I can't believe how bad they are defensively. I hope they can get it together by the conference season. Fran needs to spend a majority of practices on defense. Atrocious, atrocious, atrocious. UGH!!!
Worse defensive Iowa Team
- Thread starter wbrhawkeye
- Start date
It is alarming that over the last three game stretch (1-2 overall) that they are giving up 78ppg. Especially when you look that in one of those games the team was just over 20% in three point goals. Haven't looked at the rebounding numbers but I'm sure that isn't great either.
I have not yet seen a game, but stats don't lie. It would be hard to be worse than the first third of last season. I expected improvement this year, but then Baer being out really makes that expectation trash. I expected Baer to back for this tourney. Have there been any announcements when coaches expect him to be playing?
He traveled for this trip but didn't intend to play,.... I expect we will see him for VT....
Iowa certainly has limitations but there is just no excuse to be this awful defensively. None. Wisconsin plays great defense year after year and they have no more athleticism than does Iowa. Teams that are good defensively have to be committed to it. That means making it a point of emphasis in practice and carrying it over in games. Iowa is tall. At the very least, they could be a team that forces the opponent to shoot semi-contested jump shots. But Iowa ends up with the worst of both worlds. Giving up layups/dunks at the rim due to not staying in front of people, and wide-open 3's caused by helping out teammates who can't stay in front of their guy.
They could not be any worse defensively than the non conf last year. Jok is gone and I thought that should help on defense. Not so. Yes, we are very slow. Plus, Fran wants his players in "no mans land" sorta guarding their man, sorta ready to help. I prefer that you stay squared up on your guy, help as needed. Maybe you are late. But, with Fran's philosophy you can err both on your man and on help. Too inconsistent. They will get better. Baer will help the hustle and intensity factor. Someone needs to light a fire under Cook.
