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BEAT IOWA!

I have to admit, I know nothing about the Richmond Spiders basketball team, other then they made the NCAA's before as that is the only reason I have heard of them. Being an Iowa fan and belonging to the Iowa Rivals board, I know that some of the fans will take the game lightly, and they shouldn't because every year the big ten gets tons of recognition as being the toughest conference in the Country, then they proceed to lay turds on courts all around the country in the tournament. I know if Iowa plays as they are capable, they are very good, then again, I have seen a couple games where they couldn't throw the ball into the ocean if they were standing on the beach, however, those were early conference games. They are not big, as 6'9 is their tallest starter, but practically everyone on the team is a good 3 point shooter. I think they made 20 3 pointers against NW in the Big Ten tournament. So, they like to run and shoot the 3. I did not come to disrespect your board, only to talk some hoops. I am to old to trash talk anymore anyway. LOL
Do you mean 2010&2011? Or much earlier?

1984 beating Auburn with Barley & Chuck Person
1988 beating Defending Champion Indiana with 4 starters returning
1991 beating Syracuse with Billy Owens & Leron Ellis

So by 20 years ago we had won as a 12, 13, 14, & 15 seed…

Not relevant to our current team, but an interesting footnote, and relevant to our fanbase…
 
My Hoo son... a season ticket holder and a very good judge of basketball, saw Iowa take down UVA by a point in late November. Sees a lot of Spider games too. He believes we are easily capable of beating Iowa.
I literally thought MyHooSon was a former Davidson player from South Korea. I thought he might have been related to Hyunjung Lee. I read the passage several times and was unable to discern the exact identity of Mr. HooSon. I finally concluded he must have been connected to UVA in some way and that he liked college basketball. It then occurred to me that Mr. MyHooSon actually went to UVA and was the son of KE Spider. From One too many beers.
 
How does beating Iowa in Buffalo get revenge for a game against Kansas in San Anatonio? No one on this team was even in high school then.
Yes, but Mooney was here in 2011, and beating Kansas in the Sweet 16 would be a reversal. {shrug}
 
Stokes was a walk on that saw limited minutes for the first 2 year and was given a scholarship for his Jr and Sr seasons, by all accounts a great teammate and graduated from Iowa before transferring to Fairleigh Dickinson for his last year of eligibility. I'm sure Fran McCaffery and Darius will have a good hug before the start of the game on Thursday. Glad to see he's still involved in college basketball and maybe someday coaching.
Hope for a good clean game on Thursday....
 
Do you mean 2010&2011? Or much earlier?

1984 beating Auburn with Barley & Chuck Person
1988 beating Defending Champion Indiana with 4 starters returning
1991 beating Syracuse with Billy Owens & Leron Ellis

So by 20 years ago we had won as a 12, 13, 14, & 15 seed…

Not relevant to our current team, but an interesting footnote, and relevant to our fanbase…

I remember the Syracuse game. I was in college and had a bracket with Syracuse losing early--not to your team, but thank you! :)

Most Iowa fans may not be thinking much about you, but I remember Iowa as the 3 seed losing to a 14 seed in the first round in the mid-2000s. I doubt it with this team because they are relentless and go on crazy scoring runs throughout the game. Iowa won 21 games by double digits this year. They aren't just beating most teams, they are destroying their will to live (lol). They flipped a switch in February and have gone 12-2 since then including the four wins in the BTT.

Keegan Murray is a name you'll hear a lot. He's projected to go 5-10 in the NBA draft this year and he has the most complete game I've ever seen from an Iowa player in my lifetime. He's also the most athletic I can remember. The rest of team plays their roles passionately and the bench goes five deep, seven if guys get in foul trouble. I've been watching Iowa basketball since the 80s and this team is more fun to watch than any I've seen. They've already become my all-time favorite Iowa team and that will stand even if they get upset in the first round.

There's something about them. Part of it is that they've been functioning like a machine for the past six weeks. In any other year, I'd be worried about a letdown after winning the B10 tourney, but not this group. They play the same whether they're up 30 (which happens a lot more often than you might think) or down 10 (which rarely happens).

I'll have to read some threads to find out more about your team. I've briefly seen some sort of Canadian theme so I'm guessing you've got a stud or two from the land of maple.

Anyway, cheers.
 
This is the only commonality I can find this season between Richmond and Iowa.
Richmond lost to Utah State by 11, Iowa beat Utah State by 19 on a neutral court.
Richmond lost to Maryland by 6, Iowa beat Maryland twice, by 5 at Maryland and 110-87 at Iowa City.
Iowa usually plays Drake and Northern Iowa, but did not play them this season, and I see Richmond lost to Drake by 3 and beat Northern Iowa I think by 8. Drake (24-10) and UNI (19-11) were pretty good this year , and UNI won the Missouri Valley conference regular season. Drake was in the same conference and lost to Loyola of Chicago in the Missouri Valley tournament finals. SO, those were both good teams that Richmond played and I know them both pretty well.
All true. Only thing I can say is that the Spiders are a different team now and are playing their best defensive of the season by far. Still will likely not be enough to beat Iowa but I do see it being a competitive game and if we play very near our best and Iowa has a subpar shooting game, we could be another of the very long list of 12 seeds advancing past a 5 seed.
 
I expect a very physical game from Iowa. They are tall and strong. I see them as a better version of St. Louis. It will be a tough match-up for us.
Plus they can hit the 3 better than any team in the country. One thing id say we have going for us is that they are not a great defensive team. They give up points, so I think we should go deep in the shot clock then look for a post up or bd cuts. We dont turn the ball over so that should limit their transition game. This is one game where we should limit our 3’s to open looks, because they make a living off fast breaks on long rebounds. And for once I totally agree that we dont go after the offensive boards. In a half court game we have a chance, imo.
 
Tell us about this 48-46 game with Rutgers. What the hell happened there?

That was during a stretch when Iowa was playing really poorly. The rotations were odd and the coach was trying different combinations among ten guys who see regular playing time (Iowa practically makes line change and sometimes the bench outperforms the starters). Keegan Murray was also dealing with an illness and a minor injury so he was out a couple games and not himself in a couple others.

They even lost to Penn State on the road during that stretch. They shot horribly and the refs let Rutgers play Rutgers-style basketball: hack, hack, hack and few fouls called. It was an ugly game. Rutgers played their asses off for the full 40 minutes. It was suffocating defense. Iowa got revenge, though. Iowa only scored under 70 two times this year. You don't average 84 points per game with too many
games in the 40s, 50s, and 60s.

The Rutgers game was part of a 4-6 start in the B10 before ending the regular season on an 8-2 run with one loss coming by 5 to Michigan at home and another by 2 at Illinois. All 8 wins were by double figures and 4 were by 20+ (including a 26 point win over Michigan State). Everybody getting minutes has progressed over the course of the season. Not one guy or even five guys. Ten guys, the whole rotation has developed during the season. I've never seen anything like it.

I think Iowa scored 84 in the rematch with Rutgers in the BTT. Double-digit win. Mistakes have been fixed and the machine is humming.
 
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CBS has us at #53 of 68, an says this about Iowa:

15team logo
Iowa
A year after getting a No. 2 seed with national player of the year Luka Garza, the Iowa Hawkeyes have put up a season beyond anyone's expectations. Keegan Murray has been at a First Team All-American level. Murray's 103 points in the Big Ten Tournament set a league record, as Iowa won its first Big Ten tourney title since 2006. How hot are the Hawkeyes? They now rate as the No. 2 offense in the nation. Murray might play his way into being a top-five pick. Who's to say if this end-of-season run will absolutely translate to the NCAAs, but it's hard to see Iowa not making the Sweet 16 at minimum with how it's looked in recent weeks. Fran McCaffery might have pulled off his best coaching job ever
These predictions are great but how many times have we seen an expert favorite, cant miss, hot team, getting knocked out in the first round. It happens every year.
And each year there is often a power 6 tournament champion that lays a total egg in game 1, especially a team that was a surprise winner.
And of course a 12 has beaten a 5 almost every year and in many years there have been two upsets.
We are playing with house money. If I was an Iowa fan Id be very nervous come 3:10 on Thursday. A lose would be two complete choke jobs in a row.
 
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Big Ten officials tend to be really inconsistent and allowed a really physical Rutgers team to play junk ball on their home court all game. Grabbing, hooking, over the back, etc. then decided to call a really weak foul 30 feet from the hoop with like 2 seconds left and RU won at the free throw line.
Beyond frustrating game to watch.
Probably a big reason why every team in the Big10 has a nearly .500 record in conference and high NET rankings. I think thats their system every year to get 8 teams in the tournament. Let the refs propel crappy teams over a couple of good teams at home, so they get quad 1 wins and big NET boosts, lol. Then come tourney time 4 or 5 of them are gone by the first weekend.
Consistently is a conference with 1 or 2 very good teams and 6 or 7 very mediocre teams.
When was the last time a Big 10 team won the NC? Lol
 
I suspect neither team will have much time to prepare for the other. Both just played 4 in 4, Monday off or extremely light, Tuesday practice and learn your opponent, Wednesday travel, Thursday play.
 
I remember the Syracuse game. I was in college and had a bracket with Syracuse losing early--not to your team, but thank you! :)

Most Iowa fans may not be thinking much about you, but I remember Iowa as the 3 seed losing to a 14 seed in the first round in the mid-2000s. I doubt it with this team because they are relentless and go on crazy scoring runs throughout the game. Iowa won 21 games by double digits this year. They aren't just beating most teams, they are destroying their will to live (lol). They flipped a switch in February and have gone 12-2 since then including the four wins in the BTT.

Keegan Murray is a name you'll hear a lot. He's projected to go 5-10 in the NBA draft this year and he has the most complete game I've ever seen from an Iowa player in my lifetime. He's also the most athletic I can remember. The rest of team plays their roles passionately and the bench goes five deep, seven if guys get in foul trouble. I've been watching Iowa basketball since the 80s and this team is more fun to watch than any I've seen. They've already become my all-time favorite Iowa team and that will stand even if they get upset in the first round.

There's something about them. Part of it is that they've been functioning like a machine for the past six weeks. In any other year, I'd be worried about a letdown after winning the B10 tourney, but not this group. They play the same whether they're up 30 (which happens a lot more often than you might think) or down 10 (which rarely happens).

I'll have to read some threads to find out more about your team. I've briefly seen some sort of Canadian theme so I'm guessing you've got a stud or two from the land of maple.

Anyway, cheers.

It sounds like you guys haven't been in many close games..... could be your Achilles' Heel if Richmond is able to keep it close.
 
I am not a huge fan of taking the air out of the ball, but Iowa likes to play in the 80's from their scores. Hopefully the sight lines at the Buffalo arena more resemble the RC than Iowa's arena. If we can continue to play D like we have and keep the pace under control you never know. Need Burton to move his feet and stay out of foul trouble on Keegan. That guy is a bucket.
 
There are not many Iowa fans that will be overconfident considering our basketball history. We are feeling pretty good after winning the Big Ten and watching this team come together over the last month but if you had asked in January most would have thought we were NIT bound. We were not supposed to be good this year after losing two players to the NBA and 2 to the transfer portal. We are good now though and one of the problems of playing a team like yours is none of us are familiar with the program or the teams you play. There isn't a frame of reference.

We have been burned by teams like yours before though so fans that have been around a while aren't overlooking things at all.

I would say good luck Thursday but I wouldn't mean it. Hope we hang a thirty point win on you all so I don't need to be nervous. Anything within ten with less than five minutes left will definitely be anxious.
 
Keegan Murray is their biggest threat. He is 6-8 and he is a threat from both inside and outside. He is their best scorer. We should rotate either Goose, Burton or Dji on him to limit his input.
We are going to need our best defensive effort to win.
 
There are not many Iowa fans that will be overconfident considering our basketball history. We are feeling pretty good after winning the Big Ten and watching this team come together over the last month but if you had asked in January most would have thought we were NIT bound. We were not supposed to be good this year after losing two players to the NBA and 2 to the transfer portal. We are good now though and one of the problems of playing a team like yours is none of us are familiar with the program or the teams you play. There isn't a frame of reference.

We have been burned by teams like yours before though so fans that have been around a while aren't overlooking things at all.

I would say good luck Thursday but I wouldn't mean it. Hope we hang a thirty point win on you all so I don't need to be nervous. Anything within ten with less than five minutes left will definitely be anxious.
Nice post and thoughts .. Safe travels but I'll hold the good luck back at you ...
 
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Bottom line here is that any game in the NCAA tournament will be a tough one. Look, we underachieved for two years until we finally woke up and played the way we've been capable of playing these past four days. Of course we won't be favored against Iowa, but have we been favored in any of the games we've won in the NCAAs (except for Morehead State)? I doubt it.

I'm sure Iowa is very good, but they are also barely ranked, so let's not act like this is some impossibility. They're playing very well right now and so are we. Davidson was ranked as high as 19 or so this year and we played them even twice. First-round games also tend to be the ones with the best chances for upsets, for a whole host of reasons.

In order to win, either team is going to have to play a very good game.
 
Hello Spiders. 5-12 match up is prime upset territory. No serious person is over looking your team. Go cold one game and it is over. Get hot and make a run. This applies to every team.
 
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Iowa is a good team that is playing well at the moment. However, I don't think that Richmond could ask for a better highly ranked opponent to upset. I say this not because of lack of respect, but because of style of play.

We all know that the Spiders tend to struggle against big, powerful, bully type of opponents. That is not whom they have drawn in Iowa. Seems that the Hawkeyes play primarily a finesse game with a couple of good big athletes. Iowa seems to prefer a high-scoring, up and down contest.

Since offensive productivity is Richmond's preferred comfort zone it provides an opportunity for the Spiders. I also think the psychological edge goes to Richmond. You can talk to yourself all you want, but the "I'm the Big-10 winner" and "you're not" mindset will likely be in play.

The victor will probably be determined by which Richmond team shows up.
 
I want to see Grant take his shots. He has passed up a ton of 15 footers lately, he can make those and against Iowa I think we are going to need a good offensive game from him. If they leave him alone from 3, I want to see him take at least one. He was making those early season, if he sees the first one go in who knows, may spur him to a big game. Think we will also need a big offensive game from unexpected source - like Goose going 3 for 4 from 3. I know this is going to be sacrilege on here to some :), but if Gilly goes off again and leads us to an upset of Iowa, I am moving him immediately in front of Kevin Anderson on the UR Point Guard goat list. I feel like Gilly did more with less surrounding him, just a bad man.
 
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Arrogance is the number 1 weakness in March. God I hope Richmond serves them up a dish of horse manure. They have the capability.
Anything can happen in March. As a long-time Hawkeye who has seen us fall victim to upsets and heartbreak more often than not this time of year, I am ALWAYS skeptical of overconfident Hawkeye fans who pencil us in for the Final Four.

Given our tournament history post-Dr. Tom Davis, just getting to the second weekend would be beyond my expectations.
 
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I want to see Grant take his shots. He has passed up a ton of 15 footers lately, he can make those and against Iowa I think we are going to need a good offensive game from him. If they leave him alone from 3, I want to see him take at least one. He was making those early season, if he sees the first one go in who knows, may spur him to a big game. Think we will also need a big offensive game from unexpected source - like Goose going 3 for 4 from 3. I know this is going to be sacrilege on here to some :), but if Gilly goes off again and leads us to an upset of Iowa, I am moving him immediately in front of Kevin Anderson on the UR Point Guard goat list. I feel like Gilly did more with less surrounding him, just a bad man.
I already have Gilly up there
 
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