 Mike HlasHi, I'm Gazette/TheGazette.com sports columnist Mike Hlas. This is the Hlog. We will meet here, discuss things, and then go [...] |
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There’s every reason for optimism for Iowa men’s basketball, but here’s what Hawkeyes are up against in Big Ten
The league is crazy-good with talent, freshmen and vets
It feels like people who support the Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball team are expecting an explosion of goodness this winter.
Well, that’s overstating it. But fans — and some of us who cover the team — are expecting another leap forward for the Hawkeyes. And, I believe, with good reason.
Cody Zeller doing what he does (AP photo)
However, it’s well-known that the Big Ten looks like the Big Kahuna in college hoops this season. The AP preseason poll has it this way: 1. Indiana, 4. Ohio State, 5. Michigan, 14. Michigan State, 23. Wisconsin.
Minnesota and Northwestern probably will be pretty good, too.
On Yahoo.com, Pat Forde lists college basketball’s 25 most intriguing players for the coming season. If you wrote the piece six weeks from now, you’d probably have 15 different players on the list, minimum, but that’s not important. What I found interesting is that five of those players were from the Big Ten, and two of them weren’t obvious selections.
Number 1, and not a surprise, is Indiana center Cody Zeller. This guy could have a monster season.
Note that Forde said “interesting,” not the best.
No. 8 is Minnesota forward Trevor Mbakwe. No. 9 is Ohio State forward DeShaun Thomas, who like Zeller and Michigan guard Trey Burke, is a first-team AP preseason All-America.
In at No. 14 is Michigan freshman center Mitch McGary. The Wolverines have a guard court as fine as any in the nation. If the 6-foot-10, 262-pound McGary lives up to his potential, Michigan will be several handfuls.
DeShaun Thomas is No. 1 (AP photo)
And No. 23 is another freshman, Michigan State guard Gary Harris.
Iowa fans are excited about their freshman point guard, Mike Gesell, and with good reason. But this league has plenty of other good frosh. Indiana freshman point guard Yogi Ferrell didn’t make Forde’s list.
You can finish in seventh-place in the Big Ten this season and make the NCAA tournament. Maybe eighth-place.
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Mike,
I believe that most fans are expecting a step forward as well – perhaps as far as NCAA buzz late in the season. However, other than the normal extremist (“they’re gonna suck, just watch!” and the “If they don’t make the Elite Eight then something’s drastically wrong with the program and heads need to roll”) crowds, I think there going to be a tremendous home court advantage for the Hawks – their first in a long time.
I believe this because so many Hawk fans have become disappointed/disgusted/de-energized by the football program’s direction that they’re just DYING to get out and scream and cheer for something worthwhile = like a revived basketball program. IF they start out pretty strongly in the non-conference portion of their schedule, I wouldn’t be shocked to see mostly sellouts during the B1G season. Iowa fans are ready to let loose for a team that believe has a shot to win every game they play – and this year’s roundballers (or is it roundballaz?)
I’m no crazy extremist, so I see no reason why they shouldn’t win 26-28 games and at minimum make the Sweet 16….
This team will be better but expect some growing pains. The freshman will be erratic, we need to find out who the “go to” guy is, and we have to blend in players. In the long run this team could be good enough for the NCAA tourney. Just remember though who made most of Iowa’s big shots last year in our biggest wins. I have faith that Marble and May will make the big shots this year and someone else will step up. Here’s who I think we can beat: Purdue, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Penn State, Illinois. Here’s who we can upset: Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Iowa State. Here’s who we probable not going to beat: Indiana, Creighten, Ohio State. With an easy preseason, methinks a .500 record in the Big Ten season gets them in the tourney. If no NCAA berth this year, Marble stays and we make a deep run next year. The luxury of bringing a player like Mel off the bench and the versatility of Marble switching to the point makes me want to pinch myself considering I’m only a couple of years removed from my daughter and myself sneaking down the the VIP seats to watch a game courtside. Empty seats and security didn’t care. Now they were protecting those seats for the Blow Out. Baby, we’ve come a long way.