*** Official #16 Texas Tech vs #4 IOWA STATE Game(Day) Thread ***

It’s the NCAA Tournament.

There’s no 5 games in 5 days. Or even Back to Back.

This is

Thursday- Saturday

Thursday- Saturday

Thursday- Saturday

Is it likely for a team to shoot lights out for 6 games in a row?

No. Of course not. But it does happen.

And BTW, UCONN in 2011 won the Big East Tournament. 5 games in 5 days as a mostly shooting team.

Then WON THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP.

6 games in 3 weeks.

Kemba Walker

Hoping they get tired is not a strategy either.

When you shoot 30-35 threes a game, and you typically shoot them well,

You’re a very dangerous team.

Thursday and Saturday.

Even Friday and Sunday.
I was talking about the Big12 tournament but your point is well taken. I'll remember this comment though when Tech goes 8 for 35 and loses by 5 down the road somewhere.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rosshm16 and CyNews
I think it more likely Batemon shoots better going forward. His missed shots aren't that far off. Most of Toures shots aren't even close to going in.
Batemon has been pretty good since the KU game. % wise he is our second best shooter behind Milan and you have to account for him. Lipsey and Toure aren’t threats offensively but they’re good defensively so it’s a dilemma. I think if we want to make a run you can’t have Lipsey and Toure on the floor at the same time since neither one of them does much offensively it allows opposing defense to pack the lane which creates issues for Jefferson. Just my take but I’m only a couch fan
 
  • Like
Reactions: CyNews
Of course there are always reasons why things happen. Injuries, sicknesses, backloaded schedules, people gunning for you, inaccurate Vegas lines, etc, etc, etc.

But the fact is we were a #1 seed from the committee who makes the ultimate NCAA Tournament and we likely won’t finish in the top 4 in our own league. Thats disappointing no matter how you want to spin it.
I'm not disappointed, as I never thought of ISU as a #01 seed. In order for ISU to be #01 seed material, they should either be Big XII Regular Season Champ or in the hunt until the end and Big XII Tournament Champion. Not trying to be a Debby Downer, just never thought of ISU as # 1 seed material. That being said, they are having a very good year, should be a 2 or a 3 seed and should make the Sweet 16. That much I expect. Anything above that is G-R-A-V-Y in my book. Anything below that is B-U-S-T.
 
When was the last time we saw that effort for 40 minutes? When that's the question being asked you can't call that an identity.
They certainly play it harder and longer defensively when our 3s are dropping and we are creating turnovers and aren't turning it over a ton ourselves. If I wish for one thing for the rest of the season it's for a high percentage of our 3s to go in when we take them...like Tech did yesterday. When we do that, the rest of those things take care of themselves. Our guards, offensively, have to be better shooting the 3...simple as that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CyNews
I was talking about the Big12 tournament but your point is well taken. I'll remember this comment though when Tech goes 8 for 35 and loses by 5 down the road somewhere.
Which is obviously more likely to happen than them winning the championship.

So congrats!
 
  • Haha
Reactions: CySmurf
When was the last time we saw that effort for 40 minutes? When that's the question being asked you can't call that an identity.
It's not an identity of this team. But it's a nice surprise when they come out and play that way. They don't even do that in games they win all the time for what it's worth.
 
I'm not disappointed, as I never thought of ISU as a #01 seed. In order for ISU to be #01 seed material, they should either be Big XII Regular Season Champ or in the hunt until the end and Big XII Tournament Champion. Not trying to be a Debby Downer, just never thought of ISU as # 1 seed material. That being said, they are having a very good year, should be a 2 or a 3 seed and should make the Sweet 16. That much I expect. Anything above that is G-R-A-V-Y in my book. Anything below that is B-U-S-T.
You didn't think Iowa State was #1 seed material when we were 23-3, still in contention for the conference title, all metrics pointing to us having an elite overall resume, and the NCAA committee (a body that has literally never given us respect or the benefit of the doubt in any situation ever, is job it is to seed a giant tournament in the order of strength of teams) actually gave us real respect by telling the world "yeah Iowa State is a #1 seed if the tourney were today"?

I am not even sure Debbie Downer is the right term. You were hedging with your Cyclone nut cup on. Which I can respect to some degree, but like it or not - we very much were on a very real path for a #1 seed in the tournament. That's not debatable; the path was factually there. The idea that we can retroactively tweak expectations so we don't get disappointed is a weird Cyclone coping mechanism.

I don't see what's so wrong about calling these last 8 days what it is - a very disappointing missed opportunity. Hell, had we beaten BYU and Tech (which we were favored to do), and lost at Arizona, we're still in the conversation for a #1 seed. Losing 2 of the last 3 was the worst possible scenario.
 
You didn't think Iowa State was #1 seed material when we were 23-3, still in contention for the conference title, all metrics pointing to us having an elite overall resume, and the NCAA committee (a body that has literally never given us respect or the benefit of the doubt in any situation ever, is job it is to seed a giant tournament in the order of strength of teams) actually gave us real respect by telling the world "yeah Iowa State is a #1 seed if the tourney were today"?

I am not even sure Debbie Downer is the right term. You were hedging with your Cyclone nut cup on. Which I can respect to some degree, but like it or not - we very much were on a very real path for a #1 seed in the tournament. That's not debatable; the path was factually there. The idea that we can retroactively tweak expectations so we don't get disappointed is a weird Cyclone coping mechanism.

I don't see what's so wrong about calling these last 8 days what it is - a very disappointing missed opportunity. Hell, had we beaten BYU and Tech (which we were favored to do), and lost at Arizona, we're still in the conversation for a #1 seed. Losing 2 of the last 3 was the worst possible scenario.
Short answer is no, I didn't. Not retro-active at all. I know the path was there, I just didn't see Iowa State finishing the deal. I just don't think they are the best of the best and deserved a #01 seed or would be a Final Four threat. I've been following ISU basketball for 30-something years, and I do not see anything that puts this team above the best ISU team of all-time (1999-2000) which was a # 2 seed and made the Elite 8. They are good. Very good. I just do not think they are elite. Hope I am wrong though!
 
Whats the point of getting on officials then? Isn't the point of working on officials so you get more calls?
I'm assuming this isn't a serious question but in case it is - coaches don't care about the number of fouls. They care - every time a whistle is blown (for any reason), or a whistle is not blown (for any reason), they are fighting/yelling/politicing for those situations to lean more favorably to their team, and critically - at the right time. That's it. Add in the fact that lots of teams (like Iowa State) often foul by design via physical play, the number of fouls called isn't the concern. Plenty of times Iowa State gets favorable rulings and favorable games from officials even when we are called for way more fouls.

Why does Kansas seem have ALL the bounces and luck in Phog down the stretch of games!? Why don't ya ever see a Kansas travel called with like 2 minutes left? Because an official has been listening to Self in his ear for 38 minutes.
 
That's what they do. You don't stop doing what make you over a team getting hot one game. ISU is 13th in scoring defense, 67th in fg% d(5th in the Big 12), 16th in steals, 5th in overall floor % D, and 8th in defensive efficiency. We are a top notch defensive team.

That doesn't seem like a winning strategy in a tournament environment...

What's the worst that could have happened yesterday if ISU had tried an alternate defense to counter TTs 3FG shooting?

TT was shooting around 40% 3FG in conference. I don't quite understand how double-teaming and giving them open looks was somehow supposed to counteract that. If you are going to give up a bunch of open shots to the second best shooting team in the conference, that double-teaming defense is going to have to generate a much bigger turnover margin than ISU had yesterday to counteract that and win the game. ISU turned TT over 4 above TT's average, which is good against a top-15 team, and 2/3 of the game was still double digit lead for TT.
 
  • Dumb
Reactions: deadeyededric
I'm assuming this isn't a serious question but in case it is - coaches don't care about the number of fouls. They care - every time a whistle is blown (for any reason), or a whistle is not blown (for any reason), they are fighting/yelling/politicing for those situations to lean more favorably to their team, and critically - at the right time. That's it. Add in the fact that lots of teams (like Iowa State) often foul by design via physical play, the number of fouls called isn't the concern. Plenty of times Iowa State gets favorable rulings and favorable games from officials even when we are called for way more fouls.

Why does Kansas seem have ALL the bounces and luck in Phog down the stretch of games!? Why don't ya ever see a Kansas travel called with like 2 minutes left? Because an official has been listening to Self in his ear for 38 minutes.
We usually get all the calls at Hilton too. You're ******* nuts if you don't think coaches want fouls called in the other team. Generally the team that shoots more free throws wins.
 
That doesn't seem like a winning strategy in a tournament environment...

What's the worst that could have happened yesterday if ISU had tried an alternate defense to counter TTs 3FG shooting?

TT was shooting around 40% 3FG in conference. I don't quite understand how double-teaming and giving them open looks was somehow supposed to counteract that. If you are going to give up a bunch of open shots to the second best shooting team in the conference, that double-teaming defense is going to have to generate a much bigger turnover margin than ISU had yesterday to counteract that and win the game. ISU turned TT over 4 above TT's average, which is good against a top-15 team, and 2/3 of the game was still double digit lead for TT.
That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. You do what you do beat. You don't experiment with things in the tournament. Teams and coaches live and die with what they do. I've never seen a bigger crybaby overreacting fanbase as ours.
 
Last edited:
You didn't think Iowa State was #1 seed material when we were 23-3, still in contention for the conference title, all metrics pointing to us having an elite overall resume, and the NCAA committee (a body that has literally never given us respect or the benefit of the doubt in any situation ever, is job it is to seed a giant tournament in the order of strength of teams) actually gave us real respect by telling the world "yeah Iowa State is a #1 seed if the tourney were today"?

I am not even sure Debbie Downer is the right term. You were hedging with your Cyclone nut cup on. Which I can respect to some degree, but like it or not - we very much were on a very real path for a #1 seed in the tournament. That's not debatable; the path was factually there. The idea that we can retroactively tweak expectations so we don't get disappointed is a weird Cyclone coping mechanism.

I don't see what's so wrong about calling these last 8 days what it is - a very disappointing missed opportunity. Hell, had we beaten BYU and Tech (which we were favored to do), and lost at Arizona, we're still in the conversation for a #1 seed. Losing 2 of the last 3 was the worst possible scenario.

Looking at the remaining two weeks of the schedule and watching and seeing how ISU's athletic disadvantage could be a problem would help to realize it wasn't much of a missed opportunity as much as it is reality.

BYU had ISU physically pegged at every position, and Tech was similar.

Even in the Houston win when ISU got down ten many on here were conceding that Houston was just much more athletic. ISU gutted that out and had some later and kind of wild shots to fall which was great but not sustainable.

Monday should be interesting and ASU is another not good team but capable of beating ISU.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: SolarGarlic
That's 5D chess from TJ so people can stick to that narrative of that having an impact while other teams with more depth and talent also tend to look tired and rugged this time of year.

In November and December starters were barely at 30 minutes tops in bye games, often about 25 minutes.
I think the argument is it seems ISU is not bringing the intensity for an entire game vs the top competition 7-10 games ….not against Grambling , Stone Hill, and Alcorn State.

Nolan Richardson did it.

We can too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fsanford
Whats the point of getting on officials then? Isn't the point of working on officials so you get more calls?

To get them call the fouls that are fouls!!

This whole notion that "they can't call everything that is a foul" is ********.

Their job is to officiate the game and call fouls that are fouls. So spare me the "oh we shot more free throws bs" because quite frankly that doesn't mean ****.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: deadeyededric