 Scott DochtermanI'm originally from Burlington, and I'm a 1997 Western Illinois University graduate. I've worked in Burlington, Muscatine, Fort Dodge and [...] |
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Iowa basketball notes: Cartwright doubtful, scheduling update, officiating news
Here’s an update on Iowa basketball entering Friday’s game at Iowa State:
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Iowa Head Coach Fran McCaffery shakes hands with UNI Head Coach Ben Jacobsen before the first half of their college basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Iowa won the game by a score of 51 to 39. (Brian Ray/ SourceMedia Group News)
McCaffery wants greater flexibility in his non-conference scheduling, which has entered the discussions involving Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa and Drake about playing one another each year.
The Hawkeyes didn’t leave the state for a exempt tournament this year, which is unusual. Within the last five years Iowa has played tournaments in the Virgin Islands (2006, 2010), Kansas City (2009), Las Vegas (2008), and South Padre Island (2007). Iowa tentatively is scheduled to play in Cancun, Mexico next year, and McCaffery would like to schedule made-for-TV games against high-profile opponents. That’s part of the reason why Iowa and Iowa State are considering altering their annual scheduling plans with Northern Iowa and Drake. Iowa now rotates locations with all three state schools.
“What that does then is that limits whatever scheduling opportunities that you have,” McCaffery said. “Then I think what you have to do is you have to think about, ‘All right, we’ve got to have some flexibility because in any given year you might want to take on Kansas or Duke or North Carolina. You might have an opportunity to have a TV game like that. If you don’t have flexibility in your schedule, you can’t play games.
“You might have a team that’s not as good. You might want to downgrade your schedule. If you graduate everybody — I’ve had teams before that graduated 6,660 points. In that given year, you want to have a little bit of flexibility if you try to get some easier games. So it’s going to be a function of what experience you have, what your philosophy is overall going forward.
“Obviously for me, when I have a good team, I want to take everybody on. I want to be on television. I think it’s our responsibility to do that. I think you have to look at the big picture moving forward and I think that’s what everybody’s doing.”
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Iowa guard Bryce Cartwright, left, looks to drive past IPFW guard Jonny Marlin during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Senior point guard Bryce Cartwright did not practice on Wednesday after injuring his hamstring against Brown last Saturday. Cartwright did not play against Northern Iowa, and it’s doubtful he will against Iowa State on Friday. The Hawkeyes travel to Ames today.
“I would say, he hasn’t done anything since the Brown game,” Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said. “We’re heading up today. I don’t see him practicing tonight. He hasn’t run since the Brown game. That doesn’t bode well for him playing Friday night.”
Sophomore Devyn Marble likely will make his second straight start at the point, replacing Cartwright.
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Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, right, is ejected from the NCAA college basketball game by official John Higgins during the second half against Northern Iowa, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Northern Iowa won 80-60. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
McCaffery said “I have no regrets” when asked about getting ejected following two technical fouls against Northern Iowa. He said he can’t send in tapes to the Big Ten because, “the Big Ten office did not assign that crew so I have nowhere to assign tapes to.”
He also said the officiating crew is a part of any discussion before signing a contract with another school.
“I think that’s part of any contract negotiation when it comes to doing games,” McCaffery said. “Any time you schedule anybody, that’s discussed. I don’t think it would be anything unique to this.”
John Higgins, the official who tossed McCaffery against Northern Iowa, was part of last year’s crew that worked the Iowa-Iowa State game in Iowa City. McCaffery received a technical foul in that game when the score was 46-45 last year.
Paul Jannsen, one of the other officials in Tuesday’s game, will work Friday night in Ames. Jannsen and Higgins also officiated the 2009 game in Ames.
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McCaffery also expressed displeasure with his team’s early-season television schedule. Only three preseason games were scheduled to a national audience — Creighton, Clemson and Drake. Most of the rest were available either through state outlets or online only.
“I think you want exposure in the state, but we want exposure nationally as well,” he said. “I think that’s what the Big Ten Network is. Obviously we aren’t pleased with TV schedule. But the reality is we’ve got to play better. That’s just a fact. I think as we do that we’ll get more games on the Big Ten Network, we’ll have more opportunities to play on ESPN, more opportunities to play on the major networks. That where we want to get this program. I don’t think I’m doing anything more than stating the obvious in regard to that.”
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Late 1st semester “injuries” or 0 minutes from an early season contributor never looks good. Happening at both SUI and ISU.
Eligibility issues?
Unfortunately it seems that the University of Iowa basketball program has hit new even lower lows. When an Iowa team (read Fran Mac) is scared to schedule an in-state opponent, especially a mid-major like UNI, you know the program is in disarray. Yes, I enjoyed seeing the signing of a great recruiting class in the off-season, but to witness a team play that lacks fundamentals that we see in high school basketball on a daily basis, and then blame the refs and drop UNI as an opponent because your team loses seems like sour grapes. The fact of the matter is, Iowa doesn’t get TV games, because it is not good enough to deserve TV games. Sometimes the product, has to come before the payoff, but it does not seem that McCaffery has an understanding of that. And, while I understand his point about scheduling teams that Iowa can play with in down years, it seems that the mid-majors like UNI and Drake are a good place to start. Yes, UNI is a good mid-major, but we are not talking about a perennial sweet sixteen (or even final 32) team. We’re talking about a good team nationally, not a great team. Who does McCaffery want to play? Coe? Wartburg?
With the recruits that Fran has brought in, Iowa should improve over the next couple of years, but the scene he is making is ridiculous… what about developing a team? It seems as if the litany of coaches Iowa has had in recent years (or is it the AD?) need to develop some patience, and develop a team… and forget the blame game.
All of those who want to rid Iowa Farentz, take note… we did that to Dr. Tom, and now what wouldn’t we give for all of the NCAA tournament appearances that he provided for Iowa?
It has nothing to do with “being scared”. What it has to do with is everything with playing teams that improve a team’s strength of schedule.
Let’s be honest here, UNI might be a good mid-major school, but they aren’t at the level of of larger schools that do more to enhance a team’s RPI rating or improve its SoS, both measurements that are used in determining if a team gets into a post-season tournament–which is what Iowa wants to do.
As for TV…the reason why Iowa isn’t on TV isn’t because they aren’t “good”. Its because you have one network that has the rights to broadcast Big Ten games: The Big Ten network.
Before the advent of the BTN, Iowa games were broadcast in-state by local TV to a statewide/regional audience.
Now with the BTN–that can’t happen anymore. So, as a result–Iowa and other Big Ten teams lose out on viewership. Its one of the major weaknesses of the Big Ten Network.
Very well put Todd.
Zach, please drop the “scared” act. He didn’t say Iowa wouldn’t play UNI anymore, but the home and home thing is probably gone for sure. If UNI doesn’t want to adjust, then that’s fine too. Iowa has a bigger picture to worry about schedule-wise than UNI and Drake and ISU. There’s NOTHING wrong with that – it’s about time that we had a coach that was open and honest with his scheduling vision for the program.
Only one problem with that Mike Miller, Iowa has no “bigger picture” what Iowa has is losses to Creighton, Campbell, Clemson, UNI, and Iowa State. How are they improving their schedule? Who are they going to get that is going to improve their schedule? They say North Carolina? Kentucky? Do we want to see Iowa losing by 50 instead of 20? Does it help Iowa get into the NCAA to lose by 50? How are you going to get an NC or Kentucky to play a home and away with Iowa?
When Iowa is routinely beating Iowa State and UNI then I would say, yes beef up the schedule. But this is a team that can’t beat Campbell.
Todd, the article talks about, “made for TV games against high profile opponents” so don’t act like I don’t know what I’m talking about as you reference the in-state broadcasts by KCRG. Fran, and the article are talking about nation-wide broadcasts, that aren’t going to happen for a second-rate team like Iowa. Now, if Iowa gets better with this new class of recruits, consider getting flexible. When you can’t beat any of the other in-state teams “nation-wide” broadcasts are a pipe dream that aren’t going to happen anyway. This is an embarrassed coach that got beat by a team with better fundamentals than his team, and he wants to hurt them by not playing them anymore. Big deal, I’m sure UNI can get a higher RPI team to replace Iowa on the schedule, and UNI might actually beat that opponent – we know Iowa won’t.
Zach:
Iowa, ISU, etc. can’t be flexible if they are locked into long-term home and home contracts with UNI or any other schools. Do they struggle now? Yup. I believe they’ll get better, and I’m with Fran: it would be nice to add/drop a UNC or other elite program when we’re good or bad. Your own words reinforces what Fran says.