The Hyball: The Full Connor McCaffery Experience

By Bobby Loesch on November 23, 2022 at 12:00 pm
Levitate, Levitate, Levitate
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The Hyball is a weekly basketball column

Holiday week, so no intro to speak of.

The Hyball

“Expectations are resentments waiting to happen."

Last Week

11/21 - No. 25 Iowa 100, Nebraska Omaha 64: Krissssss.

Always love a career-high. Murry has somehow already hit the point where he just feels inevitable. This 30 could've been 45 if his services were actually needed down the stretch.

Also: ranked, son!

* * *

Does... someone want to tell him it's Thanksgiving week and they were 30-point favorites?

Speaking of Connor, that thoughtful/complain-y tweet + these two clips are the full experience.

Absentee help defense when help defense was imperative:

Sick as hell lob:

Speaking of sick passes, this Sandfort dime was my favorite play of the game:

Additional Omaha thoughts:

- Had no idea Perkins got hurt until he wasn't dressed for this game; saying it's a lower body injury, but he is expected to play Friday

- Counted three separate times where my guy Josh Ogundele got massive cheers just by touching the ball; did he become an actual fan favorite and I missed it?

"The crowd really wants him to get it going."

- Two Dasonte Bowen plays for our enjoyment

This Week

11/25 - Iowa (25) at Clemson: As long as Dabo isn't there, I'm sure it'll be a good time.

11/29 - Iowa (25) vs. Georgia Tech: Bzzzzzzz.

Caitlin Corner

Here is a pass I liked.

This game. Woof. A finish that was equally terrible with a mix of poor execution (Iowa had the ball tied late and didn't attempt a shot due to tie-up), iffy philosophy (two earlier crunch time possessions without Caitlin Clark touching the ball), and, in this author's opinion, shit ass officiating. But, as Braydon said:

First, my general position is that referees should not call fouls in the final few seconds unless they are clear. It’s just too easy to look back and find dozens of examples of harder contact that wasn’t called throughout the game.

Second, the referee obviously determined the initial contact was incidental and allowed play to continue. It’s brutal to call a player for a trip when the other player was at least 50% responsible for that player being on the ground in the first place.

But I also have to acknowledge that the referees called plenty of weak contact as a foul all game. Iowa certainly benefited from that at times throughout the game. The simple truth is Iowa shouldn’t have been in a position to let one call decide the game.

The play in question:

Fuck, you tell me. The announcers made some point about how a fallen defensive player on a no call can still cause a foul if the offensive player is later tripped, but it seemed like Gregory lost the ball entirely before tripping (not sure if that is factored in to this new rule).

Such a bummer of a game.

Rafters Ring
Mr. Brightside?
Obligatory Michigan Section

The Blue Boys took one on the chin against Arizona State, who, if you are not aware, is a low-key Michigan rival. It began two years ago when the Wolverines lost prize recruit Josh Christopher to ASU when the crystal ball had them as the favorite*. Then, projected starting PG Frankie Collins transferred this offseason after he believed he was being recruited over (most disagree this was the case). So he's their PG1 now, and he got his... can you call it revenge? Eh, win by 25, and your perceived slights can be whatever they want. MGoBlog:

I wish I could report that there was anything interesting to this, but Arizona State just hit shots. For the most part they weren't good shots, advisable shots, well-coached shots, well-worked shots, or shots that revealed a fatal weakness in the defense. They just ran around until they thought they had a spot, put it up, and it went down. On the off chance it didn't rattle, roll, or bip bim bounce in, it caromed back out to a shooter who threw it or himself at the basket again, and that went in.

You never want to lose the bip bim battle.

(* - not his fault at all, but it was considerably more painful due to the announcement occurring in April 2020 when there was absolutely nothing else going on)

The Mini-Hybrid

With complete sincerity: we should all be ashamed. We need to be better and have to ask for more. I am pleading with you to ask for more.

* * *

In Michigan circles, they're calling The Game "Armageddon 2.0" as a nod to the '06 tilt, but unlike that No. 1 vs. No. 2 epic, this one features teams a touch more flawed. While both did not give it their best last week, signs still point to a potential classic. That said, if Blake Corum's knee bruise is limiting him in any way, I don't like M's chances at all.

Going the optimistic route (never my choice), Stroud being winless against Michigan would be a very enjoyable outcome. Also, since M didn't play tOSU the COVID year, they actually haven't lost to Ohio State since 2019; weird, funny, bullshit stat. The Wolverines' passing game -- particularly deep shots -- has dipped considerably since the season began, and the Buckeyes can sling it all over the field. Conversely, Michigan seems to be the more physical team in the trenches, and that was the exact recipe to their upset last season.

Bill Walton's Western Civilization 
No Context College Basketball
Wrapping It Up...

Album cover.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

Bobby Loesch is a weekly contributor to Go Iowa Awesome. Follow him on Twitter @bobbystompy or email to bobbyloesch [at] gmail.com.

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