Uthoff

[broth87]

Not sure how this will be received given his first half last night, but there is a very obvious pattern with him of disappearing in ball games. And it is precisely why this team has the losses they do right now. He showed everyone in the first half of each of the last 2 games that he is as talented as anyone and capable of being a star.
But then he disappears. He should've owned that second half. He had 6'4" Thomas guarding him the entire second half. Fran tried again and again to isolate him on the block where he could take advantage of what should've been a huge mismatch. And Jarrod lost all aggressiveness I thought and was incredibly passive even when he did shoot the ball. Until he wakes up for this group and puts his for on the gas for 40 Minutes a night, this team will have a hard time against top competition. We need jok and him to shoulder the scoring burden but it has to be for 2 halves, not one. If uthoff comes out with the same energy last night in the 2nd half and takes it to Thomas like he should have, we're never in that position at the end of the game where Iowa State could have a shot to win.
Very frustrating because I think uthoff is as talented a player as we've had in a while in Iowa City but he simply isn't giving it to his team for 40 minutes a night.

 

[Mohawkeye]

I get what your saying, but a guy who scores 30 points in one half isn't the problem. Our guards were horrendous, on offense and defense. Team game and everyone has to do their part.

 

[broth87]

What did uthoff give us in the 2nd? 2 points. We isolated him several times against Thomas on the block trying to take advantage of what should've been a massive mismatch, and uthoff turned passive. That to me is where the game was lost. Our best player and one of the most versatile skilled guys we've had at Iowa didn't show for the 2nd half. He has a pattern of this since he stepped on campus. Simply put, he's too good for this to be how it goes. He has to put 40 Minutes on the court. Not 20.

 

[yerpHAWK]

Dude scored 32 points. If you would have said Uthoff would have scored 32 in the game, you would have taken it in a heartbeat. ISU made significant halftime adjustments. Could you not see Iowa try to get him the ball, and he was being denied.

That being said Gesell played awful, and they were still in position to win because of Uthoffs 1st half before the choke job.

 

[HawkLogic]

What did uthoff give us in the 2nd? 2 points. We isolated him several times against Thomas on the block trying to take advantage of what should've been a massive mismatch, and uthoff turned passive. That to me is where the game was lost. Our best player and one of the most versatile skilled guys we've had at Iowa didn't show for the 2nd half. He has a pattern of this since he stepped on campus. Simply put, he's too good for this to be how it goes. He has to put 40 Minutes on the court. Not 20.

The bottom line is he is only guy that can get his shot off when he wants and he is better option than anybody except Jok when Jok is hitting shots.

It is on Fran to force the guy to shoot. Uthoff is too unselfish.

I think we could all see the 2nd half collapse coming. The 1st half lead was based on Uthoff doing all the scoring. Clemmons/Gesell and bench were no shows and Woody is a post guy that you can't post up because he has zero post moves.

 

[DavenportHawk8]

The refs allowed ISU to play more physical in the 2nd half and Iowa did not adjust. I mean at some point the players have to realize that its getting more physical, step up and start playing physical. Thomas was bodying him up and Utoff disappeared. If the guy is getting physical, throw an elbow or something to get him off of you.

I also thought our offense went very stagnant at about the 7:00min mark. We just started to "bleed" the clock instead of being aggressive. I think there was 3 straight possessions where we chucked up 3's as the shot clock was winding down. Go attack the basket.

 

[broth87]

Dude scored 32 points. If you would have said Uthoff would have scored 32 in the game, you would have taken it in a heartbeat. ISU made significant halftime adjustments. Could you not see Iowa try to get him the ball, and he was being denied.

That being said Gesell played awful, and they were still in position to win because of Uthoffs 1st half before the choke job.

Did you read my post? We isolated uthoff again and again on the block AND we got him the ball where he was 1v1 with Thomas. Instead of being aggressive and staying on the attack, he turned very passive.
Uthoff should be 1st team all big ten with hoods skill set. He's easily the most talented we've had in a while at Iowa. He's the guy we should be riding to a high conference finish and an NCAA berth, but it's not gonna happen until we get 40 minutes a night out of him instead of 20. The way that game was set up, uthoff should've gone for 40+. Iowa State did not double him unless he penetrated the paint. And the thing is, uthoff being aggressive makes everyone else on the court better. Guys can hit the boards. Eventually the defense has to adjust and we start getting open comfortable looks for ALL of our guys. The offense has to run through him and he has to be the leader and be aggressive. Plain and simple.

 

[Chicityhawkfan]

Definitely got too stagnant mid way through the half. Standing around the arc passing for 25 seconds rarely leads to a good shot.

I also thought that they played too much zone in the second half. Lead to a lot of open shots and second chance points. The are a very poor rebounding team when they are in that zone.

As for Uthoff, the guy can clearly play. Definitely looked like the best player on the floor in the first half. Unfortunate he didn't respond well to the physical nature of the second half. It has never been and probably never will be a strength of his to play in a physical game.

 

[Ihawkhoops]

Lots of good posts here, but I will add a different spin. Did you see ISU huddles in the second half? Guys were imploring each other to step up, fight, whatever was being said was done so with passion and fire. Contrast to the Iowa huddle where it looked like a geopolitical discussion on the changes in crude oil pricing since the 1940's was taking place. For the love of God, can we recruit one player with some fire? Fran is a tough, intense guy, but seems enamored with players who appear to be better suited for classical piano concerts than getting po'd in a huddle and lighting a fire under their teammate.

 

[Titanhawk2]

I seem to remember same things said about Marble two years ago and White last year

 

[RocknRollface]

Did you read my post? We isolated uthoff again and again on the block AND we got him the ball where he was 1v1 with Thomas. Instead of being aggressive and staying on the attack, he turned very passive.
Uthoff should be 1st team all big ten with hoods skill set. He's easily the most talented we've had in a while at Iowa. He's the guy we should be riding to a high conference finish and an NCAA berth, but it's not gonna happen until we get 40 minutes a night out of him instead of 20. The way that game was set up, uthoff should've gone for 40+. Iowa State did not double him unless he penetrated the paint. And the thing is, uthoff being aggressive makes everyone else on the court better. Guys can hit the boards. Eventually the defense has to adjust and we start getting open comfortable looks for ALL of our guys. The offense has to run through him and he has to be the leader and be aggressive. Plain and simple.

Yes we isolated him on the block.

But I'm not sure what you mean by he turned passive.

He's not very strong and the refs allowed the defenders to move him out.

It's not like he was turning down shots, he either got striped or took a tough shot just about every time.

Maybe he should have initiated more contact but Fran should have stopped calling the isolations IMO, they weren't working. Jarrod is allot better facing.

Every one plays a part in a loss, probably one of the worst you'll ever see, but the biggest reason is lack of quality guard play.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

Uthoff has to score more than 2 points. Period end of story. Especially when he was on fire.

 

[sgt_knock]

we have two very average point guards. Better start getting Williams some minutes, no other help on the horizon.

 

[e720718998]

Yeah Mike G was bad last nigh the needs to give the ball up earlier in the shot clock. I like him but he is a poor end of game play maker

 

[twindman]

I disagree with bold below. Several times he came around screens on side of lane and got the ball at the top of the lane. Usually with 3-4 feet of opening for a split second. Each time he looked around to pass instead of just going up and shooting over the defender like he did in the first half.

Yes we isolated him on the block.

But I'm not sure what you mean by he turned passive.

He's not very strong and the refs allowed the defenders to move him out.

It's not like he was turning down shots, he either got striped or took a tough shot just about every time.

Maybe he should have initiated more contact but Fran should have stopped calling the isolations IMO, they weren't working. Jarrod is allot better facing.

Every one plays a part in a loss, probably one of the worst you'll ever see, but the biggest reason is lack of quality guard play.