AP Photo/Darron Cummings---------------------------------------
The Wolverines strengthened their NCAA Tournament chances by putting a whoopin' on the Hawkeyes, 73-45 Thursday afternoon.
The only stat you need to know about this game: Michigan shot 59.2 percent from the field to Iowa's 33.3 percent. Enough said.
Iowa entered the game as the underdog, so the loss wasn't entirely unexpected. But many thought the Hawkeyes could at least compete with a team they defeated in overtime in their last meeting. Any time your team completely lays an egg you have to be frustrated.
"We ran into a team that -- we just couldn't challenge them," head coach Todd Lickliter said at his post game press conference. "It started off early. And just it was one of those things where we didn't have an answer for them defensively."
The loss signals a frustrating end to a difficult season for Iowa. It lost seven games by six points or less and battled injuries to key players like Cyrus Tate, Jeff Peterson and Jermain Davis and an academic casualty in Anthony Tucker.
The key question: where does the program go from here?
While Thursday's game did nothing to hint at any progress, the Hawkeyes were clearly better than the team Lickliter fielded in his first season. The head man talked about the direction of the program following the blowout loss.
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"We've made progress," Lickliter said. "And you're never satisfied until you've reached your goals. And there's a lot of contributing factors to getting a program to a championship level. And we're working diligently within the program to make those things happen.
"I told the guys today, afterwards, that they had fought hard almost all year. And that's a big step. I think they've laid a foundation, and if you're not winning, then you sure better be getting ready to win. So much of that is approach. So much of that is competitive spirit, as wanting to be coached. Personnel. Things of that nature."
(Read the full post game transcript)
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Optimistic Hawkeye fans certainly can hang their hat on Iowa's youth. Cyrus Tate is the only significant contributor departing. Iowa will look to build around a nuclues of Jake Kelly, Matt Gatens, Jeff Peterson and Jarryd Cole.
More post season coverage and analysis will come over the next few weeks as Iowa looks to turn the page and return to glory. I'll take a look at what may be in store in year three of the Lickliter era.
Even though this year was hard to watch most of the time, I am excited about the prospect of watching Kelly, Gatens, Peterson, and Cole, all with experience, next season.
ReplyDeleteDo you think if Iowa continues losing, especially in Big Ten play next year, how loud will the murmors be for Lickliter's head?
I have to agree with Sean, the way the team ended the regular season (looking fairly strong and finishing of opponents) gives me great hopes for next year. Unfortunately, the Hawks reverted back to the same team at the beginning of the Big 10 season,unravelling at all aspects of the game. One big guy and one other guy like Gatens and Iowa jumps to the middle of the pack in the Big 10. We land one super athletic guy, we are competing Top 3.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog!