Fellas we are in the middle of a 8 game stretch where we have Baylor (already happened), Kansas twice, Oklahoma twice, Kansas State, Texas, and Oklahoma State.
Predict their record during that game stretch. Worst case scenario would be 1-7 or 14-7 overall, however you want to look at it, while best case scenario would be 8-0 or 21-0.
1-7 over that stretch would put us on the outside of the bubble, while 8-0 would indeed set us up for the number 1 overall seed in the whole freaking tournament.
Crazy how important this stretch of games will be.
I see us going 6-2 over that stretch losing at Oklahoma State and at Kansas.. 20-2 overall and looking at a number 2-3 seed in the NCAA. Obviously a lot of season left after that but the bulk of our tough games will be over.
Thoughts???
With they way ISU has been playing I have been watching more basketball then ever. I am watching all of the other Big XII schools as often as possible and other highly ranked teams when I have the time.
Okie State has looked very beatable after the loss of Cobbins for the season. Kansas has looked average at best because unless a team is playing no defense at all they struggle to score. Texas... they look young and mistake prone. K-State looks solid but they don't put up a bunch of points and outside of Gipson they don't have a strong interior game. Oklahoma can score but they play absolutely no defense at all.
Call me crazy but I see ISU sweeping Kansas and Oklahoma. Texas is young and they tend to play way out of control which leads to a ton of costly turnovers which doesn't bode well for them against ISU. I see ISU beating them decisively.
Now it comes down to Okie State and K-State. To be honest... Okie State can be wildly inconsistent. Last night for example they played absolutely sloppy against Texas but were bailed out by the Longhorns turning the ball over and putting the Cowboys at the FT line 51 times. Marcus Smart shot 20 times at the charity stripe last night. That is insane. ISU doesn't tend to foul a lot and they don't turn the ball over a lot either. Without Cobbins in the middle I think ISU's bigs can have their way inside against them. The X factor is the hobbit... Forte. Box & 1 that little ***** and Okie State is not a big threat from deep. ISU can absolutely beat them.
K-State... they are actually pretty simple. Limit Marcus Foster and they will have a difficult time generating offense. Their entire offense runs through him so it goes as he goes. That can make them much easier to stop then in the past. ISU can and should beat them.
Kool-Aid drinking be damned... I think this ISU team can pull the 8-0 sweep in this stretch and go 7-1 at worst. It's all about matchups and strengths and if you watch some of these other Big XII teams play you start to put the picture together that ISU is going to be an absolute matchup nightmare for all of them. Hoiberg can and will attack their weaknesses and typically where these teams are weak ISU is strong. I really like ISU's chances here.
