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Iowa
Road to the Final Four.............................................................................................
At one point in January, the Hawkeyes looked like a national contender, full of talent, full of heart. Then they lost their leader, do-everything guard Luke Recker. Iowa reeled, losing seven of their final eight games in the regular season. That raised questions about its NCAA Tournament position. Most experts said Iowa was on the outside looking in. It needed to win several games in the Big Ten Tournament to be back on the bubble. And that's exactly what the Hawkeyes did. Led by the inspiring play of point guard Dean Oliver and the inside domination of Reggie Evans, Iowa won the Big Ten championship and is in the Big Dance for the first time with Steve Alford as its head coach. The Hawkeyes beat Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Indiana to reach the tournament. Their success has continued without Recker in NCAA Tournament as well, as the Hawkeyes ousted Creighton in Round 1.Player to Watch Recker's broken kneecap will probably keep him out of the lineup. But his big heart and his will to win may force Alford to play him if his health improves. It's up in the air right now. That means Oliver and Evans will be the go-to guys -- again. And that's not bad. Oliver is a heady point man who can shoot, drive and dish very well. Evans is a monster down low. The junior college transfer was a force on the glass (12.0 rpg) in his first year of Division I play. Iowa's chances of winning some games clearly rest on the shoulders of Olvier and Evans. With the Ball This Iowa team can put points on the board (74.4 per game). If Recker plays, the offense runs through him. He comes off screens looking to shoot or drive. And he's excellent at both. But without Recker, the offense moves into the hands of Oliver. He sets the pace and determines who gets the ball. Most of the time, he looks for Evans on the block. Evans has power moves and a decent jump shot. He's best on the offensive glass, using his athleticism and strength to overpower opponents. Glen Worley is the third option with Recker out. Defending the Ball The Hawkeyes are not a great defensive team. They're not extremely athletic and they don't have a super shot-blocker. They'll play mostly man-to-man and they'll rebound. Iowa was the second best rebounding team in the Big Ten this year. Evans controls the glass and allows very few second-chance opportunities. Seed Analysis Exceeding the Seed Playing to Expectations Falling Short (1.000 is playing exactly to a team's historical seeding) Roster
 NCAA Basketball Championship Week It's March, which means the madness has started and invitations are being reserved throughout Championship Week.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories |  |
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Tayshaun Prince was a factor, but coach Steve Alford felt Marquis Estill hurt Iowa (Courtesy: NCAA Productions).
