Ridicule me all you want, but why is sweet 16 so much better than a B10 championship? Obviously, everyone wanted a deeper run, but do they hang sweet 16 banners? Don't think so, but I sure bet they'll have a B10 champ one. It's the nature of 1 and done's... everyone has a shitty shooting day time to time. I'd rather have a tournament championship than none at all.
Why is sweet 16 the benchmark?
- Thread starter IAHawkGrad2000
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I get where you are going but it has been 23 years. We are all locked in on some amazing games today in the tourney as the Hawks are playing playstation in Iowa City.
Because it’s all that any CBB fan of any team will remember about their team & other teams.
A school is remembered by how far they go in the tourney. Every year.
A school is remembered by how far they go in the tourney. Every year.
A team that has gone as long as Iowa has without a Sweet 16 is completely irrelevant on a national level. Winning conference tourneys does nothing to fix that.
Because both words start with the letter S.
The big 10 REGULAR season championship means something, the big 10 TOURNAMENT championship means a slightly better seed. People remember sweet 16s as a good season unless you are kansas in which case a sweet 16 loss is what you expect 90% of the time. People remember teams who won the big 10 TOURNAMENT title and then lose to a 12 seed in the 1st round as, well, look around.
I do agree that basing the success of a season based on one game (if you win the first round and then lose in the second round) or losing in the first round is silly over the course of a long season. The BTT was nice to win for the players and something they obviously strived for and achieved.
I think for some folks, it's the matter of Iowa, as a program, not advancing to the Sweet 16 since 1999 overall is a sticking point. Different coaches, different players, different matchups, etc. and yet ... they can't seem to get past the 'barrier' placed there by some fans (and probably players and coaches, for that matter).
In a vacuum, great season when expectations were low at the start of the season. However, as expectations grew, some got excited for finally getting past the barrier that the program hasn't gotten by in 23 season. It is wearing on some.
I think for some folks, it's the matter of Iowa, as a program, not advancing to the Sweet 16 since 1999 overall is a sticking point. Different coaches, different players, different matchups, etc. and yet ... they can't seem to get past the 'barrier' placed there by some fans (and probably players and coaches, for that matter).
In a vacuum, great season when expectations were low at the start of the season. However, as expectations grew, some got excited for finally getting past the barrier that the program hasn't gotten by in 23 season. It is wearing on some.
Exactly, if we had won the regular season and not the btt our fans would insist those championships were not equal.
And Iowa would have been a 3 seed. If they went on to lose to a 14 seed then the reaction would have been similar.
The Big Ten Tournament title is great, but College Basketball is all about the NCAA tournament. The whole season builds up to it. The conference tournaments are all about getting the automatic bid to the dance and improving your seeding for the big dance.
The NCAA tournament is the ultimate college basketball event. For my money it's the best sporting event there is.
I would gladly trade that BTT trophy for a deeper NCAA run.
As has been said, it's been over 20 years since Iowa has survived the first weekend. Our younger fans may not remember how that feels. I do. It's awesome looking forward to that next set of games. Knowing that your team is still alive after those first two rounds, and still has that shot of going even deeper. We all as fans deserve to have that feeling.
That possibility ended the other day before the first day of the tournament was even half over. Pffft.
The NCAA tournament is the ultimate college basketball event. For my money it's the best sporting event there is.
I would gladly trade that BTT trophy for a deeper NCAA run.
As has been said, it's been over 20 years since Iowa has survived the first weekend. Our younger fans may not remember how that feels. I do. It's awesome looking forward to that next set of games. Knowing that your team is still alive after those first two rounds, and still has that shot of going even deeper. We all as fans deserve to have that feeling.
That possibility ended the other day before the first day of the tournament was even half over. Pffft.
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I get what you’re saying but in my view a fresh leg Iowa team isn’t losing to a 14 this year.
NCAA Tourney is all that matters. Fair or not, it's the way it is. It is how programs are judged and remembered. After many years of relative success, Iowa has fallen off the grid when it comes to the NCAA Tourney. We have had exactly one highly competitive game against a high quality opponent in the NCAA Tourney since Davis was shown the door (OT loss to TN in '19). Other than that we've won a handful of games that we should have, or were otherwise embarrassed by a blowout loss or a headline-making upset. That is what the program is remembered for. 23 long years and 3 head coaches later, we still have no answers.
I'd really like to know where that "view" of yours comes from, because it sure as heck isn't based on reality.
well, I’m not usually defending this team but here we go.
1) best player on the court would be Keegan
2) Iowa would be heavily favored over any 14 seed
let’s stop there for a minute… do you disagree with either premise?
No, but I just watched that exact scenario 2 days ago and Iowa looked like absolute crap and lost. That's my reality compared to your fantasy world.
ok so that’s why I think fresh leg Iowa beats any 14. If we truly saw the same thing you know Iowa looked tired against an admittedly also tired Richmond…
the other thing is outside of just a few games all year, Iowa took care of business when favored.
I mean, I’m pissed at Fran too for lack of preparation and focus, and for all I know the same could’ve happened against a 14 seed. It’s not a guaranteed win, but I hope I’ve explained my view enough for you to admit it’s very much reality-based?
I would rank achievements based on how difficult they are to achieve at Iowa over modern history
1) Final 4 last one 42 years ago
2) B1G regular season championship last one 44 years ago
3) Elite 8 --last one 35 years ago
4) Sweet16 last one 22 years ago
5) BTT..Fran just got that after 12 years, but Alford had 2 of them in 7 years.
Fran has had 12 years...that is sizeable block of time.
1) Final 4 last one 42 years ago
2) B1G regular season championship last one 44 years ago
3) Elite 8 --last one 35 years ago
4) Sweet16 last one 22 years ago
5) BTT..Fran just got that after 12 years, but Alford had 2 of them in 7 years.
Fran has had 12 years...that is sizeable block of time.
I come in peace, not trying to rub in your loss to Richmond. ISU fans know what it's like (Hampton + UAB). Just want to offer some perspective.
The best season in ISU bball history (99-00) included a regular season + conference tourney title. What every ISU fan remembers though is getting to the Elite Eight. The conference titles were great, but the run they made in the NCAAs, and coming close to a Final Four, far exceeds them.
The best season in ISU bball history (99-00) included a regular season + conference tourney title. What every ISU fan remembers though is getting to the Elite Eight. The conference titles were great, but the run they made in the NCAAs, and coming close to a Final Four, far exceeds them.
So you remember Iowa State winning the Big 12 Tournament in 2018/2019 or getting beat in the 1st round?
I remember losing to OSU in the 1st round. Can't recall who they beat in the Big 12 title game.
No, Iowa didn’t look tired. They looked like they didn’t care, like they didn’t take Richmond seriously.
How about Gonzaga? Down 10 to Memphis in the first half? Are they trying?
Don’t give any shits about them.
A team can lose while playing well and/or playing hard. Iowa was neither.
And I'll wager you guys would trade those conference titles for winning that game against MSU.
For the record, that Regional final with MSU was essentially the national title game that year IMO.
100% yes! Playing in a Final Four far exceeds any form of a conference title.
Hard to believe it's been 22 years.
Hard to believe it's been 22 years.
I don’t agree. Fatigue was an issue and fatigue can manifest itself in other ways (effort, giving a crap, etc). It most commonly is associated with missing shots short. Hmmm.
Now, it wasn’t the only factor. Fran and staff likely didn’t prepare well or assumed a win, I am not sure… the arena, the basketball, the injury to Keegan and media darling status likely were all factors too.
You have no idea. Iowa just didn’t play as hard as Richmond. Pure and simple. Why is that hard for you to understand?That's the answer I was expecting ... you have no idea ... as usual. Good day, sir!
Richmond just got done playing four games in four days.
Fatigue was not an issue unique to Iowa.
Injury to Keegan was unfortunate, however, Iowa should have won easily had he not even played.
Face it, the team just sucked because they didn’t take Richmond seriously.
Because it's dumb and lazy ... please explain to me where you saw that Iowa didn't try as hard as Richmond. Iowa outrebounded Richmond ... took the lead in the 2nd half. Explain when they started NOT to try. I am waiting to hear you explain it.
When they kept relying on lazy 3 point shots instead of attacking the basket. Iowa’s athleticism was superior, but chose to play without any intensity.
When Iowa took the lead, they did so by being aggressive. Once they got the lead they got lazy again, playing like they had the game won at that point. Didn’t think Richmond was going to play hard.
What game did you watch?
You just don't get it. Iowa can play badly and not be lazy or not giving effort. They can be trying as hard as they can, but things aren't going their way.
Again ... you always say the starting pitcher for the Cubs wasn't trying when they give up a lot of runs. That's not it ... and if you think it is ... you will never get it.
that is part of it, sure. If they had taken Richmond a bit more seriously, they probably overcome the other issues.
just as true to say that the other issues (fatigue is one of them) were part of it, and perhaps if not fatigued they could have overcome each of those too.
I agree I'd trade it for a DEEP run... elite 8/final 4, but not sweet 16. Everyone knows their own schools history, but nationally no one remembers sweet 16s. I couldn't even tell you most big 10 past sweet 16 births, but I could for final 4's.
Again, guess I'm in the minority, but if you told me I could lose in the sweet 16 or win the B10, I'd take B10 every time. I'd be curious what players would choose...
To the Iowa players and their parents that may read this message board. I’m sorry you have to read shit from the fans that have never put on a jockstrap. I’m with the vast majority of fans that will remember this season as one of the most entertaining teams in Hawkeye history.
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The entire country has eyeballs on the big dance, and has for decades. To some, the NCAA tourney is the best sporting event of the year. It's the ultimate proving ground for how you stack up nationally.
This is a guy who knows nothing about basketball. Iowa lost to Richmond simply because they didn’t make shots they usually make. Analytic sites spell this out very well.
But keep going with the narrative that iowa didn’t try. It must make you feel better or something.
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