Busting Brackets
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Iowa Basketball: 3 keys to upset over Tennessee in Round of 32

By Holden Walter-Warner

IOWA CITY, IOWA- FEBRUARY 01: Guard Jordan Bohannon #3 of the Iowa Hawkeyes drives down the court in the second half against forward Isaiah Livers #4 of the Michigan Wolverines, on February 1, 2019 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- FEBRUARY 01: Guard Jordan Bohannon #3 of the Iowa Hawkeyes drives down the court in the second half against forward Isaiah Livers #4 of the Michigan Wolverines, on February 1, 2019 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 22: Tyler Cook #25 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts during the first half against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 22: Tyler Cook #25 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts during the first half against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

1. Get Tyler Cook involved

These have not been the best of days for Tyler Cook. The junior forward from St. Louis has endured his struggles as the season has rolled along.

Against Cincinnati, foul trouble rendered Cook obsolete. He managed to still have a respectable all-around day, grabbing five rebounds and dishing four assists. But he only scored five points on the afternoon.

This wasn’t Cook’s first recent stinker either. In the 20-point loss to Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago, Cook played 24 minutes, yet never managed to put the ball in the basket, the first time he was held off the scoresheet in his entire collegiate career.

None of this means Cook is a bad player. It just means he’s slumping at precisely the wrong time for the Hawkeyes.

For the season, the forward is averaging 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He was voted to the All-Big Ten Second Team by the media and the All-Big Ten Third Team by the coaches, the only Hawkeye to appear on both teams.

He’s the best athlete on the roster and may actually be the best overall player on the roster.

Next. Maryland ousted in second round. dark

For Iowa to have a chance to pull off the big upset, Cook is going to have to get involved in a way he couldn’t against Cincinnati.

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