Resumé Watch: Hawkeyes Cover Some Blemishes With Two Wins

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Remember when Iowa’s season was over last week after back-to-back road losses to Nebraska and Penn State?

Well, the Hawkeyes rallied from 21 points down in the first half to beat Indiana at home, then scored a double-digit road win at Rutgers.

Suddenly Iowa’s postseason resumé doesn’t look so bad, although the Hawkeyes can’t afford too many more stumbles.

Iowa is 44 in the NCAA’s NET, which puts them in that “bubble” territory you don’t want to be in when March gets here. But it’s still January, and there are plenty of opportunities left on the schedule for quality wins.

Thirteen of the Big Ten’s 14 teams, including Iowa, are top-100 NET teams (Minnesota is the worst overall at 235). Seven teams besides the Hawkeyes are in the top 50. So there’s a lot left to mine out of the final 15 games of conference play.

A look at the resumés, through Monday’s games:

MEN

IOWA

Record: 10-6 (2-3 Big Ten)

NET: 44

KenPom: 40

SOS: 20

Nonconference SOS: 112

Quad 1: 4-3

Quad 2: 1-2

Quad 3: 1-0

Quad 4: 4-1

Notes: Hawkeyes have a lot more opportunities for Quad 1 wins that will overshadow the Eastern Illinois blemish.

IOWA STATE

Record: 12-2 (3-0 Big 12)

NET: 15

KenPom: 28

SOS: 36

Nonconference SOS: 132

Quad 1: 3-2

Quad 2: 2-0

Quad 3: 2-0

Quad 4: 5-0

Notes: Lowest NET in the Big 12 is Texas Tech at 60.

DRAKE

Record: 12-5 (3-3 MVC)

NET: 97

KenPom: 96

SOS: 229

Nonconference SOS: 252

Quad 1: 1-0

Quad 2: 0-5

Quad 3: 4-0

Quad 4: 6-0

Notes: Valley has just two teams in the top 100 besides the Bulldogs, so not a lot of opportunity to get big wins. Road to the tournament starts in St. Louis.

NORTHERN IOWA

Record: 8-8 (4-2 MVC)

NET: 207

KenPom: 173

SOS: 317

Nonconference SOS: 326

Quad 1: 0-1

Quad 2: 0-2

Quad 3: 2-3

Quad 4: 5-2

Notes: Panthers have won three consecutive games and are in a six-way knot for second place in the Valley.

WESTERN ILLINOIS

Record: 9-7 (2-3 Summit League)

NET: 245

KenPom: 276

SOS: 339

Nonconference SOS: 294

Quad 1: 0-1

Quad 2: 0-0

Quad 3: 0-3

Quad 4: 6-3

Notes: Summit League teams have just one Quad 1 win. The Leathernecks could get one on Thursday with a win at Oral Roberts.

—-

WOMEN

IOWA

Record: 12-4 (4-1 Big Ten)

NET: 14

Nonconference SOS: 14

Vs. NET 1-25: 2-2

Vs. NET 26-50: 2-1

Vs. NET: 51-100: 4-1

Vs. NET 101+: 4-0

Notes: Hawkeyes get Northwestern (109) and Penn State (58) at home this week. 

IOWA STATE

Record: 10-3 (2-1 Big 12)

NET: 12

Nonconference SOS: 11

Vs. NET 1-25: 1-2

Vs. NET 26-50: 2-1

Vs. NET: 51-100: 4-0

Vs. NET 101+: 3-0

Notes: Cyclones will have to play the rest of the season without Stephanie Soares.

DRAKE

Record: 8-4 (3-1 MVC)

NET: 48

Nonconference SOS: 46

Vs. NET 1-25: 0-1

Vs. NET 26-50: 1-1

Vs. NET: 51-100: 2-2

Vs. NET 101+: 5-0

Notes: Bulldogs have put together a good case for an at-large bid.

NORTHERN IOWA

Record: 8-5 (3-1 MVC)

NET: 68

Nonconference SOS: 22

Vs. NET 1-25: 0-2

Vs. NET 26-50: 0-1

Vs. NET: 51-100: 2-2

Vs. NET 101+: 6-0

Notes: Panthers’ nonconference schedule was one of the toughest in the nation.

WESTERN ILLINOIS

Record: 6-11 (1-5 Summit League)

NET: 306

Nonconference SOS: 349

Vs. NET 1-25: 0-0

Vs. NET 26-50: 0-2

Vs. NET: 51-100: 4-9

Vs. NET 101+: 0-2

Notes: Could the Summit League be a two-bid conference if South Dakota State (54 NET) loses in the conference tournament?

Photo: Iowa’s Payton Sandfort (left) celebrates with Filip Rebraca during Sunday’s win at Rutgers. (Rich Graessle/Icon SportsWire)

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