Nothing that a little better defense and better FT shooting can’t cure.
Iowa blew it at Nebby last season, with #22. And they pissed that game away in the 4th quarter if memory serves me. A senior laden team, too.
I always had my reservations, mainly because I never thought she truly wanted to be HC, especially taking over this circus post-Clark.
I believe UIowa will be five with JJ as coach. She has to get some players in the program and isn’t the cavalry on the way?
the way it is going just wait till Deal decides she doesn't want to be part of this shit show then Jan really will have all the fans rightly turn on her!
If they do then I seriously think Iowa should consider making a move. I know they won't, Iowa will wait until all momentum of the runner-up finishes is lost. They should though if that starts happening in addition to the losing.
I'd bet good money that Jennie or Lisa wouldn't be 2-5 in conference currently. I think they'd at least gotten 2/3 from MSU, Indiana, and Nebraska.
I watched a different game. I thought they played with pretty good intensity overall. They were late to react to the early 3 point onslaught. They played fast for the first time in awhile and Guyton shined bright. She held her own against Nebraska's stud freshman. O'Grady also found a good role last night. Also, we didn't throw a dozen lob pass turnovers either. I think it was a really good game out of this young team and most would look at it differently had they not choked on free throws.
Other schools do. That's what makes them perennial powers--South Carolina, LSU, UConn--they don't rebuild, they reload. With CC's unprecedented run, how did Iowa fail to take full advantage so it could join programs like those mentioned? That opportunity is unlikely to come again, and now it's all but gone.
Biggest issue I had was Iowa having all those fouls to give and not using them in the closing seconds of regulation. Likely could have killed enough time off the clock where Nebraska would have been forced into a desperation shot at buzzer.
The game was on the road?
It may be her first year as the head coach, but she's been a lifelong coach and the lack of fundamentals, team cohesion, etc have nothing to do with the fact this is her first year as the head coach. It was a terrible decision to not do a national search, given how popular our brand had gotten. Now we're stuck with a coach that obviously should have stayed an assistant because it's become pretty obvious she isn't cut out for the top spot.
It's not fair to Deal to say she will be "Clark-like", but I definitely feel that she will be a huge upgrade ultimately in the guard department.
I don't see them going 7-1 in those other eight which include road games against Minnesota, Nebraska, and Oregon.
They also lost Kate and Gabbie, two important cogs in Iowa's success the prior two years. The remaining vets on this team are role players. Lucy started off great, but has dramatically cooled off. And the freshmen are learning. They just didn't have the really good, experienced players like the programs you mentioned to take over the reins this year. But I don't think it is all but gone. If Jan can keep the freshmen and the incoming class together, they can be quite good. The next 2 years will be pivotal for the long term success of the program. Will they plant a flag as a perennial power that top-flighted women will want to come to or be a program of peaks and valleys? They have a foundation to be very good, it's just not a very deep foundation, yet. As far as this season, this simply is more of a transition/rebuilding year than we anticipated. I think the reality of that is sinking/has sunk in.
People mustn't forget that Jenni Fitzgerald also retired. Bluder, Jensen and Fitzgerald were a 3-headed coaching team for 25? years. Perhaps Fitzgerald had much more to do with the success than anyone realized.
Guys…. You will never see another #22 wearing an Iowa uniform again…jeeeewbus Christmas…she is a once in a lifetime basketballer! But then I imagine there are Indiana State fans out there predicting the next Larry Bird is out there shooting hoops in his back yard somewhere in southern Indiana, waiting for the Sycamores to give him a full ride.
Clark was on her death bed and should not have even played in that game. Go back and watch the Full court Press documentary. Everyone involved confirmed she was sick as hell. That was the same bug that had Molly Davis MISS three entire games. Clark didn't practice much those two weeks but she took the floor every game, because she knew she had to.
Hannah did a hell of a job on the boards with 16 last night though, and had some pretty good post moves. She's not going to sit on the bench. Still Jan needs to find away to get Heiden in these games and keep her engaged.
That's what I've said...things like fouls, TOs, and the like usually are usually taskedto the assts.
