Notre Dame vs Iowa: 3 Things We Learned in Win Over Hawkeyes
Notre Dame moves to 7-0 after their win over Iowa. In a game that many anticipated the Fighting Irish to win, find out what Slap the Sign learned.
NotredameFightingirish92
For the first time all season, the Irish relied heavily on select players. In the backcourt, only three players contributed more than 10 minutes.
Many believe this was because of the strong guard play from Iowa’s Peter Jok. On the year, Jok averages 23.9 points per game and has been the most solid part of this Hawkeye team. The Irish had a lot of concern for Jok heading into the game. So it’s no surprise they kept their best players on him for extended periods of time.
Bonzie Colson had yet another impressive game. Colson is looking more and more like he should be a Naismith watch list player with his teammate, V.J. Beachem.
Leading the Irish in points and rebounds, Colson is quickly becoming the leader of this guard-heavily unit. How well he can keep his game up as they enter conference play is going to be huge in determining their success.
The Irish have two easy games remaining against North Carolina A&T and Fort Wayne before facing Villanova. Don’t sleep on Fort Wayne, though. The Mastodons are coming off a huge win against Indiana. Who, at the time, were ranked third in the country. Most people believe it was a fluke game on both ends, but you can never be too careful in college basketball.
As the Irish use these last three games to prepare for top 25 competition, we take a look at what we learned in their win over Iowa.
3. Bonzie Colson is Notre Dame’s Best Player
It’s only seven games into the season, but Bonzie Colson is quickly taking the 2016-2017 year by storm. His 24 points and 17 rebounds were season highs for Colson and the Irish.
Notre Dame came into the season with low expectations. Many believed this team would struggle all year and barely make the NCAA tournament. Although they are yet to play a ranked team, they’ve shown signs that they can dominate middle of the pack teams.
No one expected Colson to be the Irish’s fix in the paint. At 6’5″, Colson is a physical forward who many believed would contribute more with his scoring than his boards.
Colson has exploded, though. He’s averaging 18.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, leading Notre Dame in both categories. When the Irish play Villanova, Colson will be the biggest factor in the determining the outcome of the game.
The Fighting Irish need to continue giving Colson the lead down low and let players work around him. With the amount of talent in the backcourt, Colson should be the one players work off of, while the guards pick up the piece he cannot handle.
2. The Guards Stepping Up Against Jok
This was the first time all season that the Notre Dame backcourt faced a preeminent guard. Peter Jok is one of the most dynamic players in the Big Ten. His lack of help around him has cost Iowa some games, but at 3-4, Jok is just about all of that team’s success.
V.J. Beachem, Matt Farrell, and Steve Vasturia all played significant minutes. To guess, Mike Brey might have wanted to see how well his starters can play when they have top talent across from them.
They all stepped up, though. Jok finished with his second-lowest scoring total of the season, 15 points, and shot 4-20 from the field.
This wasn’t because of a bad shooting night. These guards put Jok through hell and back trying to stop him. Whether it was on the perimeter of the fast break, Notre Dame’s backcourt was right in his face the entire time.
On the offensive end, Vasturia stepped up big, finishing with 22 points and nine rebounds. This sharp-shooter has been a strong compliment to Beachem and Colson in every statistic.
It was soothing to see the Irish backcourt step up when needed. No one really doubted the Irish winning this game, but it’s reassuring to know that these guards can play defense against the best when needed.
1. Notre Dame May Be Ready For a Ranked Opponent
The Irish have started off as hot as they possibly can. They’ve fixed their problems down low, and their backcourt is earning the right to be called one of the best in the country. Now, it’s time to get into primetime games.
After North Carolina A&T and Fort Wayne, the Irish face Villanova and Purdue. Both of these teams rank in the top 15 of the AP Poll. For the first time all season, Notre Dame is getting a chance to prove their hot start isn’t a fluke.
This team may be ready, though. So far, they’ve shown they can contribute through numerous players, especially with their guards. Colson has already made a name for himself this season and only seems to get better with each game.
No one is saying Notre Dame is the best team in the country. They may be good enough to compete with the best teams in the country. So far, the Irish have done everything right. If they continue to play well, it’ll be a much closer matchup against these ranked team than most expect.
When Notre Dame begins conference play on December 31st against Pitt, don’t be surprised if they’re still undefeated. This team is much better than most believed they would be.
More from Slap the Sign
This article originally appeared on 
