The Monday Tipoff: Hawkeyes Get Ready For Last Laps In Big Ten Race
The Big Ten men's basketball season has been like one of those restrictor-plate superspeedway races in NASCAR.
On one lap, you might be leading the race. The next time you cross the start-finish line, you might be in the middle of the pack. On the next lap, you're struggling to catch up.
Now the Big Ten race is heading into its closing laps, and everyone has been affected by the grind.
Iowa's 96-72 win over Nebraska on Saturday was the Hawkeyes' fifth game in 13 days.
The Hawkeyes were going to get Sunday and Monday off as a bit of a break, although it was mandated by NCAA rules because the Hawkeyes didn't get a day off the week before.
"That's probably not a bad thing," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said.
"We'll get some time off, and then get ready for ... Indiana?" guard CJ Fredrick said.
He paused to scroll through the calendar in his mind.
"Yeah, Indiana," Fredrick said.
So, it can be dizzying.
Maybe the Hawkeyes have to think for a second about where this journey takes them next, but, McCaffery said, they know what they have to do.
Iowa is 17-7 overall, 8-5 and in a three-way tie for fourth place in the conference. The Hawkeyes are two games out of first place with three teams ahead of them, but also two games out of ninth place and 2 1/2 games out of a tie for 10th place.
"I think they're in a good place," McCaffery said. "We've got smart guys. They know what the league is. We know what it's been to this point. Put a tough schedule in front of them, they've handled it so far."
Two of the games ahead — at home against Penn State on Feb. 29 and at Illinois on March 8 — are against the teams tied for second place. The Feb. 25 game at Michigan State is against a team tied with the Hawkeyes for fourth place. The next three games — at Indiana (Thursday), at Minnesota (Sunday), at home against Ohio State (Feb. 20) — are against teams behind them in the standings, as is the March 3 home finale against Purdue.
Penn State, at No. 13, and Illinois, at No. 21, are the ranked teams left on the schedule.
All seven of the games are currently considered Quadrant-1 games in the NET formula that is used by the tournament's selection committee, so there is a chance for Iowa to build on a resumé that includes 10 wins over Quad-1 and Quad-2 teams — one of 10 teams with 10 or more.
So, what's ahead isn't anything new for the Hawkeyes, because they've been dealing with it all season, even if it can be dizzying at times.
"As you get to the end of the season, obviously it becomes more difficult and grueling, in terms of stamina and finishing strong," McCaffery said. "It's not like we look at the rest of the schedule and say, 'Boy, that's tougher than what we've already played.' I don't think anybody does that. Not in this league."
