Maybe it's the Cardinal and Gold lenses I am peering through but......

[Balrog]

I think this basketball team is beginning to look like it has some real promise for the season. Passes look crisper, our defense is improving, and I think we have shown signs of confidence in shooting the 3 ball. We also seem to be getting into our offensive sets quicker than we did earlier this season. I would grant that we have not played a tall, talented, and physical conference foe to a draw as of yet, but I am thinking that it is not outside the realm of possibility. Does anyone else think so, or is it the Kool Aid?
Thanks.

Go Cyclones :yes:

 

[CrossCyed]

We look like an NIT team, which is a significant jump from before.

 

[Clone9]

I think you're definitely seeing improved play, but I'm still not certain that we will be able to maintain it. We're still young, and will likely be inconsistent. We're better, but I'm not convinced of NIT better just yet.

 

[balken]

Largely agree, though not sure how many wins into which this will translate - hoping for the best. However, I have been looking through the WOI telecast lenses which means I can't really see anything very well.

 

[Drive4cy]

I'm optimistic about next year and beyond, but I still believe this season will be a struggle. If Gilstrap is the player we all think he is, next year will be lots of fun. I don't think we'll make the NIT this year but hopefully we're close. I'd love to watch us in postseason.

 

[bufante]

Our defense has improved I think. In large part to Bryan Peterson, that guy has been great this year in ways that don't show up on the stat sheet.

I think Brackins passing out of the double team has improved.

I have always we thought we were confident with the three pointer...sometimes to much so.

Not sure about the NIT as of yet. We have some great role players and a couple of studs.

Either way, the thing I am most happy about is watching them finish a game in which they were tested. That is something to build on for sure!

 

[Bobber]

The guy's don't look lost like they did last year.

Defense is better.

Offense is better.

We're still young and will make mistakes.

I want 18 wins or better this year..

 

[ISUFan22]

The consistent scoring droughts give me serious concern. In almost every game played this season (and last) - we've gone through significant scoring droughts. If we were playing almost any other team in the conference last night - the outcome is different.

We must improve...

- Falling asleep scoring the ball
- Defending dribble penetration
- Handling full or half court pressure

 

[chuckd4735]

Don't worry, we will lose our next two games and this board will be back in meltdown mode!

 

[CyFan987]

I think we are going to be very close to a NIT birth, to get it though I think we need to win a game we shouldn't win. I think next year should be good though :smile:

 

[CyCloned]

I think this basketball team is beginning to look like it has some real promise for the season. Passes look crisper, our defense is improving, and I think we have shown signs of confidence in shooting the 3 ball. We also seem to be getting into our offensive sets quicker than we did earlier this season. I would grant that we have not played a tall, talented, and physical conference foe to a draw as of yet, but I am thinking that it is not outside the realm of possibility. Does anyone else think so, or is it the Kool Aid?
Thanks.

Go Cyclones :yes:

I think play has improved, but there are still a lot of issues. The TOs last night were terrible and even though CG has improved a lot, he still cannot get away from trying to do things that he isn't capable of.

The long period of not scoring are really ugly. The defense is getting better, but you still need to score points.

 

[Drive4cy]

Don't worry, we will lose our next two games and this board will be back in meltdown mode!

Very possible. We nearly blew the game last night at home to a bottom feeder. I think the Missouri game will be a good measuring stick game.

 

[Balrog]

The consistent scoring droughts give me serious concern. In almost every game played this season (and last) - we've gone through significant scoring droughts. If we were playing almost any other team in the conference last night - the outcome is different.

We must improve...

- Falling asleep scoring the ball
- Defending dribble penetration
- Handling full or half court pressure

I agree with your comment with regard to the scoring drouts. There was a time when we needed a basket, ........well, there was Fizer.
I thought we handled the dribble penetration a bit better last night, than we have in the past.
Full court pressure was a problem last night until we made some adjustments, (I think we turned the ball over several times before
we got things cleared up.)
Do you think the scoring drought last night was attributable to no one wanting to make a mistake, as in, playing not to lose?

 

[SLCyclone]

I am impressed with the way we handle the press last night!:sad: ( I couldn't find the sarcasim pirate)

 

[ISUFan22]

I agree with your comment with regard to the scoring drouts. There was a time when we needed a basket, ........well, there was Fizer.
I thought we handled the dribble penetration a bit better last night, than we have in the past.
Full court pressure was a problem last night until we made some adjustments, (I think we turned the ball over several times before
we got things cleared up.)
Do you think the scoring drought last night was attributable to no one wanting to make a mistake, as in, playing not to lose?

Dribble penetration appeared better...competition was worse.

As far as why we went through a scoring drought, it really does not matter to me. We consistently do it game after game. Sometimes early on, some times before the half, sometimes right out of the gate in the 2nd and other times late in the game. The only consistent thing is - we suffer a scoring drought.

 

[IcSyU]

I am impressed with the way we handle the press last night!:sad: ( I couldn't find the sarcasim pirate)

Just type : jimlad : without the space between the colons. You have to hit the "more" button below the smilies on the right side if you didn't do that.

 

[cyclone1975]

Daydream with me for a minute. If we can beat Mizzou, then we have a week to prepare for the weakest Kansas team we have seen in Hilton for a couple years and then we head out to Colorado to play a team that is predicted to be worse than us. If we win all those then we are 4-1 with great momentum heading into the Oklahoma game at Hilton. The Magic would be in full swing to help us knock off a top ten team.

I don't drink the kool-aid anymore, I take it directly from an IV. :biggrin:

 

[Balrog]

Daydream with me for a minute. If we can beat Mizzou, then we have a week to prepare for the weakest Kansas team we have seen in Hilton for a couple years and then we head out to Colorado to play a team that is predicted to be worse than us. If we win all those then we are 4-1 with great momentum heading into the Oklahoma game at Hilton. The Magic would be in full swing to help us knock off a top ten team.

I don't drink the kool-aid anymore, I take it directly from an IV. :biggrin:

I could see it!!!!
However, I think that 22 and others have made some good points. We must be able to handle the ball much better than we have, and we need a go-to guy when we need points. I think our youth really does show with these two aspects. This team is not a confident team...........yet.

Go Cyclones :yes:

 

[saf]

I don't think we had our typical scoring drought against Nebraska. We did turn the ball over 5 or 6 times against the press, but during our usual scoring droughts we are running the offense and just not scoring. McD pointed out in the postgame that we scored 11 of 20 times that we didn't just turn it over (2nd half).

This may seem like semantics, but I think our offense is improving. Now we just need to make sure that we don't start turning it over, as we have been pretty good about that this year, save that run in the last game.

 

[cycloneryan]

I think there is a definite drop off from the top half of the big 12 to the bottom half. I think we are probably one of the better teams in the bottom half. Maybe 7th best in the conference. For once I feel like we will win the game we should but still have quite a few losses. NIT should be the goal for this team, and I think it can happen.