iowa

[mutrainer71]

Check out the MSU/Iowa score at Halftime boys and girls.  Maybe that loss wasn't so bad with hind sight.

[PGsHeroes32]

When they are on they are very solid. But can be erratic.

There trouble is closing out games(odd as a senior team)

Also, valentine is out so msu really didn't have much of a chance to actually win. A blowout is impressive though.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Izzo's dad died today, too.

I have Iowa #3 in the Big Ten.  It was never a bad thing losing to them, if anything it was a nice wake up call for the kids.

[MuMark]

It wasn't the loss that was bad....it was how bad we looked losing.

[MUsoxfan]

It wasn't the loss that was bad....it was how bad we looked losing.

True. But nobody will remember in March

[MU82]

Iowa is a very good team. We knew that.

Sparty is without its best player. I mean, how would we have done against Iowa WITHOUT Henry? We did so well with him!

[PGsHeroes32]

Izzo's dad died today, too.

I have Iowa #3 in the Big Ten.  It was never a bad thing losing to them, if anything it was a nice wake up call for the kids.

Doubt it. There schedule is deadly.

Don't see them ahead of MSU, Maryland or Purdue.

They will compete with the mid pack.

[wadesworld]

Doubt it. There schedule is deadly.

Don't see them ahead of MSU, Maryland or Purdue.

They will compete with the mid pack.

Purdue is overrated, in my opinion. No guards and the bigs are mainly just tall. For this season alone I'd take Iowa's front court over Purdue's, and I'd absolutely take their guards over Purdue's.

[Jay Bee]

From September 9, in the prediction thread....

Iowa is very good and has lots of experience at the top of their lineup

Don't sleep on Dale Jones either (Jimmy & Joe's JUCO).

Uthoff, Woodbury, Gesell, Clemmons all seniors with experience...

Jok and Uhl have gotten a good taste.

My boi Andrew Fleming comes into the fold this year as a frosh..

...oh yeah, and Brady.

Tough team. If they stay healthy they can impress in the Big Ten.

Iowa's quite good and **elderly**, which is a good thing.

Most had them at #7 and #9 in the Big Ten before this season started. That was a miss by the masses.

[Lennys Tap]

Izzo's dad died today, too.

I have Iowa #3 in the Big Ten.  It was never a bad thing losing to them, if anything it was a nice wake up call for the kids.

Where do you "have" Indiana? Four year starter and MCD AA at the point (most important position), two other MCD AAs and assorted 4 stars plus the easiest schedule in the BIG (in a decidedly down year for the conference). Anything short of a top three finish would be a disaster.

[jficke13]

Where do you "have" Indiana? Four year starter and MCD AA at the point (most important position), two other MCD AAs and assorted 4 stars plus the easiest schedule in the BIG (in a decidedly down year for the conference). Anything short of a top three finish would be a disaster.

Not a chance they finish that high. They have an historically bad defense. Middle of the pack finish for them.

[Lennys Tap]

Not a chance they finish that high. They have an historically bad defense. Middle of the pack finish for them.

I certainly hope you're right - but their schedule is sooooo easy. They play the top three teams (MSU, Maryland and Purdue) only one time and two of those games are at home. Their 5 "home and aways" are against Minnesota (horrible), Illinois (terrible), Nebraska (really bad), Wisconsin (mediocre to bad) and Iowa (good) - IU will be favored in 9 of those 10 games. Big favorites at home versus Ohio State and Northwestern, big favorites on the road against Penn State and Rutgers. Small chalk at home vs Purdue and Maryland. They'll be dogs 3 times - At Iowa, at Michigan and at Michigan State. Even if they underperform (I think they will) 12 or 13 wins should be a cakewalk.

[jficke13]

I certainly hope you're right - but their schedule is sooooo easy. They play the top three teams (MSU, Maryland and Purdue) only one time and two of those games are at home. Their 5 "home and aways" are against Minnesota (horrible), Illinois (terrible), Nebraska (really bad), Wisconsin (mediocre to bad) and Iowa (good) - IU will be favored in 9 of those 10 games. Big favorites at home versus Ohio State and Northwestern, big favorites on the road against Penn State and Rutgers. Small chalk at home vs Purdue and Maryland. They'll be dogs 3 times - At Iowa, at Michigan and at Michigan State. Even if they underperform (I think they will) 12 or 13 wins should be a cakewalk.

I guess I didn't bother to analyze their schedule. And, you're right, that is far from a murderer's row. The thing is, that I bet a few of those bad teams steal games against IU simply because IU won't be able to get stops when they need them. No advanced statistical analysis here, just my impression.

[Lennys Tap]

Hope you're right.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Doubt it. There schedule is deadly.

Don't see them ahead of MSU, Maryland or Purdue.

They will compete with the mid pack.

They do have a tough schedule, but I like their experience more than anything.  I think they are the 3rd best team in the conference, doesn't mean they will finish 3rd.  Much like the Old Big East with unbalanced schedule, there were times Uconn or others finished a little lower, but it was because of their schedule.  Just my two cents.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

They do have a tough schedule, but I like their experience more than anything.  I think they are the 3rd best team in the conference, doesn't mean they will finish 3rd.  Much like the Old Big East with unbalanced schedule, there were times Uconn or others finished a little lower, but it was because of their schedule.  Just my two cents.

That comment shows how good MU really was 07-13.

[ChicosBailBonds]

That comment shows how good MU really was 07-13.

05-13

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Remember when I thought Iowa was bad? Lol. I'll call myself out for being an idiot.

[Silkk the Shaka]

They do have a tough schedule, but I like their experience more than anything.  I think they are the 3rd best team in the conference, doesn't mean they will finish 3rd.  Much like the Old Big East with unbalanced schedule, there were times Uconn or others finished a little lower, but it was because of their schedule.  Just my two cents.

You were the dude that constantly trashed Buzz for his conference records, even when the imbalanced schedule was pointed out to you countless times. Just my two cents.

[ChicosBailBonds]

You were the dude that constantly trashed Buzz for his conference records, even when the imbalanced schedule was pointed out to you countless times. Just my two cents.

Excuse me?  I bashed him ONE YEAR for his conference record in the old Big East.  In the new Big East, you're damn right I did and so did many.  What a joke of a coaching job his last year was.  Reminded me of what I saw today with his team at home against West Virginia.

Otherwise, produce the evidence. The search function is alive and well.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Izzo's dad died today, too.

I have Iowa #3 in the Big Ten.  It was never a bad thing losing to them, if anything it was a nice wake up call for the kids.

I may have UNDERVALUED them.  Could be #1 in the Big Ten

[Jay Bee]

Reminder of how the crazy guy talked in September........

Iowa is very good and has lots of experience at the top of their lineup

Don't sleep on Dale Jones either (Jimmy & Joe's JUCO).

Uthoff, Woodbury, Gesell, Clemmons all seniors with experience...

Jok and Uhl have gotten a good taste.

My boi Andrew Fleming comes into the fold this year as a frosh..

...oh yeah, and Brady.

Tough team. If they stay healthy they can impress in the Big Ten.

Many had them at #9 in the Big Ten. Laughable and indicative of how bad major media prognosticators are.

(but I also had MSU as #1 in the Big Ten.. MSU, Iowa, Maryland)

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yea, #9 was ridiculous.  I had them at #3, but they are playing really well at this point. 

[MU82]

Iowa has good upperclassmen at every position, and a few on the bench, too. A couple of the starters are borderline elite. They play well together, do all the "little things," and plenty of the big things, as well. A very enjoyable team to watch.

In some respects, they are the ideal team for a coach: a bunch of upperclassmen who were not quite good enough to leave early for the NBA but are still very good college players. In that respect, they remind me a little of the Illinois team that went to the 2005 title game; they don't have a Deron Williams (who was a 3-year starter for Illinois), but they have a lot of good, intelligent players who know their roles.

[brandx]

Reminder of how the crazy guy talked in September........

Many had them at #9 in the Big Ten. Laughable and indicative of how bad major media prognosticators are.

Who had them at #9? I'll admit they have been better than I thought, but I thought they were a borderline top 25 team to start the season.