***Iowa v. Nebrantska - 2/17/26 - 8:00PM - BTN***

[Hawkstrat]

I looked.

Stirtz is fine, he's a tall bohannon, which isn't nothing. He's just not quick enough to drive with regularity.

Surely nobody could top my take.

Bennet bohannon Stirtz is a fucking paper tiger. A total pussy. His effort is terrible. I don't know who told the boy he is Caitlin Clark, but he sure seems to put about the same amount of effort on the defensive end while taking all the stupid shots he can take.

Iowa looks dead until he gets his 4th foul, he goes to the bench and suddenly the defense is connected and at an elite level, rebounding vastly improved, the ball moving and players hitting shots. Unselfish basketball on both ends and energy is through the roof.

McCollum puts him back in and IMMEDIATELY he gives up a layup, then doesn't rebound and proceeds to chuck up 6 of the worst three point shots you have ever seen and blows a point blank layup that would have made it a 3 point game with 45 seconds to go and could have played it out for the final shot.

For a guy that is supposedly projected as an NBA lottery pick, he sure does turn the ball over a lot and he can't get by anyone without 20 screens set for him and treats defense as an option not a requirement.

 

[douglasbader]

As I said before in the subsequent posts in that thread, the bohannon mocking comment came from a joke in chat, but I stand by his effort on defense at that time was atrocious and I detailed it out. I take back nothing from there. He's gotten far better and started to give a real honest effort after that stretch.

RATT

 

[Nobody]

And a special shoutout to the Nebrantska fan absolutely crashing out and yelling "FUCK YOU, I HATE YOU ALL AND THIS STATE" to folks as he was driving out of the Finkbine lot. Magnificent performance, sir!

 

[6deuce]

We learned how to rebound for tonight at least. Now just figure out how to hit some shots and we might have something.

Defense was fucking great.

Mast is a legitimate Neanderthal.

He always looks like he’s holding in a shit.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

Pryce went behind the curtain to lay down and supposedly was crying at one point during the first half.

 

[BBK]

bohannon was an extremely clutch role player. Stirtz is a team carrier.

They are only similar in that they are good shooting white guards

 

[Russell Ziske]

bohannon was an extremely clutch role player. Stirtz is a team carrier.

They are only similar in that they are good shooting white guards

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

Hausen doesn't play because McCollum can't trust him to not jack up what he considers a bad shot. Ironically, they're usually open looks that he's just not afraid to take (like everyone else)... which is kind of what we need. Really weird approach to offense, especially after seeing so many terrible shots at the end of the shot clock.

 

[Talkin' Goat]

As I said before in the subsequent posts in that thread, the bohannon mocking comment came from a joke in chat, but I stand by his effort on defense at that time was atrocious and I detailed it out. I take back nothing from there. He's gotten far better and started to give a real honest effort after that stretch.

RATT

I’m 100% certain that was due to him having the flu during that stretch of games.

 

[gohawkeyes811]

I’m not saying it’s a big deal. Just mentioning that it happened. Adds some spice to the rematch.

Yeah but it's a completely disingenuous way to explain what happened. His follow through after hitting the phone happened to hit the Iowa coach, which he immediately apologized for and the coach immediately understood.

Hoiberg was in the right here. Fuck that moron who got in his face.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

Hausen doesn't play because McCollum can't trust him to not jack up what he considers a bad shot. Ironically, they're usually open looks that he's just not afraid to take (like everyone else)... which is kind of what we need. Really weird approach to offense, especially after seeing so many terrible shots at the end of the shot clock.

I don’t think that’s the reason. He’s been much better with shot selection since these last few weeks where it looked like he might get back in the rotation. It’s still defense on and off ball.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

Pryce went behind the curtain to lay down and supposedly was crying at one point during the first half.

He’s a puss

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

Since he's lost the weight, he's looked way better and capable defensively. He's only going to play in spurts anyways. His shot making outweighs any deficiencies defensively. That's like saying Kirk needs to be concentrating more on the defensive side of the ball and not offensive.

At the very least, give him minutes and a little bit of freedom to free up the offense from Stirtz. If he has a few bad defensive possessions in a row, yank him.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

Since he's lost the weight, he's looked way better and capable defensively. He's only going to play in spurts anyways. His shot making outweighs any deficiencies defensively. That's like saying Kirk needs to be concentrating more on the defensive side of the ball and not offensive.

At the very least, give him minutes and a little bit of freedom to free up the offense from Stirtz. If he has a few bad defensive possessions in a row, yank him.

I agree with you mostly, I think the best version of this team needs him in the mix. I thought he was earning trust back but that’s apparently not the case.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

A bad shot is a bad shot. A 25 foot 3 early in the shot clock isn't a whole lot different than a desperate and highly contested long 2 at the end of the shot clock. You can get both anytime you want.

Ultimately, our offense is best when we're attacking the basket and getting cutters to the rim off of that. It's great when it's working. Nebrantska scouted all the crap we run and defended it beautifully. We didn't know what to do so they all just stood around and watched Stirtz dribble because we have no second option apparently.

Hope it gets better. If someone else is actually doing anything, it will help a ton. I felt bad for Stirtz on a few late possessions last night. No one wanted the ball.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

I really do enjoy McCollum’s balance between being candid and being a coach. He’s going to succeed at Iowa. The support is growing, even in an ugly win like tonight.

“I hate McCollum”

 

[Revolver]

I agree with HH that it is likely off-ball D that is the concern with Hausen. He has done a better job of staying in front of his man, but the off-ball is still not very good. Led to some wide open threes in the Purdue game. Granted, he was hardly the only one responsible for that in the Purdue game.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Hausen doesn't play because McCollum can't trust him to not jack up what he considers a bad shot. Ironically, they're usually open looks that he's just not afraid to take (like everyone else)... which is kind of what we need. Really weird approach to offense, especially after seeing so many terrible shots at the end of the shot clock.

I can not figure out what we are trying to do on offense. The only “action” we have is the pocket pass to the big at the high post. If we get that look, then there’s a lot of options we do with cutters, flare screens, etc.

If that gets taken away we see what that looks like. Not pretty.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

I don’t think that’s the reason. He’s been much better with shot selection since these last few weeks where it looked like he might get back in the rotation. It’s still defense on and off ball.

It’s always been this.

 

[Reggie Dunlop]

I can not figure out what we are trying to do on offense. The only “action” we have is the pocket pass to the big at the high post. If we get that look, then there’s a lot of options we do with cutters, flare screens, etc.

If that gets taken away we see what that looks like. Not pretty.

It’s a rough watch, unless watching one guy dribbling around is your thing. Throw in a side of big guys standing at the top of the key fumbling around trying to set screens and they can be unwatchable on offense.

Defense on the other hand is so refreshing after the Fran olé era.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

A bad shot is a bad shot. A 25 foot 3 early in the shot clock isn't a whole lot different than a desperate and highly contested long 2 at the end of the shot clock. You can get both anytime you want.

Ultimately, our offense is best when we're attacking the basket and getting cutters to the rim off of that. It's great when it's working. Nebrantska scouted all the crap we run and defended it beautifully. We didn't know what to do so they all just stood around and watched Stirtz dribble because we have no second option apparently.

To the first point, there absolutely is when you’re trying to dictate tempo and when you’re actually working your ass off defensively and on the glass. It felt by design at times in the 2H to not get into ball screens until 15ish.

Their defense is unusual, almost a zone the way they pack it in but they also are really good on ball screens. Purdue and smith didn’t get anything through that either. That’s why they allow the 5th highest 3 rate in the country.

That was two defenses that are well coached and take away what’s scouted. We’re better against an offense like that than some of the random stuff where it’s just iso hunt with superior athletes.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

To the first point, there absolutely is when you’re trying to dictate tempo and when you’re actually working your ass off defensively and on the glass. It felt by design at times in the 2H to not get into ball screens until 15ish.

Oh it was definitely this you could tell. They were locked in defensively and were just trying to hold on and didn’t want to give Nebrantska more possessions.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

I get why seeing layups in the half court can make you think that pressuring the ball is the problem. Trust me, it isn’t.

90% of the time it’s helpside that isn’t there or 1-pass away isn’t in the gap. Sometimes you just get beat off the dribble in a spot where your help isn’t designed to help from. It happens.

But in packline defense, extreme ball pressure and guarding your yard are absolute musts.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

Obviously they're trying to control tempo but that wasn't really my argument. My point is a bad shot is a bad shot. Apparently, McCollum is better with one at the end of the clock. Kind of like punting. That may work better when we have better players to create at the end of shot clocks to get buckets but currently they're cutting off their nose in many cases to get to a terrible shot earlier in games. If your only goal is to burn clock, they do a great job - especially late in games. With the talent we have, a good shot earlier isn't a bad thing with this offense.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Offensively I’d love to see them use some point series concepts.

 

[douglasbader]

The defense overall was vastly improved, but the strategy of having guys like Banks humping Hoiberg 35 feet from the hoop with his hips instead of using his superior height and length to maybe back off a foot as to not get straight line driven to the hoop for layups and dunks is maddening.

I'm not asking to sag off 15 or even 5 feet, I'm saying simply giving up nothing but gaining by using arm length to help defend might stop that from happening.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Hausen doesn't play because McCollum can't trust him to not jack up what he considers a bad shot. Ironically, they're usually open looks that he's just not afraid to take (like everyone else)... which is kind of what we need. Really weird approach to offense, especially after seeing so many terrible shots at the end of the shot clock.

he also appears to try really hard on defense, and still sucks.

 

[douglasbader]

Obviously they're trying to control tempo but that wasn't really my argument. My point is a bad shot is a bad shot. Apparently, McCollum is better with one at the end of the clock. Kind of like punting. That may work better when we have better players to create at the end of shot clocks to get buckets but currently they're cutting off their nose in many cases to get to a terrible shot earlier in games. If your only goal is to burn clock, they do a great job - especially late in games. With the talent we have, a good shot earlier isn't a bad thing with this offense.

Yeah, the offense was garbage and last night was the equivalent of Kirk running short side of the field off tackle zone 3 times and then punting throughout the 4th quarter with a 3 point lead. Great, it worked, but there are multiple opportunities to get a few easy buckets in the game that can greatly help this team. Take a fucking wide open shot sometimes as well. It isn't like they are passing up wide open shots with 25 seconds on the shot clock, it is the ones they constantly pass up with 8 seconds or 5 seconds for awful shots as the buzzer is sounding that are the problem.

 

[Hawk&Balls]

Take a fucking wide open shot sometimes as well.

Their version of refusing to throw the ball farther than 5 yards down the field

 

[AZmessDAWG]

The defense overall was vastly improved, but the strategy of having guys like Banks humping Hoiberg 35 feet from the hoop with his hips instead of using his superior height and length to maybe back off a foot as to not get straight line driven to the hoop for layups and dunks is maddening.

I'm not asking to sag off 15 or even 5 feet, I'm saying simply giving up nothing but gaining by using arm length to help defend might stop that from happening.

You’re wrong and that’s not what was happening. You’ve exaggerated this in your head and fixating on something that is basic fundamental defense.

 

[douglasbader]

You’re wrong and that’s not what was happening.

Oh shut the fuck up "coach".

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Oh shut the fuck up "coach".

Yeah I know you’re going for the personal attack but you are 100% wrong on this.

 

[JamesMouton]

Yeah but it's a completely disingenuous way to explain what happened. His follow through after hitting the phone happened to hit the Iowa coach, which he immediately apologized for and the coach immediately understood.

Hoiberg was in the right here. Fuck that moron who got in his face.

In Hoiberg's defense, we have so many asst coaches it'd be damn near impossible for his swipe at the jackass' phone to NOT hit one...

 

[douglasbader]

Yeah I know you’re going for the personal attack but you are 100% wrong on this.

I'm not wrong that their defense was vastly improved. Let's start there.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

lol fine.

 

[KitKatApples]

In Hoiberg's defense, we have so many asst coaches it'd be damn near impossible for his swipe at the jackass' phone to NOT hit one...

This is funny but also a little true

 

[TurdBurgler]

Pryce went behind the curtain to lay down and supposedly was crying at one point during the first half.

Someone must have made fun of his rat tail.

 

[Shawneemicks]

Dug got PWNED

 

[B19Rob]

I don't think Iowa fans even rushed the court; I'm pretty sure that was all the assistant coaches unloading from the bench to enter the handshake line

 

[douglasbader]

I don't think Iowa fans even rushed the court; I'm pretty sure that was all the assistant coaches unloading from the bench to enter the handshake line

If it was, then looked like only about half of the coaches participated. I'm sure the others headed to the locker room to prepare to bathe the players and dress them after the game.

 

[Hawk&Balls]

If it was, then looked like only about half of the coaches participated. I'm sure the others headed to the locker room to prepare to bathe the players and dress them after the game.

He was making a joke

 

[douglasbader]

He was making a joke

No shit, retard, and I was continuing the joke and you just ruined it.

 

[Hawk&Balls]

 

[26.2]

Missed this one but I am happy they won!

 

[6deuce]

He was making a joke

 

[Revolver]

Missed this one but I am happy they won!

Sounds like you should miss the rest too, bad luck guy.

 

[Stomper15]

 

[YugoslavianMountainHound]

The handshake line has been breached!

 

[26.2]

They'd better run Hoibergs ass up the fucking flagpole for this one!!!!

 

[Talkin' Goat]

Agree that it’s 100% nothing.


Now imagine it was Fran who did it. LOL.