#6 Iowa vs #3 Rutgers - 3/11/21

[cancontent]

Probably so....but I didn't have another data point. During the game I couldn't believe how many wide-open 3-point looks Iowa got during the game. Rutgers looked confused on D--and they had already played Iowa, so that was surprising to me. Unfortunate that Rutgers had as many game cancellations as they did. As is the case in the NCAA Tournament, how each team matches up in the draw is most important.

When I think of it Rutgers season is similar to Oregon State's. Both teams had a long pause due to COVID and came out different and have won a lot of games. Rutgers has played well since coming back. In fairness, the offense you saw yesterday isn't representative of what they have done since getting back on the court.

Rutgers definitely were disconnected yesterday. I chalk that up to Iowa being better prepared for this game in comparison to their earlier match up, especially with Clark trying not to do most of the work on her own.

 

[bbsamjj]

RU lay a clunker yesterday; though credit to Iowa must be given (despite their lack of defense, they are a dangerous team who I would want no part of in the NCAAs). The B10's #2, #3, and #4 seeds all lost yesterday; bad day for the top seeds.

Diamond, as others have said, is fantastic, and would be getting a ton more attention if not for the fact that:

1. She plays in the same league as Caitlin Clark
2. RU didn't have a big pause in the meat of the season
3. She plays Robin to Arella's Batman. That changes next year.

 

[Matthew1589]

RU lay a clunker yesterday; though credit to Iowa must be given (despite their lack of defense, they are a dangerous team who I would want no part of in the NCAAs). The B10's #2, #3, and #4 seeds all lost yesterday; bad day for the top seeds.

Diamond, as others have said, is fantastic, and would be getting a ton more attention if not for the fact that:

1. She plays in the same league as Caitlin Clark
2. RU didn't have a big pause in the meat of the season
3. She plays Robin to Arella's Batman. That changes next year.

Diamond is a fun player to watch and will be interesting to see what she can do going forward. With Arella Guirantes likely moving on next year Diamond will be at the very top of teams scouting reports so it won't be any easier for her unless she gets some help.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Yes on Rutgers, ranked because of overrated coach. Iowa like Arkansas. also no defense. Rutgers too where was their vaunted defense?

Terrible Rutgers game. But they are not ranked because of their coach. I don't know the actual truth to the matter, but historically it has seemed that Rutgers gets disrespected because as many people do not like CVS as like her, plus Rutgers has a habit, especially lately, of underperforming at times.

Rutgers does have a very high NET ranking. Someone said it is based on good defense and good offense, generally, through the season, such as it was.

 

[bbsamjj]

It also should be noted that as bad as the RU defense was, Iowa scored 73 points, which is 14 points below their average and significantly fewer than the 85ppg they're otherwise averaging in the B10 tourney. RU's offense was just asleep for most of the first half.

 

[bbsamjj]

Diamond is a fun player to watch and will be interesting to see what she can do going forward. With Arella Guirantes likely moving on next year Diamond will be at the very top of teams scouting reports so it won't be any easier for her unless she gets some help.

I will say, while Diamond was far and away the best player in RU's highly ranked recruiting class, I'm pretty high on the others: Liz Martino, Sakima Walker, Chyna Cornwell, Erica LaFayette. They've all gotten spot time this year, but I think with a year under their belts, and more PT, they will develop nicely.

For RU to be successful next year, Zippy Broughton needs to stay healthy (before her injury, she was the starting PG, averaging around 11ppg and 4apg) and Tyia Singleton needs to continue her impressive development.

Also, who knows what the transfer class will bring/take this year.

 

[npignatjr]

Terrible Rutgers game. But they are not ranked because of their coach. I don't know the actual truth to the matter, but historically it has seemed that Rutgers gets disrespected because as many people do not like CVS as like her, plus Rutgers has a habit, especially lately, of underperforming at times.

Rutgers does have a very high NET ranking. Someone said it is based on good defense and good offense, generally, through the season, such as it was.

Viv has been fawned over for decades. I have watched them a few times this year, dozens of times overall, defense usually just like the old Pistons, the can't call all the fouls plan. Offense painful.

 

[loonsD]

Viv has been fawned over for decades. I have watched them a few times this year, dozens of times overall, defense usually just like the old Pistons, the can't call all the fouls plan. Offense painful.

She took Iowa to the final four as well before going to Rutgers, but those teams at Iowa also scored a ton of points. I don't love the style of play of her Rutgers teams over the last decade either, and it's infected both the men's and women's game - dare the refs to call a foul every time down and then complain about every call. I also think Rutgers should go ahead and hand the reigns to Diamond as she is really good!

Edit: Important to note that Rutgers wins games and were one of the hottest teams in the country coming into that game, so I don't want to downplay the effectiveness of what they are doing.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Viv has been fawned over for decades. I have watched them a few times this year, dozens of times overall, defense usually just like the old Pistons, the can't call all the fouls plan. Offense painful.

This year, the offense was not its usual painful self. Historically, I couldn't agree more on offense.

I have always tried to explain that it isn't "can't call all the fouls", it is "find the limit refs will tolerate, and play to it" as far as physical play. Obviously if there are too many fouls called, Rutgers loses. Always had, always will be that way when the offense is not highly productive. This season, I think fouls are down. Either the refs are letting them play (possible) or the RU players are better at playing tough defense and not fouling.

 

[bbsamjj]

During CVS's time at RU, often times the team is not high scoring, for one of two reasons:

1. RU's game plan is to slow the game down, limit possessions, force both teams to use majority of shot clock.
2. RU just hasn't been that good on offense.

Neither of those two things have been true this year. This year's RU team wants to press, speed you up, turn you over, and fast break. They averaged 75ppg, shot 47% from the field, 36.5% from 3-pt, and 76.5% FT. Arella and Diamond are one of the best offensive backcourts in the country.

Can they still put up a clunker on offense? For sure; see the last Iowa game (where as just one example, 90%FT shooter Guirantes shot 3-6 from FT line). Fouls actually were not a problem for either team; RU shot 10 FTs to Iowa's 9. No one from either team had more than 3 fouls.

Meanwhile, the reason RU was ranked has nothing to do with press fawning over CVS; but the fact that in a year where it's tough to find 25 teams in the top 25, RU had gone 9-0, including beating two teams in the top 25 (Northwestern, Ohio State).

 

[Skins87]

Rutgers had games with Maryland, Michigan, Indian and Iowa all cancelled during the regular season. The Big10 did themselves no favor by not having any of those games rescheduled as RU did not play an indicative schedule to warrant the #3 seed in the B10 Tournament. I also stand by my view that this conference is littered with teams from 26-40 in ranking. Other than Maryland, who may or may not be elite, I do not see any of these schools making it to the Sweet 16. Heck even Maryland given their recent flameouts in the NCAA could miss the S16 as their schedule shows no top 10 games with victories over overranked Michigan at #12, overranked tOSU at #14 and over #17 Arkansas with a loss to Missouri State. Yes, they have been dominating lately so who really knows about this team.

I understand your reluctance on Marylands recent tournament history. I definitely look forward to revisiting this after the tournament though...