Coach Nate Schmidt

[BACyclone]

is Tamin still a PG or is he forced off the ball due to his thumb? I thought it was supposed to be a pain management thing and he would be healed by March. At this point, it doesn't look like it will be healed the rest of the season.

I guess I've assumed all along that as long as Tamin is playing with it, there's no way his thumb is truly going to "heal" in the true sense of the word.

As to your first question, I'm not sure if my first comment is an answer, but Tamin is probably the #1 PG. He is not a 2-guard. However his capability in the 1 role may be slightly diminished with the thumb injury. But he's the defensive stopper out top on defense, however on offense he is more of a hybrid even when healthy.

Keshon is probably our main 2-guard but creates offense for himself as one would normally assign to a slashing PG. He keeps the ball moving with his handle out on top, and ball screen offense that always threatens the drive. We miss a lot on offense with him out.

 

[SCISUFAN]

Well if we're going this route, I would say since the "Dribbler" was hired midseason, our value for protecting the ball has been non existent.

 

[not-the-manager]

OSU was blitzing the pick-and-roll at the top of the key and we didn't have the ball handler (Keshon) that would prevent that from being effective.

We were down KG and they took advantage.

It's almost like our offense was built around having a particular set of skills, and last night we were without an important one.

Also I wouldn't be surprised to learn there was more sickness in the team than what was let on -- nearly everyone seemed to be playing out of character in slow motion.

This is 100% correct. And I like your phrasing—CW and others have said things along the lines of, "This isn't a roster with NBA guys up and down," but I think that can be misinterpreted as an indictment of their talent. They (obviously) do not have the iso ability nor clutch factor from one or two guys to beat even bad teams, to win without putting pressure on defenses and moving the ball around. Or, put differently, the offense the coaches want to run is absolutely "built around having a particular set of skills" on the court most of the time. But when their ideal rotation is available, we've seen great things. We've seen glimpses of great offense even with guys out. But when guys are unavailable for multiple games, there's no magic button coaches can press, even the best talent-evaluators can't sign someone midseason

is Tamin still a PG or is he forced off the ball due to his thumb? I thought it was supposed to be a pain management thing and he would be healed by March. At this point, it doesn't look like it will be healed the rest of the season.

While Lipsey is one of a handful of players—if that—in the country who could maintain some level of productivity with his injury, playing the minutes he's had to, and being the only experienced and capable ball handler, having one ball handler for 2+ games who's hurt and has played the minutes he has is not a recipe for success, at least if you want to win towards the end of the season. So, it was clear in the Houston game the coaches have chosen Jefferson as a workaround "ball handler." You also saw Jones handle the ball more and more last night as the game went on. I believe Fraschilla said during the Arizona game Lipsey's thumb will not heal this season. That implies he needs surgery but isn't likely to injure it further, though I'm no doctor. Either way, it's too much to ask him to be the sole ball handler for multiple games. He often played off the ball with Gilbert, too, though that's more of a versatility thing, to have two "PGs" at the top of the key on opposite sides

 

[jbhtexas]

100% this. When players execute the game plan, we almost always win. When players turn the ball over, over dribble, and the ball or players don’t move - we suck. I guarantee the coaching game plan isn’t to do the latter.

I bet half or more of our recent turnovers are self-inflicted.

ISU's offense is rather easily disrupted by a physical defense. The players don't know how to handle it, and it leads to dribble ball, difficult, unwise passes/shots, and ultimately turnovers. WVU demonstrated how to fluster ISU's offense several weeks ago, and ISU has yet to develop a way to counter that type of defensive scheme.

Now, not every team has the athletes to throw that kind of defense at ISU. But and OSU and KSU are athletic, 0.500-ish, not-good teams that were able to frustrate and defeat ISU. The last regular season game @ Manhattan will be a fascinating rematch from the strategic standpoint.

 

[Cyclone06]

Rewatch the game at Tx tech. That will make you feel better about it all.

 

[cyatheart]

You should definitely email TJ and let him know you have their offensive “problems” figured out and maybe he will fire Schmidt and hire you

That’s my point, if you actually read what I said, which you clearly did not. They are aware of the issues.

 

[CySmurf]

Call Doc Sadler and get him back to run the offense

Good God, he's a defensive guy...wait, you're being sarcastic aren't you?

 

[CySmurf]

You should definitely email TJ and let him know you have their offensive “problems” figured out and maybe he will fire Schmidt and hire you

It's just his opinion...be nice.

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

Bump

 

[SWCy13]

What? You guys don’t like the options of:

1) Keshon step back 3
2) Milan step back 3
3) CuJo step back

With the game and our chances of a 2 seed on the line? Hard to please…

 

[iseedit]

Great plays he drew up at the end of overtimes. Really did a fine job.

 

[ChickenNuggetMan]

Dude needs to go.

 

[heitclone]

The first OT play was botched by Jefferson but even still, it was going to be a 8-10 foot contested jumper. We should be watching BYU's out of timeout stuff. We could learn a lot.

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

The first OT play was botched by Jefferson but even still, it was going to be a 8-10 foot contested jumper. We should be watching BYU's out of timeout stuff. We could learn a lot.

We literally never set a pick coming out of a timeout. I’m not sure if Nate is aware, but that’s how you create space

 

[GoSTATE71]

I’m sure he’s nice and all but he really shouldn’t be running our offense, pretty sure a high school JV coach could draw up better plays

 

[Clonefan32]

I did some research and I’ve unearthed that the name of our late game set is “oh **** they switched everything what the **** do we do now!?”

 

[Walden4Prez]

I truly don’t know what this guy does for a living. I rewatch games sometimes and try to find some kind of plan or scheme or set or something….i can’t find it. I don’t get paid to analyze basketball, but I can’t find any rhyme nor reason.

 

[cyclonehomer]

Put this in the premium thread but also think it works here:

Incredible to not get a shot up at the end of OT and then that last possession was just...

Whatever, kudos to the comeback effort but I will stand by wanting them to run more things on purpose on offense. BYU is constantly getting Saunders good looks and ISU is hoping guys can get into the paint and make good passes or make tough shots. They do those things a lot of the time and it often does work, but it is different to me and becoming a team that can actually challenge for a B12 title requires making that leap on that side of the ball.

Maybe that's the same staff but some adjustments in the off-season, I don't know. But more deliberate action, and especially off ball, is something I'd like to see.

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

I truly don’t know what this guy does for a living. I rewatch games sometimes and try to find some kind of plan or scheme or set or something….i can’t find it. I don’t get paid to analyze basketball, but I can’t find any rhyme nor reason.

There’s zero spacing to get our shooters good looks.

 

[Clonefan32]

I truly don’t know what this guy does for a living. I rewatch games sometimes and try to find some kind of plan or scheme or set or something….i can’t find it. I don’t get paid to analyze basketball, but I can’t find any rhyme nor reason.

The first four minutes of the second half was as mad as I’ve been watching Iowa state basketball in a long time. Throwing it to Jefferson and watching him take 9 dribbles backing his guy down isn’t offense. The fact we had a full halftime and that’s what we came up with was depressing