If Alford can do it, so can Fran McCaffery
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Say what you want about Steve Alford’s performance as the Iowa men’s basketball coach because it left much to be desired.
But he deserves credit for one thing.
Alford had a knack for winning games in the Big Ten Tournament.
He had a knack for getting teams that would under-achieve during the regular season to over-achieve during the conference tournament. Iowa won its only two Big Ten Tournament titles under Alford in 2001 and 2006, and also finished runner-up in 2002.
Current Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery hasn’t come close to having that same level of success, considering Iowa’s record is just 2-5 under McCaffery at the Big Ten Tournament.
Iowa has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the past two seasons, but hasn’t made it past the first game in the conference tournament, losing to Penn State last season and to Northwestern in 2014.
The Hawkeyes, with records of 21-9 overall and 12-6 in the Big Ten, are a virtual lock to make the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season no matter what happens in the conference tournament.
But the conference tournament will determine if Iowa limps into March Madness as a six- or seven-seed and gets shipped off to a faraway place like Tacoma, Wash., or Providence, R.I., or if Iowa gets on a roll and lands in Des Moines as a fourth seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Iowa would have to be seeded fourth or higher in the NCAA Tournament to secure a spot in Des Moines.
A 1-1 record in the Big Ten Tournament probably wouldn’t be enough to accomplish that. A 2-1 record might not be enough.
So it’s time for the Hawkeyes to make their first deep run in the conference tournament under McCaffery.
Not only is it time, but the circumstances also suggest that Iowa needs to win now with four seniors in the starting lineup.
There still is reason to be concerned with Iowa having lost four of its last five games. But it’s important that Iowa won its most recent game, and did so away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Iowa’s 71-61 victory at Michigan last Saturday has helped to restore faith in the team. The Hawkeyes also performed well in the second half against Big Ten regular-season champion Indiana last Tuesday, erasing a 14-point deficit before losing 81-78 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
So that’s three consecutive halves in which Iowa has performed at a high level.
Iowa could potentially face Purdue in the second game on Friday. The Boilermakers hardly are a pushover, considering their massive frontline. But they struggle to shoot from the perimeter, which can be costly in the postseason.
Iowa also defeated Purdue twice during the regular season by scores of 70-63 in West Lafayette, Ind., and 83-71 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Confidence shouldn’t be a problem for Iowa, although, you worry about the challenge of trying to defeat a team three times in the same season.
That would be the challenge should Iowa face Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament.
Indiana is the regular-season champion, but the Spartans are more likely to make a deep run in the both postseason tournaments because they play better defense, don’t rely as much on the 3-point shot and have Tom Izzo leading the way as head coach.
Not to take anything away from Iowa’s regular-sweep of the Spartans, but star guard Denzel Valentine didn’t play in the first game because of a knee injury and he still was rounding into shape in the second game.
But the Hawkeyes also have shown they can beat just about anybody when they play up to their vast potential.
Senior starters Jarrod Uthoff, Adam Woodbury, Mike Gesell and Anthony Clemmons have led Iowa’s resurgence under McCaffery perhaps more than any other players. They’ve won at least 20 games in four consecutive seasons, and last season they helped Iowa win an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 2001.
But the seniors are just 1-3 in the Big Ten Tournament. Now would be a good time to improve on that record, with a short and convenient trip to Des Moines possibly on the line.
Iowa has a 2-5 record under Fran McCaffery at the Big Ten Tournament
2015 – L Penn State, 67-58
2014 – L Northwestern, 67-62
2013 – W Northwestern, 73-59; L Michigan State, 59-56
2012 – W Illinois 64-61; L Michigan State, 92-75
2011 – L Michigan State, 66-61