Quantcast
Channel: Big Ten » basketball
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 10

Once Again Hawkeyes Can’t Close, Lose to the Gophers

0
0
gesell

By Justin VanLaere

While Groundhog Day was yesterday, Hawkeye fans have been living this sort of game over and over and over again this season.  Another victory within reach, another loss when it was all said and done. For the fourth time in conference play (three times against a ranked opponent), Iowa had a chance to win the game in the final minute.   Coming into the game, Iowa had won back-to-back games against the Gophers, including a win inside Williams Arena last year.  It would not be the case this time around.

Minnesota bolted out to a 12 point lead early in the game (14-2), but Iowa responded and outscored the Gophers 26-15 over the last 15 minutes of the half to pull to within one point.  Iowa’s bigs: McCabe, Basabe, and Woodbury all picked up two fouls in the first half.  Both Zach and Melsahn re-entered the game towards the end of the first half.  The Hawkeyes had 10 assists on 10 FGs in the first half, while Minnesota had 8 assists on 11 FGs.  Ball rotation by both teams was pretty effective in the first half. The Hawkeyes held a 20-16 rebounding edge at the break on the team leading the conference in boards.

Melsahn Basabe was saddled with foul trouble, logging only 15 minutes.

Melsahn Basabe was saddled with foul trouble, logging only 15 minutes.

The second half saw several ties and lead changes throughout.  Iowa took its first lead just over six minutes into the second half on a Mike Gesell trey and extended it to three after a steal and dunk by Aaron White.  It looked like Iowa had stole the momentum.  The Hawkeyes’ lead dropped to just one with just over five minutes left in game before Eric May stole the ball, Aaron White put the ball in over Trevor Mbakwe and finished off the old fashioned three-point play. Again, it looked like Iowa had the momentum.  Just over two minutes to go, the Gophers cut the lead to one once again, this time Eric May took the ball hard to the hole, scored, was fouled by Joe Coleman, and made the FT to extend Iowa’s lead to four once again.  Yeah, momentum, right?  With the game on the line, McCaffery precariously inserted Devyn Marble into the game after he had been sitting on the bench for over 11 minutes.  Iowa had the ball with 40 seconds to go and up 2 points when Marble’s pass to the wing sailed into the stands.  Minnesota took possession and after a series of timeouts found Austin Hollins in the corner for three with under 15 seconds to go.  After another turnover by Iowa, 2 FTs by Minnesota, and a missed three point shot by Mike Gesell, the game was over and Iowa had yet again lost a close game to a ranked opponent late in the game.

To say Fran was not happy with the officiating at times would be an understatement.

To say Fran was not happy with the officiating at times would be an understatement.

The question towards the end of the game was – can Iowa win a road game without Marble scoring a point?  We got our answer, but the Hawkeyes certainly proved they could compete without their leading scorer.  But competing, simply, isn’t enough.  Not by a long shot. The losses are beginning to take their toll on this team.  Following the game, you could tell the staff and players took this one pretty hard.  Even head coach, Fran McCaffery admitted that he was pretty upset after the game and that it was frustrating.  Eric May echoed his disappointment in the loss, but still thinks Iowa is a great team.  Mike Gesell thought his final shot was good when it left his hand and reiterated Iowa’s need to get tougher and remain confident.  McCabe shot the ball well in this one, like he usually does inside The Barn.  He talked a little bit about this with me.  A lot of people noticed that Marble was limping when he was leaving the court.  Last game, the announcers said Dev was suffering from turf toe.  Both McCaffery and Marble are incessant that there is no injury and it’s more of a “out of sync” deal.  If Devyn is not hurt, he is either sick or has something else going on; there is no other way to explain Marble’s play as of late.

Iowa shot 59% from the FT line, a big reason for the loss.

Iowa shot 59% from the FT line, a big reason for the loss.

So here we are, halfway through the conference slate and Iowa is sitting 3-6 in the Big Ten.  They certainly could be 7-2 or even 8-1 in the best conference in the land.  But it is what it is.  Missed opportunities (such as in this game where Iowa botched a layup and two tip-ins on a fast break which would have put them up 5 and instead it was a 4 point swing in favor of the Gophers) are now the standard instead of the exception.  You could blame Iowa’s slow start as the reason for the loss today, however that’s not the case.  It isn’t how Iowa starts the ballgames, it’s how they finish them.  Twice, Iowa ran out to 7-0 leads on their Big Ten opponents and lost both of those games because of their inability to close out games. So let’s not blame this on Iowa’s starts, it has everything to do with their finishes.  Iowa’s NCAA Tournament chances are taking severe hits in this “almost wins”.   The Hawkeyes will likely need to go 6-3 (maybe 7-2) in the second half of conference play.  Is it possible? Absolutely.  The bulk of Iowa’s tough schedule is behind them. However, if Iowa cannot close out games, it won’t matter.  Coffee’s for closers and right now Iowa’s drinking fruit punch.

 


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 10

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images