JS: So this year what is a main strength of this year’s Hawkeyes team?
AW: Their three-point shooting. Their overall three-point shooting percentage is ranked 92nd in the nation at 36.1%, but they have four guys hitting over 38% from three. The only issue that they can be streaky. It’s either everything is falling or nothing is falling. Against Michigan, they couldn’t hit a three to save their life. They got blown out.
JS: Who is the player BearcatNation should be checking for in Friday’s game?
AW: I’ve been touting Jordan Bohannon as the main guy who could carry this Hawks team far if he plays well, but I think if Luka Garza gets going that is scary for the Bearcats. At 6’11’’, his game is more European than a traditional big man. He can shoot the three, and he has developed a nice array of back to the basket moves. Despite his size, he can work well in confined spaces down low and he is an excellent passer so if he gets going it causes teams to collapse on him, in which case he will pop it out to any of Iowa’s open three-point shooters.
JS: Playing at Nationwide Arena during Big Ten play.. is that an advantage for the Hawkeyes?
AW: Not in the slightest. This team is not very good on the road. That’s the biggest concern I have about this game is that Cincinnati is essentially getting a home game. Last season, Iowa didn’t win a single game on the road. This year they fixed that a little but still had their struggles.
JS: Does the current team care about the past record against the Bearcats?
AW: Not at all. It’s something I noted in a few articles as more of a historical side note, but Cincinnati is historically more of a basketball school than Iowa is. These two teams haven’t played in 14 years. Most of these kids weren’t even in grade school yet. I think the more interesting thing is that these two teams face each other next year in the regular season non-conference schedule at the United Center. Could be a fun two games!
JS: What kind of pace does the Hawkeyes have to play at to be successful against this rugged Bearcats defense?
AW: Iowa likes to move. If they play at Cincinnati’s pace, it concerns me because if they aren’t hitting their shots, it could quickly be a 10 to 15-point gap. That’s part of the reason why the Hawk’s defense struggles is because offensively, they play at a high pace. Their average possession length is in the top 15% lowest in the nation.
JS: Do you have a prediction for Friday’s game?
AW: This game is probably one of the more interesting matchups Iowa could have gotten. I think on paper they match up incredibly well versus Cincinnati. They struggle with strong offensive teams and strong three-point shooting teams, and it doesn’t appear that this is a strength of the Bearcats. As long as Cincinnati doesn’t get hot from downtown, I think Iowa can solidly win this game.
