Twister Sister Summary - All I Want for Christmas is...

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acoustimac

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Jan 8, 2009
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The pre-season is nearly over. No more games until after Christmas. The ladies get to work on finals and hopefully get some time at home...at least time away from school. I couldn't have asked for more from this team so far. Coming into the season there were question marks about the freshmen, how we would handle taller teams, where would the scoring come from outside of Hal? All of those questions have been answered more or less. We know the freshmen have performed like grizzled veterans and continue to improve. Some questions remain about playing against height, but I see this fast, aggressive offense as a big match-up problem for taller, slower teams. Scoring? This is working just fine thank you and the free throw proficiency is even better than last year's nation leading squad.

So what else could I want for Christmas? Yes, there are a few things and here is my list. Please feel free to add your own.


  1. Top of my list - Maddy. Please heal up and come back with the same fighting spirit you've shown this year. Approach your rehab with the same work ethic and desire to improve.
  2. Consistency. I would love to see consistency in scoring from this group. We've gotten bits and pieces from everyone, but imagine if the team were consistently firing from all cylinders. That's a scary good thought.
  3. Related to #1 - stay healthy. We have limited depth so being healthy is of great importance.
  4. Stay hungry. The sky is the limit this year. Absolutely no reason why we shouldn't be thinking about winning the Big 12 and making a very deep run into the Dance.
  5. Depth. Related to #3. Would be great to see someone step up from the bench. Who will spell Hal? Is there another guard that can get minutes?
  6. Crowd. The season ticket sales are still high, but there aren't butts in the seats. Where are those people that buy tickets? Let's pack this place and make it as crazy as it is for men's games. I was impressed with the students there for the Iowa game. Let's see that EVERY game.
I'll stop there. I wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a safe holiday season. Thanks for reading my ramblings and I look forward to a marvelous 2014 for our beloved Twister Sisters!
 
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907CY

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Thanks Cous for the ramblings from the southern border region and a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.
 

Buster28

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Dec 3, 2011
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I'd like a new "Big 12 Champions" t-shirt (regular season OR tournament - either would be acceptable, BOTH preferable). My old one is looking kinda ratty. It's been a long time and this program deserves to be in the mix for the top spot come March; not just playing for second place.
 
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barometriclow

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Jan 31, 2009
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Where are all the people in the seats?

We only played a few games worth watching. It would be cheaper to buy single game tickets and see the quality games than get a slight break on season tickets and waste it on 8 or 9 scrimages.

But thank my wife for insisting on season tickets.

Also a bit disappointed in crowd at Iowa game. Probably hurts being so close to MBB game.
 

cydney

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Mar 14, 2011
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Good list. I'd add continued team-building and chemistry. The nature of this team is that it works because and when everyone is working together. They know who is where, who is on, who needs some help, etc. Those on the bench are helping those the floor as well. To get better as the season goes on, they also need to pay attention to chemistry.

The coaches are very good at developing a team, so team chemistry, kind of the sixth sense, only adds to this.
 

cydney

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Also a bit disappointed in crowd at Iowa game. Probably hurts being so close to MBB game.

It was a very good crowd for the Iowa game, as shown in this photo from a tweet. Seats that were empty at other games were filled. There was also a good spillover into the upper decks.

wbb.jpg
 

barometriclow

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maybe i was irritated by the natty bumpos yelling at the refs seated next to me and i did not count those folks as attendance.
 

Buster28

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It was a very good crowd for the Iowa game, as shown in this photo from a tweet. Seats that were empty at other games were filled. There was also a good spillover into the upper decks.

View attachment 23679

This game was easily the smallest actual butts-in-the-seats crowd for an Iowa State/Iowa women's game since 1997. That game had just over 5800 in attendance (a record for the program to that time). In 1999, there were over 13,000 at the ISU/Iowa game, not just "tickets sold." It's easy to forget just how far real attendance has fallen in the last several years, even if the box scores don't accurately reflect that reality. There were very few people in the balcony this time compared with years past. I'm happy that the parquet and arena circle seats were at least full, as was Cyclone Alley (for a change).

I just wish there was an easy/quick fix to get the people who used to buy these tickets and actually show up to come back. I miss the days when you would see a legit 13k in the stands for ISU WBB. I loved it when we held NCAA 1st and 2nd round attendance records (set in 2000). I don't believe we even cracked 5k the last time we hosted the tournament. Looks like that's my second Christmas wish: get people back to the women's games like it was before.
 

BoxsterCy

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This game was easily the smallest actual butts-in-the-seats crowd for an Iowa State/Iowa women's game since 1997. That game had just over 5800 in attendance (a record for the program to that time). In 1999, there were over 13,000 at the ISU/Iowa game, not just "tickets sold." It's easy to forget just how far real attendance has fallen in the last several years, even if the box scores don't accurately reflect that reality. There were very few people in the balcony this time compared with years past. I'm happy that the parquet and arena circle seats were at least full, as was Cyclone Alley (for a change).

I just wish there was an easy/quick fix to get the people who used to buy these tickets and actually show up to come back. I miss the days when you would see a legit 13k in the stands for ISU WBB. I loved it when we held NCAA 1st and 2nd round attendance records (set in 2000). I don't believe we even cracked 5k the last time we hosted the tournament. Looks like that's my second Christmas wish: get people back to the women's games like it was before.

i don't know how we get that 2000 era buzz back. Maybe the winning was new enough than and those runs into the NCAA were the draws but the buzz ain't the same now. I think part of it is being a little complacent with being good but not great and maybe not really believing we will be "great" and get to a Final Four or win the conference.

I had better duck for incoming fire. :smile:
 

BenEClone

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There's no one reason for empty seats. We have season tickets so we get preferred seating come tournament time and to hold the spot for when we retire. We're not going to drive from Lincoln, NE for a midweek game. We were able to give the Iowa tix away and I think they were used. But, sometimes we can't give them away. Sometimes we send tix to the AD but I don't know if they're used.
 

acoustimac

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There's no one reason for empty seats. We have season tickets so we get preferred seating come tournament time and to hold the spot for when we retire. We're not going to drive from Lincoln, NE for a midweek game. We were able to give the Iowa tix away and I think they were used. But, sometimes we can't give them away. Sometimes we send tix to the AD but I don't know if they're used.

donate te them to one of the youth organizations in Ames. They always live to take kids to these games.
 

swarthmoreCY

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i don't know how we get that 2000 era buzz back. Maybe the winning was new enough than and those runs into the NCAA were the draws but the buzz ain't the same now. I think part of it is being a little complacent with being good but not great and maybe not really believing we will be "great" and get to a Final Four or win the conference
I think this is it, in addition to a somewhat different style of play. It feels as though there is little suspense or mystery in how the season will play out. In contrast to what some others believe, I also think the several dark years the men's program went through hurt. For some I know, making ISU sports a priority in the winter fell out of favor.
 

Dryburn

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a) No more serious injuries, especially not to the front court. There are only so many volleyball players available.

b) Continued success and development of the freshmen. Hopefully that will include a lot more from Jordan soon.

c) More 3 point shooting from Jadda. She is an excellent shooter and needs to let it fly. Plus, I'm biased. I was born in Mason City, and lived in the area my first 17 years.

d) Continued winning and a great seed in the NCAA.

e) People actually coming to the games and cheering. No way was there over 11 thousand there for Iowa. I know how they figure attendance, but looking at the crowd, it was not much more than 1/2 of what was announced.

f) Continued recruiting success for 2015.
 

907CY

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I am echoing Dryburn on several wishes.

Continued winning and a great seed in the NCAA.

Continued recruiting success for 2015.


Lastly, 1st team All American spot for Hallie.
 

acoustimac

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Some of your comments have made me wonder if another factor contributing to attendance drop off is the style of play we say through the last decade. Thug ball evolved and allowed teams like ATM and Baylor to thrive while the teams that, IMO, did it right like ISU were moved to second tier. I hated watching that kind of basketball and was overjoyed in the offseason when the rules were changed. Its hard to put together an ad campaign that says "come back, we're playing real basketball again!"
 

mitten1975

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Oct 27, 2012
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Losing Maddie was a bad Christmas present, bad Santa. I probably ought to stay off Santa's case. After all it means holy person,(saint) (claus or nicolaus) people of victory. We all want to win. I guess my hope for the new year, is to win many many games. Santa sounds like a good one to petition.
 

cyclone13

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Apr 7, 2009
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Adding several things:
1. No transfers out of the program.
2. Final Four (if not, I'll take Big 12 title)
3. Successful WNBA career for Hallie