bench is much more productive next year. The potential is there with a lot of talented athletes. (More than Iowa has had since the 90s.) The only problem will be who starts.
As for what's left this season, all I can say is I don't want it to end with 12 seconds remaining and the ball in Gesell's hands.
Clemmons was playing really well until the last couple weeks. I think he's trying to do too much, causing him to make mistakes. My biggest problem is Gesell and Woody have been 4 year starters and should be solid offensively. Remember how much Horner and Brunner improved throughout their careers? Remember how confident they were?
I remember watching Woody as a freshman with a nice little hook (both hands) and thinking he is going to be great in a couple years. His offensive game has gotten worse. Gesell should have all the confidence in the world but isn't aggressive offensively until the last minute of each half (makes no sense). Gesell hit 33 three pointers as a freshman, 29 as a sophomore, and then 16 the last 2 years. That makes zero sense.
I remember watching Woody as a freshman with a nice little hook (both hands) and thinking he is going to be great in a couple years. His offensive game has gotten worse. Gesell should have all the confidence in the world but isn't aggressive offensively until the last minute of each half (makes no sense). Gesell hit 33 three pointers as a freshman, 29 as a sophomore, and then 16 the last 2 years. That makes zero sense.
Gesell hurt his elbow last year. That's why his shot dropped, last season. This year, who knows. Maybe he is playing with a long term sports injury that he didn't let heal enough last spring? Tennis elbow? Whatever it may be, his not having an outside shot has flattened his game.
I have never been a fan of MG being aggressive to the basket. He just cannot do it, with the exception of a take here and there. Having an outside shot would help that. But he doesn't have one.
Woody is woody. He should have never stopped working on that hook shot. He might have one by now.
They got better and improved. Iowa got worse and didn't improve.
