Game Awards: Iowa Basketball 69, Northern Iowa Panthers 46
Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
A look at who performed well and who didn’t in Iowa’s win over Northern Iowa
For the first time this season, Iowa basketball is on a three-game winning streak. The Hawkeyes easily defeated Northern Iowa on Saturday afternoon 69-46 to capture their sixth win of the season, bringing them to 6-5 on the year.
After a slow start that found Iowa down 5-4 over four minutes into the game, Iowa took off and did not look back. The Hawkeyes went on a 12-0 run to lead 17-4 and did not slow down the rest of the game.
Helped by dreadful shooting from Northern Iowa, that had them shooting 26.8 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from three in the game, the Hawkeyes dominated the first half. Iowa led 34-16 in arguably their best defensive half of the season.
Sure, Northern Iowa missing open threes helped the Hawkeyes, but they kept Jeremy Morgan in check and played with the same defensive intensity they played with against Iowa State. Plus, Iowa controlled the glass and out-rebounded the Panthers 43-29.
Northern Iowa had a better second half, but Iowa still out-scored them 35-30 and put in the end of their bench for the final four minutes.
Every starter finished with at least six points, and 10 players on Iowa scored on Saturday. They had a well-balanced attack, which helped them get to the basket often and control the Panthers on the other end.
Northern Iowa isn’t a bad team, but the Hawkeyes made them look like a bottom-dweller in the Missouri Valley Conference. Iowa got off to a slow start this season, however, if they continue to play with this defensive intensity, they’ll quickly turn their season around.
There aren’t a lot of negatives from a 23-point win, but here are the players of the game and a player who needs to be better moving forward.
Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Player Of The Game: Peter Jok
Iowa plays their best basketball when Peter Jok‘s shot is falling. On Saturday, it fell a lot, as Northern Iowa had no answer for the senior guard.
In the first half, he had 12 points and five rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting from the field. Jok finished with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting and 3-of-3 from behind the arc, to go along with eight rebounds in just 29 minutes.
When they would double-team Jok, he would make the smart play and pass it to an open shooter. He failed to record an assist but it’s mostly due to Iowa missing open looks or not being able to finish at the rim.
Although, when Northern Iowa played man-to-man, Jok went to work and could not be stopped with just one defender. Jok was shooting from Stephen Curry range on some of his threes, but his ability to get to the basket is what made him nearly unguardable.
It’s the first game he attempted fewer than seven threes this season. He didn’t settle for outside shots, even though he was making them with a hand in his face. Instead, Jok took his defender off the dribble and got into the lane.
Iowa and Peter Jok take a lot of threes, but showing they can be successful on offense by going to the basket is important. Jok proved why he’s arguably the best shooter in the nation, but he also showed his offensive game is more than shooting threes.
Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Bench Player Of The Game: Nicholas Baer
Since moving Nicholas Baer to the bench, the Hawkeyes are 3-0 and playing their best basketball of the season. Baer gives the Hawkeyes a spark plug off the bench, who they know will produce every game.
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Against Northern Iowa, Baer recorded the first double-double of his career with 11 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes. He only shot 1-of-7 from three, but he made all four of his two-point attempts, including when he put the entire Northern Iowa defense in the spin cycle for an easy layup.
Of course, Baer’s production goes way beyond the stat sheet. He’s always a reliable defender and hustles more than anyone on the court. On Saturday, it showed up on the stat sheet, as Baer also recorded three assists, two blocks and a steal.
In fact, Iowa went on a 12-0 run when Baer first entered the game. He recorded two points, three rebounds and two steals during the run and played tight defense on Jordan Ashton, who finished with zero points in 17 minutes.
Peter Jok’s amazing shots over defenders is what initially stands out, however Nicholas Baer had as big of an impact as anybody on Iowa in the first half. The Hawkeyes instantly played better when he entered the game, and it speaks to his hustle and all-around play that he brings.
Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Please Be Better: Brady Ellingson
No one on Iowa played terribly, but Brady Ellingson‘s cold streak continued, which is why he gets the Please Be Better honor.
He was one of five players to score off the bench against Northern Iowa, but Ellingson’s two points and a steal is telling of his lack of an impact. Plus, he had two turnovers and committed a foul in just 11 minutes.
Ellingson doesn’t need to score 23 points like he did against Savannah State earlier in the year, but he has to give Iowa some offensive production. He’s out there to be a scorer, but his only points came at the free-throw line. On a team that lacks scorers at times when Peter Jok and Cordell Pemsl both go to the bench, Ellingson has a chance to become an important rotational player.
Iowa’s win over Northern Iowa is far from the first time Ellingson has been non-existent on the court. He has just 30 points outside of his 23 point outburst in the second game of the season. Plus, he only has 18 points in the past seven games over 77 minutes.
As a result, his minutes have continued to go down, as he played just 11 minutes in Iowa’s blowout win. It will be interesting to see if Ellingson will stay in the rotation with Tyler Cook‘s return.
Ellingson is best when he’s aggressive and attacking the rim, but six games with one or zero shot attempts is telling of his lack of confidence on offense. He could give Iowa a big boost off the bench, but right now he doesn’t look like he should be a rotational player.
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