B1G Game 7: Gophers Host Iowa (1/20/22)

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Ignatius L Hoops

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GUILTY PLEASURES

The Hawkeyes can be damn fun to watch-unless, I suppose, you’re a defensive aficionado. Yes, they are a hated border rival, BUT how can you not appreciate this?


Even though the Hawkeyes are returning to the form that got them to last season’s Sweet Sixteen. Iowa has had its struggles:

INJURIES

Center Sharon Goodman and forward Shateah Wetering, both sophomores, suffered season ending ACL injuries in preseason practice. The 6’3” Goodman had quickly developed into an effective sub for Monika Czinano. 6’5” Freshman Addison O’Grady is attempting to fill Goodman’s spot. The results have been mixed.

LOSSES: COVID AND OTHERWISE

In the non-conference season, three consecutive games were canceled because of Iowa covid issues (Drake, Seton Hall and Southern Cal). After being cleared to resume play, the Hawkeyes travelled to Duke and suffered a 64-79 loss. Lisa Bluder summed it up:

“We missed three games that were supposed to prep us for this team. This is not an Iowa performance that we are proud of and we need to regroup because we open up Big Ten play on Sunday.”

The Hawkeyes regrouped and opened big ten play by defeating Michigan State before a trip to Ames, Iowa. The Hawks entered the Cy Hawk game with a five game winning streak over Iowa State, but fell 70-77 to the Cyclones. Clark finished with 26 points and 7 rebounds; but was 4-12 from three and committed 6 turnovers.

The Hawkeyes returned to Iowa City to defeat Central Florida. But that was followed by a home loss to IUPUI 73-74. The Hawks (4-22 from three) were out gunned from beyond the arc by the Jaguars (10-27 from three). Clark had 19 points while going 1-7 from three. Lisa Bluder was disappointed as the Christmas break approached:

“I would rather be together after a situation like this. It’s tough with everyone leaving to go home. Everyone is going separate ways. What you want to do as a player gets in the gym after a situation like this. Now we are going to have this break, so we don’t get to be back together until the 26th.”

The break ended but the games didn’t start. Penn State and Illinois were cancelled because of covid issues within those two programs. Iowa emergency scheduled a win over Evansville to replace the Illinois game; but it didn’t appear to prepare the Hawks for Northwestern. Tied 66 all with 2:54 remaining, the Wildcats left Iowa City with a 69-77 win.

It has not been smooth sailing for the 10-4 (4-1 conference) Hawkeyes. Iowa opened B1G play with a favorable schedule. As entertaining as the Nebraska games were, the Huskers are not Maryland or Michigan or Indiana.

NOT THIS SEASON

Last season Iowa lived up to their reputation as three-point gunners. The Hawkeyes led the Big Ten Conference stats flushing 10.4 three per game. They also led the league in percentage at .428%. This season after five games they are 10th in the conference in both made threes per game (5.8) and percentage (.302). Caitlin Clark is the biggest reason for the decline. Clark finished last season hitting .406% (116-286) of her threes. This season she’s only hitting at a .227 clip (27-119). Undeterred, Clark still leads the nation in scoring with 25.6 points per game. And the Hawkeyes defeated Purdue even though Iowa shot 0-15 from beyond the arc.

In December Lisa Bluder said:

“We’re not shooting the three well, and I can’t explain it. I watch film and I see, ‘Ah, maybe we have three or four bad ones,’ but for the most part, they’re pretty good. They’re threes that we make in practice. So, it’s frustrating because I don’t want it to get to them mentally. We are a good 3-shooting team, we’re just not showing it this year. And I have to believe that we’re going to get back there. I just, I have to.”

It still applies.

LAST MEETINGS AND BAD THIRD QUARTERS

Iowa holds a five-game winning streak over Minnesota. Two of those wins were last season and both featured 3rd quarter runs by the Hawkeyes. In the first game at Williams Arena, Minnesota led 48-38 at the half. Iowa dominated the third quarter outscoring the Gophers 30-13 on the way to a 92-72 win. Caitlin Clark, in 32 minutes, was outstanding with 37 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Kadi Sissoko led the Gophers with 20 points and 11 rebounds in 34 minutes.

The second meeting in Iowa City wasn’t as close. Iowa led 47-41 at the half before a 16-2 run enabled the Hawkeyes to outscore Minnesota 28-8 in the 3rd quarter. It became a 94-68 Iowa win. Caitlin Clark had 22 points and 11 assists in 27 minutes. Monika Czinano scored 23 points in 26 minutes. And McKenna Warnock posted 11 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes. The Gophers had to work longer. Sara Scalia scored 16 in 37 minutes and Jasmine Powell 12 points in 35 minutes.

DON’T FOUL THE HAWKEYES

As a team they bury .867% of their free throws (229-264)

THE STARTING FIVE

Caitlin Clark: Just a reminder of how good her freshman season was: Led the nation in assists (214), field goals made (266), final points (799), points per game (26.6), 3-pointers attempted (286), and 3-pointers made (116). Finished in second in the nation in assists per game (7.1), 3-pointers per game (3.87), and field goal attempts (564). Ranked seventh nationally in free throws made (151), 13th in free throw attempts (176), and 32nd in free throw percentage (86.8)

Monika Czinano: Just a reminder of how good her junior season was: Ranked No. 1 nationally in field goal percentage (66.8). Ranked No. 2 nationally in field goals made (254). Scored a total of 578 points which ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference behind teammate Caitlyn Clark

The versatile McKenna Warnock fills in any gaps left by Clark and Czinano. She presents her own problem for opposing defenders. Against Michigan State she scored 21 points (3-5 from three) and grabbed 6 rebounds. Warnock had an even more impressive outing in the first Nebraska game with 23 points and 10 rebounds. She was 7-9 from three. Warnock hits .439% of her threes.

Lisa Bluder referred to 6’0” redshirt junior Kate Martin as “the glue” holding the Hawkeyes together. Martin averages 7.1 points per game and know when to stay out of Clark’s way.

5’9” junior guard Gabbie Marshall plays 30 minutes per game and is second in steals behind Clark.

Here’s hoping the Hawkeyes will not have pleasurable visit to Williams Arena on Thursday night.


IOWA B1G RECORD (4-1):

Wins: Michigan State 88-61, @ Nebraska 95-86, @ Purdue 79-66 and Nebraska 93-83

Loss: Northwestern 69-77



Caitlin Clark’s Almost Last Six Big Ten Games:

TeamPtsRebAsstMinFoul
Michigan State241012323
Iowa State2645393
Northwestern3035382
Nebraska31812401
Purdue2489383
Nebraska311010362


Monika Czinano’s Almost Last Six Big Ten Games:

TeamPtsRebAsstMinFoul
Michigan State1970245
Iowa State1345304
Northwestern2063272
Nebraska2052324
Purdue2781345
Nebraska3160342


Probable Starters:

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
6’0”GSoCailin Clark34.225.68.2
6’3”F/CSrMonika Czinano28.419.85.5
6’1”G/FJrMcKenna Warnock31.612.57.9
6’0”GRJrKate Martin27.57.14.2
5’9”GJrGabbie Marshall30.11.66.7


Others:

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
6’0”GSoKylie Feuerbach16.06.71.6
6’4”CFrAddison O’Grady9.63.42.9
5’10”GSrTomi Taiwo13.83.01.4
5’11”GFrSydney Affolter10.02.32.0
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iowa.rivals.com

The week ahead in Iowa women's hoops

The Hawkeyes will face a pair of Big Ten teams that are in the lower half of the conference standings, allowing the
iowa.rivals.com iowa.rivals.com

Hawkeye Report previews the Gophers:

Previewing the Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-9) (2-4) (Thursday, January 20th)

The Golden Gophers come in to this matchup having faced eight teams that are projected in the current NCAA Tournament field, with a record of 1-7. However, three losses were by eight points or less and they trailed Michigan by just four points after three quarters before losing by 12.

There are a few things that stand out with this Minnesota squad, and it starts with their 3pt shooting. The Gophers are shooting 37.9% from behind the arc, which is good enough for 11th best in the nation and are led by junior G Sara Scalia, who leads the team with 54 3pt makes on the season.

(Sara) Scalia is an unbelievable 3pt shooter,” said Lisa Bluder. “They do such a good job with their ball screens, and they create those spot up 3pt shots off of that… When you are a 3pt shooting team like they are, you are never out of games.”

The other point that pops off the page for Minnesota is that 10 players average 10 minutes per game, and they have several players that average in double figures in scoring.

“They have four people in double figures, so they are very balanced and anytime you have that kind balance, teams are harder to guard,” said Bluder.

They are led by the aforementioned G Sara Scalia, who averages 15.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, while G Jasmine Powell averages 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.

“Jasmine Powell is an outstanding point guard (and has) been around the league for a long time. I feel like she’s older than a junior,” said Bluder. “(She is) so, explosive off the dribble.”

North Carolina A&T transfer G Deja Winters has fit in nicely with the Gophers and has been a starter since mid-November. Winters averages 11.5 points per game and she leads the team with a 43.8% from behind the 3pt line. Wrapping up the quartet of scorers is F Kadi Sissoko, who averages 11.1 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game. Sissoko and F Allana Micheaux are the top two threats to grab offensive rebounds averaging close to 4.5 per game.

While the Gophers have the weapons to put up points to keep games close, their defense has struggled in a couple of categories that may allow the Hawkeyes to do what they do best and that’s get out and score the basketball.

Minnesota ranks 255th in FG% allowed, allowing opponents to convert 41.4% of their shots. On top of that, they are near the bottom in the country forcing turnovers, as their opponents give it up just 13.9 times per game. That ranks 308th out of 348 teams in D1 basketball.

If the Hawkeyes can defend the Gophers 3pt shooting well enough to keep them from gaining confidence early in the game, the Minnesota defense will give Iowa plenty of opportunities to get a comfortable win on the road at Williams Arena
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As a Minnesota resident for decades and an ISU alumni I am supposed to hate the Hawks but recently they have been harder to hate and entertaining to watch if you don't have a dog in the fight (like for me when they are not playing ISU or the Gophers).

Watched their last two games versus the Huskers and they seem to be righting their ship a little after not playing up to expectations early. They pretty much returned everyone from their Sweet Sixteen team. Huskers are pretty decent and their freshman post is coming on so those were good wins. Maybe just me but looks like the Hawks experiment in playing better defense has gone by the wayside and they are just looking to outscore opponents with all offense.

Clarks antics on court can be off putting at times to opponent fans but I sort of write that off as her being uber competitive. Surprising stat is she is shooting 23% from three after shooting 41% last year (and from all of those crazy distances well beyond the line). She had a triple double Sunday and only nitpick would be a few too many turnovers, mostly trying to force the ball inside to Monika C. She is a high risk high reward player, no doubt.

This is a game I'd ordinarily like to attend but with the current Covid wildfire I'm not personally comfy in a big crowd right now. Probably tune into the Maryland game first. Was pretty surprised how they got thumped so bad last weekend by Michigan. That was a rout.
 

Our loss against OSU does not look quite as bad as they take down MD tonight. We were sleep walking through the first few minutes as IO. goes up tempo.
 

Playing way to off of Clark first half. We need a PG, our offense gets stuck and bogged down, not good when you already don’t play defense. We just lack a go to player when teams make their runs, although Winters is applying for the job.
 


Powell is obviously in the doghouse. And Rose appears to be puking or dry heaving on the bench.
 

Been home 5 minutes, turn it on to watch the Hawkeyes go off. We suck defensively, nobody moves their feet, we lollygag back on defense. And to compound matters, we brick open threes. It’s bad when on the last play their center beats everyone down the floor from our team except Scalia who had a head start because the ball was turned over right in front of her at the top of the key.
 

I really am not a particularly negative fan but damn... Time for some Australian Open
 






Haha, getting beat by 50, what a joke! Pathetic show on the floor, I like Coach but I’m beginning to think she was a great player but it’s not happening on the coaching side of things. She needs an intervention from Coach Reeves or something.
 




Absolutely no excuse for what‘s going on . Put the bench players in, this is ridiculous. I Whalen doesn’t improve with the the class she has coming in next year. She needs to go. I don’t think she has a clue as to what’s going on.
 



Bluder keeping Clark and Monkia in.. up 50.. was super classless and very poor sportsmanship.. also temping the basketball gods... ask Geno about that one...
 


Roland Brooks said:
Coyle and Whalen should be having a post game chat… simply him asking wth is going on…
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Yep
What happened tonight is a Dan Monson moment when you realize the team has quit on you.
I really wish Whalen was as good a coach as she was a player, but this experiment is over.
 


Did we make any adjustments or at least try a different look?
Why not mix a zone in?
Just try something different?
The sub pattern was unique, deja came out 2 min into the game.
Not sure if Powell was in doghouse, i didn't see anything out of the ordinary with her
 

Outsider said:
Been home 5 minutes, turn it on to watch the Hawkeyes go off. We suck defensively, nobody moves their feet, we lollygag back on defense. And to compound matters, we brick open threes. It’s bad when on the last play their center beats everyone down the floor from our team except Scalia who had a head start because the ball was turned over right in front of her at the top of the key.
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I had the same thoughts Larry. "They lollygag on defense." "They lallygag on offense." "You know what that makes them, Larry?" "Lollygaggers!"

My apology to Bull Durham.
 

With Bueckers injured, Clark is easily the best women's basketball player in the country. It is not even close.
 


I'd like to know what Lisa Bluder said In the Iowa pre-game huddle, while the Gophers were being introduce. She seemed way more animated than usual. The Hawkeyes sure came out ready to play. Although, they did miss a flurry of layups in the first quarter that kept the Gophers in touch.

I enjoyed the interaction between Bluder and Clark as they worked to get the triple double. It was also funny seeing Bluder stare at the scorer until the 10th assist was posted. Then, before she could call time out for the sub, Clark got another assist.
 

LakevilleBro said:
With Bueckers injured, Clark is easily the best women's basketball player in the country. It is not even close.
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Hard, even as a rival, to dislike her after you listen to some of her interviews like the courtside one after the game. A lot of stuff she says about people not liking women players with swagger is spot on. She is good for WBB.

Regarding the Gophers, damn, don't even know what to say. Earlier games versus a good Nebraska team and Michigan, even though losses, were at least promising that things would be way better than this.
 


As a season ticket holder, this is getting more painful to watch by the game. Whalen is in over her head, and her supporting staff doesn't seem to be very helpful either. Players appeared to completely give up. Truly sad to watch. A quote from Scalia in the Pioneer Press is pretty telling: “I mean, you can kind of tell we’re not playing connected, and sometimes not really for each other,” the junior from Stillwater said. “The biggest thing is just getting everyone on the same page and at least giving 100 percent effort.”

Something needs to change, and quickly. As prolific of a player as she was, it is becoming clear that Whalen is not fit to coach. Good class coming in next year, but they still need to be coached... it'll be hard to do, but replacing Whalen is the right thing to do.
 

MNGophers3 said:
As a season ticket holder, this is getting more painful to watch by the game. Whalen is in over her head, and her supporting staff doesn't seem to be very helpful either. Players appeared to completely give up. Truly sad to watch. A quote from Scalia in the Pioneer Press is pretty telling: “I mean, you can kind of tell we’re not playing connected, and sometimes not really for each other,” the junior from Stillwater said. “The biggest thing is just getting everyone on the same page and at least giving 100 percent effort.”

Something needs to change, and quickly. As prolific of a player as she was, it is becoming clear that Whalen is not fit to coach. Good class coming in next year, but they still need to be coached... it'll be hard to do, but replacing Whalen is the right thing to do.
Click to expand...
Spot on. As a long time STH also, I was pretty deflated after watching this game. There needs to be a change. I am excited about the incoming class but if the coaching is the same...
 


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