Iowa Basketball

[clones_jer]

I think Dubuque is a horrible team in D3 also. Not sure on that, but they have always been really, really bad since I can remember.

In the pregame show on 1600 they said Dubuque had lost 4 of 5 starters from last years team and their tallest significant player was 6'6".

I'm not sure how what their record was last year, but it sounded like they were in rebuilding mode.

[keepngoal]

If we keep the starters in I believe we hand 150 on them. Coach did a great job of looking at each player and multiple personnel adjustments on the floor.

Our shooting stroke, across the entire team, is some of the best I can remember.

- keep.

[isucyfan]

In the pregame show on 1600 they said Dubuque had lost 4 of 5 starters from last years team and their tallest significant player was 6'6".

I'm not sure how what their record was last year, but it sounded like they were in rebuilding mode.

But you gotta love their ham! I was expecting to hear the band bust out that catchy marketing tune...

Du-buque, Du-buque, da da da da da, da da da da.

[brianhos]

Look at all of the "excitement" over the new Iowa basketball program:

Attendace
Iowa - 8,990 for Lickliters first game on the sidelines
ISU - 13,973

With our season ticket sales, we will likely have another Top 25 attendance year.

Umm??? 13,973 for last nights game? I would say maybe 4,000 were in attendance.

[keepngoal]

But you gotta love their ham! I was expecting to hear the band bust out that catchy marketing tune...

Du-buque, Du-buque, da da da da da, da da da da.

that would have been great!

+rep.

-keep.

[SplitIdentity]

In the pregame show on 1600 they said Dubuque had lost 4 of 5 starters from last years team and their tallest significant player was 6'6".

I'm not sure how what their record was last year, but it sounded like they were in rebuilding mode.

And I know a guy who went to Dubuque, and he follows the closely. They haven't been very good for quite some time.

And for those who think that Iowa is going to be terrible for how they played last night. Let me ask you this.

Remember when ISU lost to the EA Sports team? Or what about Bemidji State (or however you spell that) when the game was only within a few points? I mean, Iowa did not look anything close to spectacular last night, but all I heard after ISU lost to (or nearly lost to) was that these are exhibitions, and are just another practice for the big guys.

Obviously, Iowa has their work cut out for them. I was there last night, and saw first hand how much work they have. But the fact that Iowa was 1-12 in 3 point shots with 10 minutes in (making the score 8-4) means, at least last night, that the majority of the problems were poor shooting.

And actually, and I know this was just an exhibition, but I personally thought the team looked more fundamentally sound than under Alford. They turned the ball over a lot, but they played more as a team than they did at any point under Alford (except maybe for the 2005 team).

[keepngoal]

I think the difference here SH, is that in our close games and that loss, we scored points, but the opposition did too. That was the problem, lack of discipline on the defensive side of the court.

I think the troubles the UofI are going to have this year is that they will struggle, really struggle, to score points... just as they did against Simpson. While exhibition games are needed (even in CFB, imo) a lot can be told about the game and maybe 50% will follow the team throughout the year.

-keep.

[isucyfan]

And I know a guy who went to Dubuque, and he follows the closely. They haven't been very good for quite some time.

And for those who think that Iowa is going to be terrible for how they played last night. Let me ask you this.

Remember when ISU lost to the EA Sports team? Or what about Bemidji State (or however you spell that) when the game was only within a few points? I mean, Iowa did not look anything close to spectacular last night, but all I heard after ISU lost to (or nearly lost to) was that these are exhibitions, and are just another practice for the big guys.

Obviously, Iowa has their work cut out for them. I was there last night, and saw first hand how much work they have. But the fact that Iowa was 1-12 in 3 point shots with 10 minutes in (making the score 8-4) means, at least last night, that the majority of the problems were poor shooting.

And actually, and I know this was just an exhibition, but I personally thought the team looked more fundamentally sound than under Alford. They turned the ball over a lot, but they played more as a team than they did at any point under Alford (except maybe for the 2005 team).

I know it's mandated for you to think your team is going to be good, but I just don't see it. I think they will be much like the football team this year: struggling on offense and having to rely on defense to keep them in games.

I think Freeman, if healthy, can easily average 13-15 pts. and Gorney maybe 10, but from there it seems like there are about 4 guys that will get 4-8 ppg. That's not a lot of offense. I think Lickliter's system may keep you in some games, and will eventually make a good program, but that's 2-3 yrs. down the road in my opinion.

Any team that has Gorney as their 2nd best player is gonna struggle mightily.

[SplitIdentity]

I know it's mandated for you to think your team is going to be good, but I just don't see it. I think they will be much like the football team this year: struggling on offense and having to rely on defense to keep them in games.

I think Freeman, if healthy, can easily average 13-15 pts. and Gorney maybe 10, but from there it seems like there are about 4 guys that will get 4-8 ppg. That's not a lot of offense. I think Lickliter's system may keep you in some games, and will eventually make a good program, but that's 2-3 yrs. down the road in my opinion.

Any team that has Gorney as their 2nd best player is gonna struggle mightily.

Actually, I don't think they are good - not this year.

Watching the game, and a few people I went with noticed the same thing, they still can't break a full court press. At all. And this is Simpson College.

I hate to blame this on Alford, but the upperclassmen (Freeman, Looby, Gorney, Tate) all seemed less fundamentally sound than the younger players. When Peterson was on the floor, the team improved 100%.

But, they have a lot of work to do. They probably won't win a lot of games this year, but Lick is playing a lot of youth, and it'll take a while to build in the fundamentals that Alford left out. Plus, the team is used to playing 5-6 guys each night. Last night, all 11 were on the floor. And that's how it's going to be all year.

There are going to be a lot of adjustments, similar to what ISU went through last year. ISU looked better on fundamentals, but poor shooting and some weird game time decision making by a few individual players kept them out of some games. I expect to see a lot of similarities with Iowa this year.

But I am by no means predicting a good season. With the OOC, I can see a winning season (12 non-conference wins), and maybe 4-5 BigTen wins (hopefully more, since it's an 18 game schedule, but I'm not counting on it).

[isucyfan]

SH, I noticed the vast majority of Hawk posters on HR predict a W against ISU. Do you share that belief?

[SplitIdentity]

I think the difference here SH, is that in our close games and that loss, we scored points, but the opposition did too. That was the problem, lack of discipline on the defensive side of the court.

I think the troubles the UofI are going to have this year is that they will struggle, really struggle, to score points... just as they did against Simpson. While exhibition games are needed (even in CFB, imo) a lot can be told about the game and maybe 50% will follow the team throughout the year.

-keep.

To an extent, I agree.

However, Iowa failed to score because they took 12 three pointers in the first 10 minutes of play - and made one of them. Lick's system isn't built to score.

What impressed me, however, is that they didn't press the 3 point shot much after that. They began working it in, and trying to take better shots.

IMO, there are 3, maybe 4 decent shooters on the team. Jake Kelly, Jeff Peterson, Tony Freeman, and Justin Johnson. After that, not much else other than shot blockers and rebounders.

[SplitIdentity]

SH, I noticed the vast majority of Hawk posters on HR predict a W against ISU. Do you share that belief?

LOL! No way. Couldn't even beat ya'll in football, why basketball?

I mean, upsets happen in rivalry games, obviously, but that would definitely be an upset IMO. Just like I think last year's game would have been an upset if ISU won. A new coach, new system, new players, going on the road into a very hostile environment... no.

[isucyfan]

LOL! No way. Couldn't even beat ya'll in football, why basketball?

I mean, upsets happen in rivalry games, obviously, but that would definitely be an upset IMO. Just like I think last year's game would have been an upset if ISU won. A new coach, new system, new players, going on the road into a very hostile environment... no.

Sometimes you are just so reasonable. Tell me then why other (most) Hawks are not. I'm intrigued.

And, hey, I'm with you...the Hawks could beat us this year. It just sensibly isn't likely with it being at Hilton, you guys being in the first year of a new coach, losing your top two studs from last year...the list goes on. How could anyone predict a win for UI with the certainty shown by many fans there?

[keepngoal]

very hostile environment... no.

Honestly, I am making an effort to be nice.

I do not think that CHA is a hostile environment, let alone very hostile.

-keep.

[ISUFan22]

Remember when ISU lost to the EA Sports team?

Remember the time...when...Iowa lost to Northwestern State or whatever?

I was embarrassed when we lost to EA Sports, I knew that would be a sour season right there. Anyone that thought it wasn't a big deal was certainly not watching the same game I did.