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Which Big Ten teams have fixed their biggest weakness? (Part 1: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa)

Nice work on all three teams.

Pertaining to Iowa's PG situation, here's what I'll add.

https://barttorvik.com/trank.php?ye...1&top=0&quad=5&venue=All&type=All&mingames=0#

If you go back to last year and look at Iowa's turnover numbers there's a clear contrast between when Jordan was playing vs when he was sidelined. The nice thing about Torvik's site is you can choose the dates to get the games you want.

On Dec 20th (the day before Iowa played Cinci) here was Iowa's rank in turnover %.

Dec 20th - 12th nationally. 1st in B1G

For Dec 21st and afterwards - 142nd nationally. 11th in B1G.

It should also be noted Iowa played a good noncon last year. These numbers aren't inflated by playing cupcakes only.

With Jordan, Iowa's TO% is similar to the one time under Fran we actually had a chance at winning the B1G (15-16). I think a lot of that came from playing two experienced point guards together.

The nice thing about this year is it's not just two experienced guys for Iowa at the point. Fans have reason to be excited for Ulis and Toussaint as well. No one point guard is going to be forced to do too much (Joe T at times last year). It's going to be a group approach. It's going to make things easier for all our PG's to have other guys shoulder the load.

It's great to have a go to big man like Luka. But, personally, it's easier to control a game with good guard play as opposed to good forward play. It's just the nature of college ball.
 
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The article fails because it ignores its own headline.

They pull the "let's not go with the obvious", when it is the obvious for a reason.
KenPom and most other metrics would seem to agree(Team O efficiency #3, Team D efficiency #97 for the '19-'20 season).

Sure, they could be the number 1 most efficient team offensively, but if they just moved up into the top 75 for D efficiency it might do more for the W-L record.

Of course a bigger shooting threat at point would help. In this case, though, the biggest issue in need of a fix is D. We all know it, the team knows it and their opponents know it.
 
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HawkAssassin said:
Nice work on all three teams.

Pertaining to Iowa's PG situation, here's what I'll add.

https://barttorvik.com/trank.php?ye...1&top=0&quad=5&venue=All&type=All&mingames=0#

If you go back to last year and look at Iowa's turnover numbers there's a clear contrast between when Jordan was playing vs when he was sidelined. The nice thing about Torvik's site is you can choose the dates to get the games you want.

On Dec 20th (the day before Iowa played Cinci) here was Iowa's rank in turnover %.

Dec 20th - 12th nationally. 1st in B1G

For Dec 21st and afterwards - 142nd nationally. 11th in B1G.

It should also be noted Iowa played a good noncon last year. These numbers aren't inflated by playing cupcakes only.

With Jordan, Iowa's TO% is similar to the one time under Fran we actually had a chance at winning the B1G (15-16). I think a lot of that came from playing two experienced point guards together.

The nice thing about this year is it's not just two experienced guys for Iowa at the point. Fans have reason to be excited for Ulis and Toussaint as well. No one point guard is going to be forced to do too much (Joe T at times last year). It's going to be a group approach. It's going to make things easier for all our PG's to have other guys shoulder the load.

It's great to have a go to big man like Luka. But, personally, it's easier to control a game with good guard play as opposed to good forward play. It's just the nature of college ball.
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Interesting point about the TO% difference with JBo. Would hope that JoeT has improved a little from 3pt between Fr-So yrs, which would be big for him.
 
I think in large part the turnover numbers can be explained by Jbo looking to shoot instead of failed attempts at driving to the basket by almost everyone not named Luka. We could really use a finisher from the guard or wing positions.
 
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Bee93 said:
I think in large part the turnover numbers can be explained by Jbo looking to shoot instead of failed attempts at driving to the basket by almost everyone not named Luka. We could really use a finisher from the guard or wing positions.
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Like Ulis!
 
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If JW , JB, and Fredrick can all shoot 42 % from three point range it's going to be a GREAT year...
 
Touissant will definitely benefit from the work he got last year, and he's a great piece on this team when we need someone to attack the basket or (at least try to) lock up a quicker guard. He should be in a position to be really good once Bohannon leaves. I still wish we could combine Bohannon and Touissant into one super guard - quick, strong, outstanding shooter, etc.
 
iowalawhawk said:
Touissant will definitely benefit from the work he got last year, and he's a great piece on this team when we need someone to attack the basket or (at least try to) lock up a quicker guard. He should be in a position to be really good once Bohannon leaves. I still wish we could combine Bohannon and Touissant into one super guard - quick, strong, outstanding shooter, etc.
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JoeT is already a great finisher. Remember Anthony Cowans’ statement that JoeT was the hardest player at his position to guard in the B1G. He’s got potential to be a great leader. This year, I’d like to see him be able to consistently hit the open 3 like he did down the stretch last year and like Connor has learned to do.
 
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CanadaHawk said:
Interesting point about the TO% difference with JBo. Would hope that JoeT has improved a little from 3pt between Fr-So yrs, which would be big for him.
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The encouraging thing about Joe T's 3 point shooting is that he started the season 4 for 22 (including 0-4 @ Syracuse and 0-5 @ Nebraska). From the first week of January, he went 7 for 15 down the stretch and showed a pretty good stroke.
 
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Ronman said:
The encouraging thing about Joe T's 3 point shooting is that he started the season 4 for 22 (including 0-4 @ Syracuse and 0-5 @ Nebraska). From the first week of January, he went 7 for 15 down the stretch and showed a pretty good stroke.
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Yes, thanks for the exact statistics. I knew that JoeT did better from range down the stretch and that kind of improvement can often foreshadow the next season. Joe is the type of guard that is always looking for a crease in the D to drive with his speed (that’s why Cowan called him the toughest to guard), just like JBo is always looking for that crease to get off his shot. JoeT doesn’t need to shoot the 3 for volume, just to keep guys guarding him for spacing and allowing him to drive.
 
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CanadaHawk said:
JoeT is already a great finisher. Remember Anthony Cowans’ statement that JoeT was the hardest player at his position to guard in the B1G. He’s got potential to be a great leader. This year, I’d like to see him be able to consistently hit the open 3 like he did down the stretch last year and like Connor has learned to do.
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Have to respectfully disagree with JoeT already being a great finisher. He definitely has the quickest move to the basket, but he has so far been very Gesell-like when he gets to the rim. Granted, he was only a freshman last year, but need him to actually finish. And while I’m at it, need JoeW to figure it out too.
 
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Bee93 said:
Have to respectfully disagree with JoeT already being a great finisher. He definitely has the quickest move to the basket, but he has so far been very Gesell-like when he gets to the rim. Granted, he was only a freshman last year, but need him to actually finish. And while I’m at it, need JoeW to figure it out too.
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JoeT hasn’t throw it down very often but he’s made guys like Cowan fear that he’ll blow by them and finish at the basket with that quickness- which he actually did several times last year.
Agree about JoeW finishing. A guy his size often has to finish at the rim with a flush. JoeW’s issue last year with finishing and fading the second half of the season was with strength and endurance. Those things could certainly have been fixed in the off-season.
 
From my ignorant Fan perspective.....I think Joe T's shot/form/mechanics look pretty good. I believe that being around a bunch of good shooters and having a year of experience under his belt will help lift his game up significantly. Luka Garza, besides being a great player, has set an amazing real life-right in front of you-example of how hard work makes a big difference.....I think that all of the young guys can see how Luka works so hard to improve even though he is really good already.

Assuming Joe T recognizes that and puts in the time to become an effective scorer, the sky is the limit for that kid. He already has the shot mechanics........now obsessive repetition and continued work on all aspects of his game and his play alone takes this team up a notch in performance.
 
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JoeT has the tools to be a really good PG. He is quick, tough, strong, fearless, and wants to be aggressive. He can pester most opposing PGs on the defensive end, which is something that has been missing for a while. I think JoeT was learning last year when to be aggressive and when to just run the offense. That sometimes led to bad TOs, but I expect those to go down with experience. With the shooters around him at almost every position, he doesn't need to be a shooter, although his basic shot seemed pretty good when he shoots in rhythm.

I love the variety of players Fran has available on the perimeter this year, and I am also looking forward to seeing the freshman guards, who both could be major contributors over the next few years.
 
Joe T may not finish with a flush, but his ability to get his shot off inside among the tall trees was impressive and most of the time successful. I don't care what kind of twisting turning shot he uses as long as it goes down most of the time. He has been very good at drawing fouls as well, putting the opposition's big men in foul trouble, and is getting pretty good at free throws.
 
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Iowa lacked depth last year. Definitely their biggest weakness, and they appear to have corrected that.
 
Bee93 said:
Have to respectfully disagree with JoeT already being a great finisher. He definitely has the quickest move to the basket, but he has so far been very Gesell-like when he gets to the rim. Granted, he was only a freshman last year, but need him to actually finish. And while I’m at it, need JoeW to figure it out too.
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Toussaint had a lot of good finishes at the hoop last year, but he is not overall a good finisher near the basket at this point in his career. He shot a tad less than 50% on close 2-point shots last year (45-92). Guards will be less than big guys at this generally, but that 48% on 92 close shots isn't good. Garza is the outlier as he was ridiculous at over 70% on close 2-point shots with a whopping 249 attempts. Just incredible. Folks deride Wieskamp's finishing ability, but he was 72-115 on close 2's (63%). Good numbers for a guard. Frederick was 25-39 (64%). If anything, I want more of Frederick and JoeW going to the hoop and less of Toussaint. Overall, Toussaint was just under 40% on 2-point shots, which means he was hurting the team every time he took a 2-pointer last year. He's not the only one, as Conor was 35% on 2's and Bohannon 22% on 2-point shots.

Garza's numbers so skew Iowa's overall numbers it's really incredible. Hawks have some other nice pieces, but do not want to see the results if he is not on the floor. If Frederick can stay healthy and if a fully healed Bohannon is firing 3's at a 40%+ clip and if Wieskamp is again a 38%+ 3-point shooter, Iowa has a chance to be very good again.
 
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DodgerHawki said:
Toussaint had a lot of good finishes at the hoop last year, but he is not overall a good finisher near the basket at this point in his career. He shot a tad less than 50% on close 2-point shots last year (45-92). Guards will be less than big guys at this generally, but that 48% on 92 close shots isn't good. Garza is the outlier as he was ridiculous at over 70% on close 2-point shots with a whopping 249 attempts. Just incredible. Folks deride Wieskamp's finishing ability, but he was 72-115 on close 2's (63%). Good numbers for a guard. Frederick was 25-39 (64%). If anything, I want more of Frederick and JoeW going to the hoop and less of Toussaint. Overall, Toussaint was just under 40% on 2-point shots, which means he was hurting the team every time he took a 2-pointer last year. He's not the only one, as Conor was 35% on 2's and Bohannon 22% on 2-point shots.

Garza's numbers so skew Iowa's overall numbers it's really incredible. Hawks have some other nice pieces, but do not want to see the results if he is not on the floor. If Frederick can stay healthy and if a fully healed Bohannon is firing 3's at a 40%+ clip and if Wieskamp is again a 38%+ 3-point shooter, Iowa has a chance to be very good again.
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Toussaint can beat his guy almost every time. Him getting to the paint is vital, can't disagree more with your take that you want less drives from him. With all the shooters on the team he should be looking to drive & kick every time. He'll only get better at finishing as well.
 
fivecardstud14 said:
Toussaint can beat his guy almost every time. Him getting to the paint is vital, can't disagree more with your take that you want less drives from him. With all the shooters on the team he should be looking to drive & kick every time. He'll only get better at finishing as well.
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I don't disagree that he is quick and that he definitely can be a positive. I really like his attitude and his fearlessness. But the reality is he needs to be better. What he did when he got in the paint last year wasn't all that good. His low 2-point shooting percentage, combined with a TO% north of 25 means that he was a very inefficient player last year. He had a very typical freshman year for a PG in a major conference, unless you are a top-50 type player.

The good news is that he was better than 83% on free throws. FT % is often a leading indicator of overall shooting ability once a player gets more comfortable. As others have pointed out, Toussaint's 3-point percentage got a lot better as the season went on. Fran was smart to limit his exposure to an extent last year. I would imagine that his efficiency will improve across the board this year. If it does, that's big for Iowa.
 
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DodgerHawki said:
I don't disagree that he is quick and that he definitely can be a positive. I really like his attitude and his fearlessness. But the reality is he needs to be better. What he did when he got in the paint last year wasn't all that good. His low 2-point shooting percentage, combined with a TO% north of 25 means that he was a very inefficient player last year. He had a very typical freshman year for a PG in a major conference, unless you are a top-50 type player.

The good news is that he was better than 83% on free throws. FT % is often a leading indicator of overall shooting ability once a player gets more comfortable. As others have pointed out, Toussaint's 3-point percentage got a lot better as the season went on. Fran was smart to limit his exposure to an extent last year. I would imagine that his efficiency will improve across the board this year. If it does, that's big for Iowa.
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That also doesn't take into account that he's a good, will be great, defender. When you have a backcourt that plays good D (he & Fredrick) that will cause the opponents offense to stall to the late shot clock. Problem is there is no rim protector.
 
fivecardstud14 said:
That also doesn't take into account that he's a good, will be great, defender. When you have a backcourt that plays good D (he & Fredrick) that will cause the opponents offense to stall to the late shot clock. Problem is there is no rim protector.
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Still can’t believe Foster said no to Fran. Would have backed up Garza and then started next year. Big O would have been a decent backup, as is, he and Nunge are our bigs for next year.🙄
 
DodgerHawki said:
Toussaint had a lot of good finishes at the hoop last year, but he is not overall a good finisher near the basket at this point in his career. He shot a tad less than 50% on close 2-point shots last year (45-92). Guards will be less than big guys at this generally, but that 48% on 92 close shots isn't good. Garza is the outlier as he was ridiculous at over 70% on close 2-point shots with a whopping 249 attempts. Just incredible. Folks deride Wieskamp's finishing ability, but he was 72-115 on close 2's (63%). Good numbers for a guard. Frederick was 25-39 (64%). If anything, I want more of Frederick and JoeW going to the hoop and less of Toussaint. Overall, Toussaint was just under 40% on 2-point shots, which means he was hurting the team every time he took a 2-pointer last year. He's not the only one, as Conor was 35% on 2's and Bohannon 22% on 2-point shots.

Garza's numbers so skew Iowa's overall numbers it's really incredible. Hawks have some other nice pieces, but do not want to see the results if he is not on the floor. If Frederick can stay healthy and if a fully healed Bohannon is firing 3's at a 40%+ clip and if Wieskamp is again a 38%+ 3-point shooter, Iowa has a chance to be very good again.
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He was a freshman. Slashing is his game, he’s clearly not a shooter. I remember Dean Oliver missing A LOT of close-in shots too.
 
ICTrojans99 said:
He was a freshman. Slashing is his game, he’s clearly not a shooter. I remember Dean Oliver missing A LOT of close-in shots too.
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All I was trying to say was that -- at this point in his career and based on the games we've seen so far -- he's not a good finisher. It doesn't mean he's not a good player or holds a lot of promise, but he wasn't an efficient player last year and not a good finisher at the rim. Of course every guard misses a ton of shots if they play a lot, but his 2-point % was not good last year.
 
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Indiana is down 22 to Texas w/5:40 to go in the game in the Maui (Asheville) Invitational.
 
It’s pretty sad as an Indiana fan, when I’m jealous of a University having Fran Mccaffrey as their head coach. That’s how bad it’s gotten here. I’ve forgotten what cheering a good basketball team is even like? Indiana should be top 3 in this league every year but we’re not. Just a bottom feeder.
 
fkfootball said:
It’s pretty sad as an Indiana fan, when I’m jealous of a University having Fran Mccaffrey as their head coach. That’s how bad it’s gotten here. I’ve forgotten what cheering a good basketball team is even like? Indiana should be top 3 in this league every year but we’re not. Just a bottom feeder.
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You will always have A.J. Guyton & Bracey Wright.
 
fkfootball said:
It’s pretty sad as an Indiana fan, when I’m jealous of a University having Fran Mccaffrey as their head coach. That’s how bad it’s gotten here. I’ve forgotten what cheering a good basketball team is even like? Indiana should be top 3 in this league every year but we’re not. Just a bottom feeder.
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Friendly tip: you need some work on your backhanded compliments, hilljack.

"Indiana should be top 3 in this league every year..."

Based on what exactly?

A 1986 Gene Hackman movie? Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania/New Jersey all produce more high school talent than Indiana.

Because the program won some national titles (last one 33 years ago)? See San Fransisco, hell... see NC State.

Because dorky white guys with flat tops and candy stripe pants are good for the game? See Wisconsin (and they win).

Because (70 year old) John Mellencamp said so?

Explain your reasoning.
 
Raptorpeeps said:
Friendly tip: you need some work on your backhanded compliments, hilljack.

"Indiana should be top 3 in this league every year..."

Based on what exactly?

A 1986 Gene Hackman movie? Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania/New Jersey all produce more high school talent than Indiana.

Because the program won some national titles (last one 33 years ago)? See San Fransisco, hell... see NC State.

Because dorky white guys with flat tops and candy stripe pants are good for the game? See Wisconsin (and they win).

Because (70 year old) John Mellencamp said so?

Explain your reasoning.
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Yes there's about 10 programs in the Big 10 that have a faction of their fan bases that think "they should be Top 3 every year." The math doesn't work out obviously. It's what makes Wisconsin's last 2 decades so remarkable, as much as I hate to say it.
 
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DodgerHawki said:
We are going to find out here in the next couple of weeks if the defense has improved or not. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not overly optimistic.
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Indeed. It's not the kind of schedule where you can be tweaking it as you go. It would be a bit like rebuilding a ship in the middle of a hurricane.
 
If Miller can't get the Hoosiers to play any harder than they did last night against Texas, it will be a long year in Bloomington.
 
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