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Starting 5/Rotation given CURRENT Roster? Is SCHEDULE Toughest in History? IOWA #16(USA Today)

Iowa's 2019-20 basketball schedule becomes official — and it's going to be a bear

Chad Leistikow,
Hawk Central
Published Aug. 23, 2019; 11:46 a.m. CT

Some excerpts:

"We’ve also put together probably the toughest schedule we’ve ever played in the history of Iowa basketball next year," the Hawkeyes' coach said in March. "And that was by design.”

Now, that schedule, has come to fruition.

Iowa released its 2019-20 men's basketball schedule Friday. And it's certainly got a lot of tough opponents (which we already knew about) and plenty of variety.

The biggest headline is that Iowa's Jan. 4 game against Penn State will be played in McCaffery's hometown of Philadelphia at the famed Palestra — where McCaffery played college ball at Penn from 1980 to 1982. That will be considered a Penn State home game.


Check out the run from Nov. 28 to Dec. 21. Not an easy game in the bunch, starting with a matchup against reigning NCAA runner-up Texas Tech as part of the Las Vegas Classic ... and finishing with perennial heavyweight Cincinnati at the United Center in Chicago.

In between, Iowa plays at Syracuse and Iowa State, and opens its 20-game Big Ten Conference slate at Michigan and home against Minnesota. That's daunting.


In an interesting mid-January quirk, Iowa landed three straight Big Ten home games (against Michigan, Rutgers and Wisconsin). That means the Hawkeyes will go 16 days between road trips, a welcome stretch no doubt.

Iowa will open its season on Nov. 8 against SIU-Edwardsville, on the eve of a road football game at Wisconsin. It'll finish the regular season exactly four months later, March 8, at Illinois.

Iowa's 2019-20 regular-season basketball schedule

Fri., Nov. 8: vs. SIU-Edwardsville

Mon., Nov. 11: vs. DePaul (Gavitt Games)

Fri., Nov. 15: vs. Oral Roberts

Thurs., Nov. 21: vs. North Florida

Sun., Nov. 24: vs. Cal Poly

Thurs., Nov. 28: vs. Texas Tech, at Las Vegas (Orleans Arena)

Fri., Nov. 29: vs. Creighton or San Diego State, at Las Vegas (Orleans Arena)

Tues., Dec. 3: at Syracuse (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)

Fri., Dec. 6: at Michigan

Mon., Dec. 9: vs. Minnesota

Thurs., Dec. 12: at Iowa State

Sat., Dec. 21: vs. Cincinnati, at Chicago (United Center)

Sun., Dec. 29: Kennesaw State

Sat., Jan. 4: vs. Penn State, at Philadelphia (The Palestra)

Tues., Jan. 7: at Nebraska

Fri., Jan. 10: vs. Maryland

Tues., Jan. 14: at Northwestern

Fri., Jan. 17: vs. Michigan

Wed., Jan. 22: vs. Rutgers

Mon., Jan. 27: vs. Wisconsin

Thurs., Jan. 30: at Maryland

Sun., Feb. 2: vs. Illinois

Wed., Feb. 5: at Purdue

Sat., Feb. 8: vs. Nebraska

Thurs., Feb. 13: at Indiana

Sun., Feb. 16: at Minnesota

Thurs., Feb. 20: vs. Ohio State

Tues., Feb. 25: at Michigan State

Sat., Feb. 29: vs. Penn State

Tues., March 3: vs. Purdue

Sun., March 8: at Illinois

Wed.-Sun., March-11-15: at Big Ten Tournament, Indianapolis (Bankers Life Fieldhouse)

LINK: https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/s...use-texas-tech-big-ten-conference/2096138001/
 
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I thought all summer we were supposed to play Creighton?
There is another interesting twist to this year's schedule.

Remember this tweet from April?

Sources: Texas Tech will face San Diego State and Creighton will play Iowa in the first round of the Las Vegas Invitational. Event will be November 28th and 29th at Orleans Arena.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 16, 2019
 
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Very tough schedule. The early Minny game at home will be a big one to win. Only playing IU away makes the schedule tougher, but only one game against MSU helps, although it is in East Lansing. Hope they come together early, because the schedule gets real earlier than usual.

Toughest in Iowa men's basketball history? ;)
 
Everyone wants a good schedule until we actually have to play the games

I think the main complaint is that fans would like some of those cupcakes that Iowa plays at home replaced with legit D1 schools

This year the nonconference schedule is very tough but those games are all away from CHA.
 
do you think we have the roster to make the Big Dance?
Here is my look on things. I do believe we have the roster to make the Big Dance but will we? For the most part I think we will get back to the tournament but it’s going to hinge on the mentality of the team through the first 5 games of conference play. While we do bring back several players there are also going to be several players who didn’t play last year that will be expected to contribute in a big way. Last year’s team showed you could never count them out. Several come back wins and overcoming a late season slump was impressive. Not having JBo, Cook, and Moss on the floor when things get rough is going to be tough to overcome. Those three had some big moments that sparked the comebacks. I see Iowa struggling to figure out how to play together through the start of conference play. If Weiskamp/Garza can help the younger, talented guys keep confidence through the early season struggles they will be just fine. With their schedule they very well could end up with a few less wins at the end of the regular season but end up with a better seed.
 
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This is a brutal schedule. Good for Fran for trusting the squad but they better deliver before the calendar rolls over.

Fran, of course, said in March that it was the toughest schedule ever in Iowa men's basketball history.

And I hate to say it, but i think Fran created this schedule with the anticipation of having at least JBo and Moss (and hopefully Cook) playing for Iowa this season.

Given the current roster, do you think this team can deliver another NCAA Tournament bid?

Here is that March 24 tweet from the orig post of this thread where Fran talks about this year's tough schedule:

 
Fran, of course, said in March that it was the toughest schedule ever in Iowa men's basketball history.

And I hate to say it, but i think Fran created this schedule with the anticipation of having at least JBo and Moss (and hopefully Cook) playing for Iowa this season.

Given the current roster, do you think this team can deliver another NCAA Tournament bid?

Here is that March 24 tweet from the orig post of this thread where Fran talks about this year's tough schedule:


Of course he did......this is a schedule that you would try to face with an experienced and talented team. You could easily plug in 3-4 more mid-level teams and take out a few of those more challenging games and it could be the difference between making the tournament or not.

I think we have talent....we have some experience. That said, how many senior starters will we have?......we would have had Cook, Moss, and JB along with junior (Luka) and been pretty strong in terms of experience.

We will now be pretty dependent on some relatively inexperienced people at primary positions (whoever starts at PG and 2G)....

So, although it might not sound like it, I am REALLY looking forward to the start of the season. It will be really interesting to see what Fran comes out of practice with in terms of who has earned a starting spot.

My real concern for success is the wall that first year players can hit later in the year....Both CJ and Joe T will probably play some significant role, and both will be in their first year of playing a full college season.
 
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And I hate to say it, but i think Fran created this schedule with the anticipation of having at least JBo and Moss (and hopefully Cook) playing for Iowa this season.

I have to believe that Fran was aware that Cook was unlikely to return when he said this. He was close to leaving last year. The only potential unexpected loss outside of Bohannon was Moss and he was a hot and cold player.

We're already hearing that Toussaint is better than the coaching staff initially believed. Cordell will give us additional post depth and toughness. Nunge should be a 10 ppg contributor. It's possible that we are better and certainly deeper in the frontcourt this year without Cook.

If CJ and Patrick can contribute positively then I think we could have a top 25 caliber team. Joe and Garza are only going to improve.
 
Iowa's 2019-20 basketball schedule becomes official — and it's going to be a bear

Chad Leistikow,
Hawk Central
Published Aug. 23, 2019; 11:46 a.m. CT

Some excerpts:

"We’ve also put together probably the toughest schedule we’ve ever played in the history of Iowa basketball next year," the Hawkeyes' coach said in March. "And that was by design.”

Now, that schedule, has come to fruition.

Iowa released its 2019-20 men's basketball schedule Friday. And it's certainly got a lot of tough opponents (which we already knew about) and plenty of variety.

The biggest headline is that Iowa's Jan. 4 game against Penn State will be played in McCaffery's hometown of Philadelphia at the famed Palestra — where McCaffery played college ball at Penn from 1980 to 1982. That will be considered a Penn State home game.


Check out the run from Nov. 28 to Dec. 21. Not an easy game in the bunch, starting with a matchup against reigning NCAA runner-up Texas Tech as part of the Las Vegas Classic ... and finishing with perennial heavyweight Cincinnati at the United Center in Chicago.

In between, Iowa plays at Syracuse and Iowa State, and opens its 20-game Big Ten Conference slate at Michigan and home against Minnesota. That's daunting.


In an interesting mid-January quirk, Iowa landed three straight Big Ten home games (against Michigan, Rutgers and Wisconsin). That means the Hawkeyes will go 16 days between road trips, a welcome stretch no doubt.

Iowa will open its season on Nov. 8 against SIU-Edwardsville, on the eve of a road football game at Wisconsin. It'll finish the regular season exactly four months later, March 8, at Illinois.

Iowa's 2019-20 regular-season basketball schedule

Fri., Nov. 8: vs. SIU-Edwardsville

Mon., Nov. 11: vs. DePaul (Gavitt Games)

Fri., Nov. 15: vs. Oral Roberts

Thurs., Nov. 21: vs. North Florida

Sun., Nov. 24: vs. Cal Poly

Thurs., Nov. 28: vs. Texas Tech, at Las Vegas (Orleans Arena)

Fri., Nov. 29: vs. Creighton or San Diego State, at Las Vegas (Orleans Arena)

Tues., Dec. 3: at Syracuse (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)

Fri., Dec. 6: at Michigan

Mon., Dec. 9: vs. Minnesota

Thurs., Dec. 12: at Iowa State

Sat., Dec. 21: vs. Cincinnati, at Chicago (United Center)

Sun., Dec. 29: Kennesaw State

Sat., Jan. 4: vs. Penn State, at Philadelphia (The Palestra)

Tues., Jan. 7: at Nebraska

Fri., Jan. 10: vs. Maryland

Tues., Jan. 14: at Northwestern

Fri., Jan. 17: vs. Michigan

Wed., Jan. 22: vs. Rutgers

Mon., Jan. 27: vs. Wisconsin

Thurs., Jan. 30: at Maryland

Sun., Feb. 2: vs. Illinois

Wed., Feb. 5: at Purdue

Sat., Feb. 8: vs. Nebraska

Thurs., Feb. 13: at Indiana

Sun., Feb. 16: at Minnesota

Thurs., Feb. 20: vs. Ohio State

Tues., Feb. 25: at Michigan State

Sat., Feb. 29: vs. Penn State

Tues., March 3: vs. Purdue

Sun., March 8: at Illinois

Wed.-Sun., March-11-15: at Big Ten Tournament, Indianapolis (Bankers Life Fieldhouse)

LINK: https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/s...use-texas-tech-big-ten-conference/2096138001/

I estimate 18-19 wins heading into the B10 Tournament. Get to 20 wins. With this schedule, that would be good enough.
 
I estimate 18-19 wins heading into the B10 Tournament. Get to 20 wins. With this schedule, that would be good enough.
i hope the chemistry is developing this summer.

losing 4 of our top 6 players from last year added to a very difficult schedule has me a bit concerned.

think of all the big shots that JBo and Moss hit last year. who's gonna step up this year?

will be interesting to see how it all comes together and how soon.
 
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I've always felt that one reason Fran schedules cupcakes at home is because it helps support smaller programs, up and coming couches, young couches, old friends, etc. Fran worked his career and he knows the difficulty breaking into the big boy club. This is his way of giving back.
 
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I can't remember being more excited about a season than I am with this one. The uncertainty is what probably makes me most excited. With Cook, Moss and to some extent, JBo, I felt like we knew what we were getting and what to expect. With Moss and Cook, there was inconsistency and I didn't like it at all when the offense ran through Cook. I hoped for a lot of improvement year to year and it didn't seem to come.

Fast forward to this year, we have more guards and they're talented. Between Evelyn, Connor, Joe T, CJ and Wieskamp, we have plenty of depth. There should be no reason for CJ or Joe T to run out of gas late in the year because they shouldn't be playing JBo type minutes. I am hopeful these guys are going to surprise us, in a very positive way.
 
I've always felt that one reason Fran schedules cupcakes at home is because it helps support smaller programs, up and coming couches, young couches, old friends, etc. Fran worked his career and he knows the difficulty breaking into the big boy club. This is his way of giving back.

He might choose the teams due to relationships at times, but it’s really just a cost and availability issue.
 
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I can't remember being more excited about a season than I am with this one. The uncertainty is what probably makes me most excited. With Cook, Moss and to some extent, JBo, I felt like we knew what we were getting and what to expect. With Moss and Cook, there was inconsistency and I didn't like it at all when the offense ran through Cook. I hoped for a lot of improvement year to year and it didn't seem to come.

Fast forward to this year, we have more guards and they're talented. Between Evelyn, Connor, Joe T, CJ and Wieskamp, we have plenty of depth. There should be no reason for CJ or Joe T to run out of gas late in the year because they shouldn't be playing JBo type minutes. I am hopeful these guys are going to surprise us, in a very positive way.
This group of guards will make some lack of experience mistakes but not so many errors from being forced to play beyond their abilities in quickness and ballhanding or court awareness. I too am hopeful that it could be a positive step forward for the team.
 
This group of guards will make some lack of experience mistakes but not so many errors from being forced to play beyond their abilities in quickness and ballhanding or court awareness. I too am hopeful that it could be a positive step forward for the team.

I agree completely. We will have three very quick guards in Evelyn, CJ and Joe T that can get by their man on offense too. That should creates lots of opportunities for dump offs and open 3's for our shooters. Between that and staying in front of their man on D, I think we could have a pretty salty bunch.
 
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Start of season (because this is generally when experience plays a part in starters)

PG - CMac
Wing - Evelyn
Wing - JW
4 - Nunge
Post - Garza

Just a gut feeling, Joe T pushes CMac back to the bench by the time the full B1G season starts (edited, because the start of the sentence just looked bad). However, I do think all four (CMac, JT, BE and CJF) all play pretty similar minutes and that Fran will, at times, have any 2 of the 4 together...for ex, have CMac and JT on the court at the same time.
 
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Start of season (because this is generally when experience plays a part in starters)

PG - CMac
Wing - Evelyn
Wing - JW
4 - Nunge
Post - Garza

However, just a gut feeling, Joe T pushes CMac back to the bench by the time the full B1G season starts. However, I do think all four (CMac, JT, BE and CJF) all play pretty similar minutes and that Fran will, at times, have any 2 of the 4 together...for ex, have CMac and JT on the court at the same time.

Good post.

Fran will have much more ability to be flexible with lineups this season. If he needs length, he could slide Wieskamp to the #2 and use PMac at the #3 along with Nunge and Garza. If we are facing a guard heavy lineup, he could go this direction:

1 – Joe T
2 – Evelyn/CJF
3 – Connor/PMac
4 – Wieskamp/PMac
5 – Garza/Nunge/Pemsl


Our pressure should be much more effective this season given our quickness at guard also.
 
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1- Conner/Joe T
2- CJF/ Evelyn
3- Wieskamp| Patrick M
4- Nunge/Pemsl
5- Garza/

Fran has a lot of pieces. Joe W will have monster year , CJF- JoeT will be better than everyone thinks - CJ will make everyone forget about Moss- , Evelyn- will bring stability. Jack N will be much improved and Luka will be all Big! Patrick will be solid - going to be a great year.
 
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I can't remember being more excited about a season than I am with this one. The uncertainty is what probably makes me most excited. With Cook, Moss and to some extent, JBo, I felt like we knew what we were getting and what to expect. With Moss and Cook, there was inconsistency and I didn't like it at all when the offense ran through Cook. I hoped for a lot of improvement year to year and it didn't seem to come.

Fast forward to this year, we have more guards and they're talented. Between Evelyn, Connor, Joe T, CJ and Wieskamp, we have plenty of depth. There should be no reason for CJ or Joe T to run out of gas late in the year because they shouldn't be playing JBo type minutes. I am hopeful these guys are going to surprise us, in a very positive way.

By December we should know a lot about this team.

 
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