It was another typical Iowa men's basketball game last night in Minnesota. Fall behind early, rally in the second half, and come up short. Iowa is currently 12-18 and in last place in the Big Ten with just one game remaining. It's been a frustrating year for fans not just because of the losing, but because there are flashes of what we all expected.

Take a look at a couple of revealing numbers from this year's team. This Iowa team ranks 27th in offensive efficiency in college basketball. That's not just good, that's really good. They're in the top 92 percent of college teams! If you've watched the team this year you know that scoring hasn't been an issue. However, Iowa is the only team in the top 27 that has a losing record. The next number is why.

There are 351 teams in college basketball. Iowa ranks 292nd in defensive efficiency. Only Washington has a worse rating for a power 5 school. It's all about the 'D' folks. Fans see it. Commentators see it. I'm sure Fran McCaffery sees it too. It's the key to Iowa's success next season. This team has to learn to play defense. As the number show, they've got nowhere to go but up.

 

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