Even after the first loss to Louisiana I just chalked it up to the sort of thing that happened against UNO last year. But two in a row like that is alarming. The loss of Jok is proving to be huge. He was a leader more than I realized. This is a young team, but I thought Bohannon, Moss, Cook, Wagner, etc. would be able to take another step over the offseason. I guess when sophomores are team leaders inconsistency is going to rule the day. Not having Baer and Christian Williams/Connor McCaffery is really hurting these guys. I think Baer is probably the best candidate for being a leader because he's had the most success and intensity and hustle consistently since he's been playing. Not having him, especially, seems to be killing these young guys. He's a stopper, so to speak. He stops runs by other teams when he gets into the game. I never realized how much Iowa would miss Williams in terms of defensive success on other guards. That's a bigger loss than I imagined.
I'm not sure it's time to panic, but this doesn't seem like a tourney team. Looks like another NIT season unless they grow up quickly and Baer makes a big difference when he gets back. I guess I expected too much from such a young team. It seems like they're a year or more away from being a solid tourney team. I'm not ready to overreact or cry uncle, but I'm definitely disappointed and concerned. Hurts that much more after the football meltdowns of the last two weeks. And the wrestling team is young, too. Might be hard for them to make the top 5 this year. At least there's baseball, i guess. And maybe women's basketball will be good. *sigh*
I'm not sure it's time to panic, but this doesn't seem like a tourney team. Looks like another NIT season unless they grow up quickly and Baer makes a big difference when he gets back. I guess I expected too much from such a young team. It seems like they're a year or more away from being a solid tourney team. I'm not ready to overreact or cry uncle, but I'm definitely disappointed and concerned. Hurts that much more after the football meltdowns of the last two weeks. And the wrestling team is young, too. Might be hard for them to make the top 5 this year. At least there's baseball, i guess. And maybe women's basketball will be good. *sigh*