By Michael McCurdy
Since the return of senior leader Peter Jok, the Iowa men’s basketball team is 1-3, all three losses coming in a row since the win at home against Nebraska on Feb. 5.
A lot of factors can be attributed to why the Hawkeyes are slipping at the wrong time in the season, such as playing five freshmen, and the schedule tightening up with two out of the four games in this stretch being on the road.
Before Jok came back, the Hawkeyes traveled out to New Jersey on Jan. 31 for a road contest against Rutgers and played their best basketball of the season with Jok on the bench wearing a suit instead of sneakers.
Without Jok being the main focus of the offense, Iowa was able to share the basketball by always making the extra pass. As a result, in this game, the Hawkeyes shot 50 percent from the field and went 11-of-18 from behind the 3-point line.
“When you face a team like Rutgers, you have to move the ball. If you try to score on one pass or two passes, it’s not going to work,” Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said after the win at Rutgers. “We felt if we move it, move it, move it, and share it [we’d be successful] … the best stat as I see it is 24 assists on 30 baskets.”
Since then, the Hawkeyes have averaged 39 percent on field goals, an alarming stat line that doesn’t bode well when you’re playing in the Big Ten.
It’s tough, if not impossible, however, to say the team is better without Jok. The senior does do a lot for the offense. He draws numerous defenders on him, allowing for other players to get open. Because he’s one of the best 3-point shooters in the country, he also spreads the floor, allowing other players easier lanes to the hoop, such as freshmen Cordell Pemsl and Tyler Cook.
When Jok’s out on the court, Iowa runs its offense through him, so when he doesn’t shoot well, it really hurts the Hawkeyes. Against Nebraska, Jok was 2-of-7 on field goals. In that game, though, the Hawkeyes were able to rely on the hot shooting of freshman Jordan Bohannon and sophomore Brady Ellingson.
Then, in a road contest with Minnesota, the Hawkeyes were able to storm back and almost come away victorious thanks to the hot hand of Jok in the second half.
In the first half, Iowa faced an 11-point deficit heading into the locker room. Jok had 2 points and 3 turnovers after playing the most minutes in the first half. His production has got to be higher if he’s going to be out on the court since the offense runs through him.
Against Michigan State and Illinois, Jok was a combined 6-of-19 from the field.
“There were some sloppy plays, starting with me,” Jok said after the Illinois loss. “I had that turnover that ended up in a lay-up by Malcom Hill — that was a huge turn-around. We didn’t execute as a team at the end.”
Jok has the reputation that he’s one of the best shooters in the country, yet with his returning to the lineup after his two-game stint on the bench, Iowa has had its two worst shooting nights.
The Hawkeyes are not better without Jok — when he’s at his best, his energy spreads throughout the team like wildfire, and Iowa plays its best ball. To account for when Jok has bad shooting games, Iowa should take him out and give more minutes to Isaiah Moss and Ellingson, who play the same position.