After two gritty wins by the Iowa basketball team, confidence stays put, but at a high level. 95 percent of you voted that you have confidence in the basketball team.
The 95 percent confidence rate hit for the second week in a row.
Iowa managed to put up 85 points against Rutgers, which boasts the best scoring defense in the country and one of the best all-around defenses in the nation (KenPom’s No. 9 adjusted defense). Rutgers bottled Luka Garza for a good chunk of the second half (his final points came with 11:32 left in the game), yet Iowa still managed to find a way to find.
And while Iowa didn’t put up as many points against Wisconsin as it did against Rutgers, the Hawkeyes displayed incredible resiliency in their fifth straight win. The Hawkeyes couldn’t gain any sort of traction from beyond the 3-point arc (3-for-20) and found themselves in a 12-point hole with a little more than seven minutes left in the game. From there, Iowa outscored Wisconsin 23-5 and forced the Badgers to miss seven of their final nine shots.
Neither win was pretty by any means, but both opponents tested Iowa mightily, and it was an encouraging sign for the Hawkeyes.
Listen, I totally get how Iowa allowed Rutgers to slowly climb back into the game, and how its not ideal to find the Hawkeyes in a 12-point second-half deficit to Wisconsin. But Iowa battled. It’s what good teams do.
College basketball is crazily unpredictable, but in these past two games, Iowa displayed maturing that I think could help it down the stretch.
On another note, SB Nation asked you which team is the most disappointing this season, and why Iowa found itself nowhere near this list, a Big Ten team did.
Ohio State ranks as the fifth-most disappointing team, according to fans. Look, I think the Buckeyes are better than their record. There’s so much talent on that roster, but Ohio State nosedived once conference play started.
North Carolina leads by a landslide, and rightfully so. I would probably put Virginia ahead of Texas, but that’s just me.
Are you part of the five percent that voted “no” on whether or not you have confidence in Iowa basketball? Do you think there’s a more disappointing team than the five listed above? Feel free to drop your thoughts below in the comments.