Niang

[ISUFan22]

A few things....

- another slow start due to him having issues with the zone and foul trouble
- another game where in the final 8 minutes or so, he goes into beast mode and closes the game
- I keep forgetting he's just a sophomore

Niang is the epitome of a late game closer.

 

[CyinCo]

He is so much better when he allows the game to come to him. He sometimes wants to force things to get points. At the end of games, he takes what is there. That pass to someone (can't remember) under the basket near the end of the game was a thing of beauty.

 

[VeloClone]

Niang is the epitome of a late game closer.

Get that man some coffee...

 

[cybsball20]

The good thing is that he shouldn't have a problem getting a job after college

 

[intrepid27]

I thought Baylor worked very hard not to let Niang beat them. He got a lot of attention in their half court D. I guess they forgot we have other players. Late in game they pulled their bigs, played more man to man and abandoned that strategy.

 

[isuforlife]

Georges is a blur collar player , he knows when to go to the basket or dish off got to love him

 

[Psiclone]

I thought Baylor worked very hard not to let Niang beat them. He got a lot of attention in their half court D. I guess they forgot we have other players. Late in game they pulled their bigs, played more man to man and abandoned that strategy.

Exactly. He had more room on offense because Baylor wasn't collapsing on him at the end. When they did earlier in the game, he passed. He had 5 assists in the game.

 

[Snyder21]

Fred isn't going to let Niang get into foul trouble in games where we are going to need him down the stretch. Even if that means sitting him for a good chunk of the first half after just 2 fouls.

The good thing about this years team is we have a couple guys who go all out on the boards (Hogue, Ejim) instead of relying mainly on Mel. And our 'PG' rebounds better than most team's forwards. This clone team may not be top heavy in length but they get it done on the glass/in the paint collectively

 

[mcdrier]

I did notice Niang was pretty quiet during the first half of the game, but as the second half got near crunch time, and with Baylor hitting 3's all night long, I like to see how Niang can be counted on during the closing minutes of the game. When he is one on one with the D, he is usually good for bucket or gets to the line..keeps the other teams from coming back on us. He is a good end of the game weapon.
I agree in the Baylor really focused on him in the first half and shut him down, but that allowed BDK (Big Daddy Kane) to get his all night long!

 

[necromancy]

When Baylor switched to man-to-man, Niang started scoring at will. Cyclones totally exploited the mismatch. He is a nightmare to guard one-on-one.

 

[State43]

It's only natural that he will struggle at times to shoot over 7 footers. Good days and bad days.

 

[peteypie]

 

[mj4cy]

The best is Baylor is going to focus to stop Kane in Waco and we'll just let Ejim, Niang, and Hogue destroy them.

 

[Clonefan32]

It's very hard to make plays from the high post of a zone, especially for a guy like Georges. Knowing all of the length Baylor has in that zone, it's very hard to get the ball, turn and face up and make a play not knowing where the defenders are. When we see Georges at his best is faced up with the defense in front of him, or taking his time in the post. In those situations, he nearly always makes the right play.

 

[JWIL4CY]

Niang is clutch, period.

 

[Go2Guy]

I was a little concerned about him last night; kinda the same as for Dustin the previous game.

I kept waiting for someone to post that Georges was sick.

 

[CapnCy]

I love that we are loaded.....based on statistics and minutes, every game there will be someone who cannot be the star....one night Naz goes off, another Kane, etc...the balance is GREAT....the fact that Melvin may not lead the league in rebounds is ok...because those are being shared with Dustin.

It is great that, when needed, Niang is there at the end...so confident when he gets the ball in the blocks...but also when he pulls the trigger from the top of the key. After a night like last night, a team may scout us and think "shut down Kane" and next thing you know, Naz is camped out for open looks and Niang is shredding their interior guys.

 

[MeanDean]

Also noticed he didn't have that frustrated down on himself look. Just hung in there and made his plays late in the game.

 

[VeloClone]

Also noticed he didn't have that frustrated down on himself look. Just hung in there and made his plays late in the game.

Getting assists is a good consolation for a scorer who the D is keying on stopping. I'm sure they were supportive of him in the huddle.

 

[Ry4Cy]

I didn't understand the decision to have Kareem Abdul Jabbar come out and try to pressure Niang at about the I State logo. That didn't end to well for Baylor.