ISU - KU postgame. We won the 2nd half!

[jdolson]

Gosh only 4-5 Mcdonald All-Americans??? How many does the rest of the Big 12 have?

We need to run the shot clock down, to limit other teams possesions. We simply don't have the fire power this year to run with the Big Boys.

I think a shooter like Lucca will open up our post players oppurtunities next year.

I still think we can win these last three games!!!!

 

[cyclonenum1]

cyclome#1.....

Just one question...?

Who was your choice to replace Wayne Morgan...?

I really had no "dog in the hunt" but I did opine at the time that I wished they would go after someone like Steve Lavin (now of ESPN).

Don't get me wrong...I am not a "pro WM" or "anti GM" guy...most of my discussion about these two guys is relative to how our fan base perceives their tenures.

To most of our fans:

WM=lack of discipline, poorly run program, had to go after year 3 because of the direction of the program

GM=disciplined play, doing it the right way, must be given time because it takes time to do it the right way

But when you look at the results to date...WM's were better than GM's are.

I wanted success for Wayne because he coached my team...now I want success for Greg because he coaches my team.

 

[jay moe]

I really enjoyed watching the game, Kansas is good at exploiting your weaknesses. They know we can't drive the ball very well and were all over us on the perimeter. I liked our grit and determination, we just need more scoring on the floor. WJ is not even close to 100% in my mind, doesn't move or rebound nearly as good as he is capable, but he still is one of the best players on the floor night after night. Brackins will get better, just needs more strength, same with Garrett, I think we will be OK the next couple of years.

 

[Oldgeezer]

I really liked GM's halftime adjustments. I just wish we could come out with a gameplan that would work in the first half instead of waiting until we are down by 10.

I watch maybe 10 college games a week, I'm retired, and there is nothing else on TV. A lot of games, the underdog teams come out strong and are in the game, less than 5 point spreads at half time. Then the favorites come out with adjustments and easily pull away. Cyclones come out and stink up the arena game after game in the first half, Make adjustments, and "win" the second half. Why??? Hubalek is just the opposite, scores 2/3 or more of his points in the first half, and has a below average second half, just a reversal of the team's performance. Why???

 

[cyclonenum1]

You must have been watching a different game than I was at. I don't remember us ever having numbers to try pushing the ball. The point of pushing the ball on a fast break is to take advantage of numbers. Kansas was too fast at getting back on defense for us to do that. Diante was smart in pulling up instead of trying to force it into a double team.

I didn't say we had a lot of these opportunities...but we had some. Certainly no three on one or two on one breakaways but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about 2 on 2 situations ahead of the pack where we can get something going to the rim or we can get something off a secondary break (which, it appears to me, we never do). Watch UNC play...they always push it whether they have "numbers" or not.

Ultimately, we are totally a half court set team...most of our offense is passing outside the three with maybe a post entry or two ultimately being kicked out...usually we end with a desperation three late in the clock. I am not a fan of the "live by the three / die by the three" approach.

 

[jay moe]

Apparently you didn't watch the Texas game....To answer your question, we are extremely short handed right now, and to even compete is tough. Like people have been saying previously, 4-5 McD all-Americans against our depleted roster is not a level playing field, it will get better....

 

[CycloneGizzard]

I enjoyed seeing McD go with a lineup of Jiri, Wes, Haluska/Clark, Garrett and Peterson in the second half. Brackins and Thompson are looking more and more lost as the season has gone on, and I think McD should just play our best players and force the other team to match up with them.

 

[cyclonenum1]

Gosh only 4-5 Mcdonald All-Americans??? How many does the rest of the Big 12 have?

We need to run the shot clock down, to limit other teams possesions. We simply don't have the fire power this year to run with the Big Boys.

I think a shooter like Lucca will open up our post players oppurtunities next year.

I still think we can win these last three games!!!!

So, we are playing not to win but rather to lose by as few as possible?

 

[Oldgeezer]

Announcers said, "Cyclones need to take the ball toward the hoop. Can't stay in this game shooting jump shots." I agreed, but said, (although they didn't hear me) " They don't have anybody that is willing or able to do that."

 

[bos]

Im just happy to see, even in a "down" year we can put some scare in Kansas. Good to know things dont change in that department. =)

 

[jbhtexas]

I know I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say it again, but I really hate what the Cyclones do on the offensive end. It's just all dribbling and standing around.
[...]
Hopefully once we have more guard experience next year this will change, but it sure hasn't improved this season that much.

I'm with you on that. I'm just hoping that youth and inexperience are the reasons that the offense looks the way it does. I didn't follow GMac at UNI, so I don't know what the offense is ultimatley supposed to look like.

Some have mentioned that with better guard play, ISU could have added a few more wins this year. I would also suggest that if ISU could defend the post, ISU could have added some wins as well.

 

[coachdags]

I really had no "dog in the hunt" but I did opine at the time that I wished they would go after someone like Steve Lavin (now of ESPN).

Don't get me wrong...I am not a "pro WM" or #1-"anti GM"
guy...most of my discussion about these two guys is relative to how our fan base perceives their tenures.

To most of our fans:

WM=lack of discipline, poorly run program, had to go after year 3 because of the direction of the program

#2-GM=disciplined play, doing it the right way, must be given time because it takes time to do it the right way

#3-But when you look at the results to date...WM's were better than GM's are.

#4-I wanted success for Wayne because he coached my team...now I want success for Greg because he coaches my team.

#1 - Hard to believe? You seem to question his every move and his qualifications.

#2 - Maybe we should give him some.

#3 - If measured just in wins and losses ok, but if you want measure the success of a complete program and it's ability to follow rules as far as APR, scheduling, recruiting and character.

#4 - Maybe some positive comments about "your team" would be nice.

Once again I say Mac has a office at the Hilton, you have a problem understanding what he is trying to do, or how he is trying to do it, stop by and ask, he is very approachable.

 

[cycloneworld]

Another game where we show flashes of brilliance with flashes of being average with flashes of being the 11th place team in the conference. It's frustrating at times but also fun to watch when we are rolling.

People have pointed out DG's game and I agree that it was a good one. Haluska also had a heck of a game. I never ever thought I'd say this earlier this season, but I'm glad he'll be here next year.

Jiri was typical Jiri except for poor free throw shooting. I would give about anything to have him back next year. Wes shot the ball better but still not great. It was nice to see him get back on track a little bit though.

As for Brackins, a couple of times during the game my buddy and I both said "Brackins just doesn't get it on defense". He doesn't provide any help defense which led to several layups. Hopefully that comes with experience. But overall, I've been much much more pleased with DG's development as a freshman.

 

[cycloneworld]

Cyclones come out and stink up the arena game after game in the first half, Make adjustments, and "win" the second half. Why??? Hubalek is just the opposite, scores 2/3 or more of his points in the first half, and has a below average second half, just a reversal of the team's performance. Why???

Both very good points and very good observations. I have no answer for that but you are right. Jiri is a beast in the first half and then we stop going inside. I think some of that is we are down and need 3s, but that isn't always the case.

It just seems like 3 out of 4 games we come out flat. Not sure why.

 

[cyclonenum1]

I watch maybe 10 college games a week, I'm retired, and there is nothing else on TV. A lot of games, the underdog teams come out strong and are in the game, less than 5 point spreads at half time. Then the favorites come out with adjustments and easily pull away. Cyclones come out and stink up the arena game after game in the first half, Make adjustments, and "win" the second half. Why??? Hubalek is just the opposite, scores 2/3 or more of his points in the first half, and has a below average second half, just a reversal of the team's performance. Why???

I guess you are intimating that it was superior coaching? Is that correct?

Well, frankly, with the exception of taking a 3-2 lead on WJ's first 3, we were never in this game. KU controlled the game...period. It was at least a 10 point game virtually the entire way. We came out hot at the start of the second half and cut it to 6. Self calls a timeout and a few minutes later KU is up by 20+. KU then put it on autopilot to win the game while not over-taxing their stars.

 

[bos]

Note: This is not a bash on any former coach

Has anyone compared strength of schedule since McD has been here to others in the past tenures? It seems that McD is trying to get tougher opponents pre-conf.

 

[cycloneworld]

Well, frankly, with the exception of taking a 3-2 lead on WJ's first 3, we were never in this game. KU controlled the game...period. It was at least a 10 point game virtually the entire way. We came out hot at the start of the second half and cut it to 6. Self calls a timeout and a few minutes later KU is up by 20+. KU then put it on autopilot to win the game while not over-taxing their stars.

There is a reason they are ranked #6 in the nation...they are good. Did you actually watch the game? If you did, you could see we were clearly outmatched but fought like hell to stay in the game (which we did).

 

[cybsball20]

I'm talking about where we had potential fast break opportunities...not after we had set up our offense.

The only fast break chances Garrett had there were already KU defenders back. The times he pulled it back were genereally 1 on 3.

 

[jbhtexas]

Brackins and Thompson are looking more and more lost as the season has gone on

That's scary, since ISU will be depending on them to provide the post game next year...

GMac, I beg you, I implore you, I beseech you...convince these two guys to attend a Big-man camp this summer instead of/in addition to playing in the Cap City league.

 

[isucyfan]

I have been enjoying my copy of "100 years of ISU Basketball" DVD, and when I watch, it is apparent that there are many things missing from this year's team. The one that's most pronounced it what the announcer of the KU game brought up:

There is virtually nothing offensively going to the basket. Watching teams of the past, I was struck by the number of direct passes leading right to an easy bucket. It made me wonder for a second if defenses have evolved and gotten better since 2000! That's not it...we need to have guards strong and athletic enough to create space between them and their defender, and big men strong enough to get position and keep it.

These things equal easy baskets...can you think of a handful of our baskets in any games this year that could be deemed "easy"? I really can't. They usually are long threes or highly contested jumpers, many times quick and rushed.

We'll get there. The DVD gave me goosebumps on many occasions, and I can't wait to get them in future games as well again.