Team Showed Heart . . . .

[perryhawk]

It's not just depth. Its about quality. Those 2 have been the best performers by far this year. Anybody expecting a couple of freshman to come in and operate close to that level is going to be disappointed.

I agree with that....depth and production overlap but aren't exactly the same. As an example, in essence Riley provides no depth at the present.....Josh O very little. Conversely our two freshman guards are providing some depth....but aren't as productive as the guys that have been in college for four years.

So for clarity.....I think that each of the freshman coming in next year can/will provide some depth. How much that is, is yet to be determined.

Conversely, I expect Tony, Dasonte, AU, Josh D, Patrick, and Payton all to take a step forward next year. That's six guys. IF (please note the big IF) we bring in one or two transfer guys and one or two of the incoming freshman perform at a level that makes them significant performers off of the bench.....we will be plenty deep.

Conversely......we won't have Kris M, FR, or even Connor Mc.....very important players.

That means that guys like Tony, Patrick, Payton, and maybe AU have to produce at a higher level.....can they? Yes, each of them can. In fact, I can almost guarantee that none of them will be satisfied with where they are at, even if the turn things around and finish strong.

This is one of the many things that I love about college basketball....players grow and improve, freshman can surprise....sometimes a team is a better than the sum of their parts...could next year be a step back? Sure. Could it be a step forward....absolutely.

 

[BirdistheWord]

I agree with that....depth and production overlap but aren't exactly the same. As an example, in essence Riley provides no depth at the present.....Josh O very little. Conversely our two freshman guards are providing some depth....but aren't as productive as the guys that have been in college for four years.

So for clarity.....I think that each of the freshman coming in next year can/will provide some depth. How much that is, is yet to be determined.

Conversely, I expect Tony, Dasonte, AU, Josh D, Patrick, and Payton all to take a step forward next year. That's six guys. IF (please note the big IF) we bring in one or two transfer guys and one or two of the incoming freshman perform at a level that makes them significant performers off of the bench.....we will be plenty deep.

Conversely......we won't have Kris M, FR, or even Connor Mc.....very important players.

That means that guys like Tony, Patrick, Payton, and maybe AU have to produce at a higher level.....can they? Yes, each of them can. In fact, I can almost guarantee that none of them will be satisfied with where they are at, even if the turn things around and finish strong.

This is one of the many things that I love about college basketball....players grow and improve, freshman can surprise....sometimes a team is a better than the sum of their parts...could next year be a step back? Sure. Could it be a step forward....absolutely.

I hope you are right. But I tend to trust my eyeballs and guys like PMac and Ulis are what they are to a large extent. Ulis is not likely to become an uber creative penetrator and dish master or an even solid shooter. I see PMac's upside being an increase in shooting percentage and possibly another 5-10 LBS of muscle. But doubt he will become a nice rebounder or unselfish player. Even Saucy, I wonder if we have seen most of the ceiling? Sandfort? I feel terrible for the kid, he was a great freshman, then the wheels just fell off. He needs hypnosis or acupuncture.

Bowen and Dix certainly have a lot of upside, so that is exciting. But, I would anticipate that we would have to leverage the portal for 2+ guys vs. expecting far too much from 4 freshman coming in from h.s.

 

[Lone Clone]

Well, it’s not shocking that when the defense ramped up we got back in the game.

I'm not an expert analysis, but I would say the defense was less significant to the comeback than was the great work by Murray.

 

[EZ2BJZ]

Conversely, I expect Tony, Dasonte, AU, Josh D, Patrick, and Payton all to take a step forward next year.

I like your optimism but I don’t see it. Payton will no doubt break out of his shooting slump at some point but he is still limited athletically. Hopefully Dix and Bowen take big leaps but that remains to be seen.

Patrick, Tony, and Ahron have been here a long time. You get what you get with them.

The only shot Iowa has of being competitive next season is for Fran to make a big splash in the portal. I don’t think anyone is holding their breath for that. Right now, Iowa’s best players are Rebraca, Murray, and CMac. With those three, Iowa is still a mediocre basketball team. CMac’s offensive production won’t be hard to replace but the other two won’t be so easy. And even if you do, what are the odds they will be better than this team that is at best NIT bound? Pretty low. The same lack of toughness and atrocious defense will persist every season Fran is head boss.

In short, it’s not getting better.

 

[intrepodor]

First, Barta needs to be sent the memo to stop giving Fran pay raises and multi year extensions.
Next Barta has to be given memo that there is a reason there is anti-Nepotism hiring rule at the University.
I'm pretty sure we see Connor as grad assistant next year......Fran will then be using the KF playbook..farm out Connor as coaching assistant to some Buddy and then bring him back as assistant at Iowa.
That would make a number of sunshine boys on this board happy---the more McCaffery's in the progam, the better with those guys.


I think We have a 4-year count down to a new coach, assuming we've already seen peak Fran and
the lack of portal/NIL success translates into insufficient talent to continue to be a 51% win rate B1G coach.
Most of Fran's >.500 win percentage in B1G play can be attributed to consistently beating Nebraska, Penn State, and Rutgers with a better than average win rate vs minnesota and NW mixed in. We're 0-2 vs Nebraska and Penn State..doesn't bode well for this year at very least.

Every other team has improved and we haven't

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

Every other team has improved and we haven't

This team lacks leadership and a toughness needed to compete at a high level in this league. Add in soft on defense and you have a recipe for limited wins. Teams scheme against Iowa’s weak defensive players and limited height. It’s going to be a long season.

 

[perryhawk]

I like your optimism but I don’t see it. Payton will no doubt break out of his shooting slump at some point but he is still limited athletically. Hopefully Dix and Bowen take big leaps but that remains to be seen.

Patrick, Tony, and Ahron have been here a long time. You get what you get with them.

The only shot Iowa has of being competitive next season is for Fran to make a big splash in the portal. I don’t think anyone is holding their breath for that. Right now, Iowa’s best players are Rebraca, Murray, and CMac. With those three, Iowa is still a mediocre basketball team. CMac’s offensive production won’t be hard to replace but the other two won’t be so easy. And even if you do, what are the odds they will be better than this team that is at best NIT bound? Pretty low. The same lack of toughness and atrocious defense will persist every season Fran is head boss.

In short, it’s not getting better.

You may certainly be correct...

That said, I would use Rebraca as the example. Last year he was just adequate to fill that role....this year he has clearly taken a step forward. Part of that is a year to adjust to the B10 and the other part is what we saw regularly under Tom Davis....a senioritis (which is a realization that time is limited and now having played some, I see that I need to take it up a notch if I want to have the career I had hoped for), it's a sense of urgency that they thought they had before, but they didn't at this level.

Patrick and Tony I think will fall in that category of feeling like they need to take it up a notch. I think they can and probably(?) will. AU might be of that mindset...maybe. One thing in AU's favor in terms of understanding that he needs to improve...is that this is the first year where he has really had a significant role and significant playing time. I think that with these players it is more mental than physical at this stage.

I certainly have frustrations with Fran's teams and their lack of defensive intensity and execution.......though I know they are capable. An example there is the ISU game.....that was an impressive defensive display. They can do it....and I think that "might" be the key to getting this team going in order to finish better than what most now anticipate.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

I'm not an expert analysis, but I would say the defense was less significant to the comeback than was the great work by Murray.

Can’t come back when the other team is scoring or shooting 60%

 

[ICWestfan]

Everyone keeps asking what is going on with Perkins but should be asking what is going on with Sandfort. O for the BIG to start the season? I mean not even a 2 ball?

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

1. Not getting a shot off to tie or win was painful after the comeback. Ugh.
2. Make 1 more FT plus the lane violation on CMac's FT would have helped immensely
3. Ulis should not be allowed to shoot 3's.
4. CMac has some coconuts. Total Moxie.
5. We are desperate for 3 point shooting.

This sums it up pretty well. I can't believe they didn't call the lane violation.

Rebraca and Connor have heart. Kris is uber talented. Unfortunately, these are the guys leaving after this season. Great class coming in, but at a minimum, I believe we need an experienced quality 4/5 added in the portal to be a good team. I am not nearly as high on our backcourt as I was a month ago, but I haven't given up hope. Patrick has no idea how to play like a 6-10 player, except on the point of the press. Maybe Sandfort should go to a monastery and pray for a week to see if he can get his game back.

 

[Mohawkeye]

This team is better than they’ve played the last three games. I take heart in Murray’s 2nd half performance against PSU. He turned a corner IMO and took control of this team. What we lack more than anything is leadership and 3 point shooting. Someone besides Kris needs to be hitting 3s and play the role of Bohannon from last year. Connor and Pmac and Perkins need to step up, hit 3s and show some mental toughnes, especially on D.

Ive not given up on this team. Fran is a steady hand and I think he turns this team around.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Before the season, we all thought this would be a very good shooting team. Sandfort was going to be an assassin from 3. PMac was going to put it all together. Perkins would continue his improvement and become a star. Bowen was going to be a big improvement at the point. Mulvey and JO were going to add bench strength and size inside.

NONE of those things have happened ... yet.

It's the shooting that perplexes me the most. Sure, you can expect some off nights, but poor shooting has become common with this team.

I don't get it.

 

[83Hawk]

Before the season, we all thought this would be a very good shooting team. Sandfort was going to be an assassin from 3. PMac was going to put it all together. Perkins would continue his improvement and become a star. Bowen was going to be a big improvement at the point. Mulvey and JO were going to add bench strength and size inside.

NONE of those things have happened ... yet.

It's the shooting that perplexes me the most. Sure, you can expect some off nights, but poor shooting has become common with this team.

I don't get it.

Normally, you might have 1 or 2 guys that hit a slump. With the Hawks, it seems like the entire team is either on or off at once.

You can compensate if 1-2 guys are having an off night.....but not 4-5.

 

[RocknRollface]

This sums it up pretty well. I can't believe they didn't call the lane violation.

Rebraca and Connor have heart. Kris is uber talented. Unfortunately, these are the guys leaving after this season. Great class coming in, but at a minimum, I believe we need an experienced quality 4/5 added in the portal to be a good team. I am not nearly as high on our backcourt as I was a month ago, but I haven't given up hope. Patrick has no idea how to play like a 6-10 player, except on the point of the press. Maybe Sandfort should go to a monastery and pray for a week to see if he can get his game back.

I was thinking go to Mexico and get hammered for a week but that's another option.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

My lady boy friend sometimes tells me I showed heart in bed. It's humiliating but hey I don't make millions to perform.

FIFY

 

[GOHOX69]

FIFY

Now, who spilled the beans on my Thailand adventures? It was meant to be a secret!

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Who would have thought the Hawkeyes could win at Rutgers without Kris going off? Really good defensive game for Iowa, and having Payton making some shots again is huge with Rebraca's presence around the basket. Just when we all were starting to believe that the season was over.

Unrelated question--where is JoshO?

 

[Fran-Con-2]

Who would have thought the Hawkeyes could win at Rutgers without Kris going off? Really good defensive game for Iowa, and having Payton making some shots again is huge with Rebraca's presence around the basket. Just when we all were starting to believe that the season was over.

Unrelated question--where is JoshO?

Supposedly out with a lower leg injury.

Would really like to have him in the mix when Hunter Dickinson comes to town on Thursday.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Supposedly out with a lower leg injury.

Would really like to have him in the mix when Hunter Dickinson comes to town on Thursday.

Even more important when we play Purdon't.

 

[Bishop1971]

Even more important when we play Purdon't.

Yes, the 2 games we definitely should need him. Illinois possibly too.