Lipscomb

[alenz95]

We all seem to be most worried about Lipscomb having a BYU type performance. There are some obvious problems with that comp, the most notable being that BYU has a couple NBA guys. The issue we see with defending 3's is more complicated than just "we don't defend 3's well." That complaint pops up all the time in game threads and it drives me nuts. We play a trap heavy defense that tries to keep the ball on once side of the court. By design we are vulnerable to teams with good ball movement that can get the ball across the court quickly to an open shooter in the far corner. That shooter either has to hit that open shot/drive, and wait for our defense to rotate so they can kick the ball back up top. BYU is uniquely good at this. A lot of other teams that have had good individual shooters, but lack elite ball movement have struggled.

At the end of the day good shooting is good shooting. There will always be a chance Lipscomb just hits everything. We should give them some problems tough. I am always curious how well mid/low majors can shoot against more athletic teams. Lipscomb has put up great numbers this year, but they've done that playing teams with similar or lower talent levels. Their numbers haven't translated quite as well against teams a bit more similar to our athletic profile. This is a very limited sample but against Arkansas Lipscomb was 9/27 from 3 and Against Kentucky Lipscomb was 5/29 from 3. Obviously, those games were a while ago, but I think we survive those types of numbers.

 

[EnkAMania]

We all seem to be most worried about Lipscomb having a BYU type performance. There are some obvious problems with that comp, the most notable being that BYU has a couple NBA guys. The issue we see with defending 3's is more complicated than just "we don't defend 3's well." That complaint pops up all the time in game threads and it drives me nuts. We play a trap heavy defense that tries to keep the ball on once side of the court. By design we are vulnerable to teams with good ball movement that can get the ball across the court quickly to an open shooter in the far corner. That shooter either has to hit that open shot/drive, and wait for our defense to rotate so they can kick the ball back up top. BYU is uniquely good at this. A lot of other teams that have had good individual shooters, but lack elite ball movement have struggled.

At the end of the day good shooting is good shooting. There will always be a chance Lipscomb just hits everything. We should give them some problems tough. I am always curious how well mid/low majors can shoot against more athletic teams. Lipscomb has put up great numbers this year, but they've done that playing teams with similar or lower talent levels. Their numbers haven't translated quite as well against teams a bit more similar to our athletic profile. This is a very limited sample but against Arkansas Lipscomb was 9/27 from 3 and Against Kentucky Lipscomb was 5/29 from 3. Obviously, those games were a while ago, but I think we survive those types of numbers.

I agree, I think they are more of a slower Iowa than BYU. If you leave them open, sure they can make it. If you guard them, we'll win by 20.

 

[Dgilbertson]

Lipscomb has many fans.

Every team in the tournament except Iowa State fans will be rooting for Lipscomb.

I am curious, but it does seem that we are easy to root against nationally. I’ve never fully understood as we have all the makings of a historic underdog ppl could get behind.

We were dark horses for a lot of years with Fred. Are ppl tired of believing in us? Did we ruin too many brackets?

 

[KennyPratt42]

A couple of interesting things about Lipscomb, their assist numbers aren't that high for a team with a high effective field goal % and they've been a better scoring team in second halves.

14.6 Assists/Game (#88) and 0.544 Assists/Field Goal Made (#106)
35.6 1st Half Points vs. 41.7 2nd Half Points

The assist numbers point to them not being as good of a ball movement team as someone like BYU. The scoring by half might not end up meaning anything, but it might be slightly less likely they get off to a hot start and get a lead.

 

[EnkAMania]

I am curious, but it does seem that we are easy to root against nationally. I’ve never fully understood as we have all the makings of a historic underdog ppl could get behind.

We were dark horses for a lot of years with Fred. Are ppl tired of believing in us? Did we ruin too many brackets?

It just has to do with seeds. I was in the building when UC Irvine almost upset Louisville and the whole place was chanting "Let's Go Eaters!"

 

[KennyPratt42]

By far their best offensive player is a 6'8" forward who shoots it well from three but doesn't attempt that many, 3.4 per game. He does get to the line a lot and shoots a high percentage, 6.1 free throws attempted per game. In games they lost in the non-conference he shot more threes and didn't get to the line as much.

Feels like a game where Watson might get some time in a defensive role to try to shut him down. Heise could also play that role, but it feels like we'll need him guarding on the perimeter against their three guards who all shoot well from three and at a higher volume.

 

[danvillecyclone]

I am curious, but it does seem that we are easy to root against nationally. I’ve never fully understood as we have all the makings of a historic underdog ppl could get behind.

We were dark horses for a lot of years with Fred. Are ppl tired of believing in us? Did we ruin too many brackets?

At the tournament sites, especially back in the day…when all of the teams in the city were in the same bracket, during your non-game, EVERYONE roots for the underdog.

It’s beneficial and fun.

 

[ruxCYtable]

I don't like to get overconfident at tourney time. Also, I expect to win by the largest margin in Cyclone tourney history.

 

[NodawayRiverClone]

Lipsey will play some minutes if he gets no twinges in warmups, otherwise he'll sit the game.

Lipscomb plays slow due to lack of bench strength. But if they calculate that they can get a big down the floor before our big after a defensive rebound, they may try throwing the ball ahead to get an easy basket, a foul, or, in the confusion, toss out to a 3 pt shooter. If they try this, they could play much of the time with 4 starters/1 bench guy to try to stay fresh. It will fail in the end, but could keep them close/ahead for a while.

 

[Psiclone]

the best player is a big that can shoot the 3. I wonder if Jefferson will be set to guard him?

I would think Jefferson would be guarding him and maybe Chatfield whose length and quick feet on defense could bother him.

 

[MartyFine]

 

[KennyPratt42]

I haven't gotten the chance to do much more than watch a couple highlight packages. For anyone that's gotten a chance to watch a full game or two, do they just isolate Ognacevic a lot, both down low and on the perimeter? That's what it kind of seems like based on highlights and statistics, that he shoots it off the dribble or they are getting it to him in a spot he likes and he is going to work.

 

[Letterkenny]

Throw it inside early and often.

Wear out their guards with pressure defense.

Pass the ball with purpose and hit the open shots

Yep. Games we've got Jackson, Jefferson or Chatfield some early buckets inside generally go well for us. We need that production early on, otherwise Jones and Lipsey start dribbling the air out of the ball and our offense stagnates.

 

[Malone]

I would think Jefferson would be guarding him and maybe Chatfield whose length and quick feet on defense could bother him.

Chatfield quick feet on defense? Are we watching the same thing? The guy has to be top 10 in the country for fouling a guy at the top of the key to prevent from being blown by

 

[madguy30]

South Carolina, Texas Tech, KSU, and Maryland iirc (although they were also pretty good) games all seemed about the same as this one: make it weird and get into ISU and they couldn't get out of the weirdness.

That day with about 10 game minutes left:

 

[crs8975]

I hope nobody decided to dye their hair a different color this week.

 

[not-the-manager]

Having watched none of them, I'd bet Lipscomb will try to pick and roll ISU to death. Any team with a star—or at least a reliable safety valve—knows it can't win if the ball isn't in his hands most of the time. In other words, let Ognacevic create or trust him to make the right pass. The question would then be whether they have their bigs screen, or other guards, and run more of a motion offense. The latter hasn't worked out well for ISU's opponents, as Lipsey switching off to Heise (and vice versa) has been lethal. Jackson has been really good the last few games in pick and roll defense against more athletic bigs than I presume Lipscomb has, so I'm hopeful ISU wouldn't get killed if bigs are the screeners, either. My biggest concern is if Lipsey is hobbled and Heise and Jones aren't able to stay in front of Ognacevic as well as a healthy Lipsey nor a hypothetical duo of Lipsey and Gilbert

 

[EnkAMania]

Chatfield quick feet on defense? Are we watching the same thing? The guy has to be top 10 in the country for fouling a guy at the top of the key to prevent from being blown by

Sometimes he doesn't foul, sometimes he just falls down.

 

[NorthCyd]

South Carolina, Texas Tech, KSU, and Maryland iirc (although they were also pretty good) games all seemed about the same as this one: make it weird and get into ISU and they couldn't get out of the weirdness.

That day with about 10 game minutes left:

That team was fragile as ****. Terrible chemistry. I don't think TJ would let a cancer like BDJ on his team.

 

[brianhos]

Anytime we play a 3pt shooting team I’m worried. That’s our biggest weakness on defense and crazy things tend to happen in MM.

But BYU can also rebound, and that's where they really kill us.