Some real positives from last night

[perryhawk]

First, I think it has been overlooked (at least I haven't heard much discussion) but JB played pretty decent defense at times last night. There could be a lot of if's and but's here.....BUT last night might be the first time I really noticed on more than one occasion that JB was in his guys face and making it tough for him to get a clean shot. That's a start.

Garza's defense on Happ........I have to be honest, that when I first saw Garza assigned to Happ I thought "oh no" and then I thought "maybe the sacrificial lamb"......but damn, he played pretty good position defense. Used his body well and although Happ ended up getting 20ish he was obviously very frustrated.

JB.....13 points and 11 assists!
LG 17 points and 16 rebounds!

Cook, he made his presence known and played a pretty good game...very pleased with him.

Moss has taken some grief, but I have to say that I was really pleased with his effort last night. I think that I saw a guy who played hard and looked to be aggressive pretty much the whole time. Were there some plays that he didn't make...sure, but I thought there was a different attitude and effort there that was a real positive.

I get it, I know, this was only Wisconsin and they aren't good....injuries, etc. but this is where we are and there were positives.

One of the positives i liked the best was that when Wisconsin made a run(s) the Hawks found their footing again and finished. They didn't get rolled by the momentum. That stretch right before the half was really good.

 

[LuteHawk]

In a post game interview last night, Cook told a
reporter that he played with energy and enthusiasm.
He also said that his ankle would be ready for the
Huskers on this Saturday.

 

[perryhawk]

In a post game interview last night, Cook told a
reporter that he played with energy and enthusiasm.
He also said that his ankle would be ready for the
Huskers on this Saturday.

In the elation of having won the game....I forgot about Cook's ankle. Obviously hoping he is good to go, but I would guess that his explosiveness is at least somewhat limited by that.

The whole team played with better energy and enthusiasm.

 

[goodbyebobby]

First, I think it has been overlooked (at least I haven't heard much discussion) but JB played pretty decent defense at times last night. There could be a lot of if's and but's here.....BUT last night might be the first time I really noticed on more than one occasion that JB was in his guys face and making it tough for him to get a clean shot. That's a start.

Garza's defense on Happ........I have to be honest, that when I first saw Garza assigned to Happ I thought "oh no" and then I thought "maybe the sacrificial lamb"......but damn, he played pretty good position defense. Used his body well and although Happ ended up getting 20ish he was obviously very frustrated.

JB.....13 points and 11 assists!
LG 17 points and 16 rebounds!

Cook, he made his presence known and played a pretty good game...very pleased with him.

Moss has taken some grief, but I have to say that I was really pleased with his effort last night. I think that I saw a guy who played hard and looked to be aggressive pretty much the whole time. Were there some plays that he didn't make...sure, but I thought there was a different attitude and effort there that was a real positive.

I get it, I know, this was only Wisconsin and they aren't good....injuries, etc. but this is where we are and there were positives.

One of the positives i liked the best was that when Wisconsin made a run(s) the Hawks found their footing again and finished. They didn't get rolled by the momentum. That stretch right before the half was really good.

JB played a guy who is his peer athletically as opposed to the guys who normally school him off the dribble.

Garza is a great match up for Happ. Same width but LG is a few inches longer and that made it tough on him to do what he likes to do. He's good but not as great as he's made out to be.

 

[dawgs_04]

JBo was able to defend, get in the lane, and create 11 scoring opportunities for teammates. A great night, but I worry about who he was competing against. WI and IA have the two worst backcourts in the B1G

 

[Crazy Hawk]

JB did play very well last night (as indicated by his stat line)It and showed that he is a good player and can handle the rock against the right match ups. Wisconsin did not have an athletic guard that could pressure him and create chaos (aka expose his weakness as a PG). I'm not one that thinks JB needs to be replaced, instead, he just needs a side kick as I like him.

I think last night showed Iowa's need for an athletic PG who can create for guys (as well as themselves). Especially with the way Garza is starting to develop, if he gets some help outside he is going to create match up problems due to his size and ability as most teams don't have anyone who will be able to match up with him and Cook.

I hadn't seen Wisconsin play all year but is it a safe assumption they are a different team at home?

 

[walleye hunter16]

In a post game interview last night, Cook told a
reporter that he played with energy and enthusiasm.
He also said that his ankle would be ready for the
Huskers on this Saturday.

He did and he , as well as the rest if the team has to understand thats what it takes to win in the P5 level of BB.
There were still plenty of times lack if hustle and watching instead of doing was evident but things were much better.
JB might just be getting a little better foot wise . He was about as fluid as I have seen this year from him.
They all did pretty well. Even Nunge had a couple positives in his minutes , yes negatives too but he looked like he was a little more comfortable. Once Pemsl got himself under control he added to the team as well.

 

[Dauminator]

JBo with 5 career 10+ assist games. The Iowa record is 6.

Wait, no, sorry. I thought he wasn't a PG.

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

Perry, I was thinking the same thing about the Garza/Happ matchup. Watching the Badgers this season I really thought the Hawks would beat them UNLESS Happ dominated in the paint. Happ has such great footwork he’s a tough assignment for any big and thought he may just “school” Garza all night long. I thought Kreiner would be a better matchup against him but Garza did an admirable job on him.

 

[Ihawkhoops]

JBo with 5 career 10+ assist games. The Iowa record is 6.

Wait, no, sorry. I thought he wasn't a PG.

You realize that was a Wisconsin team void of their two best guards and 4 of 5 starters from last year? Davison is not representative of other guards in the big ten and has dislocated his shoulder 4-5 times this season. Credit to Bohannon for a great game, but there needs to be some sobriety interjected into this conversation. I would hope Iowa would handle a team with 1 of 5 starters returning and their two best guards out for the season with injuries.

A win is a win and nobody feels sorry for teams with injuries / inexperience, but this is a game Fran should be expected to win given the difference in the status of the programs THIS year.

 

[anon_i8nzeu2gbf0ba]

It was a nice win for sure. Now let's see what happens @ Nebraska Saturday night. Win there, or at least compete and keep it close, and then, maybe, the season won't be a total disaster after all. Last night was good to see.

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

You realize that was a Wisconsin team void of their two best guards and 4 of 5 starters from last year? Davison is not representative of other guards in the big ten and has dislocated his shoulder 4-5 times this season. Credit to Bohannon for a great game, but there needs to be some sobriety interjected into this conversation. I would hope Iowa would handle a team with 1 of 5 starters returning and their two best guards out for the season with injuries.

A win is a win and nobody feels sorry for teams with injuries / inexperience, but this is a game Fran should be expected to win given the difference in the status of the programs THIS year.

I really get the feeling some fans would like to see the Hawks lose a game like this to support firing Fran. LOL at Davison dislocating his shoulder 5 times this year. He dislocated it once and aggravated it a handful of times.

 

[bagdropper]

Yeah, good win, some good effort and cleaned up some things.

Now, go replicate it. Nebraska is going to be a tough beat Saturday. It'd be our best win of the year, probably by far.

Iowa doesn't bring it, Nebraska will kick our ass.

 

[paladinhawk]

JBo with 5 career 10+ assist games. The Iowa record is 6.

Wait, no, sorry. I thought he wasn't a PG.

You realize that was a Wisconsin team void of their two best guards and 4 of 5 starters from last year? Davison is not representative of other guards in the big ten and has dislocated his shoulder 4-5 times this season. Credit to Bohannon for a great game, but there needs to be some sobriety interjected into this conversation. I would hope Iowa would handle a team with 1 of 5 starters returning and their two best guards out for the season with injuries.

A win is a win and nobody feels sorry for teams with injuries / inexperience, but this is a game Fran should be expected to win given the difference in the status of the programs THIS year.

Were Bohannon's other four games with 10+ assists against Davison? I believe that Dauminator's point is that Bohannon gets a lot of grief on this board for "not being a point guard".

 

[Rustys Dad]

You realize that was a Wisconsin team void of their two best guards and 4 of 5 starters from last year? Davison is not representative of other guards in the big ten and has dislocated his shoulder 4-5 times this season. Credit to Bohannon for a great game, but there needs to be some sobriety interjected into this conversation. I would hope Iowa would handle a team with 1 of 5 starters returning and their two best guards out for the season with injuries.

A win is a win and nobody feels sorry for teams with injuries / inexperience, but this is a game Fran should be expected to win given the difference in the status of the programs THIS year.

Agree ... I'm glad Iowa won and I'm happy for the players.

Being 100% honest: I haven't seen a Wisconsin team this bad since the 80s and early 90s.

 

[RocknRollface]

JB played a guy who is his peer athletically as opposed to the guys who normally school him off the dribble.

Garza is a great match up for Happ. Same width but LG is a few inches longer and that made it tough on him to do what he likes to do. He's good but not as great as he's made out to be.

Garza played him well and im glad he did but athletically both of those matchups were good for Iowa where most of the time they arent going to be.

Wisconsins pg looks like he could have played for Lickliter and Happ generally makes a living by getting guys to leave their feet off of fakes and he was still games high scorer. Wisconsin just doesn't have anything else.

 

[LuteHawk]

Somewhere in Wisconsin, former Wisconsin coach
Bo Ryan is crying in his beer about this year's edition
of the Badgers. He was one tough SOB who knew
how to coach and win basketball games.

 

[Dauminator]

You realize that was a Wisconsin team void of their two best guards and 4 of 5 starters from last year? Davison is not representative of other guards in the big ten and has dislocated his shoulder 4-5 times this season. Credit to Bohannon for a great game, but there needs to be some sobriety interjected into this conversation. I would hope Iowa would handle a team with 1 of 5 starters returning and their two best guards out for the season with injuries.

A win is a win and nobody feels sorry for teams with injuries / inexperience, but this is a game Fran should be expected to win given the difference in the status of the programs THIS year.

I like to see our PG dishing assists. JBo being able to do that is a big part of the win, I think. And it's that kind of floor vision that I liked in the little we saw of Connor. I can see Connor being an assist machine.

His man may not have been the best he's faced or will face. It's more a comment that that kind of PG can be effective. Slasher types aren't the only answer.

 

[perryhawk]

JBo with 5 career 10+ assist games. The Iowa record is 6.

Wait, no, sorry. I thought he wasn't a PG.

You realize that was a Wisconsin team void of their two best guards and 4 of 5 starters from last year? Davison is not representative of other guards in the big ten and has dislocated his shoulder 4-5 times this season. Credit to Bohannon for a great game, but there needs to be some sobriety interjected into this conversation. I would hope Iowa would handle a team with 1 of 5 starters returning and their two best guards out for the season with injuries.

A win is a win and nobody feels sorry for teams with injuries / inexperience, but this is a game Fran should be expected to win given the difference in the status of the programs THIS year.

I acknowledged in the initial post that Wisconsin was bad and had injuries....but thanks for HAMMERING home the negativity as much as possible.....

 

[goodbyebobby]

Garza played him well and im glad he did but athletically both of those matchups were good for Iowa where most of the time they arent going to be.

Wisconsins pg looks like he could have played for Lickliter and Happ generally makes a living by getting guys to leave their feet off of fakes and he was still games high scorer. Wisconsin just doesn't have anything else.

Happ/Garza is always going to be a good match up for Iowa, LG proved that in spades last night. Sure he was high scorer but was clearly frustrated, and could play D on our team anytime.... He can also not check TC so I think Iowa has him in check.

 

[2432Hawk]

JBo was able to defend, get in the lane, and create 11 scoring opportunities for teammates. A great night, but I worry about who he was competing against. WI and IA have the two worst backcourts in the B1G

Guess you missed the possessions where Jordan got switched onto Iverson and more than held his own keeping him from getting to the rim. Took some physical abuse and battled. That was good to see.

 

[VicHawkeye]

Momentum, let's keep it up!

 

[mazda1]

The level of effort was racheted up and if we get that the rest of the way we will surprise some people. If we don't we know what happens.

 

[Rifler]

Somewhere in Wisconsin, former Wisconsin coach
Bo Ryan is crying in his beer about this year's edition
of the Badgers. He was one tough SOB who knew
how to coach and win basketball games.

Don't believe it,... That old asshat is enjoying every minute of this and hoping like hell that he never gets dethroned as the best head basketball coach that Wisconsin has ever had,... Personally, I hope he retains that title forever,... phuck the Badgers.

 

[Curt Furence]

First, I think it has been overlooked (at least I haven't heard much discussion) but JB played pretty decent defense at times last night. There could be a lot of if's and but's here.....BUT last night might be the first time I really noticed on more than one occasion that JB was in his guys face and making it tough for him to get a clean shot. That's a start.

Garza's defense on Happ........I have to be honest, that when I first saw Garza assigned to Happ I thought "oh no" and then I thought "maybe the sacrificial lamb"......but damn, he played pretty good position defense. Used his body well and although Happ ended up getting 20ish he was obviously very frustrated.

JB.....13 points and 11 assists!
LG 17 points and 16 rebounds!

Cook, he made his presence known and played a pretty good game...very pleased with him.

Moss has taken some grief, but I have to say that I was really pleased with his effort last night. I think that I saw a guy who played hard and looked to be aggressive pretty much the whole time. Were there some plays that he didn't make...sure, but I thought there was a different attitude and effort there that was a real positive.

I get it, I know, this was only Wisconsin and they aren't good....injuries, etc. but this is where we are and there were positives.

One of the positives i liked the best was that when Wisconsin made a run(s) the Hawks found their footing again and finished. They didn't get rolled by the momentum. That stretch right before the half was really good.

I think I had really high expectations or hopes for Moss this year. I didn't realize his numbers are up across the board this year. Feels like he has played a lot worse than he has, at least stat wise.

He still disappears from games too much but numbers wise has been better

 

[icwesthawk]

I think I had really high expectations or hopes for Moss this year. I didn't realize his numbers are up across the board this year. Feels like he has played a lot worse than he has, at least stat wise.

He still disappears from games too much but numbers wise has been better

Moss took the ball to the rim early and finished, great change for him

 

[Rifler]

Moss is playing better, but not as good as I had hoped,.... I suppose my expectations for him this year were just out of line...

 

[cleotishaywood]

Bohannon could use a little help bringing up the ball against the press. He got jammed up a couple times and turned it over. Not sure why Moss was at the other end and not coming back to assist?

 

[Rifler]

Bohannon could use a little help bringing up the ball against the press. He got jammed up a couple times and turned it over. Not sure why Moss was at the other end and not coming back to assist?

I've seen this numerous times this year, and not just with Moss,... The whole team should know that Bohannon is being stressed at the point guard position. We should be providing him with the opportunity to make an outlet pass if and when he needs it....

 

[83Hawk]

I really get the feeling some fans would like to see the Hawks lose a game like this to support firing Fran.

False. There may be a very, very small minority who think this way, but the overwhelming majority of fans would like Fran to be successful.

That being said...I am not in the "fire Fran" camp (because it would be pointless...he is going to be Iowa's coach next year and for the forseeable future). But I am not going to think everything is now rainbows and lollipops after winning a game against a bad team, any more than I would take up a pitchfork against Fran after a bad loss.

Last night was a good performance by the Hawks and a nice win. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

False. There may be a very, very small minority who think this way, but the overwhelming majority of fans would like Fran to be successful.

That being said...I am not in the "fire Fran" camp (because it would be pointless...he is going to be Iowa's coach next year and for the forseeable future). But I am not going to think everything is now rainbows and lollipops after winning a game against a bad team, any more than I would take up a pitchfork against Fran after a bad loss.

Last night was a good performance by the Hawks and a nice win. Nothing more, nothing less.[/Q


"Small minoritys" sometime seem to be the most outspoken on these boards.

 

[kceasthawk]

You realize that was a Wisconsin team void of their two best guards and 4 of 5 starters from last year? Davison is not representative of other guards in the big ten and has dislocated his shoulder 4-5 times this season. Credit to Bohannon for a great game, but there needs to be some sobriety interjected into this conversation. I would hope Iowa would handle a team with 1 of 5 starters returning and their two best guards out for the season with injuries.

A win is a win and nobody feels sorry for teams with injuries / inexperience, but this is a game Fran should be expected to win given the difference in the status of the programs THIS year.

True, but Wisky was 3 and 4 in BIG play compared to Iowa's 1 and 7 coming in, so I'll take the win, thanks..........

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Didn't see anyone mention Wagner as a positive. Wagner was largely responsible for slowing down Iverson, when he got rolling by overpowering Iowa's guards going to the basket. Iverson was making the game very competitive and gave Wisky a second real offensive threat, so that was pretty important in Iowa's win, or at least the size of the win. Wagner is still very challenged offensively and his free throw shooting is awful, but he can help when a swing player needs to be held down.

 

[GenericHawk]

Somewhere in Wisconsin, former Wisconsin coach
Bo Ryan is crying in his beer about this year's edition
of the Badgers. He was one tough SOB who knew
how to coach and win basketball games.

Agree. Even in Bo's worst years his teams still played competitively and they had solid fundamentals. I haven't seen a Wisconsin team this bad in a very long time....and I kinda like it.

 

[Hawksfor3]

He's good but not as great as he's made out to be.

He's only a freshman but it only gets better from here. I think he's good now, but as he develops strength and savvy in the post he'll be a force to be reckoned with. The big positive for me was the team's energy and enthusiasm. Listened to Bobby and Dolph call it last night and both were really excited about the intensity. Hope the team has "turned the corner" as some are saying. Go Hawks.

 

[goodbyebobby]

He's only a freshman but it only gets better from here. I think he's good now, but as he develops strength and savvy in the post he'll be a force to be reckoned with. The big positive for me was the team's energy and enthusiasm. Listened to Bobby and Dolph call it last night and both were really excited about the intensity. Hope the team has "turned the corner" as some are saying. Go Hawks.

I was referring to Happ.

 

[Hawksfor3]

I was referring to Happ.

My bad.

 

[CanadaHawk]

False. There may be a very, very small minority who think this way, but the overwhelming majority of fans would like Fran to be successful.

That being said...I am not in the "fire Fran" camp (because it would be pointless...he is going to be Iowa's coach next year and for the forseeable future). But I am not going to think everything is now rainbows and lollipops after winning a game against a bad team, any more than I would take up a pitchfork against Fran after a bad loss.

Last night was a good performance by the Hawks and a nice win. Nothing more, nothing less.

I agree with you but notice that 5 hours after it’s posting, I’m the only one who has liked your comment.

 

[RocknRollface]

The level of effort was racheted up and if we get that the rest of the way we will surprise some people. If we don't we know what happens.

Problem is our defensive effort continues to be tied to offensive effectiveness.

Untill they figure out that effort on defense is the constant, not the other way around they will not win allot of games.

 

[RocknRollface]

I think I had really high expectations or hopes for Moss this year. I didn't realize his numbers are up across the board this year. Feels like he has played a lot worse than he has, at least stat wise.

He still disappears from games too much but numbers wise has been better

The thing that disappoints me is his ballhandling hasnt improved.

His game would be exponentially better if he could beat guys off the dribble.

Needs to take up the Steph Curry ballhandling drill regimen this off season.