Up to #17 in AP

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scyclonekid

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Feb 13, 2008
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To beat Iowa, break the press, limit TO’s, rebound the ball and MAKE them play defense and pound the offensive glass, make shots pretty much beat them in all aspects of the game.
 

CentexCyclone

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Oct 20, 2015
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Little squawk eyes are down 10 to Illinois w/10 min left in 2nd half; getting destroyed in the boards 36-19….
 

Jeh

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Remember that many computer rankings still have some residual data from last year for up to another month. See NET rankings.

I'm not worried about it. We are held way back by what is in there yet from last year. Even a loss to Iowa and our clones will still be in the top twenty by the end of non con. Just don't slip up on Mizzery or worse yet one of the pud u's and its gonna stay pretty steady.

That is an excellent point, which I totally overlooked. Thank you!
 

nallen34

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I'm thrilled with the season so far and very happy with the results.


Just to put in perspective though Oregon State is 1-8. Xavier was a good win. Luckily they were down two starters. Memphis was way overrated. They also lost to Georgia who is 3-5. Creighton lost to Colorado State by 14 and beat southern Illinois by 2, and SIUE by 5.


Not trying to rain on our parade or anything, just trying to help people realize that it's possible we are beating mostly average to bad teams. I'm still very happy with our start regardless.
 

CyberJJJ

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I'm thrilled with the season so far and very happy with the results.


Just to put in perspective though Oregon State is 1-8. Xavier was a good win. Luckily they were down two starters. Memphis was way overrated. They also lost to Georgia who is 3-5. Creighton lost to Colorado State by 14 and beat southern Illinois by 2, and SIUE by 5.


Not trying to rain on our parade or anything, just trying to help people realize that it's possible we are beating mostly average to bad teams. I'm still very happy with our start regardless.

I certainly get your point, but the fact remains that last year we would have (and did!) lose to a bunch of mostly average to bad teams. That is what is impressive. We have already seen enough examples of where this team can go for long offensive droughts that were too ugly to get too high about this team. That coupled with the fact we are shooting 70% from the FT line will likely cost us some games at some point. The impressive part of that for me is that we are having different people step up offensively in different games. However, it is hard not to get excited about the habits and level of effort we are seeing from this team.
 
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CyberJJJ

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To beat Iowa, break the press, limit TO’s, rebound the ball and MAKE them play defense and pound the offensive glass, make shots pretty much beat them in all aspects of the game.

I think your first two are critical, and would add avoid early foul trouble and make our FT's.
 

VeloClone

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I certainly get your point, but the fact remains that last year we would have (and did!) lose to a bunch of mostly average to bad teams. That is what is impressive. We have already seen enough examples of where this team can go for long offensive droughts that were too ugly to get too high about this team. That coupled with the fact we are shooting 70% from the FT line will likely cost us some games at some point. The impressive part of that for me is that we are having different people step up offensively in different games. However, it is hard not to get excited about the habits and level of effort we are seeing from this team.
Let's not get crazy now. ISU's .706 from the line is 4th in the Big 12 and only .040 from the league leader, Texas who is .746. To put that in perspective .040 of Iowa State's 153 FTs attempted this season is 6.12 additional missed free throws from the conference leader. That is less than one more point per game. And over half of the league is shooting worse than ISU - only three teams are shooting better.
 

CyberJJJ

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Let's not get crazy now. ISU's .706 from the line is 4th in the Big 12 and only .040 from the league leader, Texas who is .746. To put that in perspective .040 of Iowa State's 153 FTs attempted this season is 6.12 additional missed free throws from the conference leader. That is less than one more point per game. And over half of the league is shooting worse than ISU - only three teams are shooting better.

I get your point, but this team, so far, is shooting worse from the free throw line than most of our other teams the past 5 years. I am so pumped about what they are doing, just saying this team isn't so dominant that there won't be nights where our thin margin for victory goes the wrong way if we don't improve on that stat. "Defense travels" is an old saying that never fit a team better than this year's version of our Cyclones.
 

madguy30

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Nov 15, 2011
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I get your point, but this team, so far, is shooting worse from the free throw line than most of our other teams the past 5 years. I am so pumped about what they are doing, just saying this team isn't so dominant that there won't be nights where our thin margin for victory goes the wrong way if we don't improve on that stat. "Defense travels" is an old saying that never fit a team better than this year's version of our Cyclones.

And they'll get lit up in a few losses in a long season.

Let's see how they look after their first losses or if they lose a couple of games in a row.

That bubble being popped can change things.
 

Cyclad

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Apr 12, 2006
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If we had one more big I'd feel better about the game and the season. Jones is not good.
Agree with this. Worried about George fouling.

I very much dislike iowa, but I have to say they look pretty good to me. I think there are two keys:
1) Fouls - we cannot get in foul trouble and let them live on the line
2) Shooting - we are going to have to have one of our better nights. Our defense is great, but iowa scores a lot of points. I think we must score 75+ to win.
 

CYDJ

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Jan 12, 2013
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I'm thrilled with the season so far and very happy with the results.


Just to put in perspective though Oregon State is 1-8. Xavier was a good win. Luckily they were down two starters. Memphis was way overrated. They also lost to Georgia who is 3-5. Creighton lost to Colorado State by 14 and beat southern Illinois by 2, and SIUE by 5.


Not trying to rain on our parade or anything, just trying to help people realize that it's possible we are beating mostly average to bad teams. I'm still very happy with our start regardless.

Thanks for the perspective. We are not top 10 material based on that resume, but AT LEAST we didn't lose to all of them like last year's team did. If these guys hang together and give the effort they are right now, I will be happy with whatever they are able to produce. I respect effort and teamwork.
 

madguy30

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Nov 15, 2011
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Agree with this. Worried about George fouling.

I very much dislike iowa, but I have to say they look pretty good to me. I think there are two keys:
1) Fouls - we cannot get in foul trouble and let them live on the line
2) Shooting - we are going to have to have one of our better nights. Our defense is great, but iowa scores a lot of points. I think we must score 75+ to win.

FWIW Iowa looks at least less pukey than past teams. Murray brothers help that a lot--they just play.
 

VeloClone

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Agree with this. Worried about George fouling.

I very much dislike iowa, but I have to say they look pretty good to me. I think there are two keys:
1) Fouls - we cannot get in foul trouble and let them live on the line
2) Shooting - we are going to have to have one of our better nights. Our defense is great, but iowa scores a lot of points. I think we must score 75+ to win.
ISU needs to make them pay for pressing. I watched the second half of that Illinois game. The Illini would break the press and have a 3 on 1 or 3 on 2 and would bring it back out rather than forcing the issue. If there is no penalty for pressing why would you ever stop?
 
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RezClone

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I get your point, but this team, so far, is shooting worse from the free throw line than most of our other teams the past 5 years. I am so pumped about what they are doing, just saying this team isn't so dominant that there won't be nights where our thin margin for victory goes the wrong way if we don't improve on that stat. "Defense travels" is an old saying that never fit a team better than this year's version of our Cyclones.
I honestly think that we got to the line so infrequently the last few years that our FT percentage was basicallly negligible.
 

VeloClone

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If Iowa presses we might see a few minutes here and there with Hunter and Jackson on the floor at the same time. Break that press and attack on the other end. Hopefully they can get some open looks for our three point shooters and some mid-range/drives from Brockington to put pressure and fouls on their bigs at the other end.

That Iowa press was pretty high risk/high reward. In the Illinois game they regularly had 4 defenders in the front court with only one guarding the rim. I think ISU can break that with their regular lineup but with both pgs on the floor can make them pay for it enough to drive Fran out of it.
 

RezClone

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FWIW Iowa looks at least less pukey than past teams. Murray brothers help that a lot--they just play.
Keegan Murray is a long instinctive athletic energy guy who is a tweener in a good way. Murray is skilled enough to be taken seriously at the P5 level, but he isn't going to beat you with skill alone or blow you away with talent.

His best player comp is Aaron White (bring that up to Hok fans if u want to piss them off), although I do think he's a better version of him with a higher ceiling. His brother is very similar.
 

CYEATHAWK

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Aug 26, 2007
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I'm thrilled with the season so far and very happy with the results.


Just to put in perspective though Oregon State is 1-8. Xavier was a good win. Luckily they were down two starters. Memphis was way overrated. They also lost to Georgia who is 3-5. Creighton lost to Colorado State by 14 and beat southern Illinois by 2, and SIUE by 5.


Not trying to rain on our parade or anything, just trying to help people realize that it's possible we are beating mostly average to bad teams. I'm still very happy with our start regardless.


When do people stop trying to keep things in "perspective"?

Oregon State was early for a new coach and completely new roster.
Who is to say what would have happened had Xavier had the 2 starters. We won by 12.
We beat Memphis by 30 if the guys hit their free throws
And Creighton was the first true road game against a very motivated opponent. And the guys still pulled it out even with the two best scorers not showing up.

The "perspective" goes both ways and I would hope people drop all the encounter group BS and just resign to the fact the guys are good and instead of being half glass empties become half glass full fans.
 

VeloClone

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I get your point, but this team, so far, is shooting worse from the free throw line than most of our other teams the past 5 years. I am so pumped about what they are doing, just saying this team isn't so dominant that there won't be nights where our thin margin for victory goes the wrong way if we don't improve on that stat. "Defense travels" is an old saying that never fit a team better than this year's version of our Cyclones.
I don't think what you are saying is crazy. But another thing to consider is ISU's helter skelter defense. With that our guys are using a lot of energy and it may at times affect them at the line. But the flip side of that is that it often rattles and frustrates the other team so they are hurrying shots and pressing because they feel like they have to score five points rather than two when they do get a look. That frustration and lack of comfort can carry over to the free throw line as well. I would not be surprised to see many teams shoot below their free throw average against a locked in Iowa State team. It is about as close as you are going to come to free throw defense.
 

Die4Cy

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Jan 2, 2010
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I quit making "yeah, but" type arguments for these guys with the win on Saturday. Winning in Omaha is no joke. It may not be Allen Fieldhouse, but in terms of tough places to earn a win, it is pretty high up there. ISU won't win them all this year but these guys will have a shot to do that anywhere, anytime.

Iowa ALWAYS struggles against good defense, I'm looking forward to this one.
 

RezClone

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I quit making "yeah, but" type arguments for these guys with the win on Saturday. Winning in Omaha is no joke. It may not be Allen Fieldhouse, but in terms of tough places to earn a win, it is pretty high up there. ISU won't win them all this year but these guys will have a shot to do that anywhere, anytime.

Iowa ALWAYS struggles against good defense, I'm looking forward to this one.
It's true. They typically struggle with teams that are athletic enough to hem the up in transition defense and lock down on their actions and contest in the half court. See Minnesota, Indiana, and Illinois.