Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Why Iowa basketball fan should feel optimistic in tonight's game vs Michigan State

Episode Date: February 22, 2022

We are joined by Locked On Spartans host Matt Sheehan to break down tonight's game between the Iowa basketball team and the Michigan State basketball team. Coming off a rough stretch for the Spartans, will Fran McCaffery's Iowa Hawkeye squad take care of business after a big win on the road vs Ohio State or will they struggle out of the gate and let the Tom Izzo squad get a quad 1 win on the road?We got you covered with all of that right now.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome back Hawkeye Nation to a Tuesday morning episode of the Locked On Hawkeyes Podcast, your daily podcast covering your Iowa Hawkeyes on the Locked On Podcast Network. As always, I am your host, Andrew Wade, and we have a very exciting episode today. We are joined by Locked On Spartans host, Matt Sheehan, to talk about tonight's game, Iowa versus Michigan State. I know there was a very big game last night, Iowa versus Indiana.

I am pre-recording this. I will break down the Iowa-Indiana game, hopefully, in a Locked On Now, a quick little hitter video you can watch on YouTube and also on tomorrow's episode of the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. But with that being said, I want to first thank you all for making the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast your first listen every single day. You can find the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast for free wherever you get podcasts at and also on YouTube by searching Locked On Hawkeyes podcast for free wherever you get podcasts at and also on YouTube by searching Locked On Hawkeyes.

With that being said, let's turn to our full episode with Matt Sheehan covering tonight's game, Iowa versus Michigan State. Our ranked Iowa Hawkeyes versus Michigan State. Hey, y'all. It is Andrew Wade of Locked On Hawkeyes and Matt Sheehan of Locked On Spartans. We are back. I know it's the deal you always want and need. Matt, it is great to be back, man. It has been way too long. I think since when was the last time we actually recorded? Was it like early August or was it

mid-football season? Mid-football season, we did it during the bye week. Yeah, it was right. We had the same bye week. Yeah, yeah. Because Iowa was coming off the Penn State win, which was awesome. And Michigan State was doing phenomenal. And then things happened after that. It was great. We were flying high, man. Solid season two for our squads. That was football season. I think they both exceeded expectations. You weren't expecting Michigan State to be that good. I wasn't expecting Iowa to do that well or even be number two

in the nation at any given point in the season, so I'll take it. No, 100%. I was screaming myself blue in the face. If they make the tax layer bowl, we're throwing a parade on Grand River over here in East Lansing. The fact that Peach Bowl champs run me over with a car. Let's go. That's all I had to say. I'm a very happy person. Good deal. I can't say you're very happy about basketball right i mean i feel like you probably yeah let's uh because for me i mean i'm i'm basically the same way so i don't expect i would do amazing things but i was like as long as we get the tournament we're good we're on pace to

do that um but i'm not a michigan state person right so i don't understand what it's like to always have expectations of potentially a final four or nearly eight so um what's going on man are you okay no i haven't been okay in quite some time years actually um no actually so today i get a phone call from my mother and she says and this is a true story um matt i'm sorry to say but we were saying goodbye to your childhood dog 19 years she almost gave us 19 years a few months shy of 19 years you're on the show today are you okay yeah i'm great because let me tell you um this wasn't the even the saddest moment regarding specimens that are around 19 years of ages msu once again just fell at or or no, against Iowa or Illinois rather see I'm all out of sorts.

That's how much the game screwed me up yesterday. That it wasn't even the most depressing part of the weekend getting that call. Cause like Michigan state is just on a downward slide, man. They started this year. So good. Right. I mean, top 10. Okay. This is looking okay. Which was a surprise because Michigan state was ranked 26th in the preseason AP poll. If they went back, they were the next team to get votes, which is, you know, like four seed, five seed,

maybe six seed in the tournament. Okay, so now we're punching above our weight class. We're looking good, but also the secret here, we had a really, really, I mean, really easy start to Big Ten play. Like we had a Mickey Mouse schedule. And then it gets a little tougher. Okay, we start dropping some games here and there. Now we're starting to look like that number 26 ranked team that everyone kind

of expected that we were going to be. But now, okay, I think it's losing four of the last five, if I'm not mistaken. Now we're falling behind schedule. Now we're starting to look like a seven seed, or dare I say an eight seed. And this could turn into a nine seed because Michigan State's rest of the year, the last five games, I don't see a single picnic amongst them except for senior night against Maryland but hey still we beat Maryland at the buzzer at their place so even that's not an automatic win so Andrew that was a long way of saying that uh that was a roller coaster man wasn't it that's what I'm here for

I'm so sorry about your dog thank you you. Well, how about my basketball team? You sorry for them too or no? No, I don't really care. I know. Okay. I could give two crap about your sorriness and sadness for Michigan State. Honestly, I find it – the more depressing Michigan State is, the funnier you are on Twitter.

Isn't that great? Yeah, it's awesome. Love it. It's like – oh, I'm not going to, I was about to make a comparison to Robin. That's I'm just going to stay out of that. That was very inappropriate. Matt, I do appreciate your humor.

You have to, you know, you got to find a way out of it somehow. And that's, that's, that's mine by comparing it out of the death of my childhood dog to my college basketball team that I root for Andrew. So that's the healthy way to sort through things here. The Michigan State breakdowns, though, over the Illinois game and the Penn State game was great.

Twitter was a fantastic play. Yeah, fantastic. If you don't like Michigan State but you follow Michigan State people, I was just like – I was searching for it at a certain point. I'm like, what are the takes here? Like, this is fantastic. Like, this is truly phenomenal. It's sad that it's – like, I don't actually hate Michigan State. Like sad that it's like I don't actually hate Michigan State like it doesn't I don't actually hate Michigan State

not like does not bother me right there's teams I do hate Nebraska Wisconsin but not not Michigan State okay um but I was even I was I was really enjoying it uh you did talk about losing some of the games man I mean you started out with Minnesota Penn State Northwestern Nebraska Minnesota that is a very nice, easy schedule. It was a joke. It was a joke of a start to the Big Ten play. So, like, we were kind of living a lie there. It's like, oh, hey, we're going to be in the title chase.

Are we? Because we haven't really played a tough road game yet. We haven't welcomed a tough team to the Breslin Center yet. But I hold out some hope that maybe that we weren't just a wolf in sheep's clothes, which is apparent that's what we are. So you beat Wisconsin on the road. You beat Michigan. That was fun.

Okay, team. I mean, those are solid wins, right? I mean, at the end of the day, that's at least a quad one win against Wisconsin. Yep. That's probably it. That's your only – well, you got Connecticut as well on a neutral court, so that's probably a quad one win. Popped Connecticut.

We fought the Sister Jeans down at Loyola very well. We beat them at the buzzer back in, oh, God, what seems like two and a half years ago at the Bahamas. So, like, we got some nice wins tucked away in there. And, like, there's a fine team somewhere in Michigan State. And this sounds like the biggest cliche because it's a lazy word to use, but they're just inconsistent. But, like, it's just what they are.

They have way too many players that just play great, and then they're in study abroad the very next game. Okay, they play okay here, and then it just disappears for three games. And very rarely now these days in this recent stretch are we getting, like, two guys at the same time that are having great games. Or it's also Gabe Brown. Now I'm just rambling. You can stop me whenever.

But, like, Gabe Brown started so hot this year, one of the best three-point shooters, not just in the program but in the conference. Ever since January has rolled around, he's shooting a smooth 25% from three. He was supposed to be a leader. Okay, now we're kind of settling. Okay, well, like, maybe he could just be a three and D guy. Now we're kind of missing the three part of that, and his D is kind of iffy now.

So we just have a guy now. And also we rely a ton on Max Christie, five-star true freshman. And now the minutes are starting to wear on him because he is the highest minutes percentage on our team. And listen, the kid's talented. He's great, but he's also really good at defense. And I've said this a thousand times on the podcast, so I'm sorry for any State fans listening. This is your billionth time hearing this.'s also really good at defense. And I've said this a thousand times on the podcast, so I'm sorry for any State fans listening.

This is your billionth time hearing this. He's really good at defense, so that means he gets assigned to like the Johnny Davises of the world during games. He gets assigned to a lot of great wing players. That adds up. It affects his offensive game, and he just really hasn't been the player that we thought that we were going to get this late in the season just because we're kind of running him into the ground

because we kind of have to so it's it's been a it's been a complete mixture a nice cocktail if you will of nonsense as to why we've fallen apart here is michigan state though so every like whenever i have a bracket and michigan state is an eight seed or a 70 or 19 i always put michigan state to go to like the sweet 16 or the Elite Eight because it just – otherwise, I just – I got burnt one time, like, screw this. And I started doing it, and it almost always hits. So, like, is this a team that can do it again? Like, it sounds like they have some talent they just got to put together.

Yeah, and that's the thing, right? Like, I'll talk bad about this team. Like, I'm really sour on them. Like, I'm so pessimistic right now. But, yeah, of course you should put them in the Sweet 16 like this is when they defy the odds like i mean i know i'll get burnt on it because i won't i'll say like oh this team's gonna get ushered out against let's call it marquette in the first round and then no like they'll bang out a run to the elite eight probably just because that's just what it's annoying do it it's like you know like annoying as like a

opposing fan like it's so obnoxious. Like why can't Iowa bang out a sweet 16? No, we have a number two seed and we get matched up against a six foot six Oregon team that shoots a three ball. Like nobody's business. Like, oh my gosh.

I wasn't going to bring it up. I'm glad you did. So yeah, I was shocked. I'm just like such a frustrating, such a frustrating end of the year. You mentioned Max Christie guarding end of the year. You mentioned Max Christie guarding kind of the best player.

Is he going to match up on Keegan Murray? He's going to be giving up a couple inches, but is he probably the guy? Hey, y'all, quick pause here. Football might be over for the season, but basketball is in full steam for both pro and college hoops. From all the latest odds, totals, player performance props to where the next fired coach is going to land, betonline.net is the number one spot for all of your sports betting needs. BetOnline remains the best spot for all of your sports scores, podcasts, and news this season,

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So head over to that website today or use your mobile device to learn more about the trends in action at BetOnline.net. BetOnline.net, where the game starts. And again, thank you all for making the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast your first listen every single day. You can find the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast for free wherever you get podcasts at and also on YouTube by searching Locked On Hawkeyes.

Yeah, I'm sure he's going to have to be. And also, I think they will try to reignite Gabe Brown, too, on defense to get him on there. Because they did this the first time they played Johnny Davis against Wisconsin. They threw a ton of people at Johnny Davis. Now what happened is that Wisconsin was missing another solid player for that game, whose name is, of course, escaping me right now, Tyler Wall. And so they were able to throw a different amount of players at him.

But then Tyler Wall came back for the home game at Michigan State. So, okay, Gabe Brown had to cover him. Max Christie over here. So now that you only get one focal point, though, in Keegan Murray, I think you can throw different people at him. Like A.J. Holgard, he's fine again. He'll give up a couple inches. But, yeah, I think you'll see the kitchen sink routine for him on Tuesday night.

At least I'm hoping. So we'll see. Stay tuned. Does it worry you at all that this is going to be an emotional night for Iowa in the sense that we have Luka Garza, we have four very well-known Iowa Hawkeyes having their numbers retired. It's going to be a packed house to see Luka Garza, Roy Dev Marble, some other guests coming.

It couldn't really come at a worse time, I feel like, for Michigan State. Does that worry you at all? Yeah, 100% it does. I didn't want to hear that at all. I heard that Carson was getting his number retired. I didn't know it was Tuesday. It is the biggest promotion going on. Normal Carver on a Tuesday night is not going to be packed. I imagine Carver on Tuesday night is going to be probably the most packed it's been on a Tuesday night in a very long time. Yeah, that's just what I want to hear. Fantastic.

They had a tough time on the road in a half-empty Northwestern arena, whatever they're calling it these days. They got absolutely clowned by Rutgers at the rack. So, yeah, to hear that Carver Hawkeye is going to be packed with – okay, like fans that hate Michigan State, I feel like there's some extra sauce on the Iowa fan base when the Spartans walk through the building. Yes.

Yeah. No, it's going to be horrible. That is just what I want to hear for a team that's kind of falling apart throughout the rest of the season. You've got some players I'm starting to wonder if they've checked out or not. So that is just what the doctor ordered, a hostile environment on the road on a cold winter night on a Tuesday at Iowa, baby. Oh, I'm just jazzed right now.

This is great. I might not even watch. I might not even watch. I want to say this episode is just going to be football only. I'm having like deja vu because we had the same exact conversation last year. And I'm looking at the schedule. It was, it would have been February 1st because Iowa played Michigan state at home February 2nd and I remember I went to a Buffalo Wild Wings I was like Iowa

should win this game we talked about like this is gonna be a disaster Luki Garza is gonna destroy us everyone's gonna destroy us Michigan State's gonna look like crap and Michigan State had Iowa on the ropes the entire freaking game until the very end where Iowa outscored them, you know, by four points in the fourth quarter to win that game. Right? Like, yeah, I have, that could be this case too. I was coming off a weird stretch where they played Michigan on Thursday, which a whole disaster with Michigan this today,

as we're recording the Sunday, very. Why, what happened? What happened? Nothing like no physical altercation happened. Oh, I was like, dude, I'm sure you saw this. I'm like, what? It's been my personal Christmas today. Yeah. It's been great. Like this is the best day ever. Michigan State might not be doing well, but Juwan Howard just punched a guy and it's all breaking,

all hell is breaking. Michigan State's falling apart. My dog's gone, but you know what? Juwan Howard's throwing hands at assistant coaches. It's today's been a net, net positive. Michigan State's falling apart. My dog's gone, but you know what, Juwan? Howard's throwing hands at assistant coaches. Today's been a net positive, so it's all good. All good. Trying to talk myself into finer things in life here. Yeah, I'm glad you can always find a nice positive. But yeah, Iowa played Michigan on Thursday, lost that.

They came out to Ohio State and played, honestly, the most desperate ballgame I've seen them play. I mean, they played like they had no other tomorrow. They had no other option. They had to win that game, which was really fun to see. Emotionally, will there be a letdown? I don't know. I mean, this is kind of a trap game with Michigan State, the last game of a three-game series or three games in six days for Iowa.

I mean, this is, in Michigan State, a team that you could overlook considering kind of the disaster they've had. Maybe Tom Izzo is able to convince them to kind of actually get up. I don't know. It's a game where I'm not betting on Iowa to cover, I'll be honest. Yeah, yeah, and totally.

And that's just kind of just where I wanted to start on the Iowa side of things. And what is the vibe check over there? Because just like you said, this is a lot of games packed into a short amount of time. You have the Michigan state team, which if I was an Iowa fan, I'd be looking at my chops at being like,

Oh my God, this is a wounded animal coming in here. But at the same time, like it's just kind of Michigan state's MO. Once you think that, you know, them like they surprise you and turn it around for better or for worse. So like, where's,

where's your vibe check at right now? Are you confident? Are you a little shook? Where are we at Andrew? I will feel a lot better about this basketball team in either direction after michigan state i feel like what and it's tough because iowa has been close in a lot of games right i mean this season has been such a weird season they lost two nba players iowa doesn't produce a lot of nba players so losing two of them in the same season is tough. You lose your backup. It was supposed to be the next guy up for Luka Garza going to Xavier. You lose CJ Frederick, the trader who goes to Kentucky. I mean, it is just, it's just not,

it was, it was a tough, difficult turnaround for Iowa. And to be honestly into this, into this spot makes me happy, right? The fact that they're going to be in a tournament, I'm feeling pretty good overall. Now, game to game, I get very frustrated, right? You go against Purdue, you don't have Keegan Murray, and you only lose by seven. Then you go play Purdue with Keegan Murray, and you are struggling to keep even in that game. I don't understand that.

Penn State, you easily could have won that game. You go to double overtime, you lose on the road. Frustrating. Michigan, they played outstanding. Wisconsin, I just iowa couldn't do much against them ruckers we got a crappy big 10 call um at the very end that oh that was a ridiculous foul call but yeah vibe check if they beat michigan state and they beat them by more than 10 i think this is a team that people should be worried about in the NCAA tournament. I truly do. Going into this season, I felt like this team had a lower floor than last year's team, but a higher ceiling given the fact that defensively,

I felt like that could keep them in games when their offense wasn't hitting. And we've seen them do that at times this year where their defense has kept them in. They did a great job against Ohio State. I think matchups are really going to be a huge factor in this. When you have three 6'8 guys who can guard two through five and dribble the ball, that's pretty darn good. And they can also all shoot the three, and they have some post-up moves. So, I mean, there's definitely some matchup and situational things

that Iowa could take advantage of against any given team. So if they beat Michigan State, I'll feel good. I just haven't they haven't been able to get up for the next game or continue to keep it up. And that's been kind of frustrating for me. And against Michigan State, this is a letdown spot that I'm really worried about. That's been the interesting thing about Iowa, too, is just the defensive portion of it. Because I, you know, when you think defensive juggernauts, you know, I'm sorry, but I think Iowa would be the 14th team that I would usually name in the conference for,

okay, this is who you can count on for defense. But it looks like, like, are things turning around defensively? Is this like just some mirage? And if so, like how has it been done? Is it just all that length and versatility? Hawkeye Nation, this episode is brought to you by rockauto..com with the ever-increasing numbers of makes and models it is now impossible for your local chain auto parts store to stock all the parts you need why endure often pointless or seemingly intimidating questioning and wait while the person behind the counter orders the

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So go to rockauto.com right now and see all the parts available for your car or truck right locked on in their how did you hear about us box so they know we sent you amazing selection reliably low prices all the parts your car will ever need rockauto.com yeah um well first i think it's important to note that according to kemp on there the hundred and third ranked defense in the nation and they've been still i mean that's right it's pretty it's pretty decent for the hawks i think part of it's that iowa's defense is never going to be good right when you when you play the kind of basketball they do which is get the ball and run as fast as you freaking can down the other side of the court

they're always looking for that transition opportunity. That is always going to lend yourself to having a little bit more difficulty on the defensive end. It's just fact matter. In some games they played pretty well, especially down this past probably three weeks, they played really good defense against Penn state. I thought they played pretty good defense. Minnesota, they shut them down.

Jordan Bohannon actually looked like he could defend some people pretty consistently, which was impressive. Maryland, they scored 87 points, but Iowa also scored 110. I mean, the 87 was more a product of Iowa was just getting on the court so much. Maryland was going to have those opportunities. So to me, what I've seen from them is that defense is has the ceiling higher than last year's defense there are times where this defense can be a top 30 defense the problem is the consistency of seeing that and seeing it even from first half to second half so um and matchup matchups mich Michigan is a terrible matchup for us.

When you have 100 Dickinson and you have their 6'11", five-star forward, that is not a good matchup for Iowa considering we play a 6'9", undersized, probably a stretch four playing a five in the Big Ten. Not a good idea. Ben there, that was Michigan State last year. Yeah, just trying to 6'9", guy out there. And good luck out there. Don't get too hurt. Yeah, have fun. Don-9 guy out there and good luck out there. Don't get too hurt.

Have fun. Don't die. Remember, you got five fouls. Let's use them all. Obviously, you got Keegan Murray. It goes without saying that you might have a few eyeballs on him today. Who outside of him offensively should

MSU fans just over here? Is there going to be 39-year-old Jordan Bohannon, or is there someone else that's striking fear in the opponent's heart so far this season? Jordan Bohannon's interesting because he's only had, I would argue, one breakout game, and that was, I believe, against Maryland where he scored 30 points and hit 10 three-pointers on 16 attempts. I was like, wow, okay, cool. You're back, Jordan.

And since then, he's been more of just consistent. He's gotten 10 to 12 points, hit two or three threes. Honestly, he's been actually dribbling the basketball pretty well and attacking the basket in a good way and actually doing a pretty good job there. Offensively, though, it would either be Patrick McCaffrey or Chris Murray. If you lock down Keegan, I think McCaffrey or Chris Murray um if you lock down Keegan I think you need Patrick or Chris to be the guy and Chris has been up and down all season

between his minutes he's either getting 10 minutes or getting 26 minutes he'll put in 25 points against Purdue and then play eight minutes against Rutgers and get two minutes so or two points so he's been very inconsistent with his minutes um Chris is a guy though, if he gets going and he had a great game this past game against Ohio state, he's a guy to watch out for. He is, his game is very similar to Keegan's obviously, right? They have the exact same body type. They're, they're literally twins. Chris can shoot the ball better where Keegan is going to attack the basket a bit more. So Chris is a better shooter. Keegan's a bit more of a basket attacker. the basket a bit more so chris is a better shooter keegan's a bit more of a basket attacker um patrick mccaffrey uh when he knows what he's gonna do with the basketball he can be

really outstanding and he can put together some really amazing things but sometimes he goes to lane i'm like i don't know if you knew what you were gonna do when you got here like i think you're like let's get here and figure it out second and then he just doesn't convert around the rim. And I had him on the show this summer, and I was like – and I tried to phrase the question in a proper way because obviously he was being very kind to come on the show and talk about the team. And I was like, one of the things I think you could possibly work on, and correct me if I'm wrong here, is maybe finishing on the basket.

And he was like, yeah, you know, there's some things about being tired and I definitely have to work on some of that. And he kind of, you know, didn't really answer the question specifically. So I don't think he agreed with me, but I mean, he doesn't, he's so hotter, hotter, cold when he gets within four feet of the basket. I'm like, what is going on here, man? So I think it's one of those two guys is going to be the guy that would really tear you up.

Obviously always at the watch for Jordan Bohannon. If he starts getting that big dick energy and he's hitting, he gets two threes early, like watch out. He's going to come down and just start drilling threes from the logo. That'll just seem so real to me. I can just see it before the under-16 timeout. He's already two for three on three-pointers, and like I'm already just starting to reach for the beer

and the Kleenex box to start sobbing the night away. So, yeah, great. No, I'm shaking my head when you describe like, you know, just driving to the lane, having no idea what you're going to do when you get to the room, because you also just explained Gabe Brown's game too, which I swear to God, it kicks the ball into the upper deck when he drives more than he converts on

layups. So that's life though. You can tell I'm really thrilled about this game. Cannot wait for 7pm. Don't miss this one. It makes you feel better. If I was losing, I am unable to drink a beer because I decided for some reason to give up alcohol for 75 days.

God, you're better than I am. Wow, Jesus. I'm only seven days in, and it has been actually difficult. God bless you, man. Wow. Well, hey, better now than football season, I guess. Honestly, I was like, this is the best time. I'll be in a hospital for two days after the birth of my son. I did it right after a. Honestly, I was like, this is the best time. I'll be in a hospital for two days

after the birth of my son. I did it right after a bachelor party where I was basically dead afterwards, right before the first wedding. So I'm trying to be strategic about this, but right during March Madness is kind of a rough time. Who on the Michigan State, I've got to ask this question, who on the Michigan State and Iowa actually be worried about, though?

You talked about Max Christie playing mostly defense. Joey Hauser doesn't look like he's actually in the starting lineup, but I'm looking at Kempom seven. Joey Hauser was like a prize, you know, transfer. Oh, yeah. And he just hasn't really done a whole lot. Shooting decently, it looks like, from the three line. But who to watch out for for Michigan State?

You know, that's a fascinating question because, you know, since I was so undersized in the paint, I would say Marcus Bingham because, you know, it's been a while since he's had a really favorable matchup like this. However, he doesn't really play a lot. Even though he's a senior, he's been here for a while. He's got a pretty polished, you know, postgame. He can take it out to like 10 feet, shoot. He thinks he can shoot three-pointers. Some games he's right.

But, yeah, like just since the size disparity in the paint fascinates me but the only thing that like gives me pause is that he's only playing like 15 to 18 minutes a game like I don't know if it's like his cardio thing or if Izzo just doesn't trust him so it's just been the weirdest dynamic this season watching the Marcus Bingham show kind of unfold because to me on paper like this is prime for the picking. Like he should have no reason. He doesn't go for like 22 and 11 on Tuesday night, but if he's only going to play like 90 seconds, how does that happen? So outside of that, I mean, man, just being scared.

Whatever point guard decides to show up between Tyson Walker and AJ Hogart. Now, again, this is something that I've said on my podcast 4,000 times, but our point guards either give you an A plus game. like, oh my God, are they going to return next year? Are they going to be a lottery pick? Or you're starting to question how they even found a Division I basketball scholarship. I thought that was the last one, Rocket Wads. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It sounds like it because it was like it, Andrew. And yeah, so here we are again, just trying to find, okay, are we going to have great point guard player?

Are we just going to have terrible point guard play? Because I'll tell you, it is never just down the middle. It is just never an okay game. Like, okay, we played average. If we could just do that every night, that'd be great. Like, no, it's either like, all right, I'm dropping 14 and 11, or I'm just going to hand the ball to the popcorn vendor. I'm going to throw the ball to the ref.

Like, it's just like, so I see, this is why I can't go 75 days without drinking. Cause the beer, um, cheers. I was, I was looking at Marcus being, um, can you imagine me a top 100 recruit and not starting or even really playing that much as a senior? Like, how do you find those guys? Honestly, it's impressive because, like –

I know. I know. I know. I know. And, like, I wrestle with it. Like, who gets the fault here? Like, is it just for not playing him because, like, I think he's good? Or is it on Marcus for, like, doing little nuances in every game

that gets him benched? Like, I'm sure it's a little mixture of both, but it's not like that we just have this treasure trove of big men behind Bingham. We have Julius Marble, who can visit outer space sometimes during a lot of defensive possessions, especially on a pick-and-roll game. Or we have Matty Sissoko, who I think should just be in the football building trying to transition to defensive end because basketball ain't working so far for him. I'm just,

I'm just fascinated with the whole Marcus Bingham thing. And like, it's late February of his senior season. I still can't figure out how we've gotten to this point where he's just always in jail. Like he's always in Tom Izzo jail, just playing 15 minutes a night, 18 minutes a night. Like I don't get it.

I do not get it. Like, yeah, this is terrible for a locked on Spartans podcast supposed to hop on here. And in February, be like, yeah, I don't get it. I do not get it. Yeah, this is terrible for a locked-on Spartans podcast supposed to hop on here. And in February, be like, yeah, I don't know what's going on with one of our star players or how on earth they're managing his minutes. But straight up, I don't know. A lot of people don't know.

I don't even know if Marcus or Izzo know. At this point, it's just such a disaster now. I feel like every time we talk, I always feel really good about Iowa. And then during the game, I'm like, this is not how this was supposed to go. Like, this is supposed to be a nice Tuesday evening. All right, if Michigan State were to win this game, what needs to happen? Aside from the obvious, like, you know, don't let Bohannon start five for six from three-point line before the under-16 timeout.

Holding Murray at bay, it's got to be just holding on to the basketball. This is something that's plagued Michigan State all season. They love to turn the ball over. Iowa's a great team at forcing turnovers. That's just what I wanted to hear. Honestly, I'm going to shoot you a straight. You don't even have to be a good team at forcing turnovers. You can just be a team of five mannequins and msu will still turn the ball

over eight times in the first half like there's so many games where they go into locker room seven turnovers eight turnovers at half but like the other team doesn't really have to even work for like they maybe had to work for like one or two turnovers other times like okay this ball's gonna go in uh row four uh i'm just gonna just dribble right into a guy and then fall down and then just cough up the ball. It's just bewildering. So if they could manage the turnovers, I've been saying that for how many games now, like 20-some games,

and nothing seems to give. So it's that, and it's also just the other things that I'm just kind of wishfully hoping for, like Gabe Brown finding his shot again. He's been terrible for the last two months, but he had a really good game against Rutgers, so maybe we find shot again. He's been terrible for the last two months, but he had a really good game against Rutgers, so maybe we find that again. Hey, Max Christie, maybe he's on growth hormones,

or maybe we start juicing him to get his legs back. That'd be great. Listen, hey, I'm not saying cheat, but cheat, no one ever gets punished for it these days anymore. Those are my keys to the game. Don't turn the ball over. Take a lot of steroids and illegal drugs before stepping into the game.

I think those are great keys to the game, man. Yeah, right. Yeah, I'm not going to do any X's and O's things. No, it's just cheap. I will say Iowa, when I say great at 14 turnovers, they are great for Iowa, right? They're still like 80th in the nation in turnover percentage force, but compared to like 250th and 300,

like they've been in the past couple of years, that's pretty impressive. And they do a really great job. You'll see them. If they start getting hot, they'll start doing a half court trap and they can really screw a team. Cause they use Patrick McCaffrey. They'll have one of their quicker guards in to push the guy to the sideline. Patrick McCaffrey comes up all limbs and legs, six foot eight and just jumps up and tries to knock it down.

And it is, it's actually been pretty bad against struggling guards. That'll be really interesting to see if that, if that plays out. I just don't see this game. I mean, if Iowa comes out and blows Michigan state out by 20 points, I'm feeling real good about Iowa going into the tournament time. If Iowa lets this be a five point game game, I'm going to be pissed off. I'm going to be actually annoyed about what's happening. But I can see that very much being the case.

Yeah, my only prediction is that Michigan State wins by 15 or Iowa wins by 15. That's what I got for you. I don't know. I have no idea what to expect from this Michigan State team anymore. It's driving me insane. But, yeah, that's awesome to hear that. Iowa runs a lot of drafts. That's great.

All right. You heard it here first, y'all. Iowa locked on Hawkeyes, locked on Spartans. We have no idea what to expect in tonight's matchup between Iowa and Michigan State. And more than likely, we're both going to be unhappy at some point. Any last words for you, Matt? No.

I've never dreaded a game more. Like, you know, I used to look forward to games. And, like, you know, this season I look forward to a lot of games. Now it's just starting to become an obligation. Like, this is healthy. Like, do I really want to watch the game tonight? Like, yeah, of course I do because I'm a masochist, and I appreciate the

pain so bring it on baby that's what i felt about denver broncos games man i actually stopped watching some denver broncos games this year because i was like i can't take it i emotionally and unable to take this game and especially after like an iowa loss and football i'm like i cannot have two days of being super pissed off during the weekend and then going to work and try to pretend like i actually want to be there the whole freaking week and be happy right like it just wasn't working for me yeah well that that's called knowing yourself and that's very healthy whereas like i'll still watch the game but like my posture will be like this the entire time just like slumped on the couch just despondent like not talking to anyone like but like wife will come into

the room concerned with my son and be like, oh, God, Dad's doing it again. He's wilting away into the couch. Is he going to be okay? No, I'm not going to be okay. I haven't been okay in years. Yeah, that's that. Well, Lockdown listeners, as always, we appreciate you tuning in.

Andrew with Lockdown Hawkeyes, Matt Sheen of Lockdown Spartans. A lot of dread, misery, and on this show. I hope your Iowa Hawkeyes fans appreciated this. Yeah. A lot of bad vibes here on this end of the camera here. We'll take all the bad vibes you can send Michigan State's way. Thanks, y'all, for tuning in. All right, y'all.

That will do it for our show today. We will be back tomorrow breaking down the Iowa-Indiana game. Also breaking down Iowa versus Michigan State and talking recruiting. A lot of recruiting news happening over the last couple of days and lots of news across the Big Ten in general.

Lots of stuff to cover on the next couple of days of the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. And I want to thank you all for making the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast your first listen every single day. Now, make your second listen to the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. And I want to thank you all for making the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast your first listen every single day. Now, make your second listen to the Locked On NFL Draft podcast hosted by Ryan Tracy and former NFL cornerback Eric Crocker. They bring the NFL Draft to life every day with insight and analysis

on college football prospects like Tyler Linderbaum, Dane Belton, and Tyler Goodson, and also NFL front offices. It's free and available wherever you get podcast app. And that will do it for our show today. As always Hawkeye nation, I appreciate you tuning in. I appreciate your listenership and your love and your support. And I apologize for the audio issues on yesterday's episode.

That will not happen again. Tune in tomorrow. Have a fantastic Tuesday. And as always Hawkeye nation, let's go Hawks.