Starting to get a little worried about the Iowa game… or maybe Drake isn’t that good.
*** 2025-26 ISU WBB Season Thread ***
- Thread starter BoxsterCy
- Start date
I think more the later…Drake isn’t good. That being said, our performance there will still tell us something about the team’s growth as they have their first road game experience.
I’ve been saying all along that Iowa would be good. They have an excellent coach and have been recruiting quite well. If our shooters have a cold night when they visit Hilton it will be a long and uncomfortable night. If we play our A game…or even B+…the Sisters should prevail.
Jan is not an "excellent coach" yet. She can be, but, she has to prove herself first. one season doesn't do that for me yet.
I think she’s an improvement over her predecessor. I also think she is the main reason from a coaching perspective for Iowa’s success over the last decade. Her (and her staff) recruiting has already shown one aspect of success.
I agree with you on the recruiting. She's killing that. I also think you are correct that she's a big part of Iowa's success, She very well could be better than Bluder, I just need to see more on floor, in game coaching before I say that.
Key is Ava Heiden in my opinion for our game vs them. She's been playing great since late last season and can outrun Crooks down the court. Her Achilles is her propensity to get in foul trouble with silly fouls and that is probably amplified guarding Crooks. She only played 12 minutes vs Drake but she and her freshman backup, Layla Hays, combined for 28 pts and 16 rbs. Hays had a double-double but only went 4-9 from the line.
On the opposite side I think our key is guard play…both scoring and making it difficult in their guards.
Next game up is Norfolk State on Sunday afternoon. Will it be another cakewalk? Here's what to know:
Norfolk State is 2-2 on the season with wins against District of Columbia and Virginia State. Their losses are to #12 Ole Miss (87-46) and #15 Duke (83-32). Their wins have been as lopsided as their losses.
Clinton (15.5), Clark (13.8) and Richardson (12) are all averaging in double digits.
Kweti is their leading rebounder at nearly 7 per game.
They average 20 free throws per game and make 74% overall.
They are out rebounded by an average of nine per game.
As a team they are shooting 20 percent from deep (15/75)
Their assist to turnover ratio is not good. Clark has 11 assists and 15 turnovers. Richardson has 7/14. Kweti has 5/11. Strangely their opponents have more turnovers than they do.
Norfolk State has double the number of steals (66) as their opponents (33). Richardson and Clinton are the primaries here.
Norfolk State is averaging 60 points per game and giving up 65.5.
How does that compare to ISU?
The ISU assist to turnover ratio is 2.25:1
ISU also averages 20 free throws per game. ISU is hitting 75%
ISU has been out rebounding its opponents 1.6:1
ISU is shooting 33% from deep.
ISU has a 3:2 steal ratio over their opponents.
ISU is averaging 91.5 points per game and giving up 44.5.
Norfolk State is 2-2 on the season with wins against District of Columbia and Virginia State. Their losses are to #12 Ole Miss (87-46) and #15 Duke (83-32). Their wins have been as lopsided as their losses.
Clinton (15.5), Clark (13.8) and Richardson (12) are all averaging in double digits.
Kweti is their leading rebounder at nearly 7 per game.
They average 20 free throws per game and make 74% overall.
They are out rebounded by an average of nine per game.
As a team they are shooting 20 percent from deep (15/75)
Their assist to turnover ratio is not good. Clark has 11 assists and 15 turnovers. Richardson has 7/14. Kweti has 5/11. Strangely their opponents have more turnovers than they do.
Norfolk State has double the number of steals (66) as their opponents (33). Richardson and Clinton are the primaries here.
Norfolk State is averaging 60 points per game and giving up 65.5.
How does that compare to ISU?
The ISU assist to turnover ratio is 2.25:1
ISU also averages 20 free throws per game. ISU is hitting 75%
ISU has been out rebounding its opponents 1.6:1
ISU is shooting 33% from deep.
ISU has a 3:2 steal ratio over their opponents.
ISU is averaging 91.5 points per game and giving up 44.5.
<Will it be another cakewalk?>
Probably. They were quite good last year versus their peers and went 17-0 in their conference season and tournament but they are losing by 40-50 points to our ranked team peers. They are shooting 35% from the field after four games, not from three but from the field. That's brutal.
Earlier in the season I had this one circled as interesting. They were ranked higher than Drake, but I think the metrics haven’t caught up to their reality.
Are those proverbial "bags of cash" in front of the signing table? Good to see ISU stepping up
I’m not going to be able to attend tomorrow’s game vs Norfolk State. If anyone would like my tickets send me a PM
It’s going to be tough to get the regular season title again. Baylor and TCU are good, one benefit we have is we only play them each once.
I’d rather it be tough than a gimme. Makes winning it all the better.
Well, sites are making things up about our amazing post player to generate clicks. This site has a series of articles just on Crooks with this one being the latest. To the best of my google skills there doesn’t appear to be any truth to it. Even the pic inside of kids isn’t from Iowa schools. 
ICYMI, TCU beat #10 NC State at Raleigh yesterday 69-59. They have a lot of length with two 6-7 post players in their rotation plus 6-3 Marta Suarez, a Cal transfer, and of course, Olivia Miles from ND, who is AA caliber.
We got them at Ft Worth on 2/22.
To me this looks WAY easier than when Baylor was in the running for a Final Four each year and dominating and before that, Oklahoma for a stretch. We do have a relatively easy schedule although I am not sure only playing Baylor and TCU once is an advantage if you want to win the conference title outright. Play head-to-head and you can earn wins and give them a loss and take the title. If you only play once you had better win that game.
