Last year per 40 minutes, Ulis averaged 6 assists to 2.6 turnovers and also 1.6 steals. His net there is basically a 6/1 assists and steals/turnovers. That's damn good. And he was in at crunch time a lot last year.
Who’s our Point Guard this year?
- Thread starter hawksense
- Start date
Yes, if Connor averages less than 14 minutes per game on the court this season, that would likely bode really well for Iowa. It would hopefully mean others, including Ulis, are playing well and hes only needed for quick breathers and close end of game ft/clock management.
FT lineup?
Ulis
Connor
Perkins
Sandfort
Kris
Perry Connor has many fine qualities but going to the rim is absolutely not one of them. An all-time play against Trevion Williams in the Big 10 CG. No one can ever take that away from him.
In 2022, he made 3 of 7 2-point shots. A whopping 7 2-point attempts in 34 games. For his career, he's under 40% on 2-pointers. That is not good. Just for point of comparison, Perkins was 48% on 2-pointers last year, and nearly 62% on close in 2-pointers. That is good.
I see no scenario where he is the main ball-handler next year. He's fine at what he does. move the ball, give effort on defense and hit 3's if he's left wide open.
Connor’s not much of a threat to drive and shoot, but he is pretty decent at driving to move defenders around and pass… though I agree with those who think that CM likely won’t be a primary ballhandler this season, barring injury to Ulis/Bowen
He used a calculator and was never told that he had to show his work so...
Driving towards the hoop to score or break down a defense to free up another player is not something Connor does. There are others on the team that can do that but Connor isn't one of them. He is an excellent passer but not the creator you like to see at that position. I think Connor's minutes are dictated as much by what he doesn't do which is forcing anything or turning the ball over. He's the conservative play in terms of the guards and is the antithesis of a dynamic playmaker. If he's playing a lot of minutes at the pg position then that would be an indication that neither Ulis or Bowen is performing at a high level. I wouldn't view that as a positive situation.
He’s not a creator and doesn’t need to break down a defense to take two or three dribbles inside the arc and attract a defender or get a help defender to move a step or two, because they are usually sagged off of him. Even if it’s not a huge part of his game, he’s done it on more than a few occasions
I agree with your assessment...I'm not saying he's going to drive to the basket regularly, or that he has a great history of driving and scoring....ONLY that he has to be a threat to do so....and that he is. IF he gets a smaller guard on him that he can muscle around and that guard doesn't get help....Connor can score at the rim. That's the threat he needs to be as the 2nd or 3rd guy at PG, or the guy on the wing....and he can be that threat. IF he makes any kind of penetration and defensive help comes toward him he can and will dump it off.
BirdistheWord
HB Legend
Ulis will log most of the minutes at the point (20-25ish). My assumption is that he is not going to all of a sudden become a lights out shooter, and that will limit his role slightly.
But he brings 1. Experience 2. Toughness 3. Solid Passing Ability 4. Rebounding 5. Limited Turnovers 6. Strong Defense 7. Excellent FT shooting and 8. Pretty Good Ball Handling
If he can convert a reasonable percentage of his bunnies (layups, floaters, short jumpers - like 5/6 feet), it will help immensely. If he can be "not bad" from everywhere else, I think we are in very good shape.
If Bowen just steps in and lights the court on fire, then it would be a welcome sight. But just not likely. He can gain confidence and minutes over time and bring a different element on the offense side. I project 10-15 minutes per game.
But he brings 1. Experience 2. Toughness 3. Solid Passing Ability 4. Rebounding 5. Limited Turnovers 6. Strong Defense 7. Excellent FT shooting and 8. Pretty Good Ball Handling
If he can convert a reasonable percentage of his bunnies (layups, floaters, short jumpers - like 5/6 feet), it will help immensely. If he can be "not bad" from everywhere else, I think we are in very good shape.
If Bowen just steps in and lights the court on fire, then it would be a welcome sight. But just not likely. He can gain confidence and minutes over time and bring a different element on the offense side. I project 10-15 minutes per game.
He made a total of 7 shots from 2 pt land last year. He is zero threat to muscle anyone around the basket. Please let’s use facts people. We played what, 35-36 games and he made 7 2 pt baskets. As others have said he’s a heady passer and a red ass on defense. But if he’s out there at the point ahead of Ulis and Bowen then we have recruited the wrong guys.
Not to nitpick as it's already a paltry number, but he didn't make 7 2 point shots. He shot 7 2 point shots. He made 3.
I noticed Connor began acting more like a coach last season. Lots of talking and pointing, in an instructive not blame casting manner. Also noticed he talks more with the refs and it appears, cuz I cannot hear it, but more like a coach demeanor than a player.
Hell we might have the coaches for the next 40-50 years on staff. Fran is 63, I think he goes out at 70. Matty G is 33. HC at 43 to 63. Connor is 24, goes somewhere gets some younger HC experience and returns to Iowa when Matty retires and does another 20 or so at Iowa.
You never know...
Connor really only needs to post up the little point guards. Never understood why we don't do more of that...he's damn near as big as tight end. He definitely weighs a lot more than 205. Or even one bounce and then just go up and shoot over them.
But that probably won't happen.
But that probably won't happen.
Look at Sandfort's nmbers vs Connor's. Payton is better in most things per minute. I think Connor was better at 3p but I think it was a fluke. His career avg is worse than Payton's. So why give Connor more minutes than Payton?
Payton is going to play a lot more minutes than Connor. Payton could be as high as 3rd in minutes played. There will be a lot of minutes with Payton, Patrick and Kris all in, and almost no minutes where 2 of those 3 are not on the floor. Payton and Kris will have the most minutes, and Tony is going to play heavy minutes.
It will be either Ulis or Bowen, not Perkins or Connor. I just watched the interview with Bowen, and liked what I heard. I also like his tapes a lot. Ulis is great on defense and doesn't make many mistakes, but hasn't shown an ability to score yet. I'll go with Bowen by mid season, based on mostly a gut feeling, but I think both will get significant minutes either way. I really like our guys at both guard positions.
A lot more minutes? Second most on the team?? Sandfort isn't starting. Name the last player that didn't start that played 20+mpg. He and Connor will likely play similar minutes.
I believe Baer was starting in a lot of those games. Sandfort won't start unless there is an injury at the 2-4 spots. He and Connor will be similar in minutes.
If he's the best bad alternative it won't be the season I expect. I'm thinking more of a BJ Armstrong freshman year. You could see he had the makings of an All-American. He just hadn't put it all together as a freshman.
I'm not sure I've seen toughness from Ulis. He hustles on defense, but I wouldn't call him aggressive. On offense he missed on a lot of drives towards the basket. He's good at position defense, but not a stopper. IMO he has a lot of tools, yet has been lacking in toughness and confidence. I think he still can become a good PG.
Ok
I am not even sure how to respond.
If a hand in the face was so easy to get around then basketball would not have rules against face guarding.
That's what we are all hoping for. But then again Ahron could have a Kenny Arnold-like junior year. I'd take that, too. I just want it to be a best-of-the-best scenario.
Perry I'm not going to continue to go back and forth on this, b/c I respect you a lot and we are both Hawk fans. But Connor has played for parts of 4-5 years now in college and he has never been a threat to go to the basket effectively. That part of his game is not going to happen. It's not fair to expect it to. That is what made the hoop against Trevion Williams even more remarkable.
But he is/was effective in a lot of other areas. A guy who is 6-5, knows how to play, doesn't care at all if he scores, and will try on defense is a good rotation player. Down the stretch last year he added in hitting open 3's. If he's anywhere between 35-40% making 3's this year that is a really good rotation player. Iowa will have Kr. Murray, Bowen, Perkins, Patrick McC, Ulis who can drive the ball. That is more than enough penetrators. If Connor can make his man respect him out to the 3-point line and space the floor he'll be effective.
My own opinion is that Bowen sees the most minutes at PG this year. His size and ability with the ball is better than anyone else on the team. Will probably need some adjustment time, but he's going to be good.
Again not an expert but I hope they find as many ways to involve Payton as much as they can…. Even I can see the kid has the potential to score in bunches and didn’t seem bad on defense…… he’s a Fran type of player…. Has length can handle the ball
would Uthoff be a bad comparison? That’s a pretty solid player
I like most of what you say about Payton but he's not a Uthoff clone. His game reminds me more of a young Doug McDermott, at least it seems to be going that way. I can only hope that he ends up nearly as good!
That’s why I asked….. Honestly the only basketball I’ve ever watched are the Iowa men and Women ….. but have followed them religiously since around 1980….. I played football wrestled and ran track so feel fairly knowledgeable about those sports…,, basketball not so much.
I only know of McDermott cause of the Iowa connections….. but he was actually better than Uthoff as far as an NBA career right?
Pretty good bit of trivia.
- Clemmons started 12 of 34 games in 2014-15 & played 19.9 mpg.
- Baer started 5 of 35 games in 2018-19 & played 19.1 mpg.
- Kriener & Evelyn played 18.3 mpg in 2019-20
- Murray played 18.0 mpg in 2020-21.
If Sandfort doesn't start (assume it'll be Ulis/Perkins/P. McCaffery/Murray/Rebraca) I hope he bucks the system & plays 20+ mpg.
IS better. Still in the NBA.
McDermott is 6'7" and physically Sandfort is similar to him when he was a young college player. McDermott really came on fast whereas Sandfort is playing behind some pretty good players. I think by the time Sandfort is a junior, he'll be starting.
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Call me a fan. I hope he plays a lot as well. I think he brings a lot and hope that he's used at all 3 spots in the rotation, particularly at the 2 and 3 where his length and shooting can be used to greater advantage.
Kris only averaged 17.9 last year. A non- starter that averages 20+ mpg at Iowa is a unicorn.
Yes I think that physically, JU was a longer, skinnier, lankier, and more athletic player. From a skills perspective they might be pretty close though JU was probably a better shot blocker and Sandfort more physical by quite a bit.
No. I think he should have played a bit more, but Keegan and Kris are different players. Kris also has major skills but, based on what I've read, wasn't good in the sets. He was best at improvising, and making a play. I think that's why he sat a lot at the end of games. Fran wants to know his players will execute down the stretch.
