The Fran fade

Michigan is a really good team is my main take away from last night. Iowa had zero answer for them in the second half. Iowa has been throttled by two teams, Michigan and Gonzaga. In the only one game sample size, I thought Michigan was better than Gonzaga.

My second main take away is losing Nunge again. That is a huge blow.

Hoping Iowa beats Nebraska and splits Wisconsin/OSU. That should still get them a top 4 seed.
You shouldn't hope that Iowa beats Nebraska, you should expect it. It's a 95%er on KP with an 18 pt win.
 
A few things from last night's game..

1. Fran's back folks. I got texts from some of my Iowa buddies saying they knew it was coming and have been holding out on it all season. They won't take anything away from the success this season has brought so far, but still hate how Fran is such an utter embarrassment.

2. Michigan is very good. I think they are up there with Baylor and Gonzaga, and it's going to take someone to shoot incredibly well and them have an off night for them to lose.

3. If Nunge is out the rest of the year, which I believe he will be, Iowa is going to have a tough road to success. Nunge was the only capable big Iowa had to come in for Garza and now Luka is going to have to be extremely careful at all times.

Michigan is fun to watch and they are good. I thought early in the season they might have been a bit overrated, but they can definitely challenge Baylor and Gonzaga. Their experience carried them early, and now the new guys are coming into their own.

Even without the "Fran Fade" this type of trajectory was inevitable with Iowa. People that are surprised don't really understand college hoops. Somehow they thought a 6-7 seed last year was going to jump to a 1-2 seed by pretty much just bringing back a ton of guys that have been there forever? That's not how it works any more. Murray has been a good surprise for them, but he's still a role player. This year favors experience and continuity far more than most years. In most years by mid- to late- conference season the teams with more turnover have caught up. This year those teams are just now getting to their best.

Hopefully Nunge is not seriously injured. He's inconsistent, but is definitely a guy that can give them some minutes and every once in a while be a hot hand. I hate seeing kids out with injuries, especially when it's tournament time and might be the end of their careers.
 
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Michigan is a really good team is my main take away from last night. Iowa had zero answer for them in the second half. Iowa has been throttled by two teams, Michigan and Gonzaga. In the only one game sample size, I thought Michigan was better than Gonzaga.

My second main take away is losing Nunge again. That is a huge blow.

Hoping Iowa beats Nebraska and splits Wisconsin/OSU. That should still get them a top 4 seed.

Who is the next man up for them? If it is Patrick, Iowa is doomed.
 
Michigan is fun to watch and they are good. I thought early in the season they might have been a bit overrated, but they can definitely challenge Baylor and Gonzaga. Their experience carried them early, and now the new guys are coming into their own.

Even without the "Fran Fade" this type of trajectory was inevitable with Iowa. People that are surprised don't really understand college hoops. Somehow they thought a 6-7 seed last year was going to jump to a 1-2 seed by pretty much just bringing back a ton of guys that have been there forever? That's not how it works any more. Murray has been a good surprise for them, but he's still a role player. This year favors experience and continuity far more than most years. In most years by mid- to late- conference season the teams with more turnover have caught up. This year those teams are just now getting to their best.

Hopefully Nunge is not seriously injured. He's inconsistent, but is definitely a guy that can give them some minutes and every once in a while be a hot hand. I hate seeing kids out with injuries, especially when it's tournament time and might be the end of their careers.
The worst thing you can have at this time of the year is an injury and that's what Iowa just got. Something like that can throw your entire mojo off and we'll see how it effects Iowa.
 
Without Nunge Luka is going to have to go 35 minutes a game

He can do that for a game...but to do it 2 games in a row with1 day rest? Not sure i see it...WHen he goes 35 min a game he looks absolutely gassed at end.

I don't see a problem with it for a game...like I said..although getting those few minutes of rest really helps.
 
He got very good at hiding it before he became good. Now they don't call it because refs don't want to foul out one of the better players in CBB but yeah he doesn't hide it near as well as he used to


Yep...It is absolutely a foul and he gets away with it constantly. Every single time he goes baseline he does it and it is a foul...He does a half hook so it doesnt look so obvious..still a foul. It's considered an arm wrap which is supposed to be illegal whether the defender is stationary or moving.
 
He can do that for a game...but to do it 2 games in a row with1 day rest? Not sure i see it...WHen he goes 35 min a game he looks absolutely gassed at end.

I don't see a problem with it for a game...like I said..although getting those few minutes of rest really helps.
Agree...gonna have to steal minutes here and there...take him out a minute before the TV timeout or something. Problem is him sitting extended minutes.
 
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Agree...gonna have to steal minutes here and there...take him out a minute before the TV timeout or something. Problem is him sitting extended minutes.

Just hope he can avoid getting two fouls in the first half because he will have to sit the rest of the half. College basketball needs to change that stupid rule.
 
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