Are we even a tournament team?

[CoachHines3]

for everyone sh*tting the bed still:

Simple answer: Come on. No. Iowa State has eight Quadrant 1 wins, against some of the very best teams in the country. Its metrics are all top 35, both in predictive terms and in the strength of their results. The Cyclones have slipped down the S-Curve accordingly — Brian has them as a No. 6 seed today — and we aren’t exactly expecting big things once they do arrive in the tournament, because they look totally sapped. (Losing Caleb Grill this week for violations of team policy won’t help.) But making the field? It’s never been remotely in doubt.

Bubble Watch: Duke, Arkansas and Missouri join the list of locks

Six more schools are headed to the NCAA Tournament.

theathletic.com

 

[drmwevr08]

I still don't think it matters what the committee will do. ISU is in rare shape in that they did enough early but are now half as good as they were. They are a total debacle. That is what is distressing to most folks talking about 'not being a tourney team'.

Does anyone really think getting rid of Caleb will help? Maybe he was part of the problem, but is that relief enough to make this team suddenly competitive?

 

[allfourcy]

I still don't think it matters what the committee will do. ISU is in rare shape in that they did enough early but are now half as good as they were. They are a total debacle. That is what is distressing to most folks talking about 'not being a tourney team'.

Does anyone really think getting rid of Caleb will help? Maybe he was part of the problem, but is that relief enough to make this team suddenly competitive?

I don't think most think that, except those that are 'hopeful' that the philosophy of 'addition by subtraction' comes true. I think it makes us weaker, gives us serious depth issues, worn down players will be asked to play even more minutes (if that's even possible). But, having said that, for the sake of the program's culture and if the players can rally and at least enjoy playing again, it will be a tiny but maybe somewhat of a relief for them. End of the day, I want our guys to go out with their heads held high.

 

[BCClone]

I still don't think it matters what the committee will do. ISU is in rare shape in that they did enough early but are now half as good as they were. They are a total debacle. That is what is distressing to most folks talking about 'not being a tourney team'.

Does anyone really think getting rid of Caleb will help? Maybe he was part of the problem, but is that relief enough to make this team suddenly competitive?

Don't know, we were competitive with him, but he was really stinking it up the last several games. TJ really liked Caleb so maybe by forcing TJ not to play Caleb, it will put a more effective rotation out there. Just speculating how it could be positive.

 

[isufbcurt]

I still don't think it matters what the committee will do. ISU is in rare shape in that they did enough early but are now half as good as they were. They are a total debacle. That is what is distressing to most folks talking about 'not being a tourney team'.

Does anyone really think getting rid of Caleb will help? Maybe he was part of the problem, but is that relief enough to make this team suddenly competitive?

Playing teams/coaches that don't know you inside and out will make them more competitive.

 

[Statefan10]

I still don't think it matters what the committee will do. ISU is in rare shape in that they did enough early but are now half as good as they were. They are a total debacle. That is what is distressing to most folks talking about 'not being a tourney team'.

Does anyone really think getting rid of Caleb will help? Maybe he was part of the problem, but is that relief enough to make this team suddenly competitive?

We’ve only been not competitive in like 3 games this season. Losing games by incredibly close margins to tournament quality teams doesn’t mean we suck, it just means we aren’t a great team. We’re a solid team that has a lot of issues, so pretty much like every other team in the country outside of 10 teams probably.

 

[CoachHines3]

Playing teams/coaches that don't know you inside and out will make them more competitive.

I think that will also help the teams psyche.

We could very well lose in the first round, though.

 

[Urbandale2013]

The Bracket Project's Bracket Matrix - 2025

 

[madguy30]

I still don't think it matters what the committee will do. ISU is in rare shape in that they did enough early but are now half as good as they were. They are a total debacle. That is what is distressing to most folks talking about 'not being a tourney team'.

Does anyone really think getting rid of Caleb will help? Maybe he was part of the problem, but is that relief enough to make this team suddenly competitive?

If you think many close losses with the make up of the team and still being a tourney team are a debacle you're ignoring good seasons by ISU over the past 40 years and that's a you problem.

If they win a tourney game which is also really good historically can we rely on you to keep not liking it?

 

[Statefan10]

The Bracket Project's Bracket Matrix - 2025

But like, we’re playing bad now so we shouldn’t even accept an invite because we really don’t deserve it

 

[madguy30]

I think that will also help the teams psyche.

We could very well lose in the first round, though.

I can't say it enough: ISU or any team coud be looking like '92 Duke right now and the NCAA tourney won't care. It is a crazy and cruel event.

 

[KCClone1]

I can't say it enough: ISU or any team coud be looking like '92 Duke right now and the NCAA tourney won't care. It is a crazy and cruel event.

ISU's ceiling is definitely lower now that Grill is gone. They could still win a game or two, but it's not looking good.

 

[madguy30]

ISU's ceiling is definitely lower now that Grill is gone. They could still win a game or two, but it's not looking good.

And with Grill or a McD's AA or a team full of McD's they could get bounced in one game.

 

[Cyclonepride]

for everyone sh*tting the bed still:

Simple answer: Come on. No. Iowa State has eight Quadrant 1 wins, against some of the very best teams in the country. Its metrics are all top 35, both in predictive terms and in the strength of their results. The Cyclones have slipped down the S-Curve accordingly — Brian has them as a No. 6 seed today — and we aren’t exactly expecting big things once they do arrive in the tournament, because they look totally sapped. (Losing Caleb Grill this week for violations of team policy won’t help.) But making the field? It’s never been remotely in doubt.

Bubble Watch: Duke, Arkansas and Missouri join the list of locks

Six more schools are headed to the NCAA Tournament.

theathletic.com

I think we're likely in the 6-8 range, so not even close to the bubble.

 

[cyclones500]

If they win a tourney game which is also really good historically can we rely on you to keep not liking it?

The narrative then will become, "If ISU hadn't slipped so far in the seeding, we'd have reached Sweet 16!" Or some-such.

 

[Statefan10]

The narrative then will become, "If ISU hadn't slipped so far in the seeding, we'd have reached Sweet 16!" Or some-such.

And if we somehow make the Sweet 16, which wouldn’t actually shock me too much, they’ll say we could’ve won a title lol

 

[NoCreativity]

I still don't think it matters what the committee will do. ISU is in rare shape in that they did enough early but are now half as good as they were. They are a total debacle. That is what is distressing to most folks talking about 'not being a tourney team'.

Does anyone really think getting rid of Caleb will help? Maybe he was part of the problem, but is that relief enough to make this team suddenly competitive?

We'll get to find out if the team was tanking because of all the Grill drama or if it is a wash either way without him.

I personally think they'll continue to be bad the rest of the year.

 

[CoachHines3]

I think we're likely in the 6-8 range, so not even close to the bubble.

I still think 6 MAYBE 7.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I still think 6 MAYBE 7.

I agree, but I think the right set of circumstances (outside our games) could push us down a line.

 

[madguy30]

And if we somehow make the Sweet 16, which wouldn’t actually shock me too much, they’ll say we could’ve won a title lol

I'm not sure how anyone can in this current era just 'expect' their team to just win like it's a given with a decade's worth of 2 and 3 seeds more commonly getting beat in round 1 but here we are.