according to several experts.
With no injuries since then...it is simply amazing at how things ended.
With no injuries since then...it is simply amazing at how things ended.
That was the same team that was the mid-season overall #1 seed...
- Thread starter NorthernHawkeye
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Something got into their heads and they lost it. IDK if it was the coaches or media but something happened. Wonder if we wil ever know.
Other teams got tougher as the season wound down. Iowa did not. Pressure forces misses and challenges confidence, and Iowa never figured out how to handle it once they started to struggle.
When you consider that this team swept Purdue & MSU and had the inside track to the regular season B1G title at one point, then turns around in the same season and does this, you can't explain that by talking about physical material & ability.
Mental toughness or lack thereof really comes out when adversity kicks in.
I think the why became evident down the stretch - no tough, take-no-prisoners leader at the guard position. Look at all of the teams advancing in the tournament and show me one with a starting guard tandem that plays as soft as ours did. Love Mikey & Sapp, but in order to take the next step up, Iowa needs leaders at the guard position. They played a key role of sustaining a certain level of success for Iowa (get to tourney 3 years in a row, be top-half competitive in B1G), now let's see what our new set of guards brings with full time PT.
The team can't be led by players like Aaron White or JU (both favorites of mine)...you need leaders who touch the ball 75% of the game who can create opportunities for their teammates and themselves no matter the physicality or play style of the opponent.
The team can't be led by players like Aaron White or JU (both favorites of mine)...you need leaders who touch the ball 75% of the game who can create opportunities for their teammates and themselves no matter the physicality or play style of the opponent.
Totally agree with you - look at Yogi and Ulis - my hope is that we also have a strong leader on the bench and in the locker room next year regardless of position - could be Nick B ... Could be Wagner ...
Take mid-season predictions with a big grain of salt. You're a jackass if you do otherwise. Apparently there are a lot of jackasses on this board.
It is really baffling, but two things come to mind.
1) The bench, with the exception of Nick Baer (and a little from Uhl and Wagner) just could not
hold the team up, especially when the two starting guards went cold.
2) The Iowa Hawkeyes needed to shoot Free throws, like Villanova. It started early, even when they were winning, they couldn't shoot from the line. Came back to BITE them many times, this year.
#goHawks
This just needed to end.
This group of players was never cut out to be anything other than roll players, even Uthoff was uncomfortable being a #1 option, and Frans personality was not good for them.
Not really where we wanted to be after year 6. Frans got two more years. If Iowa doesn't start looking like a real big ten team then its over.
This group of players was never cut out to be anything other than roll players, even Uthoff was uncomfortable being a #1 option, and Frans personality was not good for them.
Not really where we wanted to be after year 6. Frans got two more years. If Iowa doesn't start looking like a real big ten team then its over.
Ok breathe, back to back 12-6 third place finishes in the B1G, 3 straight tournament appearances, 2 wins. What were your real expectations and were they met, exceeded or fallen short?
Exactly, I mean seriously? The next level was the NCAAs consistently and we got there. Now we can build on that - I see we are beginning to recruit better athletes (Tyler Cook). I like next years team.
Some of you are the same folks that say our FB team had no talent at 12-2. Sure we are not there compared to Kansas or in FB Alabama but pretty exciting year its been. We have a pretty good product with our combined BB and FB programs. Have a little perspective.
