Stretch Run

[srams21]

Almost everything is going Iowa's way right now. Wagner and Uhl are developing nicely and have become solid options off the bench for us. Clemmons has stepped up these last few games and is playing great defense. This team is playing great team ball overall.

One of my concerns is Mike Gesell. His play has really dropped off as of late. We really need him down the stretch. He doesn't have to be great, but he needs to be able to hit those open mid-range shots and knock down free throws. Here are his stats the last five games:

4.8 ppg, 4 apg, 3 to pg while shooting 23% from the field and 53% from the free throw line.

Is he injured or a little banged up?

 

[icwesthawk]

Woody is playing like a man possessed, grabbing every board. Mike doesn't look quite the same but there he was with less than 5 minutes to go, still in the game.

 

[StormHawk42]

I'm hoping Gesell catches up to the other seniors and plays his best basketball of his career like all the other McCaffery seniors. Iowa would be an absolute force.

He's just in a bit of a funk. He's gone through these stretches during his career. He'll be fine.

 

[Vbeachawk]

Mike is a real concern. The Hawks need him to be the player he was in early January, if they are going to challenge for the Big 10 title and be a force in the NCAA's. Fortunately Sapp has really been playing well. Williams getting a lot better with more experience may be needed, yet this season, as a result.

 

[hawkeyemark]

I thought Mike played a decent game tonight on offense distributing the ball without forcing things. Seemed like he deliberately looked not to shoot to avoid some of his mistakes from the past few gsmes. This team runs smoothly with Mike running the engine and letting the game come to him. We really don't need much scoring from him nor Woodbury.

 

[mthawkeyes]

It was pointed out in the game thread that his shot becomes more of a push with a lower release point when he is off. It's a simple mechanical correction that needs to be corrected immediately.

Uhl's defensive intensity has been lacking the past few games. I don't know if it's just because Iowa was handling their opponent comfortably, or if it's something else.

How great is it that these are Iowa's biggest problems right now, and that they are both very correctable?

 

[e720718998]

I agree pretty pathetic D most of the time on Doms part. I think he forgets how big he is.

 

[IllQChawk]

I thought Mike played a decent game tonight on offense distributing the ball without forcing things. Seemed like he deliberately looked not to shoot to avoid some of his mistakes from the past few gsmes. This team runs smoothly with Mike running the engine and letting the game come to him. We really don't need much scoring from him nor Woodbury.

Yes, run the team like a senior, distribute and get points without forcing the issue....Mike will become a member of the 1000 point club by just doing the little things that makes him who he is.....

 

[EpenesaEpenesa]

Gesell is in a serious offensive funk right now. The flip side is he's great defensively. He just has to play through it and bust out of it

 

[mazda1]

Totally agree on Uhl's D and rebounding intensity. We need him to show effort. On the positive side he had a couple of nice dunks we haven't seen.

I have to believe Mike is hurting, but if that's the case we kept him on the floor with the second unit. I think he's tough and will be ready.

Towards next year, I'm not sure I've seen CW run an offensive set that has led to a score. He isn't a turnover machine, but I don't see him being able to get where he wants to. Hope I'm wrong, because somebody has to be able to get the defense moving.

 

[HawkLogic]

Almost everything is going Iowa's way right now. Wagner and Uhl are developing nicely and have become solid options off the bench for us. Clemmons has stepped up these last few games and is playing great defense. This team is playing great team ball overall.

One of my concerns is Mike Gesell. His play has really dropped off as of late. We really need him down the stretch. He doesn't have to be great, but he needs to be able to hit those open mid-range shots and knock down free throws. Here are his stats the last five games:

4.8 ppg, 4 apg, 3 to pg while shooting 23% from the field and 53% from the free throw line.

Is he injured or a little banged up?

Don't confuse the issue by bringing stats into the conversation as most people here go by gut feel.

Gesell's shot looks to be broken and it seems like teams have scouted him better and are doing better job of stopping his drives. There are a lot of games left to play, so maybe Gesell will turn it around. Clemmons is outplaying him right now.