The Iowa Men’s basketball team was +9 on the offensive glass against Illinois and they turned the ball over just nine times to Illinois’ 11. Iowa also made just two fewer free throws than did Illinois, they had seven more shot attempts and the game was played at home.
In looking at those raw numbers, I would have predicted an Iowa win by more than six points. However, the Hawks were just 16 of 54 from the floor, which included 28 three point attempts, and they lost 57-49.
It’s just that kind of year for Iowa, a team that really never looked in synch offensively much of the night.
Matt Gatens led Iowa with 12 points while Jarryd Cole had 10. Aaron Fuller six and grabbed a team high nine rebounds. Gatens also had six assists.
John Lickliter played six minutes, the other 34 belonging to Cully Payne, although Payne struggled mightily with his offense, badly missing two separate three point attempts that failed to draw iron. What those shots did draw was a chorous of ‘AIR-BALL!’ chants from the close to 200 Illinois students that made the trip to Champaign and sat in unison behind the Iowa basket in the second half.
I asked some media members who were at the game if there were more Iowa or Illinois students in attendance. Their answer: ‘Too close to call’
Another question that probably deserves an answer is why would the Iowa ticket office sell a block of tickets that large to an out of state group? The easy and snarky answer is that they were probably elated to have that much interest from any zip code.
Next up for Iowa is a game at Columbus, Ohio on Saturday to take on the ranked Buckeyes. Tip off is at 11:00am.
Tags: Hawkeye Basketball
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It was revealed after the game that Cully was ill. Not that anyone cares. We still lost, I guess. We played well enough to win but didn’t shoot well enough to win.
“Another question that probably deserves an answer is why would the Iowa ticket office sell a block of tickets that large to an out of state group?”
Come on. Really? Is this honestly a question that’s still being asked in college athletics today? The answer is simple. Because it’s a business. If anybody has problems with this, at least limit your rantings to the fan base not buying tickets. I fail to see any problem with any university selling tickets to anybody. If Illinois sold out Carver Hawkeye, I would in no way be upset with the University of Iowa for allowing it to happen. And if you do rant that the U of I should not be selling tickets to opposing fans, then don’t gripe when Minnesota takes measures to keep Iowa fans out of its stadium.
I don’t think Jon has a problem with the ticket office selling the seats to Illannoy fans, I think the real question is why the seats right behind the home basket for the second half.
Sell them the seats in the upper reachs but right behind the basket is really questionable.
I agree that the attendance issue is 50% lack of success, and 50% undesirable to watch basketball. In the 80’s and 90’s I would plan my week around watching the Hawks on TV, now there are games I miss, and it doesn’t really affect me. Consider this. Bowlsby keeps Dr. Tom, he coaches Iowa another 5-6 years, included in that time frame would have been 2 years of Dean Oliver, 3 years of Joey Range and 4 years of Nick Collison. Probably would have finished upper big ten, made NCAA tourney most years. Possibly another sweet 16 run. We then could have transitioned to maybe Bruce Pearl, or at the worse, Keno Davis. Keno would have kept his fathers pressing style. Keno would currently be in about his 5th or 6th year at Iowa. Alford buried this program in many different fronts.