🦃Iowa Basketball vs. Grand Canyon - 11/26/25 - 8:30 PM CBS Sports Network🦃

[douglasbader]

I'm going to predict that Hausen won't do much of anything until somewhere in mid-January when you get into the depths of the Big Ten battles and suddenly he'll have a big game and become a solid part of the rotation. He's got too much experience and when shit starts to hit the fan and the younger guys go through their slumps, he's going to be ready.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

Rebounding was bad the first week. They’ve been outstanding since then and it’s clear to see how they’ve emphasized all 5 hitting the defensive glass.

 

[douglasbader]

Going to be opportunity for some big wins early in the year. They have the #17 team next Tuesday and the #4 team the following week.

 

[Billy Butters]

Feels weird starting slow on offense and still being able to have the lead. There were games the last few years that we could barely hold the lead scoring on our first 5 or 6 possessions.

 

[Hawk_Kegmasters]

Grand Canyon started 5-10 from 3 in the first half and I am conditioned to think oh great another bad shooting team can’t miss against the Hawks. But they didn’t make another one the rest of the game and really didn’t have any open looks. Finished 5-17.

 

[CamelTones]

We have a lot of options. Howard is awesome all of a sudden. Do you start him again? Put Combs back on the bench? Or maybe go Stirtz, Combs, Howard, Koch, Manyuwu?

It's great to be good again

If Stirtz is playing all 40 minutes then I like starting Combs as a second ball handler. He does need to look to score a little more than he does though.

They really just need Alvaro to play better, Koch to keep ascending, and 1 of Howard, Sage, or Hausen to provide some scoring off the bench.

 

[Shawneemicks]

I like having a coach that realizes depth is overrated. Play your best 7 95% of the minutes

 

[Debit One]

Some thoughts that Fran would have while watching McCollum’s team play.

1. It would be better if Stirtz weren’t expending so much effort on defense.

2. Hausen needs a lot more minutes.

3. Why are the Iowa players squatting down like that while playing defense?

4. My wife would kill me if I left my son on the bench for the entire game.

 

[Shawneemicks]

Some thoughts that Fran would have while watching McCollum’s team play.

1. It would be better if Stirtz weren’t expending so much effort on defense.

2. Hausen needs a lot more minutes.

3. Why are the Iowa players squatting down like that while playing defense?

4. My wife would kill me if I left my son on the bench for the entire game.

5. Cabo or Cancun?

 

[The Dad]

Wanted to kill myself momentarily when Stirtz was down holding his lower leg.

 

[Hawk&Balls]

I also wanted that for you

 

[Revolver]

Iowa Hawkeye Basketball being in the mix really saves winter.

 

[Creed]

The defense they play will keep them in nearly every game they play this year regardless of what the offense does, which is quite the turnaround from what we’ve seen for years.

They will struggle against good teams with size but not much can be done with that. It was noticeable how many times they were rejected at the rim.

 

[Thomas Wolsey]

Michigan looks to be impossible for this team. Purdue highly unlikely, but the rest of the douche are all varying degrees of winnable.

 

[Shawneemicks]

Michigan looks to be impossible for this team. Purdue highly unlikely, but the rest of the douche are all varying degrees of winnable.

Will make it a full quarter of a century since winning a title. Truly pathetic

 

[Fletch]

It’s crazy how few shots we take outside the lane that aren’t threes. I know that’s the design but they all have taken it to heart. There were numerous times where we drove and got cut off. Instead of going up for the shot, it’s a kick back up top to reset. They simply refuse every time.

Impose your will.

 

[Fletch]

Will make it a full quarter of a century since winning a title. Truly pathetic

Welcome to 2004, Shawnee.

 

[OlePeep]

I know he's going to help us and we are going to need him at various points this season, but at the moment I'm not sure Folgueiras will be here next year.

I'm also not sure that's a big deal if he does go

Agree completely. I thought he was poor in this tournament and I’m beginning to have serious misgivings about him as a B10 player.

 

[OlePeep]

Foie gras was excellent until this game. I’m chalking it up as a blip.

He was not excellent v Ole Miss. hit a couple 3s. 7 pts 2 boards in 21 minutes. 1 pt last night. I don’t think his game fits what he’s gonna face in the B10 if this tournament is any preview

 

[CamelTones]

Michigan looks to be impossible for this team. Purdue highly unlikely, but the rest of the douche are all varying degrees of winnable.

Michigan looks incredible, but it’s also Thanksgiving. They have close wins over Wake Forest and a pretty average TCU team that’s starts Brock Harding. There’s always a little bit of overreaction to these early season tournaments where teams don’t have a ton of prep from game to game.

 

[Fletch]

Way too soon to jump to any conclusions. My guess is it’s an adjustment to McCollum’s style.

He had 15 and 10 against Bama last year in the dance. And I recall them being more physical and way more athletic than anyone we’ve played so far.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Two of the transfers we were blowing the biggest loads over (Folgueiras/Hausen) are sort of an afterthought at the moment.

It's all about the NMSU/Drake guys

At the moment yes but Folgueiras is going to be a factor for us. He does too many things. Unless he’s not defending the way they want him or something.

It’ll be interesting!

 

[Thomas Wolsey]

Michigan looks incredible, but it’s also Thanksgiving. They have close wins over Wake Forest and a pretty average TCU team that’s starts Brock Harding. There’s always a little bit of overreaction to these early season tournaments where teams don’t have a ton of prep from game to game.

They will probably adjust, but it is hard to see Banks, Howard and Manyawu finishing against that front line

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Sorry Beebs scrolled back and saw many people weighed in on that post and mine offered little to no value.

I’ll GFM.

 

[douglasbader]

Folgueiras will be fine, they've played less than 10 games together. He's experienced and battle tested.

Again, remember that all the underclassmen are going to hit a major wall in about 6 weeks or beyond at various points. Koch will go from looking awesome to inept in late January before breaking out and looking great again. Same thing with Howard and Sage.

Experienced and tested players like Folguerias and Hausen will be hitting their stride around that time.

 

[douglasbader]

I think the bigger question is how McCollum coaches and handles things deep into a Big Ten schedule against Big Ten talent. He's got a great system, but he's rarely coached from behind the last decade. He plays guys it seems according to how much he can trust them on the court at that time. Last night they basically had a 6 man rotation and his two big transfers that he doesn't know very well sat on the bench in favor of the guys he's been riding with the last few years. Koch is the exception to that of course, but he seems to have completely bought in and has the talent and work ethic to get that trust early on. Folguerias is a moody Euro and Hausen is still out of shape and dinged up.

I don't want Fran ball with 11 guys playing in the first half and mass line changes. That is stupid and sucks. I do think McCollum will have to keep a steady rotation closer to 8 guys than 6 guys to keep them fresh, even with their slow pace. Stirtz looked completely gassed at points in the second half and he also tweaked an ankle. That is against Grand Canyon, the #103 team on Kenpom. I don't know if that works against the loaded Big Ten where 10 teams are in the Top 35. MVC that works when the best team you play is around the #90 in the country and the majority of the conference is around 100-200 ranked.

When you have a team that is a rolled ankle away from being one of the worst in the league, have to be a little bit careful or adjust slightly what you have always done.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

I think Folgueiras will be fine as well but he is soft on the defensive side of the ball so far. He's going to have to adjust. Not very physical. Fran would LOVE him.

 

[gohawkeyes811]

I think the bigger question is how McCollum coaches and handles things deep into a Big Ten schedule against Big Ten talent. He's got a great system, but he's rarely coached from behind the last decade. He plays guys it seems according to how much he can trust them on the court at that time. Last night they basically had a 6 man rotation and his two big transfers that he doesn't know very well sat on the bench in favor of the guys he's been riding with the last few years. Koch is the exception to that of course, but he seems to have completely bought in and has the talent and work ethic to get that trust early on. Folguerias is a moody Euro and Hausen is still out of shape and dinged up.

I don't want Fran ball with 11 guys playing in the first half and mass line changes. That is stupid and sucks. I do think McCollum will have to keep a steady rotation closer to 8 guys than 6 guys to keep them fresh, even with their slow pace. Stirtz looked completely gassed at points in the second half and he also tweaked an ankle. That is against Grand Canyon, the #103 team on Kenpom. I don't know if that works against the loaded Big Ten where 10 teams are in the Top 35. MVC that works when the best team you play is around the #90 in the country and the majority of the conference is around 100-200 ranked.

When you have a team that is a rolled ankle away from being one of the worst in the league, have to be a little bit careful or adjust slightly what you have always done.

This is all true and I agree, but there won't be back to back games again until hopefully the big ten tournament. That is a huge difference as far as recovery.

But yeah, basically agree.

 

[douglasbader]

I think Folgueiras will be fine as well but he is soft on the defensive side of the ball so far. He's going to have to adjust. Not very physical. Fran would LOVE him.

I think he's going to take more time because they only partially had him in the offseason as he was playing that Euro tourney compared to all the others they had the entire time. I think he'll get mostly there, or at least serviceable.

The one that's oddly terrible at points on defense as far as attention and effort is Banks.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

I think he's going to take more time because they only partially had him in the offseason as he was playing that Euro tourney compared to all the others they had the entire time. I think he'll get mostly there, or at least serviceable.

The one that's oddly terrible at points on defense as far as attention and effort is Banks.

Good point on his summer, I had forgotten about that.

Banks looks like the best defensive stopper we’ve had in ages at times. Not sure what was going on with him last night.

 

[Mitchandrsn]

Some thoughts that Fran would have while watching McCollum’s team play.

1. It would be better if Stirtz weren’t expending so much effort on defense.

2. Hausen needs a lot more minutes.

3. Why are the Iowa players squatting down like that while playing defense?

4. My wife would kill me if I left my son on the bench for the entire game.

What’s funny about #1 is they’re built to do just that. He plays fine defense. But having two other defense first guards allows for stretching his minutes.

 

[rodg12]

 

[WCFHawkeye]

It’s crazy how few shots we take outside the lane that aren’t threes. I know that’s the design but they all have taken it to heart. There were numerous times where we drove and got cut off. Instead of going up for the shot, it’s a kick back up top to reset. They simply refuse every time.

Impose your will.

Grand Canyon isn't on ESPN for some reason, but these are the first 6 games:

 

[WCFHawkeye]

 

[Talkin' Goat]

 

[Creed]