The league that needs to keep growing

A couple of things that the WNBA has going for it: players coming
into the league now have some cache/ Not only is the college game more popular, but players that come through college generally have a handful of college seasons. Women's basketball fans know incoming players to the W before they even enter the draft.

The other thing about the league is that there are only 14 teams now. This allows teams to pair some of the greatest players in college together consistently. There isn't much room for players to develop further after they turn pro. There is certainly opportunity overseas, but that isn't the same as reaching fame and fortune where your friends and family are.

Take the case of Hannah Stuelke. Iowa has had a steady stream of WNBA players lately: Caitlin Clark, of course, but before her Megan Gustafson, Clark's teammate Kate Martin, and Lucy Olson. Stuelke has been a steady contributor throughout much of that time as a forward who scrapped for rebounds and was gifted at finding lanes on offense. She never was much of an outside shooter, and she doesn't have the dimensions of a typical WNBA forward with her skills, and went undrafted. 

Stuelke is a well known player from a big program. She isn't one of the elite forwards in all of basketball, but she was one of the best while she was playing in college. The WNBA now has enough prospective talent that good or marketable players are left out. 

The league is expanding regularly now. Portland and Toronto brought the league to 15, and by 2030, there will be 18 franchises. If the current trajectory holds, that won't be nearly enough. More girls are playing and the talent is emerging, and will be able to fill even more rosters. How many Hannah Stuelkes will there be then?

Iowa's golden generation

 

The Iowa Hawkeyes got a scare on Sunday afternoon, going to overtime with in-state rival Drake, but entering the third year of Caitlin Clark's collegiate career looks like it might be the best season Iowa women's basketball has ever had. 

Clark has been one of the best players in college basketball since her freshman year, a home grown scoring machine that has managed to keep the Hawkeyes afloat even during their growing pains of the past two years. Clark has been at the very least a top two players for the past couple of season, and this year, with Paige Bueckers recovering from an ACL tear, is likely to be regarded as the top player in the game.

Even with Clark's veteran status, entering her junior year, being the sole focus of attention would be burdensome as the Hawkeyes faced challenging opposition in the Big Ten and beyond, but she is buoyed by a veteran team, including center Monika Czinano who has returned for her fifth year in the paint for the Hawkeyes. Czinano is the 2nd leading scorer and leading rebounder so far this season. She doesn't have Clark's athleticism, but she does match the intensity and determination.

The other three players with the most playing time so far this season, outside threat McKenna Warnock, point guard Molly Davis and defensive specialists Gabbie Marshall are all also seniors. That is a lot of leadership and self determinism surrounding Clark, which will allow her not to be consumed by the attention of Iowa's opponents. 

But the seniority of this roster also means that this is likely the last hurrah for this version of the Hawkeyes. Their road to continued domination in the Upper Midwestern basketball landscape was seriously and tragically dealt a blow over the summer, when recruit Ava Johnson and her family were struck by a drunk driver in Louisville. They were in town for an AAU tournament, and sadly, her father was killed, and Johnson's injuries were severe enough that her basketball career ended before it really started. 

With that sense of urgency, the desire to capitalize on a veteran roster, the Hawkeyes are facing a challenging schedule. In part, that's because their in-state rivals are also better than they have been in a while. They held off a spirited Drake team over the weekend, and will face #7 Iowa State next month. They've also been slated to play in the Phil Knight tournament in Portland, and after a game against Oregon State, will be tasked with playing either Duke or Connecticut. Even without Bueckers, UCONN is #5.

It gets no easier when they leave Oregon. They will play #10 North Carolina State in the Big Ten-ACC challenge. The Hawkeyes are 4th in the country, and they are going to prove their mettle in the non conference slate. This is their time, and the Hawkeyes are poised to seize it. 

Iowa working to challenge perceptions

 

The University of Iowa's women's team has been very good for several years now. They were lead by one of the best front courts in the game, and by serviceable guards. This year and last, however, they have had one of the most dynamic players in the country, guard and local product Caitlin Clark. While Iowa is still good, they aren't the team of four or 5 years ago.

It often seems that having one really good player can steer the fortunes of a college basketball team. I call it the Carmelo Anthony principle. Syracuse consistently failed to break through, but finally shook the label of an underperforming team that failed in the clutch when they had the best college player in the country. They had been good before, but they were the cream of the crop when they had Anthony.  

And that's generally been my impression of college basketball. It's nice to have a well rounded roster, but to be truly successful, it's absolutely vital to have the single best player on the court. Carmelo Anthony, Michael Jordan, Britney Griner, whomever it may be. When you reach a certain level, the best players are transcendent.

Clark is that player. She is one of the top players in the country, and has the accolades to prove it. She was an All-America player in her freshman year, and was co-Freshman of the Year with Connecticut's Paige Bueckers last season. This season, she is really coming into her own, but the Hawkeyes are less impressive. 

They have been blowing out lesser opponents, as good teams should, but they've yet to claim a victory to hang their hats on. They were soundly beaten by Duke in the ACC/Big Ten challenge, and were handled by their in state rival Iowa State, in the only game they've had with a ranked opponent. Most troublingly, they recently lost at home to IUPUI. Yikes.

That game and the box score gives a pretty good insight into the team though. Clark was ice cold in the game. She was 6-16 shooting, and 1-7 from behind the arc. Monika Czninano was effective inside, but beyond those two, there was nobody else capable of stepping up. Worse still, their Horizon League opponent was able to put up 74 points on their Big Ten foes. 

Rebounding was nearly equal, so the poor shooting was not overcome. IUPUI didn't shoot well either, but they were able to get some more shots from behind the arc to go down. Iowa didn't have anywhere to go but Clark, and when she had an off night, her teammates weren't able to compensate, in any facet of the game.

For anyone, like me, who sees a star player, and is convinced their team is destined for greatness should look at these Hawkeyes and be reminded that there are 5 players on the court, and everyone needs to pull their own weight.

Iowa is not the team they were the year before

Last year, around this time I was treated to a game in Iowa City between the Drake and Iowa women's teams. Iowa has had a fairly decent run in the past couple of years, making the NCAA tournament the last 8 consecutive years, and they looked like the more capable team that night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

On Sunday, the tables were turned, and it was Drake that stymied the Hawkeyes. The game was in Des Moines, and the win was a 5 point victory for the Bulldogs, but it was still a sign that this Hawkeye team, despite some early season triumphs, is not nearly the team it's been in recent years.

Most Hawkeyes fans acknowledged that this season would be a bit of a let down after a veteran core graduated and moved on, but their work so far this season must be a disappointment. Not only have they lost to Drake, but dropped another game to South Dakota State, another opponent that the tournament committee won't be able to shrug off come selection time.

While much of the issue with the team can be attributed to the loss of some senior leaders like Whitney Jennings, some members of the team are not developing or contributing as much as Hawkeye's fans should hope. For every Tania Davis or Ally Disterhoft, who ARE contributing and excelling in their role, there is a Chase Coley, now a junior relegated to the end of the bench. Despite the talent level being lower with this iteration of the team, Coley has seen her playing time reduced, even after being the second leading scorer a year ago. Alexa Kastanek is another upper classman who has seen her role on the team reduced significantly, appearing for only 2 minutes in Des Moines, as her role has been reduced progressively since a 1-10 night against UCLA around Thanksgiving.

The game against Drake was a perfect example of a team still trying to figure itself out.  There were two sources of offense, Disterhoft and Megan Gustafson, who accounted for 44 of their team's 76 points. The rest of the team shot less than 28% from the field,, with the point guard Davis managing to only hit 1/9 in the field to lead the way. They obviously carried their frustration to other aspects, allowing 81 points to what should have been an inferior opponent. 

The Big Ten regular season will begin in a week, and Iowa's schedule will get much more difficult. A leader needs to emerge from within, otherwise this will be the most difficult season the Hawkeyes have faced in a decade.