No one else is contributing significantly, and that is the reason this team is collapsing. Mike Gesell has a good game about 1 in every 5 games, and most nights he has an atrocious shooting % and makes bad turnovers. Sure, about 1 in 5 games he comes to play but that inconsistency won't work in March. Woodbury is doing well on the glass but that is all he provides; lacks athleticism and scoring threat. And after that, it's nothing. This team can't go anywhere with two players having to score all the points. Even tonight Uhtoff and Jok are scoring 60% of the points. This won't translate well in crunch time in March.
Team is now Uhtoff and Jok and no one else
- Thread starter uiowa08
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No, we have a serious problem. A lot of this has to do with the offense. There is no motion, there is no ball movement. Ball goes to one guy and sticks.
Defensively, we are getting kicked around all over. Iowa doesn't have the ability to box out anymore apparently. The rebounding totals are just getting worse.
Finally, the mental part. Free throws are way off.
Maybe this team just needs a break to regroup. This was a bad loss if Iowa wanted the conference title.
Defensively, we are getting kicked around all over. Iowa doesn't have the ability to box out anymore apparently. The rebounding totals are just getting worse.
Finally, the mental part. Free throws are way off.
Maybe this team just needs a break to regroup. This was a bad loss if Iowa wanted the conference title.
Jok is going to overtake Uthoff's 1st team B1G slot.
Their whole issue is, they are thinking that Utoff and Jok are going to save them. Gessell has gone by the wayside and actually gotten worse w/his shooting. Clemmons has been playing good, but tonight when a team zones up, he is a non-factor.
Uhl, Baer, and Wagner gave some quality minutes tonight, but someone else has to step up if we are to make a run. One of our other seniors needs to start making an impact otherwise we will be in trouble. 2 guys can't win ya anything. Iowa needs that 3rd and 4th option.
I am praying that this week off will allow them to re-focus and get back to basketball. If I were Fran I would be experimenting with line-ups and getting some other guys off the bench.
Uhl, Baer, and Wagner gave some quality minutes tonight, but someone else has to step up if we are to make a run. One of our other seniors needs to start making an impact otherwise we will be in trouble. 2 guys can't win ya anything. Iowa needs that 3rd and 4th option.
I am praying that this week off will allow them to re-focus and get back to basketball. If I were Fran I would be experimenting with line-ups and getting some other guys off the bench.
Fran needs to get this figured out real fast. We need a real point guard. I jjust don't see it in Mike. Probably a great person but not the person to take us where we need to go. What is our offense. When you don't have motion you have everybody standing out of position. I believe the two pt guard system we run hurts us in rebounding and defense. Baer to the three jok the two Clemons pt.
Apparently the stat guy fell asleep and missed Gesell's bad turnovers. Stat guy has him down for zero the last two games.
They are back in Devyn Marble mode with Uthoff and Jok playing the role of marble. Unless Gesell becomes a more consistent offensive threat Iowa will continue to struggle offensively
I need a new damn TV. Mine shows that Mike Gessell is far and away the best point guard on the Iowa roster and it isn't close. Anyone know where I can get me one that shows what you guys are seeing? Matter of fact, mine showed some B/S that Gessell was going to end up in the top 4 for career assists. That stat guy that showed 0 turnovers must have been scoring the game with a TV like mine.
And if you could, I also need one that shows me how bad Woodbury sucks. I see a guy who is our only dominant rebounder, our only post defender, a guy who battles three Purdue 7-footers to a standstill. He is a good distributor and help defender. True, he doesn't score a lot of points but again and don't know what to say as my TV doesn't show me a team feeding him the ball in the low post.
If you don't know the make/model of such a TV, maybe let me know the store and I'll just ask the salesperson.
And if you could, I also need one that shows me how bad Woodbury sucks. I see a guy who is our only dominant rebounder, our only post defender, a guy who battles three Purdue 7-footers to a standstill. He is a good distributor and help defender. True, he doesn't score a lot of points but again and don't know what to say as my TV doesn't show me a team feeding him the ball in the low post.
If you don't know the make/model of such a TV, maybe let me know the store and I'll just ask the salesperson.
Gessell has good stats but . . . so did Rudock in football. Stats don't tell the whole story. Gessel has two big problems:
1. He can't dribble penetrate. When he does, he gets blocked or gets trapped under the basket. Point guards need to make offense sometimes and he doesn't.
2. He's not clutch. Especially on the free throw line.
He's a good point guard but not a great point guard. I'd take Oliver, Woolridge, of course BJ, before him any day.
1. He can't dribble penetrate. When he does, he gets blocked or gets trapped under the basket. Point guards need to make offense sometimes and he doesn't.
2. He's not clutch. Especially on the free throw line.
He's a good point guard but not a great point guard. I'd take Oliver, Woolridge, of course BJ, before him any day.
We need a point guard? We have been saying that for years. And in the middle of the season there is nowhere to turn for a new point guard.
And Gesell may have zero turnovers the last two games (against two of the worst teams in the conference), he shot a combined 3 for 16 from the field. Here is his field goals for the last 10 games:
1 for 4
0 for 5
1 for 7
6 for 10
1 for 6
0 for 5
3 for 6
6 for 9
1 for 8
2 for 8
Combined that is 21 for 68, or 31%.
As for turnovers, he might not make a lot of them overall, but he makes a lot of them in crunch time at the ends of games. And I have also NEVER seen someone get stuffed so much at the glass than Gesell. And these just aren't blocks; they are flat out cruel REJECTIONS.
Hasn't Sapp scored in double figures in 7 of the last 9 games?
There is no doubt that we've hit a bit of a wall, but we are still 20-5 with really only one bad loss. This week off couldn't come at a better time. Rest up, re-focus and get ready to beat Bucky at home. The perfect remedy for what ails us.
There is no doubt that we've hit a bit of a wall, but we are still 20-5 with really only one bad loss. This week off couldn't come at a better time. Rest up, re-focus and get ready to beat Bucky at home. The perfect remedy for what ails us.
I swear I see someone post this and start spelling his name correctly for about a week and then I go right back to spelling it with the double s. I'm going to just start typing Mikey from now on. My brain just wants it to be spelled Gessell not Gesell. Please forgive me.
Seriously?
What could he possibly change at this point?
Baer, Uhl and Wagner already play as much as their production warrants.
Do you want to just go to a 7 man rotation with one ballhandler playing the entire game? More Brady Ellingson perhaps?
We have two guards capable of handling the ball which is significantly less than most teams and you want to sit one of them? Good god get a clue.
I agree our offense is revolving around those two far too much.
Kind of wonder if its a product of the players or coaching?
Another thing Im convinced is being pushed by the coaches is more emphasis on driving the ball. Everyone but Jok is now passing up 3s , pump faking and going to the hole.
MG, AC, and Woody need to be a bigger part of the O and get that ball moving side to side again and shoot the 3 when its there.
Iowa's offense was a thing of beauty a few weeks ago with Mike running the point. He doesn't have a button that he needs to push to make the rest of the team move.
I am also curious how many back courts you can name that are better defensively than Sapp and Mike. Not very many.
NERVES: This team's suffering from the old choke syndrome. Look at the bad FT shooting. Even JU has almost had an air ball free throw. I don't see how you can call this anything but choking.
I think this is indicative of why MG looks afraid to shoot and why the shots under the basket aren't falling.
My hunch is they'll get it together because they're experienced and solid guys. But the truth is, winning begets winning and this team needs a good game NOW. I do think they'll get it together.
I think this is indicative of why MG looks afraid to shoot and why the shots under the basket aren't falling.
My hunch is they'll get it together because they're experienced and solid guys. But the truth is, winning begets winning and this team needs a good game NOW. I do think they'll get it together.
Too bad they used up their eligibility. MG is the best PG on the current team and takes way too much flak on this board.
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Our offensive efficiency ranks 8th in the country. We are tied for first in the Big 10 with another team that also lost to Penn State. We shot 41% from the field against Penn State and made 33% of our threes, which aren't great percentages, but they're not awful either (last year as a team we shot 33% from three).
The point is: the sky isn't falling.
Our problems are originating from the defensive end, which is affecting our offense. We are not creating turnovers, and we are not rebounding well. As a result, we are not getting easy transition points. Granted, our half court offense has not looked great the past couple games, but we will always be more efficient in transition, and we just haven't been able to get those easy shots lately.
As of two weeks ago, we ranked in the top 15 nationally in defensive efficiency. We now rank 42nd. This team has good athletes, it has length, and it has experienced players that should know proper defensive rotations. The coaches will figure it out, and we'll get out of this funk.
The point is: the sky isn't falling.
Our problems are originating from the defensive end, which is affecting our offense. We are not creating turnovers, and we are not rebounding well. As a result, we are not getting easy transition points. Granted, our half court offense has not looked great the past couple games, but we will always be more efficient in transition, and we just haven't been able to get those easy shots lately.
As of two weeks ago, we ranked in the top 15 nationally in defensive efficiency. We now rank 42nd. This team has good athletes, it has length, and it has experienced players that should know proper defensive rotations. The coaches will figure it out, and we'll get out of this funk.
while I believe there is more than one factor at work here, my observation is that our biggest issue is on D. Our good defense earlier in the year led to our strength, transition offense. That has dissapeared for the most part. Teams have figured out to beat us is to prevent transition offense and bog us down in the half court. Rarely have we had good looks lately and its due to sagging off MG and Sapp. They need to score! At least take a few shots to loosen things up. While I do think Gesell is taking good care of the ball for the most part other observations here are correct. He lacks confidence in his shot, can't hit big FT in crunch time and when things are tight he makes bad decisions in taking the ball to the hole and not having a plan. One other area Im concerned about is opponents PG are consistently breaking us down right now and finding open shooters. That has to stop.
If someone other than JU and Jok doesnt start scoring it could be a brief stay in the tourney.
If someone other than JU and Jok doesnt start scoring it could be a brief stay in the tourney.
LOL..dude you were reading my mind as I was typing. We see things pretty much the same here. Nice work
There is so much standing around and iso situations lately instead of the ball movement turning into open looks like early on. Also, that 10 foot fade away Uthoff was making early on has been short almost every time the last couple of weeks.
They just need to get back to moving the ball better and rebounding better defensively. There have been so many second chance baskets where Iowa guys are scrambling around and the other team has an open look.
They just need to get back to moving the ball better and rebounding better defensively. There have been so many second chance baskets where Iowa guys are scrambling around and the other team has an open look.
If we only had a point guard that led the leagues' assist to turnovers running our club. Oh wait.....Mike is. Well if we had a Melo Trimble we'd never see late turnovers that costs us.......well except against Minnesota.
Do we look flat? Yes. Are we in danger of a major tailspin? Yes. Is anyone playing their best ball of the season? Peter is offensively.
Personally I think we're in real trouble, but I don't believe it's more then mental exhaustion and getting everyones best shot. Teams have figured out our trap press and are playing JU very physical. The ball is sticking on offense and it seems that we've got our subs on the floor together much more than when we were at our best. Dom is not looking for his three ball and isn't getting dunks. There's a lot more thats wrong, but but MAYBE a week of "rest" goes a long ways toward a fix. If it does we will have a great season.
Unfortunately if it doesn't our guys will get unfairly abused until next season when we will all wish we had them back.
Do we look flat? Yes. Are we in danger of a major tailspin? Yes. Is anyone playing their best ball of the season? Peter is offensively.
Personally I think we're in real trouble, but I don't believe it's more then mental exhaustion and getting everyones best shot. Teams have figured out our trap press and are playing JU very physical. The ball is sticking on offense and it seems that we've got our subs on the floor together much more than when we were at our best. Dom is not looking for his three ball and isn't getting dunks. There's a lot more thats wrong, but but MAYBE a week of "rest" goes a long ways toward a fix. If it does we will have a great season.
Unfortunately if it doesn't our guys will get unfairly abused until next season when we will all wish we had them back.
What is with everyone's fascination with Baer? He's a nice role player for a redshirt freshman walk-on but he is not a starting caliber 3 in the B1G right now and I doubt he'll be starting next year. He gets beaten off the dribble quite a bit when he's in.
I'll remind you that they've been running the same two point guard system all season, and we were rolling teams for a long stretch. What seem to be happening is there isn't the same ball movement we say earlier in the BIG. Players (Jok and Uthoff) are dribbling more and trying to get isolation. We used to see so much ball movement that Uthoff, Jok, Clemmons, and even Uhl were getting wide open 3s. Now some of that is how the other defenses have changed to try to suffocate the shooters, but ball movement can still get our best shooters open looks.
Fran has run a lineup with Clemmons at PG, Jok at 2 and either Uhl or Baer at 3. That lineup has done pretty well vs Indiana and PSU, but has only been out there a short time.
Gesell does a good job running the team. Unfortunately, his shooting% 2nd half of season has been going down steadily back to his career averages, which are average for a PG.
I'll probably get lambasted for this but here it goes...
I really think one of the most effective offensive set changes the staff can make at this point is get Woody the ball often around the second hash mark (third if you count the block). He is fairly effective at hitting that short-to-mid range jumper; he gets into trouble when he gets the ball to low or tries to drive against/challenge equally big men around the rim. He has excellent court vision and passing skills to hit some back door cuts or kick it back out.
This could serve to free up Uthoff and Jok. Uthoff in particular is receiving intense defensive pressure with little room to operate.
I really think one of the most effective offensive set changes the staff can make at this point is get Woody the ball often around the second hash mark (third if you count the block). He is fairly effective at hitting that short-to-mid range jumper; he gets into trouble when he gets the ball to low or tries to drive against/challenge equally big men around the rim. He has excellent court vision and passing skills to hit some back door cuts or kick it back out.
This could serve to free up Uthoff and Jok. Uthoff in particular is receiving intense defensive pressure with little room to operate.
Worth noting that we lost out to UNC for Paige and UK for Ullis. Imagine what this team would be with either of those guys.
They tell a lot of the story...
3rd in B1G in assists and 2nd in assist/turnover ratio. The basketball IQ of this board is low...just saying.
Rudock isn't a good comparison....he had a better QB behind him...MG is the best point guard on the current team.
http://www.bigten.org/library/stats/mbb-confldrs.html#indiv
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