The upcoming Iowa basketball game against Maryland on Sunday. It’s gonna be an exciting one, especially with all the twists and turns lately.
Coach Fran McCaffery had a bit of a mystery on his hands regarding Drew Thelwell’s status for the game on Sunday—he mentioned that Drew is “getting closer” to coming back. But, yikes, that ankle injury he sustained against Wisconsin on Feb. 8 looked pretty brutal! It was one of those moments where you’re just like, “Oh no, please don’t let this be serious!” He did manage to return to that game, but then he missed the match against Rutgers. Thankfully, the Hawkeyes pulled off a win there, which is a bonus, right? It’s like they showed they can win even when a key player is sidelined.
Now, switching gears a bit, let’s talk about that young star, Brock Harding. He’s really stepped up in Thelwell’s absence! McCaffery praised him, saying, “I thought he really did a great job engineering victory in that game.”
He scored 13 points and was busy dishing out assists and snagging steals. Seriously, it’s always great to see players rise to the occasion, isn’t it?
But, oh boy, this weekend’s game against Maryland won’t be a walk in the park. The Terrapins have been on fire lately, winning eight of their last ten games. They’re not just good; they’ve got a mix of solid offensive plays and tough defense—kind of a double whammy for Iowa.
Now, here’s where it gets tense: Maryland has some serious size with players like Julian Reese and Derik Queen, which is a little concerning for Iowa, especially without Owen Freeman. McCaffery recognized how tough Maryland is, saying, “There’s no question they’re one of the best teams I’ve seen, top to bottom.” And if that wasn’t enough, they’re 14-1 at home this season.
But what’s the deal for Iowa making it to the NCAA Tournament?
Well, things are looking a bit murky for them. They really could use back-to-back road wins to make a statement. They had that nice win against Rutgers, which was a big deal, but if Rutgers slips in the rankings, that win may lose its sparkle. For them to keep their hopes alive, knocking off Maryland would be HUGE.
Looking ahead, if they can snag some wins against Washington, Oregon, and Northwestern, who knows what could happen? But then again, the Big Ten is a rollercoaster. Anything can happen on game day.
In terms of predictions, things could be rough against Maryland. If Iowa wants a shot at pulling off a major upset, they’ll need some stellar 3-point shooting. My guess is that it’ll be a tough battle, maybe around Maryland 87, Iowa 72. But hey, that’s why we watch, right? To see if these predictions hold up.
So, what do you think? Can Iowa pull off a miracle, or is this going to be a big challenge?