With six recruits in the 2015 recruiting class, everybody knew that there was a good chance that at least one of them would transfer. Yesterday, it came out that redshirt Brandon Hutton will transfer.
Coming into the year, it was considered a huge pick-up for two reasons. First, he was a defensive-minded player, which is a huge need for the Hawkeyes. Both of the late-season swoons that the Hawkeyes have had in the last three years came mostly because of poor defense. The second reason is that he is from Chicago. That is important because that could of meant that the recruiting pipeline to Chicago that the program had lost. Hutton, as long as Isaiah Moss, who also redshirted and is also from Chicago, were thought to be game-changers.
I am very disappointed that he left. I though that he was going to be the best out of the whole class, but he will instead be taking his talents somewhere else.
Now, the question becomes, is anybody else going to transfer? With ten underclassmen with a chance to get playing time, I would think that somebody else will want to transfer. My guess? It would be Brady Ellingson. After red shirting, he was a freshman that year that lost his spot in the rotation entirely by the end of the year. He was supposed to be a sharpshooter, but that did not happen this year. I didn't really like what I saw in his game last year. Plus, with sharpshooter Jordan Bohannon coming in and as well as Christian Jones, it might be hard for him to find playing time. My guess if it is not him, it would be Andrew Flemming. Flemming was also recruited as a shooter, and he played even less than Ellingston.
This scholarship could go to three different places. It could go to a class of 2016 player such as Christian Vital, go to a graduate transfer, or go to Nicholas Baer. My guess is that it will end up going to Baer, as McCaffery said numerous times throughout the year that he deserves a scholarship.
All of this, including the question of if Peter Jok will declare for the NBA Draft will make for an interesting offseason for the Hawkeye basketball program.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Syracuse Makes Surprise Run to the Final Four
I, along with many other people thought that at 19-13, the Syracuse Orange didn't deserve a bid. They still didn't, I mean they lost to eight win St.John's and had a RPI near 75. But, they caught breaks and are the the fourth double digit seed and first tenth seed to ever make it to the Final Four.
They beat seventh seeded Dayton 70-51. Then, Middle Tennessee State pulled off perhaps the biggest upset in Tournament history, beating 2 seeded and my championship pick Michigan State. So, the Orange took care of business, winning 75-50. Then, they got 11 seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs, who crushed 3 seeded Utah Utes. Syracuse came from behind and won 63-60. Then, they got ACC for and one-seeded Virginia Cavaliers. The 'Cuse ended the game on a 29-8 run and got revenge, winning 68-62.
They get a rematch with fellow ACC conference member North Carolina Tar Heels, the only one seed to not get taken down in the Elite Eight. The Tar Heels, led by senior leader Marcus Paige, won in New York 84-73 in the ACC season. Syracuse will look to keep their surprising run from the bubble to the Championship. A win would make them the only double-digit seed to go to the Final. It should be a good slate of games on Saturday night.
Northern Iowa loses in Heartbreaker
After winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, the Northern Iowa Panthers were rewarded with the 11 seed in the West Region. They were paired up against the 6 seeded Texas Longhorns of the Big 12 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This was a higher seed for the Panthers than anyone predicted, but they were still a popular upset pick over the Longhorns. They did not disappoint.
Texas got up early, but Northern Iowa took over and had a sizable lead for the rest of the half. A Javan Felix three point shot with eight seconds left in the half made the halftime score 44-36. UNI's biggest lead was sixteen at 33-17, but with 14:05 left in the game, Texas took the lead back and it was close the whole rest of the way. With three seconds left, Texas tied it up at 72. Then, Paul Jesperson took the in bounds pass, launched it from forty-two feet, and made it, giving the Panthers a 75-72 victory.
Texas got up early, but Northern Iowa took over and had a sizable lead for the rest of the half. A Javan Felix three point shot with eight seconds left in the half made the halftime score 44-36. UNI's biggest lead was sixteen at 33-17, but with 14:05 left in the game, Texas took the lead back and it was close the whole rest of the way. With three seconds left, Texas tied it up at 72. Then, Paul Jesperson took the in bounds pass, launched it from forty-two feet, and made it, giving the Panthers a 75-72 victory.
But, after the best ending in the Tournament, it would all change in around 48 hours for the Panthers. Next, they faced off against the third-seeded Texas A&M Aggies out of the SEC. Texas A&M demolished 14 seeded Green Bay Phoenix. The Panthers had control of the game in the first half, eventually extending the lead to a 32-22 halftime score. The Panthers got out to their biggest lead of the game early in the half, going up 15 at 39-24. Northern Iowa was up 69-57 with 44 seconds left in the game. Many Aggie fans had already left and even more started to leave. Panther fans were getting ready for the Sweet Sixteen in Anaheim against Buddy Hield and the Oklahoma Sooners. But, one of the greatest collaspes in NCAA Basketball history was about to unfold in Oklahoma City. By the time there was seventeen seconds left in the game, a Klint Carlson dunk extended the now slim lead to five. Then, A&M got a drive, the bucket and one of the worst and-one calls on Paul Jesperson I have ever seen. As the ball went through the hoop, Jamie Luckie blew the whistle. As our friends from the ACC call it, the UNI Panthers got "Luckied". The free throw cut it to two. The next inbounds, Wes Washpun caught it in a corner, hopped up to try to bounce it off of an Aggie, but Danuel House just picked it up and got the easy lay-up. If he would've stayed on the ground, it could've worked, but they head into overtime. Washpun fouled out early, and after a clutch three by Wyatt Lohaus to give the Panthers a 82-79 lead with 29 seconds left, the Aggies ended up tying it up after a lay-up, Jeremy Morgan making one of two from the line, and an Alex Caruso jumper took it into a second overtime. Jesperson fouled out with 2:36 left after A&M jumped out to an early lead at 85-84. Robert Knar, who barely played all year had to come in, and it ended up being a 92-88.
For the seniors: Washpun, Jesperson, and Matt Bohannon, it was a tough way to end their careers. Bohannon, the usual in-bounder, was hurt, and missed the last minute of the half with what we now know to be an ankle injury, was significant.
But, this is March. They were on top of the world Friday night, and had crying Jordan memes on them Sunday night after the biggest collapse in NCAA Tournament history. They had their up-and-downs, as this was a team that was once 2-6 in MVC play. It was amazing that they got to this point, but it was disappointing how it ended.
They have one of the best coaches in college basketball in Ben Jacobson, who took the blame for the loss, who has been offered high level jobs (Texas A&M had interest before hiring Billy Kennedy), and returing players such as Jeremy Morgan, who went for 36 points and 12 rebounds in the last game. Lohaus returns and his brother Tanner joins the team next year. They didn't get to play Oklahoma, but with the Wichita State Shockers and Evansville Purple Aces losing key players, Jake and the Giant Killers might get a chance to dance with the big boys again next year.
(721)
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Iowa Gets Crushed by Villanova After Beating Temple
The Iowa Hawkeyes basketball season came to an end on Sunday in the Round of 32. The first game was against Fran Dunphy's Temple Owls in a good old-fashioned Fran-off. Iowa got a seven seed and Temple got a ten seed. Iowa led almost the whole game, but made it interesting down the strech like they always do. With under ten seconds left, Peter Jok came to the line up two with a one-and-one. This was the case ten years before, as three seeded Iowa came in after winning the Big Ten Tournament played against 14 seeded and Southland winner Nortwestern State Demons. Iowa led the whole game and got up double digits with five minutes to go, but it was a two point game with 14.6 seconds to go. Senior forward Greg Brunner had a one-and-one up two, and missed the front end. The Demons drained a lucky three from the corner with .06 seconds left, and won and made me cry all the way up to Minneapolis after listening to Gary Dolphin's call.
I remembered that, and I thought Iowa was going to blow it the Iowa Basketball way. But, Jok hit the front end, and missed the second. Then, Anthony Clemmons fouled the three point shooter, which hit all three, and we went to overtime. Iowa got the last possession, tied up at 70. For some reason, Mike Gesell decided that he was going to take the final shot on a ridiculously tough shot, and air balled it. But, Adam Woodbury put it up and in at the buzzer for the put back and the overtime victory. He got so much hate for no reason for four years, and it was great he won the game.
The next challenge was two seeded Villanova, who had not made it to the Sweet Sixteen since 2009, even after receiving numerous top two seedings. Iowa got down big early, and were down 54-29 after a red hot Villanova team played lock down defense, and they eventually got the win 87-68, which happens to be the score of the Gonzaga-Iowa Round of 32 game between a two and seven seed. Villanova is off to the Final Four and looks hard to beat, while Iowa's season ended.
The biggest story is the end of the careers to the senior class that turned the program around. Woodbury, Gesell, Clemmons, Jarrod Uthoff, and Okey Utah. Utah didn't play really at all, but the class came into a program that was awful, and got two tournament wins and three tournament appearances, along with a loss in the NIT Final. Woody and Gesell had offers from places like North Carolina and Stanford, but chose to stay close to home and go to Iowa. Uthoff was also a four star recruit who averaged 18.9 points per game this season and is a Wooden Award finalist, who transferred from Wisconsin after a big fight with Bo Ryan about telling him where and where he can't go.
This is a class that will always be remembered, and paves the way for future success, starting with a team next year that will only have three upperclassmen as of now that will compete for playing time. But, Jok might go pro. But, this includes a class with three in-state recruits, and perhaps the biggest get for Fran McCaffery since he got to Iowa, in Top 100 player Tyler Cook out of St. Louis. It will be an interesting year with a very young team, and they will look to continue the success the program has had of late.
(597)
I remembered that, and I thought Iowa was going to blow it the Iowa Basketball way. But, Jok hit the front end, and missed the second. Then, Anthony Clemmons fouled the three point shooter, which hit all three, and we went to overtime. Iowa got the last possession, tied up at 70. For some reason, Mike Gesell decided that he was going to take the final shot on a ridiculously tough shot, and air balled it. But, Adam Woodbury put it up and in at the buzzer for the put back and the overtime victory. He got so much hate for no reason for four years, and it was great he won the game.
The next challenge was two seeded Villanova, who had not made it to the Sweet Sixteen since 2009, even after receiving numerous top two seedings. Iowa got down big early, and were down 54-29 after a red hot Villanova team played lock down defense, and they eventually got the win 87-68, which happens to be the score of the Gonzaga-Iowa Round of 32 game between a two and seven seed. Villanova is off to the Final Four and looks hard to beat, while Iowa's season ended.
The biggest story is the end of the careers to the senior class that turned the program around. Woodbury, Gesell, Clemmons, Jarrod Uthoff, and Okey Utah. Utah didn't play really at all, but the class came into a program that was awful, and got two tournament wins and three tournament appearances, along with a loss in the NIT Final. Woody and Gesell had offers from places like North Carolina and Stanford, but chose to stay close to home and go to Iowa. Uthoff was also a four star recruit who averaged 18.9 points per game this season and is a Wooden Award finalist, who transferred from Wisconsin after a big fight with Bo Ryan about telling him where and where he can't go.
This is a class that will always be remembered, and paves the way for future success, starting with a team next year that will only have three upperclassmen as of now that will compete for playing time. But, Jok might go pro. But, this includes a class with three in-state recruits, and perhaps the biggest get for Fran McCaffery since he got to Iowa, in Top 100 player Tyler Cook out of St. Louis. It will be an interesting year with a very young team, and they will look to continue the success the program has had of late.
(597)
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Austin Peay and Holy Cross Make Inspiring Runs to the NCAA Tournament
In the OVC, the Austin Peay Governors finished eight in the regular season, and almost missed the OVC conference tournament. It didn't look like they'd have a chance to go to the NCAA Tournament. They beat the five seeded Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 92-72. Then they beat the four seed Tennessee State Tigers by a score of 74-72.
But, next one-seeded Belmont Bruins stood in their way. The OVC powerhouse, there would be no way right? They beat them 97-96 in overtime to send the Bruins to the NIT.
The West Division champion UT Martin Skyhawks, looking for their first ever Ohio Valley Conference crown. With the crowd yelling "Let's go Peay!" And they won 83-73 to become the only eight seed in OVC history to win the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament. This happened while Loos' Young granddaughter Rhyan got finished getting cancer surgery in New York, making it more special than it already was. They are at 18-17 and face number one overall seed Kansas Jayhawks Thursday at 4:00 EST.
The Holy Cross Crusaders entered the Patriot League Tournament at 10-19 and as the nine seed. They would have to win four road games in a row. They beat the eight seeded Loyola (MD) Greyhounds 72-67. Then they went on the road to the top-seeded Bucknell Bison 77-72 in double OT. They then crushed a cold-shooting Army Black Knights team that was a four seed 60-38.
Then, they went to two seed Lehigh Mountain Hawks. Led by Malachi Alexander, the Crusaders 59-56, with the Mountain Hawks missing four three pointers in the last possession. They are lead by ex-Northwestern coach Bill Carmody, ironic because the Wildcats have never played in an NCAA Tournament. They play in Dayton Wednesday against the SWAC winning Southern Jaguars at 6:40 EST on Wednesday in Dayton for the honor of playing the one-seeded Oregon Ducks on Friday in Spokane.
Friday, March 11, 2016
Iowa Hawkeyes Suffer Embarrassing Loss in Big Ten Tourney
Again, the Hawkeyes take a bad loss, this time at the hands of the Fighting Illini. Again, they look destined for an early out, just as they did two years ago. This is the third year in a row that the Hawkeyes have lost in the first game they played in the Big Ten Tournament, and the twelfth time in the last twenty-one years! What the crap? That is terrible! At least we're not Rutgers, but, at least that dumpster fire sucks the whole year, instead of falling apart at the end.
Iowa got down early by 11, and they crawled their way into a lead, but trailed at halftime by two. Then the Fighting Illni got on fire, led by freshman Jalen Coleman-Lands, and led by eleven with about four minutes left, and it looked like it was all over. But, Iowa went on an 11-0 run and tied it up with over a minute left. It looked like the Hawkeyes might be able to pull it off.
Oh wait, Iowa can't play late in a close game. That's right. So of course they didn't pull it off. Illinois got up by two and Iowa got back control of the ball. They called timeout(!!) with fifteen seconds left in the game. At five seconds, they are forced to take a timeout, and with three seconds left, Mike Gesell turned it over. Fifteen seconds. No shots. (Inserts crying Jordan meme.)
Ok, I think that is enough sarcasm. The Hawkeyes have some serious problems, folks. Jarrod Uthoff had twenty-one, and Peter Jok had twenty-nine, but fouled out on an awful double technical foul. Nick Baer had eight points. The rest of the team had EIGHT total points. EIGHT. You won't be winning very many games doing that. Jok was on fire, going 4 for 6 from downtown, and five for five from the free throw line. Uthoff was 2 for 5 from deep and 9 for 16 overall. But, those were the only two that could be relied on in this game.
Another big problem? The coaching. I think that Fran McCaffery gets outcoached a lot. He is a poor in-game manager. He almost always ends up with two or three timeouts in his pocket. That includes those games where the fourth timeout disappears at halftime. Instead of setting something up at the end of a half, they'll just go. What is he saving those timeouts for? They don't carry over from game to game, so you might as well use most or all of them. He has the philosophy that he lets the players play the last possession and to let them figure it out, but that has not worked too well with this team. With how bad Mike Gesell and Anthony Clemmons have played, there is no reason for them to take important shots, and they can't figure that out.
At the beginning of the season, I said they would go 12-6 in conference and be a 6 or 7 seed. So, I was right, but with the way it started, it turned out to be a huge disappointment. It'll be like two years ago when the motto was "Rising", but they ended up having the same conference record and barely sneaking into the tournament as an eleven seed in Dayton in the First Four with a game against Tennessee. The same would happen now, around the same seed and the same conference record, with a late season swoon again.
This loss will most likely make them a 6-8 seed. My guess is that they will be a 6 or 7 because of all of those quality wins they had in January. It might not even matter, because with how they're playing, it'll be one and done.
(628)
Iowa got down early by 11, and they crawled their way into a lead, but trailed at halftime by two. Then the Fighting Illni got on fire, led by freshman Jalen Coleman-Lands, and led by eleven with about four minutes left, and it looked like it was all over. But, Iowa went on an 11-0 run and tied it up with over a minute left. It looked like the Hawkeyes might be able to pull it off.
Oh wait, Iowa can't play late in a close game. That's right. So of course they didn't pull it off. Illinois got up by two and Iowa got back control of the ball. They called timeout(!!) with fifteen seconds left in the game. At five seconds, they are forced to take a timeout, and with three seconds left, Mike Gesell turned it over. Fifteen seconds. No shots. (Inserts crying Jordan meme.)
Ok, I think that is enough sarcasm. The Hawkeyes have some serious problems, folks. Jarrod Uthoff had twenty-one, and Peter Jok had twenty-nine, but fouled out on an awful double technical foul. Nick Baer had eight points. The rest of the team had EIGHT total points. EIGHT. You won't be winning very many games doing that. Jok was on fire, going 4 for 6 from downtown, and five for five from the free throw line. Uthoff was 2 for 5 from deep and 9 for 16 overall. But, those were the only two that could be relied on in this game.
Another big problem? The coaching. I think that Fran McCaffery gets outcoached a lot. He is a poor in-game manager. He almost always ends up with two or three timeouts in his pocket. That includes those games where the fourth timeout disappears at halftime. Instead of setting something up at the end of a half, they'll just go. What is he saving those timeouts for? They don't carry over from game to game, so you might as well use most or all of them. He has the philosophy that he lets the players play the last possession and to let them figure it out, but that has not worked too well with this team. With how bad Mike Gesell and Anthony Clemmons have played, there is no reason for them to take important shots, and they can't figure that out.
At the beginning of the season, I said they would go 12-6 in conference and be a 6 or 7 seed. So, I was right, but with the way it started, it turned out to be a huge disappointment. It'll be like two years ago when the motto was "Rising", but they ended up having the same conference record and barely sneaking into the tournament as an eleven seed in Dayton in the First Four with a game against Tennessee. The same would happen now, around the same seed and the same conference record, with a late season swoon again.
This loss will most likely make them a 6-8 seed. My guess is that they will be a 6 or 7 because of all of those quality wins they had in January. It might not even matter, because with how they're playing, it'll be one and done.
(628)
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Will the Shockers make the NCAA Tournament?
After the Wichita State Shockers lost for the second straight year in the semifinals of Arch Madness, this time to the Northern Iowa Panthers. The Panthers will get the automatic qualifier out of the Missouri Valley Conference for the second straight year. Now, the big question is whether or not the Shockers will get an at-large bid to the tournament?
There is a big variance in opinion between people. Some people think that the Shockers are safely in, some think they are barely in, and some think that Wichita State are out. To be honest, I agree with the people that think that the Shockers have not done enough to deserve an at-large bid.
First of all, they only have one win in the RPI Top 50, which was at home against number nine Utah. That is it. That win compared to four losses. They are 3-3 against teams ranked 51-100. 8-1 against 101-200, and 8-1 against 200+.
I get it, they were hurt awfully bad in Orlando at the Old Spice Classic. They lost USC, Alabama, and Iowa. Those would have all been big wins, but there is no guarantee that they would have won them. I know that the committee will bring that into play, but I don't believe that it will be enough.
I do agree that I would rather see a mid-major like Wichita State instead of a middling major conference team like Vanderbilt. But, the committee usually favors the major team in that situation. The Monmouth Hawks also have an argument, but, again only have two top fifty wins, but have had fewer chances, so the Shockers and Hawks get a bad deal with that.
CBS's Jerry Palm has the Shockers in the final four teams out
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology
ESPN's Joe Lunardi has the Shockers as a eight seed
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
Bracket Matrix averages bracketolgists, and ranks them
http://www.bracketmatrix.com/
Andy Bottoms, the top ranked veteran bracketologist, has the Shockers in a play-in game as a ten seed
http://assemblycall.com/ncaa-tournament-bracket-projections-march-8-2016/
(331)
There is a big variance in opinion between people. Some people think that the Shockers are safely in, some think they are barely in, and some think that Wichita State are out. To be honest, I agree with the people that think that the Shockers have not done enough to deserve an at-large bid.
First of all, they only have one win in the RPI Top 50, which was at home against number nine Utah. That is it. That win compared to four losses. They are 3-3 against teams ranked 51-100. 8-1 against 101-200, and 8-1 against 200+.
I get it, they were hurt awfully bad in Orlando at the Old Spice Classic. They lost USC, Alabama, and Iowa. Those would have all been big wins, but there is no guarantee that they would have won them. I know that the committee will bring that into play, but I don't believe that it will be enough.
I do agree that I would rather see a mid-major like Wichita State instead of a middling major conference team like Vanderbilt. But, the committee usually favors the major team in that situation. The Monmouth Hawks also have an argument, but, again only have two top fifty wins, but have had fewer chances, so the Shockers and Hawks get a bad deal with that.
CBS's Jerry Palm has the Shockers in the final four teams out
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology
ESPN's Joe Lunardi has the Shockers as a eight seed
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
Bracket Matrix averages bracketolgists, and ranks them
http://www.bracketmatrix.com/
Andy Bottoms, the top ranked veteran bracketologist, has the Shockers in a play-in game as a ten seed
http://assemblycall.com/ncaa-tournament-bracket-projections-march-8-2016/
(331)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)