Preseason Sweet 16: Iowa Hawkeyes
Editor's note: With the men's college basketball season starting to ramp back up, Yahoo! Sports analyst Clark Kellogg picks the teams he thinks have the best shot at making it to the Sweet 16 in 2006.
Each pick is listed alphabetically. Check back during the week for his latest selections.
Other Sweet 16 teams:
Arizona | Boston College | Connecticut | Duke | Gonzaga | Kentucky | Louisville
Michigan St. | Nevada | Oklahoma | Stanford | Texas | Villanova | Wake Forest | West Virginia
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Iowa Hawkeyes
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The Hawkeyes endured a roller coaster of a season last year. During a 12-1 start, which included impressive wins over Louisville, Texas, Iowa St. and Texas Tech, the Hawkeyes averaged 81 ppg. That was followed by a 4-9 stretch where the Hawkeyes averaged just 67 ppg. Then a 5-1 finish helped Iowa earn a 10 seed in the NCAA tournament, but a first-round loss to Cincinnati brought their momentum to a halt.
A significant factor that contributed to Iowa's turbulent season was the play (and suspension) of Pierre Pierce, the team's most talented player and its leading scorer. With Pierce in the lineup the Hawkeyes were 15-5 and averaged close to 80 ppg. In the 13 games without him, they were 6-7 and averaged just 66 ppg, and Pierce's uncertain status undoubtedly was a distraction. I should mention here that Pierce was sentenced on October 28 to two years in prison for assaulting his former girlfriend.
But this year should be different for Iowa. All five starters from the second half of last season are returning and all are talented upperclassmen. Greg Brunner, a versatile double-double guy, led the team in rebounding and was second in scoring. Erek Hansen is an agile, mobile shot blocker. Jeff Horner and Adam Haluska are combo guards who handle the ball well, are good outside shooters and have good size, and Mike Henderson provides winning intangibles. Off the bench, the trio of Carlton Reed, Doug Thomas and Alex Thompson provide solid contributions.
Last year's squad struggled at times on the defensive end and on the glass. As a result, easy points were hard to come by. But with the experience and talent on this year's team, those problem areas should be much improved.
The offensive firepower is there in terms of savvy, shooting and versatility, but whether the Hawkeyes can develop a consistent low post scorer and find someone who can penetrate off the dribble remains to be seen.
Last season's adversity, coupled with the Hawkeyes' strong finish, has provided the foundation for this senior-laden team to be a force in the Big Ten. They are hungry and focused, and if the question marks are answered, a Big Ten title and long tournament run are possible.