Iowa
- Thread starter zebnatto
- Start date
It’s crazy that we have now played 2 close games against them. The scary thing about Iowa is it’s really hard to put them away, in times of doubt they can just dish it inside to MG and she’ll score or get fouled. You basically have to be up by 3 possessions or more in the final minutes to get the win against them. So for that reason, I say yes if they avoid a 1 seed for a while I can see them in the elite 8/final 4. That also said, if we are anything but an 8 or 9 seed I can also see us making the sweet 16.
I think Iowa has a chance to win it all. (Not as good a chance as teams like ND or Baylor, but as much as teams like MS State or Oregon for example) They have improved their play on neutral courts and are very difficult to beat at home, where they will host the first two rounds. They need to have their supporting cast shoot well, especially from 3 as they did last night. RU's strategy of trying to stop Gustafson and make the others beat you was the right one, IMO, but the others stepped up and did just that. If they continue to step up, they will be a tough out for anyone.
I see them as a top ten team this season, and a contender. Until yesterday I thought they were just a bunch of three-point shooters and Gustaffson. But they really do have a lot of versatile, tough players...
Gustofson, Stewart, and Davis (the 5'3" quick as blazes guard) are all seniors. A couple of juniors play many minutes, All that experience helps.
Rutgers gave Iowa a better game than Maryland.
There are some top teams with bigs that Gustofson cannot push around.
I was amazed today when she was called for a foul when pushing the defender back with her backside.
Rutgers gave Iowa a better game than Maryland.
There are some top teams with bigs that Gustofson cannot push around.
I was amazed today when she was called for a foul when pushing the defender back with her backside.
Last edited:
RU played Iowa much tougher than MD
Although we had a bigger deficit at one point, we cut it to 3 twice, and only lost by 5.
MD lost by 14, and I don’t think they got closer than 10 in the 4th Q.
Last edited:
I actually like the Iowa team and players.
Before we played them, I assumed Gustafson always got the ticky tack calls in her favor.
Watching he play in 2 games, there was some of that.
But there is some of that in all women’s games (men’s, too, for that matter).
I think she is a nice girl (several times she went to help an opponent off the floor), she doesn’t seem obnoxious or arrogant, and is just a fierce competitor and great teammate.
I also really like their other big, and really like their 3 guards.
Play very hard and with a lot of emotion.
Hoping they win the whole tournament (or lose to us in finals).
:smiley:
Before we played them, I assumed Gustafson always got the ticky tack calls in her favor.
Watching he play in 2 games, there was some of that.
But there is some of that in all women’s games (men’s, too, for that matter).
I think she is a nice girl (several times she went to help an opponent off the floor), she doesn’t seem obnoxious or arrogant, and is just a fierce competitor and great teammate.
I also really like their other big, and really like their 3 guards.
Play very hard and with a lot of emotion.
Hoping they win the whole tournament (or lose to us in finals).
:smiley:
Yeah, I too have a lot more respect for Gustaffson and her game after watching more closely in the last half of the season. She is just a tremendous player and teammate. It's never fun watching my Terps getting their butts kicked, but I do like Iowa and hope they keep kicking it in the NCAAs.
Gustafson is really good - her awareness around the basket, especially. She's almost automatic from 5 or fewer feet out. Also a very smart player who can kick it out when the shot isn't there.
She definitely bullies defenders down there with her size, and then sometimes benefits from whistles when defenders try to body up on her. She gets that benefit much more at home, though.
Wishing her and the rest of the Iowa team the best in the tournament (so long as we aren't playing them again at any point). Will be happy to see a Gustafson-less Iowa team next year, though.
She definitely bullies defenders down there with her size, and then sometimes benefits from whistles when defenders try to body up on her. She gets that benefit much more at home, though.
Wishing her and the rest of the Iowa team the best in the tournament (so long as we aren't playing them again at any point). Will be happy to see a Gustafson-less Iowa team next year, though.
Watching her play, and how the game is called around her, reminds me of Tyler Hansbrough back in the ACC on the men's side. He was always in the thick of heavy rebounding battles, but it was always the other team that was fouling out players left and right as they went up against him.
But as you said, she's just a fantastic player and any favorable treatment she receives is incidental to that. She does take a physical beating every game and never seems to complain. I'd sign up for a few Megan Gustaffson's any day of the week.
