Iowa Basketball: The Season Has Slipped
Many college basketball experts and analysts were expecting the Hawkeyes to hang around the middle of the Big Ten and compete for an NCAA Tournament birth, something that seemed completely reasonable after earning the #1 overall seed in the NIT last season and losing just one starter to graduation. Unfortunately, it would take a little more than a miracle for that to become a reality.
After dropping consecutive home games this week to Michigan and Ohio State, Iowa now sits at 0-4 in conference play and 9-8 overall, with its next three games on the road. The team is dead last in the Big Ten in scoring defense and second to last in the conference in turnover margin. The way Iowa’s zone defense is being picked apart, coupled with the lack of athleticism to guard man-to-man make it hard to believe Iowa can turn things around on the defensive end.
Better decision making and execution could help cut down on some of the Hawkeye turnovers, but no matter how much we love Jordan Bohannon, he won’t be breaking down defenses off the dribble anytime soon. It’s really hard to play efficient offensive basketball when it takes 2+ passes every possession to get the ball inside the three point line.
The unforeseen struggles of this season are taking a toll on this young group.
“I don’t have an answer. I wish I had an answer,” said sophomore Tyler Cook, who averaged 24.5 points this week. “We just didn’t do enough to win tonight.”
Freshman center Luka Garza, who was inserted into the starting lineup Thursday after coming off the bench the last 7 games, was the most vocal Hawkeye after the loss.
“Nobody came here to lose, and we hate this. I hate this, and it makes me sick every game. That feeling is something none of these people want and somehow we’re going to make this work.”
If they are going to “make this work”, things have to change, now. Part of that could include trimming the bench, which has been 11 players deep all season.
Sophomore Maishe Dailey led the Hawkeyes bench in minutes and points, with 23 and 9 respectively. His athleticism on the wing and ballhandling skills should keep him on the floor plenty. Outside of him and freshman Jack Nunge (who played just 8 minutes off the bench vs Ohio State after starting the previous 8 games) nobody’s time should be safe, although it appears as if everyone’s time is safe.
Junior forward Ahmad Wagner, sophmore forward Cordell Pemsl, sophmore center Ryan Kriener and junior guard Brady Ellingson combined to play 41 minutes on Thursday.
Their combined results? 0-3 shooting, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 point, and too many defensive miscues to count.
That’s not cutting it, especially when slumping sophmore guard Isaiah Moss, who the Hawkeyes desperately need to get going offensively, is playing just 21 minutes like he did last night. Tyler Cook, by far and away Iowa’s best player only played 27 minutes. That’s about an extra 15 minutes of bench for Iowa’s two best athletes and scorers at the expense of players who aren’t nearly as capable. It’s hard to win games that way.
From here on out, if Fran McCaffery wants his team to put together more competitive performances, then he should start putting together more competitive lineups.
If not, then things are going to get worse before they get better.