College basketball open thread
Iowa is playing a close game at Columbus. Iowa hasn't gotten much talk as a B1G contender but they've played well pretty much every night and their losses were all winnable games. They might have beaten UW in Madison if McCaffery hadn't blown a fuse.
In other B1G news, Purdue beat Nebraska - PU is now 11-5 overall. They may be underrated.
Illinois visits NW later today. Even on the road, UI should easily take care of business if they're really a top 25 team.
January 12th, 2014 at 2:22 PM ^
Good IA Ohio game on the 1st half to be sure. Flipping between this and a good SF Carolina playoff.
January 12th, 2014 at 2:28 PM ^
Yes, Iowa is legit. I wish they'd stop settling for outside shots as most of the time they're able to get something within the paint, where 30 of 37 have come from. (Also, Zach McCabe needs to stop shooting, he's 0/6.)
January 12th, 2014 at 2:46 PM ^
I would love to have Aaron White or even Woodbury on our squad. I don't understand why Beilein consistently recruits undersized 4's and 5's. I wish he'd recruit a 7-footer, if only for defensive/rebound purposes. We just seem to be undersized every year.
January 12th, 2014 at 7:05 PM ^
January 12th, 2014 at 2:30 PM ^
Iowa is a scary team....they are going to screw up the conference race. Seeing as how they are only one of the few decent teams that Wiscy has to play on the road this year.
January 12th, 2014 at 2:36 PM ^
Very interesting in the Ohio State / Iowa - the effective FG% for each are within 0.34% of one another. Iowa is outshooting Ohio State only 48.61% to 48.27%. Iowa only has four more rebounds too, although twice as many offensive rebounds as Ohio State.
January 12th, 2014 at 2:37 PM ^
I think Wisconsin, MSU, OSU, and Iowa are a notch above Michigan ... even when McGary was healthy. We're in that 2nd-tier mix with Illinois, IU, and Minnesota.
January 12th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
As this game goes....besides Marble, the Hawkeyes don't have much perimeter talent to work with. Just shooters, but Marble is more of a scorer than set up man and that is not a good combo.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:13 PM ^
most of iowas players, including their bigs, can shoot, drive and pass. keep watching and you will see it.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^
I have....and I stand by my statement. What Iowa does have is solid front court guys who can dribble and shoot in the mold of Wisconsin, but in terms of the backcourt they are shooters who need to be setup.
Don't get me wrong that can be a winning formula but their backcourt isn't anything to be scare off. White/Utoff are what will make this team go as the season goes on.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:20 PM ^
They do not seem to have the go-to guy to stop the bleeding. Craft sometimes fills that role, but not consistently. Also surprised at how high-scoring this game is; did not see the first half, but did not think that these two teams would get out of the 60s.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:21 PM ^
Iowa averages almost 87 a game so, they'll usually put up points, even with Ohio's good team defense.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^
with OSU giving 6ish, so looks like both teams a bit above that. Ohio cannot stop them last several minutes.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:24 PM ^
may be the highest scoring team in the conference. they may be dictating the game a bit. i've always thought matta a decent D coach but poor O coach. he would be nothing w/o high-end talent.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^
OSU has to go through Ross I think, but the problem is that he doesn't seem very confident in his dribble. At his size he should be able to post up a few guys and get some easy buckets.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^
Iowa just won't go away. I'm nervous about our game against them in Crisler in a couple weeks. They can match our offensive production and are probably a little better defensively.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:30 PM ^
On a side note...love watching Craft struggle. All the love he gets it's amazing how much better guys like Sullinger and Thomas made him look.
He is a great hustler and all, but a very below average offensive player.
January 12th, 2014 at 7:02 PM ^
January 12th, 2014 at 3:32 PM ^
I swear this is Craft's 7th year at OSU
January 12th, 2014 at 3:31 PM ^
Apparently the new hand-checking rules don't apply to Craft.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:33 PM ^
I dont know what to make of it
January 12th, 2014 at 3:34 PM ^
BHGP is magical
Iowatron complete
January 12th, 2014 at 3:34 PM ^
Wow....Craft literally has NO left hand at all. Just blew that lay up because he had to switch back to his right to try and finish it.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:35 PM ^
January 12th, 2014 at 3:37 PM ^
when the game is in the 70s+. What stood out for Iowa is its balance, seems like everyone is a shooter (and also not just a shooter).
January 12th, 2014 at 3:37 PM ^
not sure I get how they ended up top 5-ranked. They really show their warts against better teams. Did make a huge run at a banged up Sparty, but boy did they run out of steam this afternoon.
Iowa looks to be the real deal.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:41 PM ^
January 12th, 2014 at 3:39 PM ^
January 12th, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
I think you can upgrade Iowa from Big Ten Nuisance to B1G Title Contender. Huge win on the road for them
January 12th, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^
January 12th, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
January 12th, 2014 at 3:42 PM ^
OSU goes undefeated against crappy teams early in the year and then loses to the first two good teams they play. I think I've seen this before.
January 12th, 2014 at 3:41 PM ^
January 12th, 2014 at 3:49 PM ^
Good job Hawkeyes! Fuck Ohio!
January 12th, 2014 at 3:57 PM ^
Not sure how a thread like this gets negged, but whatever.
January 12th, 2014 at 4:16 PM ^
January 12th, 2014 at 4:18 PM ^
January 12th, 2014 at 4:32 PM ^
Wow, Iowa is legit. Their only losses are two close ones to top-10 teams on the road and another in overtime to a top-10 team at a neutral site. Very impressive squad.
January 12th, 2014 at 9:11 PM ^
was clearly coach-induced. They seem pretty legit to me. Did not fall apart when they got down almost double digits on the road, pretty well on into the second half.
January 12th, 2014 at 8:48 PM ^
Illini's shooting line is woeful; 18/0/50
January 12th, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^
Cats are miles and miles away from being mediocre.
January 12th, 2014 at 9:32 PM ^
Several ranked teams lost today. Don't think we are quite ready to crack top 25, but I'd expect a couple of road wins in the B10 to get us moving pretty smartly in that direction.