Never felt better after a tournament loss

[cyfanatic]

Given preseason roster and expectations... not sure how making the sweet 16 this year is not taking advantage of what's being in front of them.

I agree with both points of view...it is moving the goal posts but in this case it is understandable! It was a GREAT season...but we did come up a bit short at the end with the opportunity that presented itself. Doesn't take away from how great the season was.

 

[Bret44]

I feel tired and sad today.

Mainly tired.

Very tired.

Happy Friday.

 

[Drew0311]

Given preseason roster and expectations... not sure how making the sweet 16 this year is not taking advantage of what's being in front of them.

Because nobody cares about pre season stuff. WE care about how it turned out and not taking advantage of the team we have. We should have won last night. That is what I am saying anyway. If we would have lost 11 games this year then yeah, sweet16 would have been huge. Much like two years ago. However, last night sucked. We didn't play our best.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

Gonna give one controversial opinion then disappear.

While I love the energy and commitment to the university, this team will be better off when we’re not force feeding minutes to Rob Jones. He’s just not a good basketball player. Phenomenal teammate and representative of the university. Not a good basketball player. He’s constantly shoved around, misses some of the easiest bunnies you’ll ever see, isn’t even worth guarding when he’s more than 4 feet from the basket and is so extremely uncoordinated you could make a highlight reel off of all the balls that he fumbles off his hands, hit his legs or body and bounce out of bounds. We’ll be a much better basketball team when we’re not trying to force 15 minutes a game on him.

 

[cyclones500]

I don't think I've ever feel good after a tournament loss.

Yes, I'm aware the intent/spirit of the OP is more broad-picture outlook, since obviously final loss of season is never "enjoyable" in itself.

 

[Die4Cy]

Gonna give one controversial opinion then disappear.

While I love the energy and commitment to the university, this team will be better off when we’re not force feeding minutes to Rob Jones. He’s just not a good basketball player. Phenomenal teammate and representative of the university. Not a good basketball player. He’s constantly shoved around, misses some of the easiest bunnies you’ll ever see, isn’t even worth guarding when he’s more than 4 feet from the basket and is so extremely uncoordinated you could make a highlight reel off of all the balls that he fumbles off his hands, hit his legs or body and bounce out of bounds. We’ll be a much better basketball team when we’re not trying to force 15 minutes a game on him.

Nah man, that ain't it. Rob didn't have a good game last night, but that doesn't even come close to encapsulating his time here or the year he had.

 

[twincyties]

Nah man, that ain't it. Rob didn't have a good game last night, but that doesn't even come close to encapsulating his time here or the year he had.

Agree. Rob did not play great but he was the least of our worries.

 

[ClubCy]

it was +100 so I won $500.

i'd pay $500 for isu to be in the elite 8. thats the bet. isu didn't win so i get my 500 back plus another 500. worth

You could have gotten more value earlier in the week.

 

[JEFF420]

You could have gotten more value earlier in the week.

was on the road most of the week for work. state that is full of freedom. but no gambling and no weed

 

[AuH2O]

Gonna give one controversial opinion then disappear.

While I love the energy and commitment to the university, this team will be better off when we’re not force feeding minutes to Rob Jones. He’s just not a good basketball player. Phenomenal teammate and representative of the university. Not a good basketball player. He’s constantly shoved around, misses some of the easiest bunnies you’ll ever see, isn’t even worth guarding when he’s more than 4 feet from the basket and is so extremely uncoordinated you could make a highlight reel off of all the balls that he fumbles off his hands, hit his legs or body and bounce out of bounds. We’ll be a much better basketball team when we’re not trying to force 15 minutes a game on him.

What's the alternative? After the big tourney games, Ward definitely shot up in terms of analytics, but prior to that he and Rob were very similar in team performance, with Rob the slight advantage. And Ward couldn't play many more minutes because he would foul so quickly.

Evan Miya data over the course of the year suggests that Rob should've played. Ward maybe gets more minutes after his tear through the prior 4 games, but his foul frequency was so high that he couldn't play many more than 22-25 mins/game anyway.

The data said that Lipsey and Gilbert were irreplaceable. Ward was on a heater and should've played a lot, which he did save for his foul trouble. The drop-off after R. Jones and King, our #6 and #7 rated players in Evan Miya, was massive.

The problem was Ward couldn't stay on the court. There was no one else on the roster that could create a lineup where the team's performance didn't dip significantly.

 

[HFCS]

I hate poor officiating more than anybody...but I really couldn't get mad about it last night. I'd take that level of officiating any time, at no point did it feel like the deck was stacked against us and it felt that way 4-5 times in Big 12 play including several wins.

If I was upset with a call the replay always calmed me down that it was right rather than the opposite.

I even understood the logic of the foul where Lipsey took an elbow to the chin. They whistled him for being all over the guy...and then getting grazed on the chin didn't look intentional. So they can't reverse what they already called, and was probably a correct call.

 

[HFCS]

What's the alternative? After the big tourney games, Ward definitely shot up in terms of analytics, but prior to that he and Rob were very similar in team performance, with Rob the slight advantage. And Ward couldn't play many more minutes because he would foul so quickly.

Evan Miya data over the course of the year suggests that Rob should've played. Ward maybe gets more minutes after his tear through the prior 4 games, but his foul frequency was so high that he couldn't play many more than 22-25 mins/game anyway.

The data said that Lipsey and Gilbert were irreplaceable. Ward was on a heater and should've played a lot, which he did save for his foul trouble. The drop-off after R. Jones and King, our #6 and #7 rated players in Evan Miya, was massive.

The problem was Ward couldn't stay on the court. There was no one else on the roster that could create a lineup where the team's performance didn't dip significantly.

Rob is going to be a big loss. Not to take away from Ward and Tre, but there were quite a few times where Rob willed the team into a key run or just set the tempo.

 

[NorthCyd]

Gonna give one controversial opinion then disappear.

While I love the energy and commitment to the university, this team will be better off when we’re not force feeding minutes to Rob Jones. He’s just not a good basketball player. Phenomenal teammate and representative of the university. Not a good basketball player. He’s constantly shoved around, misses some of the easiest bunnies you’ll ever see, isn’t even worth guarding when he’s more than 4 feet from the basket and is so extremely uncoordinated you could make a highlight reel off of all the balls that he fumbles off his hands, hit his legs or body and bounce out of bounds. We’ll be a much better basketball team when we’re not trying to force 15 minutes a game on him.

Pants uses his one post this year to **** on Rob Jones. Weird.

 

[TheHelgo]

Next years team will have upgrades from a scoring perspective at the 4 and 5.

Do tell.

 

[cyclones500]

I hate poor officiating more than anybody...but I really couldn't get mad about it last night. I'd take that level of officiating any time, at no point did it feel like the deck was stacked against us and it felt that way 4-5 times in Big 12 play including several wins.

If I was upset with a call the replay always calmed me down that it was right rather than the opposite.

I even understood the logic of the foul where Lipsey took an elbow to the chin. They whistled him for being all over the guy...and then getting grazed on the chin didn't look intentional. So they can't reverse what they already called, and was probably a correct call.

Yeah, among negative details of that game, officiating is way down the list (behind poor shooting, poor shot selection, sloppy passing, other things).

A few isolated calls were lame, including a couple of instances when an Illinois player "fell" and got gifted a foul. A couple of non-calls or missed fouls on ISU slipped past, though, so it wasn't one-sided.

I still think the Lipsey foul was bad call, but I'm sure at real-time speed on the court it'd be typical to call it.

 

[rednrdy]

It hurts, but it hurts because it's probably the 2nd best season we've ever had as a program. We were just missing that one component, an elite scorer. That's why the development of Milan is so important. He could turn into that guy. Hopefully he will

1. We got 3 really good guards coming back. All tough sons a *******.

2. Big guy coming in the portal.

3. Anybody that wants to win, will come here. Anybody with a brain, will want to go to war with those 3 guards.

4. Personally I think we really need to keep Watson, add a true post or a stretch 4. And get another shooter. I know it's a lot to ask, but this is a national title contender if you can get it done.

5. Milan will get better.

Guys, next year is our chance. Reality is we just didn't have the scheme offensively or the horses to break through this year. We were still limited. We are still working through a lot forced pieces. This is it. Next year is the year. If we just get better offensively a bit, nothing is stopping these guys. Those three guards have guts, and they can play.

It can be done here. We are so close.

Not surprised by the outcome last night, wouldn't have been surprised by any outcome.

To make an elite 8 you have to be just that (Elite), or get some luck. I'm not sure we were an elite team, and we didn't get enough luck last night (although Illinois free throw shooting was close).

In a very odd way, I'm almost waiting to measure my level of disappointment until I see how the UConn Illinois game goes.

In October I placed a bet for Iowa State to win National Championship at 75:1 odds...
In March I placed a bet for Iowa State to win the Big XII Tourney at 12:1 odds...
In March I placed a bet for Iowa State to win the NC at 20:1 odds...

Iowa State was an outlier at the beginning of the season, showed signs of struggling offensively in February, then turned it on after the K-State game.

It takes timing, seeding, upsets, health, shot-making, and ultimately a little luck to make it the the Elite Eight, Final Four, or win a NC.

Would you have called Illinois an elite team heading into the B1G Tourney? Clemson? Alabama? NC State?

 

[ClonerJams]

I'm excited about next year, but I feel like **** after that loss. It was there for the taking

 

[acoustimac]

1. We got 3 really good guards coming back. All tough sons a *******.

2. Big guy coming in the portal.

3. Anybody that wants to win, will come here. Anybody with a brain, will want to go to war with those 3 guards.

4. Personally I think we really need to keep Watson, add a true post or a stretch 4. And get another shooter. I know it's a lot to ask, but this is a national title contender if you can get it done.

5. Milan will get better.

Guys, next year is our chance. Reality is we just didn't have the scheme offensively or the horses to break through this year. We were still limited. We are still working through a lot forced pieces. This is it. Next year is the year. If we just get better offensively a bit, nothing is stopping these guys. Those three guards have guts, and they can play.

It can be done here. We are so close.

I don’t feel good at all after last night. That was an egg dropped from 10000 feet.

 

[cyclones500]

I'm excited about next year, but I feel like **** after that loss. It was there for the taking

Makes me wish next season could start, like, two weeks from now.

 

[wcamnclone]

Have to focus on the positive to get through it. From where everyone was predicting us preseason to where we finished, big accomplishments.

Really looking forward to next year. With the progression Tamin made from last year to this year, hard not to be excited about what he can do. Combine that with the natural progression of Keshon and CuJo its fun.

Excited for Milan. At times everyone could tell he was a freshman. Just get him in the weight room and put 10-15 pounds on that frame and doesn't get pushed off his spots as easy. Could tell he struggled a little bit with some of the bigger wing players but it will come with experience and weight.

Like others have said, need a post that is a threat to score from 15-18 feet from the basket just to keep the defense honest and pull rim defenders away. Those transfer portal players though likely cost $$$$ and are few and far between. Not necessarily a true post, but I think Watson can turn into this. The progression he made from last year to this year is tremendous and is only going to grow.