NEW YORK – We are still preparing for Thanksgiving. March is months away. Calendar aside, UConn coach Danny Hurley is certain Iowa will do damage during that time known as “March Madness”. Hurley feels Iowa is good enough to be playing several weekends through the NCAA tournament, and the Hawkeyes were impressive and dominant in defeating UConn to capture the 2K Classic championship at Madison Square Garden.
Scores:
Semifinals:
UCONN 83 Syracuse 76
Iowa 77 Oregon 69
Consolation: Oregon 80 Syracuse 65
Championship: Iowa 91 UConn 72
All-Tournament:
Jalen Carey, Syracuse
Bol Bol, Oregon
Eric Cobb, UConn
Tyler Cook, Iowa
MVP- Luka Garza, Iowa
Tempo free numbers: In the championship, UConn posted a 96 offensive efficiency while allowing an extremely generous 118. On the season, the Huskies numbers are 106 on offense and 99 defensively.
Hurley discussed defense following the Iowa game, noting, “There are times when your offense is struggling, shots are not falling. That’s when your defense and rebounding have to get you through.” On this night they did not.
The half foot or so of snow blanketing the New York area did not make Syracuse feel at home. The Orange left New York 0-2 with both games an offensive struggle. “We tried things but none of them seemed to work,” Jim Boeheim said following the loss to Oregon. “We tried different sets, different movements, subbing…none of those will work if the ball does not go in. Last night (against UConn) we weren’t making shots but got to the basket. You are not getting to the basket against Oregon, you have to make some perimeter shots.” The Orange didn’t, misfiring to the tune of 5 for 28 from beyond the arc.
Seventy one seconds, and the outcome academic, remained in the championship when Hurley was hit with a second technical foul and ejected. Hurley was talking to Jalen Adams during a dead ball situation and the official thought it was directed his way. “Players, officials and coaches all have to be held accountable,” Hurley said regarding the banishment.
With four seconds left and Iowa ahead by 17, the Hawkeyes’ Ryan Kriener slammed home the final two points of the contest. The first thing Iowa coach Fran McCaffery did in post game interviews was apologize to the UConn players and coaching staff. McCaffrey simply wanted to run out the clock and had no intention of finishing with an exclamatory slam.
Asked about the situation Hurley said in a lighter tone, “I didn’t know about it I was long gone by then.” In a more serious vein Hurley felt it was no way intentional and ,”Fran (McCaffery) and I are friends and he is a class person and Iowa is a class program.”
In the consolation, Oregon’s Bol Bol (an all-tournament selection and son of Manute Bol) led all with 26 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in the Duck victory. “He’s a unique talent,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said of his 7’2” freshman. “He is going to grow into a special player. We have to get him stronger and play the game as more of an athlete than straight up and down.” Altman at this stage in Bol’s young college career is impressed with his play on the offensive end. “That ball just lays on the rim. He has got a very soft touch for someone 7’2.”
Altman also lauded the play of Payton Pritchard after the Syracuse win. The junior guard scored 18 points, handing out four assists against two turnovers. “Payton gave us a lift,” Altman said. “He just went and got the ball and really did a great job down the stretch handling it (against pressure).”
Luka Garza was a defensive problem for UConn from the start. The Iowa center was effective down low while showing the capability to step out and drain an occasional three. Garza scored 22 points, grabbed six rebounds in the final en route to tournament MVP honors. The Huskies had no defensive answer for the 6-11 Hawkeye sophomore.
Last season, Iowa struggled, finishing 14-19. To date the Hawkeyes are 4-0 with a championship under their belt. Why the difference?
“We are connected more on both ends of the floor,” Tyler Cook, an all-tournament selection, noted. “We play for pride, we play for one another, especially our coaches. Our defense (to date this season) has made a big difference.”
“We worked hard together all Summer,” Luka Garza said.”We were determined to come out this year a better team. We also worked on all aspects of our game.”
It is early yet Cook summed it best saying, “We have a lot of work to do, but I like where we are right now.”
