Some losing hope in Iowa's lackluster season

Iowa's tough season has taken its toll on everybody from the coaching staff to the players to the fans.

Coach Todd Lickliter acknowledges the current situation - 5-10 overall and 0-3 in the Big Ten - is difficult to accept. Iowa is one loss from evening its all-time Big Ten record at 695-695 after being 16 games above .500 just four seasons ago.

“I think you worry about anybody that is a competitor that has worked hard, and they don't see the reward on the scoreboard,” Lickliter said. “They hear probably the criticisms, we're all human. ... I worry about my staff. I worry about the team. I worry about the fans.

“The idea is to compete and be successful. So when that's not happening, absolutely that's going to hurt. The thing about it is you don't know when it's going to turn.”

Most people don't expect Iowa's season to turn Saturday against defending national runner-up Michigan State. The Spartans average a league-best 80.5 points a game. Iowa's opponents shoot 46.5 percent from the floor, and Michigan State allows 39.3 percent.

Lickliter stresses taking the right approach regardless of outcome or performance. Freshman point guard Cully Payne said the team continues to believe in Lickliter and the system.

“I think we're holding up all right,” Payne said. “It's tough losing. We're 5-10, the record's hard. We're still young. It's just kind of coming together.

“If we'd all go different ways, it would make it bad. We're all staying together and kind of believing in what the future has for us.”

Last season's Big Ten Player of the Year, Kalin Lucas, scored 24 points last year at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in a 15-point Michigan State win.

“It's a great opportunity for me to play against somebody as good as Kalin,” Payne said. “He's real quick, real explosive, real good in transition. He's got a little jumper, he's got a real good inside-out move. He's just real explosive.”

Lucas averages 15.7 points and has scored in double figures 26 straight games. He's hardly the Spartans' only weapon: Raymar Morgan (10.4 points), Chris Allen (10.9), Durrell Summers (10.7) Draymond Green (11.1). Green is the team's leading rebounder and reserve guard Korie Lucious leads in assists.

Iowa has played No. 2 Texas and No. 4 Purdue and has the nation's 11th toughest schedule, according to www.realrpi.com.

“It's kind of reality,” Payne said. “It's like, ‘Oh, we're playing Michigan State tomorrow.' I'm kind of used to it now that. They're like everyone else we play.”