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Unfortunately someone had to lose. Hawks need to just regroup and don't let this loss snowball. Learn from it!
This... we will know what this team is made of in the coming week. Last year they collapsed. I think this crew is different
It was disappointing for sure but you have to keep it in perspective. The young excuse is somewhat warranted considering we were playing a very good team on the road in a hostile environment. (Still feels very weird to say that about Nebby)
While the disappointment is for obvious reasons it is vital to keep the big picture in mind with this team. They showed guts and did not back down. I am not one for moral victories but with 4 freshman starters all playing at a high level I can allow myself to be excited about the state of Iowa basketball. They will learn to close those games out as time goes on.
Two years from now with recruits withstanding I firmly believe this is a team that can not only challenge for a B1G title but can make a run to a natty as well. With these freshman becoming upper classmen and Weiskamp, McCaffery, etc. coming in as scorers off the bench we will be as deep as ever. Don't discount Nunge's ability either, although I don't see him getting many minutes immediately. I'm a fairly pessimistic/realistic Iowa fan and by some this will be looked at as a "hot take" but they will have the pieces to make a couple serious runs come March.
Another hot take: I think this team will finally be the ones to win 2 (maybe 3 BTT games). It will be a volatile season with a lot of ups and downs but they will improve throughout the course and I don't think that is really up for debate. This will be a dangerous team come BTT time.
While the disappointment is for obvious reasons it is vital to keep the big picture in mind with this team. They showed guts and did not back down. I am not one for moral victories but with 4 freshman starters all playing at a high level I can allow myself to be excited about the state of Iowa basketball. They will learn to close those games out as time goes on.
Two years from now with recruits withstanding I firmly believe this is a team that can not only challenge for a B1G title but can make a run to a natty as well. With these freshman becoming upper classmen and Weiskamp, McCaffery, etc. coming in as scorers off the bench we will be as deep as ever. Don't discount Nunge's ability either, although I don't see him getting many minutes immediately. I'm a fairly pessimistic/realistic Iowa fan and by some this will be looked at as a "hot take" but they will have the pieces to make a couple serious runs come March.
Another hot take: I think this team will finally be the ones to win 2 (maybe 3 BTT games). It will be a volatile season with a lot of ups and downs but they will improve throughout the course and I don't think that is really up for debate. This will be a dangerous team come BTT time.
Jok should have never had the opportunity to foul out. He should have been in the victorious handshake line at that point.
Iowa had the lead, the ball and the upper hand the entirety of the end of the game and still found a way to lose. That's hard to do. That lead and upper hand all came from a "young" team that played the entire game to get that lead, and come back from a 9 point deficit in the middle of the 2nd half to boot. It's mindblowing the knack Iowa has at pissing away games. I'd like to say it's due to lack of execution down the stretch, but there isn't anything to execute. Throw ball to Player 1, watch Player 1 throw up shot clock prayer.
This optimism is great, but one thing remains constant. Every team will have a couple of close games during the season or in a tournament setting and the decisions made by both players and coaches will be critical in those situations. Since we have a coaching staff with no ability to coach the last 4 minutes, I do not hold out hope for this run to a title because we are at a big disadvantage against coaches like Izzo, Matta, Behlein, etc who will take a timeout at least to run a play. Also, people need to quit assuming that Connor McCaffrey will be such a hero. First, he is not as good as Gatens at the same time in his career and he may not even play basketball. And by the time Patrick gets here, these freshman will be seniors and Fran will be relying on them plus Cook will be gone by then.
They may improve a little, but they may also regress.
That is Fran's hallmark.
People love to talk about how these guys will improve.
You do understand the rest of the Big Ten will improve as well, right?
And while many Big Ten teams will improve throughout the entire season,
Iowa may regress. Just like they've done in the past. WITH SENIORS.
So this may actually get uglier as the season progresses, as other teams find their chemistry, gel, get stronger and more confident.
I hope not tho.
Thanks for bringing me back down to reality, guys. I agree with both of those points. This freshman class really is special but they do have a lot to prove, along with Fran, in order to deserve that credit.
It is somewhat of an epidemic at this point how we fail to close out games. I keep hoping this will change but all that has changed is the ball being in Mike Gesell's hands to being in someone else's with the clock running out and nothing set up offensively except to try and throw up a prayer.
Negativity out of the way, I think this freshman class has a chance to be special and might have the playmakers/aggressive mindset to take us to the next step. Time will tell and it will take Fran making adjustments as well but I am optimistic. Iowa basketball is in a great place considering where it was during the *his name will not be spoken* years.
It is somewhat of an epidemic at this point how we fail to close out games. I keep hoping this will change but all that has changed is the ball being in Mike Gesell's hands to being in someone else's with the clock running out and nothing set up offensively except to try and throw up a prayer.
Negativity out of the way, I think this freshman class has a chance to be special and might have the playmakers/aggressive mindset to take us to the next step. Time will tell and it will take Fran making adjustments as well but I am optimistic. Iowa basketball is in a great place considering where it was during the *his name will not be spoken* years.
Hell we might as well close up shop because we don't have a coach, players that aren't any good, and we will lose every game in the last 4 minutes! I will have to start watching ISU.
I don't think youth is an excuse, it's a reality. I am excited about the potential of the program, I expected the team to take some lumps this year, yet overall in my eyes they are actually faring pretty well. It's really easy to live and die game to game and react accordingly. I really believe big picture we are seeing this team starting to grow up.
When Moss, the freshman, learns to score consistently in the second half of games, this becomes a very difficult team to beat.
I like this team, imperfect as they are. We'll struggle this year, but the future looks bright.
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Heck yes....just like the announcers were saying how well played and how entertaining this BB game was. My goodness, I get it... I wanted a W too..
but if you don't like the young excuse than how bout playing on the road in a very hostile environment against a Nebby team that is playing BB at a very friggin high right now and is a pretty talented team as well. And what now....only 2 teams undefeated, one Nebby and Wisky. MSU maybe could use the young excuse too yesterday losing by 9 points on the road in Pennsylvania. And they did not take PSU into OT either......oh ooh...what's wrong with MSU's young players? What's their excuse?
I think in this league, it's more about playing tough BB teams on the road in hostile environments. Like a box of chocolates.
Those who say the young excuse doesn't count, have never played any sport at a high level. Nintendo doesn't count.
There's a difference between an excuse and a reason. Iowa's youth is a contributing reason why they have been and will be wildly inconsistent this year. That doesn't excuse it - call it a symptom.
If Iowa was loaded with 5 start prospects that are as young as Iowa is, then let's talk. Talent can and should prevail more often, overcoming this inexperience against teams that cannot cope with the talent no matter how experienced or talented. Combine extreme youth with less than best in the nation talent against any opponent with equal or greater of both...chances are we'll see what we are seeing.
Only a perpetually bitter person would be pissed at this team when they should know full well Iowa isn't the most supremely talented team in the land - while being as youthful as they are. Chances are, they will always be angry at Iowa's basketball program no matter the experience level so long as Iowa fails to achieve what they deem is acceptable.
That's a "you problem".
If Iowa was loaded with 5 start prospects that are as young as Iowa is, then let's talk. Talent can and should prevail more often, overcoming this inexperience against teams that cannot cope with the talent no matter how experienced or talented. Combine extreme youth with less than best in the nation talent against any opponent with equal or greater of both...chances are we'll see what we are seeing.
Only a perpetually bitter person would be pissed at this team when they should know full well Iowa isn't the most supremely talented team in the land - while being as youthful as they are. Chances are, they will always be angry at Iowa's basketball program no matter the experience level so long as Iowa fails to achieve what they deem is acceptable.
That's a "you problem".
Maybe I'm over evaluating these young guys and the recruits Fran has lined up in the short term, but I am very optimistic for this program's future.
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