Iowa hoops preview

[southsider2k5]

Iowa coach Steve Alford will be under scrutiny this season. The same is true of his sophomore guard, Pierre Pierce, the former Westmont High School star.

 

Pierce returns to the lineup after sitting out as a redshirt last year, when he was at the center of a controversy. After being charged with felony sexual assault last fall, Pierce eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault causing injury.

 

Pierce and four returning starters will be counted on to give Iowa its first winning Big Ten season under Alford. Pierce completed 200 hours of community service ahead of schedule, which made him eligible for Iowa's August trip to Australia.

 

"We made it mandatory, before he could go on our Australia trip," Alford said at Sunday's Big Ten media day in Rosemont. "He's gone through a very difficult process the way he was supposed to, learned from a very difficult situation and now has been brought back into a team he has an awful lot to do with."

 

As a freshman, Pierce started 32 games and averaged 7.1 points. He averaged 20.8 points in five games in Australia. Pierce practiced with the team last season but did not play in games. His criminal case led to protests calling for Alford's firing after the coach publicly supported him.

 

"It's my obligation, too, to have a 19-year-old student-athlete to stand by and support, not just when you're winning a national championship but also when something serious on a negative side has happened to your program," Alford said.

 

Iowa finished 17-14, 7-9 last year--its fourth straight losing season in the Big Ten. There is speculation Alford must turn around the program quickly to keep his job.

 

"Two years ago you win a Big Ten (tournament) championship ... you're on top of the mountain," Alford said. "Then, all of a sudden there's a couple of tough years and maybe that changes. That's part of the job when the salaries are the way they are. I have a signed contract through 2009. I don't have a lot of anxiety that I'm going to be out of a job."

 

Pierce may face taunting on the road, which would test the conference's crowd-control initiative to be implemented this year to address, in part, athletes being singled out by student sections. If taunts are deemed excessive, conference officials would handle the matter privately with the university. If the rowdiness continued, the conference would go public with its complaints. Finally, it could ask that the student section be broken up.

[whitesoxfan99]

Alford is such a tool. He wins one Big Ten tournament and he brings it up for two straight years. What about a team with Reggie Evans and Luke Recker not even making the NCAA tournament? I hate Alford and I despise the fact that Pierce is allowed to play for Iowa after his off court situation. I can't wait for them to come to U of I, Pierce is going to get hell from every team in the Big 10 this year.

[Steaming Willy Harris]

i agree with you completely, Alford sucks, he hasnt even had a winning Big Ten record since taking over the program. And then the whole Pierre Pierce thing just pisses me off. There is no reason he should keep his scholarship after doing what he allegedly did. Everytime i see walking around campus all cocky, which is somewhat frequently, it upsets me.

 

Because of all of this i have cancelled my season basketball tickets i have had the last few years ive been here.

Although i like neither one of them, especially not Pierce, though he is a very talented player, i will still cheer for the Hawkeyes. Their team might be pretty good this year, and hopefully Alford will help me change my opinion of him and have a good year.

[SuperSteve]

Cough, cough, cough...GO STATE!!!

[Chisoxfn]

i agree with you completely, Alford sucks, he hasnt even had a winning Big Ten record since taking over the program.  And then the whole Pierre Pierce thing just pisses me off.  There is no reason he should keep his scholarship after doing what he allegedly did.  Everytime i see walking around campus all cocky, which is somewhat frequently, it upsets me.

 

Because of all of this i have cancelled my season basketball tickets i have had the last few years ive been here.

Although i like neither one of them, especially not Pierce, though he is a very talented player, i will still cheer for the Hawkeyes.  Their team might be pretty good this year, and hopefully Alford will help me change my opinion of him and have a good year.

I'm a pretty big Alford fan. He did an exceptional job at SW Missouri State and I have always felt he would bring Hawks basketball to a new level, one that could potentially compete for a national title. Thus far it hasn't happened and I've been incredibly dissapointed.

 

Last years team shouldn't of done good. They had no depth and not much experience. The year before when Evans and Recker were there, it was a joke they didn't go deep in the tourney, let alone not make it.

 

As far as the year they won the tourney, had Luke not gone down, that team would of done pretty damn good, imo. I'm not gonna knock him for Luke's injury so in my opinion he had one bad year and one solid year (The year they won the big 10). Last year was indifferent to me and this will be the make it or break it year.

 

I think the Hawks finish in the top 3 in the big ten. They have some impressive players up front, who really came on late last season and then Pierce is gonna be pretty good.

 

I don't respect him for what happened, but I will give him credit for doing the community service and all that stuff. I also don't have a problem with Alford supporting his player. If I were an incoming player I'd like to know my coach would support and help me get my life back together.

 

ALthough right when the incident happened I remember reading some stories about Alford trying to help get charges dropped and such, which was WRONG.

[WSoxShuf]

 

super steve i cant wait until nov 22nd when your green goobers come to the greatest stadium in college basketball. Also, I ahve so many friends at State, this makes it so fun. my god f***ing damn girlfrined booked our thanksgiving flight that night, so I will watch in Chi town.

 

second, Iowas bball is a joke. HEll they took Ryan hogan on scholarship, after a DUI. Alford is dirty, and I love when he gets picked on by boers and bersney.

 

Rock Chalk Motherf***ing JAyhawks.

[Steaming Willy Harris]

Well i hate to admit it but in the last two years i have noticed Iowa has completely turned into a football school. I havent heard anyone at classes or bars or around campus even mention the upcoming basketball season, yet football is talked about constantly. If im not mistaken attendance was down last year for basketball while this year attendance is at an all time high for football.