I honestly don't have words...

[marothisu]

The score was honestly shocking to me. Really needed it after the Campbell news. This team is special. I'm not sure yet if they're better or not than last year's team before the injuries, but it kind of feels like they are.

Momcilovic, Jefferson, and Lipsey all improved. Heise too. Toure is damn impressive for a freshman, and although isn't scoring as many points as Curtis Jones on a nightly basis (yet -- but he's not far behind..), I think his defense is better which is a factor. Buchanan has filled in pretty nicely so far for DiShon Jackson. Last year Chatfield did a lot of good small things, and Pleta as a freshman in the last 4 games has definitely started to fill that.

On top of it all, we have a former WAC player of the year coming off the bench for ISU who is actually scoring over 20 points per 40 minutes this year. Batemon as a freshman has shown us flashes of what he can do too and I don't think there was anybody on last year's team when you put the previous people I mentioned together that was added on like him.

Need to play more games, but this team has the possibility of being even better than last year's team before the injuries set in. Need to prevent injuries, stay disciplined, and focused - and it could be a very special year if that all happens.

 

[madguy30]

The score was honestly shocking to me. Really needed it after the Campbell news. This team is special. I'm not sure yet if they're better or not than last year's team before the injuries, but it kind of feels like they are.

Momcilovic, Jefferson, and Lipsey all improved. Heise too. Toure is damn impressive for a freshman, and although isn't scoring as many points as Curtis Jones on a nightly basis (yet -- but he's not far behind..), I think his defense is better which is a factor. Buchanan has filled in pretty nicely so far for DiShon Jackson. Last year Chatfield did a lot of good small things, and Pleta as a freshman in the last 4 games has definitely started to fill that.

On top of it all, we have a former WAC player of the year coming off the bench for ISU who is actually scoring over 20 points per 40 minutes this year. Batemon as a freshman has shown us flashes of what he can do too and I don't think there was anybody on last year's team when you put the previous people I mentioned together that was added on like him.

Need to play more games, but this team has the possibility of being even better than last year's team before the injuries set in. Need to prevent injuries, stay disciplined, and focused - and it could be a very special year if that all happens.

This team is more athletic and can be more 'multiple' and can still do a lot even if a main player is out (Tamin) or having a weird game (JJ yesterday although he still scored well).

 

[FerShizzle]

I want nothing more for him, but something about Hassel has always told me that's what he wants anyway.

View attachment 162804

I mean… he went to college with a bunch of priests so…

 

[cyatheart]

I know I'm in the minority but I feel like Toure might be a better player.

Not yet. He will be be but Tamin is incredible.

 

[CycloneErik]

I think 4th. We jump Houston and byu. Louisville and Michigan State lost. We beat Purdue. That gets us 5th. Then it's whether the voters like us more than media-darling uConn. I don't think we go above any of Arizona, Duke, or Michigan - all of which have really good resumes too.

I think 5th, because it's UConn.
I also wouldn't be surprised to be 6th, with Purdue at 5. Angry and disappointed, but not surprised.

 

[FerShizzle]

Our defense is “seek and destroy.” We kicked Lawyer’s ass and Kaufman-Renn was seeing ghosts. Purdue hates it but there was nothing they could do about it. I feel like TJ has cracked some kind of code and nobody can figure out what to do.

This team and their identity reminds me a lot of the really elite Houston squads, with suffocating defenses and highly efficient offense. But ISU plays a faster pace than them, mostly because of all the TOs generating runouts.

The way the guards apply ball pressure and the wings and posts switch and close out, it’s just a really hard defense to get runs against, and the offense is good enough to efficiently pull away from teams. Then the pressure ramps up even more on the opposition when they are down big and start pressing, which leads to them being sped up a turning it over even more. They are a machine designed to crush the will of opponents.

 

[CycloneErik]

seven of the past eight national champions were ranked and undefeated during the month of November. If that trend holds true this season, odds are one of the schools in the top four of the Top 25 And 1 right now will win the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

So who's it gonna be?

Arizona? Michigan? Duke? Iowa State?

One Cyclone Moment.

 

[Cyrealist]

Not yet. He will be be but Tamin is incredible.

Toure is quicker and more athletic and he plays good defense, but does he make the players around him better?

 

[FerShizzle]

I think 5th, because it's UConn.
I also wouldn't be surprised to be 6th, with Purdue at 5. Angry and disappointed, but not surprised.

No way Purdue is ahead of ISU. No credible pollster could have put them ahead of ISU after this weekend.

 

[Cyrealist]

One Cyclone Moment.

Why not us? We deserve to be in the conversation. The way we're playing now, our defense just destroys other teams and we have a lot of options on offense.

 

[CychiatricWard]

No way Purdue is ahead of ISU. No credible pollster could have put them ahead of ISU after this weekend.

That’s assuming these voters actually are credible, which we know is not the case.

 

[inCyteful]

No way Purdue is ahead of ISU. No credible pollster could have put them ahead of ISU after this weekend.

And here in lies the problem.

 

[CycloneErik]

That’s assuming these voters actually are credible, which we know is not the case.

That's where I got the idea.

 

[twincyties]

The score was honestly shocking to me. Really needed it after the Campbell news. This team is special. I'm not sure yet if they're better or not than last year's team before the injuries, but it kind of feels like they are.

Momcilovic, Jefferson, and Lipsey all improved. Heise too. Toure is damn impressive for a freshman, and although isn't scoring as many points as Curtis Jones on a nightly basis (yet -- but he's not far behind..), I think his defense is better which is a factor. Buchanan has filled in pretty nicely so far for DiShon Jackson. Last year Chatfield did a lot of good small things, and Pleta as a freshman in the last 4 games has definitely started to fill that.

On top of it all, we have a former WAC player of the year coming off the bench for ISU who is actually scoring over 20 points per 40 minutes this year. Batemon as a freshman has shown us flashes of what he can do too and I don't think there was anybody on last year's team when you put the previous people I mentioned together that was added on like him.

Need to play more games, but this team has the possibility of being even better than last year's team before the injuries set in. Need to prevent injuries, stay disciplined, and focused - and it could be a very special year if that all happens.

Watching the game yesterday I feel like it's a blessing we got Buchanan instead of Cluff. I don't think he would have fit in nearly as well - offensively or defensively.

 

[Pizzapitter]

The score was honestly shocking to me. Really needed it after the Campbell news. This team is special. I'm not sure yet if they're better or not than last year's team before the injuries, but it kind of feels like they are.

Momcilovic, Jefferson, and Lipsey all improved. Heise too. Toure is damn impressive for a freshman, and although isn't scoring as many points as Curtis Jones on a nightly basis (yet -- but he's not far behind..), I think his defense is better which is a factor. Buchanan has filled in pretty nicely so far for DiShon Jackson. Last year Chatfield did a lot of good small things, and Pleta as a freshman in the last 4 games has definitely started to fill that.

On top of it all, we have a former WAC player of the year coming off the bench for ISU who is actually scoring over 20 points per 40 minutes this year. Batemon as a freshman has shown us flashes of what he can do too and I don't think there was anybody on last year's team when you put the previous people I mentioned together that was added on like him.

Need to play more games, but this team has the possibility of being even better than last year's team before the injuries set in. Need to prevent injuries, stay disciplined, and focused - and it could be a very special year if that all happens.

Beyond highlites, haven't been able to watch most games.
UNprofessional observations.
-Better chemistry. Loved Keshon, but...
-Jefferson has vastly improved (has he lost some bad weight?)
-Jeff again. I don't recall his push to the rim last year, like this year.
-Heise. Glimpses. So far, not the player he was last year...tho it's inevitable, me thinks.
-Batemon. Haven't seen enough.
thoughts welcomed.
-Buchanan. Waaaay more than I/we expected.
-Toure. Waaaay more than I/we expected.
-Tamin. Better.
-Milan. Much better on d,+ o.
Strikes me as a MUCH more confident shooter.
-Nelson. Just when I want to pull hairs outta my head, he does the unexpected.
Pleta. Unexpected. One of those "huh" types.
Again. Haven't witnessed enough, but....me thinks a better team than last year, chemistry at the forefront.

 

[rosshm16]

Batemon has been good. Better and better since the first game, he's the real deal for sure. Minutes may be hard to come by with Lipsey, Heise, and Toure on the roster.

On top of it all, we have a former WAC player of the year coming off the bench for ISU who is actually scoring over 20 points per 40 minutes this year. Batemon as a freshman has shown us flashes of what he can do too and I don't think there was anybody on last year's team when you put the previous people I mentioned together that was added on like him.

I'm a member of the Dom Nelson fan club. He's an awesome change-up off the bench, come in for 10-15 minutes per game and just get shots at the rim and draw fouls. He's easy to stop in theory (pack the lane, make him shoot) but as your #6-8 scoring option, I think he won't be scouted all that heavily, and even if he is, that strategy will have limited effectiveness if we keep shooting well.

 

[iseedit]

Batemon has been good. Better and better since the first game, he's the real deal for sure. Minutes may be hard to come by with Lipsey, Heise, and Toure on the roster.


I'm a member of the Dom Nelson fan club. He's an awesome change-up off the bench, come in for 10-15 minutes per game and just get shots at the rim and draw fouls. He's easy to stop in theory (pack the lane, make him shoot) but as your #6-8 scoring option, I think he won't be scouted all that heavily, and even if he is, that strategy will have limited effectiveness if we keep shooting well.

I keep thinking Batemon has a better offensive game than what he's showed. I can't remember from his high school games what that was but it wasn't a spot up 3pt shooter like what he's doing now. And if I remember correctly, he wasn't ball dominant either. So I guess our offense is different enough that he's either settled into that 3pt shooter or that's what he's been told to do.

It makes me chuckle about Nelson and Keshon. Real similar downhill attacking game but vastly different styles on how they do it. Then TJ tells Keshon to stop driving into 4 guys and throwing up a wild shot but then tells Nelson to put your head down and get to the bucket. Nelson really hasn't thrown up too many wild shots though.

 

[mj4cy]

Maybe the single best performance is school history, depending on how good Purdue ends up being.

Remember the meltdown when we missed on Cluff and had to "settle" for Buchanon? Wow.

I would say the second half is up there with the best half I've seen in the TJ era. Even though we lost, it was like the first half against Auburn last year. Also the second half vs Houston in the Big12 tourney but you could tell they folded as they were gonna be a #1 seed anyways.

 

[Psiclone]

This team is more athletic and can be more 'multiple' and can still do a lot even if a main player is out (Tamin) or having a weird game (JJ yesterday although he still scored well).

JJ was definitely pressing and driving into crowds instead of looking for the open man. Maybe trying to impress scouts in such a high profile game?

 

[Rural]

JJ was definitely pressing and driving into crowds instead of looking for the open man. Maybe trying to impress scouts in such a high profile game?

I also think JJ is way healthier this year, he's really freaking good.

Purdue obviously had a plan to attack him because we let him initiate so much.

And it worked sort of but nothing else did.