Iowa falls again on the road, needs to 'evaluate a lot of things'

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — New location, basically the same story for Iowa men's basketball.

The Hawkeyes fell to 0-5 in true road games on Wednesday night with a 76-64 loss at State Farm Center to Illinois.

Like losses to Purdue, Northwestern and Maryland, Iowa (11-10, 3-5 Big Ten) started the game in (at least) an 8-0 hole. Like nearly every loss this season, the Hawkeyes were out-rebounded. Like Coach Fran McCaffery and Co. have harped on over and over, defensive communication was off, as were rotations and closeouts for much of the game. Illinois (13-8, 3-5) forward Michael Finke bit the Hawkeyes from deep, finishing with 17 points on 7 of 10 shooting and 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and the Illini's ball movement got shooters open with consistency.

When things are 'about the same,' as McCaffery put it, to those other losses, and a pattern emerges re-evaluation usually follows. The Hawkeyes head coach said it's time for that now.

'I think what we have to do is take a step back and evaluate a lot of things — certainly starting with right here. Did we not do a good enough job getting these guys ready? We have to do a better job,' McCaffery said. 'We didn't come out ready. It's not their fault. It's my fault. We have to evaluate that, how we're putting our scouting together, or game plans, and how we can effectively execute a game plan better than we did in the last three games at the start.'

McCaffery might've put it on himself and his staff, but his players didn't shy away from the idea that they have some evaluating to do of themselves as well.

Peter Jok, who said he still was affected by an ailing back, finished with 10 points, two rebounds and four turnovers. Tyler Cook also has had a back issue recently, and said after the game that while it wasn't a factor in how he played, it 'tightened up on me a couple days ago. I worked a couple days to get it loose; it felt OK today.' Cook finished with five points, three rebounds and four turnovers of his own.

Those two, with Nicholas Baer, all said in some form or another that the Iowa players have to take ownership over what they are or aren't bringing to the table individually. Baer said 'anytime you can re-evaluate yourself and how you can be more effective for the team, that's always good.'

Jok agreed, and said it has to be a collective thing.

'When you lose, it sucks. At the same time, we've all got to look at ourselves in the mirror individually, starting with me and Baer as leaders,' Jok said. 'We've got to get together and figure something out. We've got 10 games left. The season isn't over yet. We've got to keep working. Coaches are going to do their job. We've got to follow the game plan and we'll be good.'

As for Jok's back, which has dominated attention, McCaffery and his senior guard differed slightly on the state of his condition. When asked how Jok was, McCaffery said, 'I think he's OK. You'll have to ask him.'

Jok differed. He said his back has been bothering him, but that he felt like his team 'needed me out there. I wanted to play.' He said he thought it was improving over the bye week, after three days off and a good practice after, but that it 'just started tightening up' as Wednesday's game went on.

'I really don't know how to put myself. I'm just not 100 percent,' Jok said. 'I feel like just making moves, staying low and also a little bit shooting. My balance has been off because my back has been stiffening up so I really can't stay low in shooting. Also on defense a little bit. When I get low on defense, it bothers me, too.'

Baer and Ahmad Wagner led the Hawkeyes with 12 points apiece, and added seven and five rebounds, respectively. They, with Dom Uhl (three points, four rebounds), Jok and a combination of Christian Williams and Jordan Bohannon were the primary lineup for the bulk of the second half.

McCaffery said Monday there was a chance the starting lineup could change — it didn't, ultimately, Wednesday night — and said a change could still be in order for Saturday's game against Ohio State, but didn't want to commit to that yet. That, he said, is one more part of the evaluation process.

He adjusted it midgame, though, Wednesday night. Cook, Bohannon, Cordell Pemsl and Isaiah Moss all sat to begin the second half. McCaffery shot down the idea that it was any kind of message to send, adding that the group he rolled with was getting the job done better.

Cook said he understood that after the game. How exactly he uses the motivation from that going forward remains to be seen, but he said he knew why McCaffery made the decision he did Wednesday night.

The re-evaluation process starts Thursday, and both players and coach acknowledged that. Getting off to a better start to Saturday's game is task No. 1.'

'I wouldn't say it surprised me. Obviously I wasn't upset about it. I knew why he started the other guys. They gave us more energy and, quite frankly, got the job done better than the starting group. I wasn't upset or bent out of shape about it at all,' Cook said. 'I wasn't playing my best personally today. The other guys were getting it done. I can't be mad at anybody else but myself. I think all the starters can say the same thing. We've got to start better than we did.'

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