College Basketball 2013-2014

[SouthSideRyan]

Those are kind of my thoughts on Iowa, their schedule. Iowa's good so, yeah, my fear it most likely unfounded but I can't help but see a path to 8-10 (which is the record that could keep them out.) More or less, it boils down to I got burnt by not making it for so long and by Alford's teams choking. I've also hyped myself up to the point where I think this team can be more than just a tourney team (still could.) Ultimately, a couple more wins against good teams will make me rest easier (I'm sure we'll beat at least OSU at home and they still play Michigan and Wisconsin at home too.) The close losses to good teams are rough, tells me we're pretty good and once again (just like last year) our record doesn't really reflect how good this team could be.

 

Dude. 8-10? They're 5-3 now. They have 5 home games left vs. OSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois. They're going at least 3-2 in those 5. There's 8 right there. The road games are Illinois, PSU, Indiana, Minnesota, MSU. I think they get at least 2 of those. 10-8 is the floor, I still put them at 12-6.

 

I mean, there's like a 5-10% chance we're 8-10. And I know logically that we're really good but I'm a little emotional and crazy when it comes to Iowa sports.

 

8-10 probably puts you in the tourney

[bcl412]

I could see that. You guys are making my doom boner go flaccid here.

[illiniguy]

I could see that. You guys are making my doom boner go flaccid here.

Northwestern State doesnt have a good team this year and Steve Alford won't be allowed to railroad your tourney dreams.

[pitchcs]

That OSU loss was worse than any Illini loss to PSU. This PSU team is terri-bad, and there isn't even the excuse of an unconscious Talor Battle chucking from the midcourt line

 

 

I dunno, they are bad but they've certainly been worse before.

[apete6]

Nothing about Northwestern winning at Wisconsin makes sense.

 

Besides Chris Collins being a hell of a coach. Outside of Crawford, that roster is hot garbage.

[ConstableRabbit]

Nothing about Northwestern winning at Wisconsin makes sense.

 

Besides Chris Collins being a hell of a coach. Outside of Crawford, that roster is hot garbage.

Offensively, maybe, although I don't think Demps has been garbage offensively this season. They have some pretty active defenders.

[apete6]

Nothing about Northwestern winning at Wisconsin makes sense.

 

Besides Chris Collins being a hell of a coach. Outside of Crawford, that roster is hot garbage.

Offensively, maybe, although I don't think Demps has been garbage offensively this season. They have some pretty active defenders.

 

Agreed, but, quite frankly, a large portion of just about any team's defensive intensity and effort are directly from coaching emphasis, and that is magnified on this NW team that isn't extremely athletic. They were 7-6 in the Non-Con including a loss to DePaul and some awful blowout losses in B1G play, but they have maintained effort. Good for them.

[ConstableRabbit]

Nothing about Northwestern winning at Wisconsin makes sense.

 

Besides Chris Collins being a hell of a coach. Outside of Crawford, that roster is hot garbage.

Offensively, maybe, although I don't think Demps has been garbage offensively this season. They have some pretty active defenders.

 

Agreed, but, quite frankly, a large portion of just about any team's defensive intensity and effort are directly from coaching emphasis, and that is magnified on this NW team that isn't extremely athletic. They were 7-6 in the Non-Con including a loss to DePaul and some awful blowout losses in B1G play, but they have maintained effort. Good for them.

Yeah I agree for the most part (excepting that Cobb, Crawford, and Lumpkin are certainly athletic). The interesting thing for me, as I've mentioned, is that the defensive the uptick is strongly correlated with Sobo's minutes. Starting PG gets hurt, team wins.

 

The Oeff/Deff ranking split is almost as extreme as it was under Carmody... But flipped.

[UMFan83]

I love ESPN's latest bracketology. They have Iowa St as a 5 seed and Iowa as a 4 seed in the same pod, meaning they would be set to play each other in the Round of 32

[SouthSideRyan]

I love ESPN's latest bracketology. They have Iowa St as a 5 seed and Iowa as a 4 seed in the same pod, meaning they would be set to play each other in the Round of 32

 

Isn't there a rule against that?

 

Iowa being a 4 seed that is.

[abuck1220]

i like that iowa st dropped from a 3 to a 5 after beating kansas st and losing @ kansas.

 

and kansas st moved up from a 9 to an 8 after losing to iowa st and beating texas tech.

[Thed Hoyerstein]

yeah, at what point can we say that the big ten just isn't as good as we all thought?

[sneakypower]

the conference currently has 3 of the top 8 teams in kenpom and 5 of the top 21 (with the bottom two teams barely outside the top 100), so maybe now isn't exactly the ideal time for that

[mul21]

I think the conference is a lot deeper than anticipated, even with UI being bad. The middle is a lot better than I expected. Michigan will only get better once the get the big guy back and MSU has played really well without Payne in the lineup.

[UMFan83]

I think the conference is a lot deeper than anticipated, even with UI being bad. The middle is a lot better than I expected. Michigan will only get better if they get the big guy back and MSU has played really well without Payne in the lineup.

 

Fixed. There's been some positive news but I'm at all convinced he's coming back this year.

[rawaction]

[expletive] this team. Blow a 16 point lead to Nebraska. Probably have to beat both Michigan and Iowa at home and not slip up against another sorry ass team. This team is so young and dumb.

[Smack]

Purdue has the worst basketball IQ in the league.

[rawaction]

First time since they joined that Nebraska has won back to back games in conference. Yeah we suck.

[Sosa21MVP]

[expletive] this team. Blow a 16 point lead to Nebraska. Probably have to beat both Michigan and Iowa at home and not slip up against another sorry ass team. This team is so young and dumb.

 

Crean didn't manage the game too well either.

[fiver]

[expletive] this team. Blow a 16 point lead to Nebraska. Probably have to beat both Michigan and Iowa at home and not slip up against another sorry ass team. This team is so young and dumb.

 

Crean didn't manage the game too well either.

 

Ferrell is the only threat to consistently make an outside shot, and teams are able to scheme accordingly.

 

Blackmon should help as a perimeter shooter next year. Jaquan Lyle would help, but it appears Kansas is trending there? If Vonleh were to somehow stay, I could see this team being pretty good, but if he leaves, there isn't much talent in the post behind him. Masquara-Perea hasn't really developed and Hollowell has disappointed this year.

 

Crean is a decent recruiter, but he isn't a strategist or game manager. He had all of the pieces of the puzzle last year.

[UMFan83]

First time since they joined that Nebraska has won back to back games in conference. Yeah we suck.

 

If it makes you feel any better, Nebraska is 10-1 at home this year, with their only loss being by 1 point to Michigan.

[rawaction]

[expletive] this team. Blow a 16 point lead to Nebraska. Probably have to beat both Michigan and Iowa at home and not slip up against another sorry ass team. This team is so young and dumb.

 

Crean didn't manage the game too well either.

 

Ferrell is the only threat to consistently make an outside shot, and teams are able to scheme accordingly.

 

Blackmon should help as a perimeter shooter next year. Jaquan Lyle would help, but it appears Kansas is trending there? If Vonleh were to somehow stay, I could see this team being pretty good, but if he leaves, there isn't much talent in the post behind him. Masquara-Perea hasn't really developed and Hollowell has disappointed this year.

 

Crean is a decent recruiter, but he isn't a strategist or game manager. He had all of the pieces of the puzzle last year.

 

Hanner is about what I expected him to be. He's not really getting a ton of time on the court (Jeff Howard has been taking a lot of his would-be minutes). But he is what he is. Rebounds, putbacks, defense. That's his game. I think Troy Williams developing an all-around game would be huge. Great talent. But he needs to be able to isolate and take his man and be at least a little threat to hit a shot. Devin Davis is probably the best hope for somewhat of an inside presence. He has the build to get stronger and needs to work on his post moves and finishing around the rim. But he could be a 4 that uses his body/leverage to get some scores or FT attempts.

[Sosa21MVP]

Ferrell is the only threat to consistently make an outside shot, and teams are able to scheme accordingly.

 

Blackmon should help as a perimeter shooter next year. Jaquan Lyle would help, but it appears Kansas is trending there? If Vonleh were to somehow stay, I could see this team being pretty good, but if he leaves, there isn't much talent in the post behind him. Masquara-Perea hasn't really developed and Hollowell has disappointed this year.

 

Crean is a decent recruiter, but he isn't a strategist or game manager. He had all of the pieces of the puzzle last year.

 

Actually right now I think Noah is our best 3 point shooter. Which you don't want him living on the perimeter but he needs to get the ball more. I understand teams pack the inside to prevent him from getting the ball in the post as much but you can find other ways to get the ball in his hands. Also I think he needs to be playing 30+ minutes. Crean plays way too many guys right now. All 13 players saw the court yesterday. Hartman can't get off the bench and suddenly he is getting minutes in a game like that? I don't get it at all. I wish Tom would shorten his bench and have a consistent rotation.

 

Lyle doesn't even have IU on his list anymore. Crean wanted him to commit early and that didn't happen so I think that recruitment is over for good.

 

At this point I expect Noah to go pro and Jeremy to transfer. Next season could be another rough one.

[Sosa21MVP]

Also while I understand our lack of perimeter shooting is a big limitation, I think they could do something more effective in the half court offense other than standing around or running that dumb ass weave 20+ feet from the basket until the shot clock gets down to 10 seconds and forces Yogi or someone else to force a bad shot. :-"

[Formerly Snayke]

Also while I understand our lack of perimeter shooting is a big limitation,

 

Hulls bailing early really hurt.