Can't believe the team will miss the tournament

[spitfyr36]

I think expectations were really high because of the seniors, but I think we really have a lot of role players. Morris can hold his own, but everybody else either can't create their own shot, is very inconsistent, or a combination of both.

I'm still very confident we make the tournament. R-E-L-A-X, somtimes I think I accidentally logged onto the Hawk board with all the overreaction we have going on around here.

 

[WastedTalent]

Did any of those teams miss the dance starting 5 seniors?

It doesn't matter if you have 13 seniors on your roster. If they're not the right players, it won't work.

I'm getting kind of tired of the "5 senior startes" bs. I would trade a couple of those for a freshmen that had a better skill set.

Bottom line is, this team lacks a playmaker. It doesn't matter if he's a Fr So Jr or Sr.

 

[Chitowncy]

Clever thread and thanks for sharing the perspective! I was just going to come on when I saw the title and state "the season's not over yet," but I see I don't have to now.

That said, if the Tournament started today, I don't think I'd give us a bid, but we clearly are a bubble team and Lunardi just updated his Bracketology and lists ISU as an 8 seed! Amazing that he still thinks so highly of ISU. So, if we can pull off BU at home (and the fans help carry the tide like they used to by participating in the madness instead of spectating), protect the rest of the home court schedule and sneak another one or two, we should be dancing.

Not over yet folks. Stay true to your Cyclones.

 

[CloneIce]

It is absolutely realistic for ISU fans to expect the Cyclones to be in the tournament this season. Anything less is a failure by the coach and team. There is no reason to try to justify sub-par performance by making a comparison that has nothing to do with the actual team we have this season.

Next year is when we should lower our expectations. Not this year, when we have 6 seniors.

 

[Chitowncy]

It doesn't matter if you have 13 seniors on your roster. If they're not the right players, it won't work.

I'm getting kind of tired of the "5 senior startes" bs. I would trade a couple of those for a freshmen that had a better skill set.

Bottom line is, this team lacks a playmaker. It doesn't matter if he's a Fr So Jr or Sr.

It's not skill set, it's height. We traded a quality rebounder, scorer and small forward who is playing in the NBDL (Nader), an All-American SF / PF who can score on the block (as well as basically from anywhere within 22 feet) at will and was an adequate defender (Niang), and an active big man, defender, rebounder and rim finisher (McKay), for two forwards who really have trouble scoring and finishing (Holden and Bowie) and didn't put up great numbers at the previous struggling mid-majors they attended. I feel like I was in the very small minority coming into this season thinking we'd be a bubble team, or up to 7 seed at best, as we are just tiny and it's unfair to say this team lacks a playmaker. They have some, but we play a guard-based lineup that is smaller than my high school team was!

For the record, I still think Morris, Thomas, Burton and Long do enough to get us to the Tourney. From there, anything can happen!

 

[CloneIce]

This entire post is just an attempt to make a pre-emptive excuse for our coach and team if they fail to make the dance this season. UCONN's performance has nothing to do with the ISU basketball team in 2016-2017. It is simply a failure if we don't at least make the tournament this season. We still can, but we need to play much better than the last two games.

 

[Cycsk]

Has it really come to this?

Seems like a billion years ago (in reality, 2014) that we were headed to Madison Square Garden full of hope. The team had NBA players and a charismatic NBA player turned coach. Why has it gone so bad?

The non-conference schedule was a bummer, including the road loss to that despised Big Ten team that we shall not speak of.

Now we stand at a pathetic 5 - 4 conference record and if trends hold, probably won't make the tournament.

Guess having a star point guard isn't enough, huh?

___

I am, of course, talking about UConn, which currently sports a 10 - 11 record, thanks to a lack of height due to multiple injuries, despite being led by a five-star point guard named Jalen Adams. Sound familiar?

___

Iowa State has been in the NCAA tournament five consecutive years, which is a longer streak than these four teams in particular:

Louisville
Kentucky
UConn
Villanova​

All are teams that have won the national championship during the past five years. All have missed the tournament during these five years, largely due to recruiting misses or players who were one-and-done. All have been placed on probation in the past, because the NCAA essentially rewards cheating.

I wonder if it is realistic for some fans to expect ISU to have a longer sustained period of success than these schools?

Kagavi has been laying low, then comes back with this zinger. Nicely played. Instant classic.

 

[1976]

R-E-L-A-X we are making tahe tournament. We will finish 11-7 or 10-8 and end up on the 7 or 8 line. Not the seed I saw us getting before the season, but another tournament bid nonetheless

 

[swarthmoreCY]

Need to have the joes. We have joe's sidekicks.

 

[Rolling Clones]

Haven't seen a better plot twist since "The Sixth Sense". Well done sir.

 

[CloneIce]

R-E-L-A-X we are making tahe tournament. We will finish 11-7 or 10-8 and end up on the 7 or 8 line. Not the seed I saw us getting before the season, but another tournament bid nonetheless

I would love that. To finish 11-7 will be a huge challenge though. If we assume we lose at WVU and KU (a reasonable assumption) that we can only lose 1 game the rest of the season. We still need to play Baylor at home, and go on the road to Texas, KState, TTU. We can only lose one of those. And we'd need to hold serve at home in the rest of the games, which will still be a challenge. That is possible - but we'll need to play more consistent than we have all season to achieve those results.

 

[WastedTalent]

It's not skill set, it's height. We traded a quality rebounder, scorer and small forward who is playing in the NBDL (Nader), an All-American SF / PF who can score on the block (as well as basically from anywhere within 22 feet) at will and was an adequate defender (Niang), and an active big man, defender, rebounder and rim finisher (McKay), for two forwards who really have trouble scoring and finishing (Holden and Bowie) and didn't put up great numbers at the previous struggling mid-majors they attended. I feel like I was in the very small minority coming into this season thinking we'd be a bubble team, or up to 7 seed at best, as we are just tiny and it's unfair to say this team lacks a playmaker. They have some, but we play a guard-based lineup that is smaller than my high school team was!

For the record, I still think Morris, Thomas, Burton and Long do enough to get us to the Tourney. From there, anything can happen!

You pretty much made my point. Bowie, Holden, Carter, Stu all have size, but they obviously lack the skill set.
When I say skill set, I absolutely mean rebounding and post defense, or a guy that can stretch the defense and make plays in the paint.

If a team isn't well rounded, with solid players at each position, then they need that one part that is above average, something that you can go to when you need points.
Morris is the best player, but that's not his style. He's the guy that distributes. Thomas is a great shooter, but he can't carry the team everytime down the floor, especially when the defense is able to be in his face at all times, because they don't need to help off. Naz is just a role player, that offers occasional offense. Burton could be that guy, but at this point we just have to say he is what he is. A freak athlete that isn't exactly basketball skilled, like the opposite of Niang.

 

[twojman]

I would love that. To finish 11-7 will be a huge challenge though. If we assume we lose at WVU and KU (a reasonable assumption) that we can only lose 1 game the rest of the season. We still need to play Baylor at home, and go on the road to Texas, KState, TTU. We can only lose one of those. And we'd need to hold serve at home in the rest of the games, which will still be a challenge. That is possible - but we'll need to play more consistent than we have all season to achieve those results.

I think the 4 you listed (Baylor, Texas, KState and TTU) ISU at best goes 2-2. 1-3 is the most likely scenario IMO. 0-2 vs WVU and KU. Yikes....I feel like TCU at home is 50/50.

 

[CRCy]

It is absolutely realistic for ISU fans to expect the Cyclones to be in the tournament this season. Anything less is a failure by the coach and team. There is no reason to try to justify sub-par performance by making a comparison that has nothing to do with the actual team we have this season.

Next year is when we should lower our expectations. Not this year, when we have 6 seniors.

THIS!!!! 100%. The fact that this team is where it's at with 6 seniors tells you all you need to know.

 

[Dingus]

I don't care too much how this year plays out. I'm much more interested in whether the program can maintain success moving forward.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Tricksy

Bring back Ken Trickey?

 

[atlantacyclone]

Don't count our team out yet.... It isn't over and there is plenty of basketball left to play.

 

[weR138]

Don't count our team out yet.... It isn't over and there is plenty of basketball left to play.

Yeah, I've been saying for weeks we'll go 0-6 vs. KU,BU & WVU and still get in. We just have to defend Hilton and beat the beatable teams on the road. As long as we look respectable and finish at/above 5th we're in.

EDIT; And isn't this as a fanbase where we want to be, going to the tournament during what we consider a ****ty year? That's a great program.

 

[cloneu]

Last RPI # I saw was 52. Best RPI from a big conference team to not make the tournament is 49. Finish 5-4 in the #2 RPI league and we will move well above 49.

Our best friend right now is Oklahoma State. Their RPI is #37. We beat them at home and they continue to pick up wins and those can be our solid two wins against a top 35 or 30 RPI team.

 

[awd4cy]

Louisville didn't make the tourney because of a self imposed ban. Not because they weren't good enough.