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When Kris Murray plays at least 17 minutes, he averages 14.7 ppg

… which is why I put “you meaning anybody” in parentheses. I wasn’t talking about you, specifically. There are plenty of people who are upset because Patrick isn’t providing the rebounding production that they expect. The sad reality for those folks is that Patrick averaging two more rebounds per game to place himself amongst his positional peers in the Big Ten isn’t the difference between Iowa losing and winning games. Hell, he got 7 boards in the Penn State game… didn’t matter. What about the Wisconsin game? 7 boards for Pat. Didn’t matter. Iowa State game? Only got four boards, but the entire team got their lunch money taken that game so I suspect that his rebounding wasn’t a major factor. Purdue, game 1? Tied for the lead on the team with 5 boards. Purdue game 2? Four boards - again, two more makes no difference in that game.

There is one game that you can point to and say that a better rebounding effort by McCaffery could have influenced the outcome, and that’s the Illinois game, where he finished with one and we lost by four. Then again, we got outrebounded by nearly 30 so maybe somebody else could have grabbed an extra board or two as well

Point being, yes, Patrick could be better on the glass. Yes, he could give up fewer open looks on defense. However, his play is not the difference between Iowa winning and losing games. The difference between Iowa winning and losing games is crappy offensive guard play and crappy starting shooting guard averaging 25 minutes per game defensive play. Inconsistent three point shooting and a lack of wide bodies down low to help collect boards, which doesn’t fall squarely on the back of Patrick, is also a factor. Given his play on the other end, which has been good, people who want to whine about him just want to whine
7 rebounds for Patrick again this afternoon (3 offensive, 4 defensive) to go along with an Uber efficient 18 points. Continuing to emerge as a top 3 player on this team… pushing for 2
 
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