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tm3308

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Jun 13, 2010
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That was one of the best basketball games I've seen in a very long time, and this game was EXACTLY the kind of showcase that both teams needed. I've said for a long time that I want both programs to be at their peak so that this rivalry really means something, and good God, did it ever live up to the hype!

Niang was absolutely balling out tonight; really wish we would have put Basabe or White on him to put a little more athleticism against him. Woodbury just couldn't match up with him, no matter what he did. Long also played well, and showed a little more offensive game than I gave him credit for coming into tonight.

White and Marble were pretty spectacular for Iowa, especially in the second half. Iowa did a surprisingly good job of weathering damn near every blow ISU threw at them in the second half, usually because of big buckets by those two guys. But they just couldn't get the back-breaking bucket. When they were up by 4 for most of those last few minutes, I kept saying "let's just get a stop and then get a bucket and push this to 6". They got that stop two or three times down the stretch, but couldn't get the bucket and the one free throw to push it to 5 obviously wasn't enough.

And my God, they couldn't have asked for a more perfect look to tie the game. That's a shot McCabe hits far more often than he misses. I'm not making excuses (even if he makes it, it's just a tie game); it's just damn, these teams are insanely even. These are both top 15-caliber teams, IMO. Obviously, Iowa won't be ranked that high, but I think they very well could be by the end of the year. To go to Hilton and come one look from one of the B1G's best 3-point shooters from forcing OT is very impressive.

I won't say anything about the officiating, partly because I generally don't like doing that unless it really is just unbelievably bad (the ISU-KU game in Hilton and the Iowa-MSU BTT game spring to mind), but I also could barely see what the **** was going on half the time because my stream quality was so poor. Both teams dealt with foul trouble and while Iowa missed the clutch free throws, ISU missed a ton of them earlier.

It would be extremely unlikely to happen, but I would love to see this game played again in the Dance. To play the game this close in Hilton (and I don't think it would have been any more lopsided in Carver, just a reversed score)....I'd love to see it play out on a neutral court and just see what would happen, win or lose. There was absolutely no clear better team tonight; it's just that SOMEBODY had to win it eventually. If they played 10 times going home and home, I wouldn't be shocked if they both stole one on the road and split the others. These teams are that even.
 
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tzjung

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I 100% agree w/ your synopsis. I felt a queezy feeling about this game all week as i felt Iowa matched up w/ us very well. I was surprised to see the amount of easy buckets for Iowa in transition, but at the same time i thought ISU would have more trouble with Iowa's size advantage than they did. Weird how it ended up playing out.

Good luck to Iowa the rest of the year.
 

Prone2Clone

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Oct 20, 2006
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Iowa hustled their ***** off and just about ran ISU ragged. I think the pace hurt the Clones quite a bit. They don't look like they can run but I was pretty impressed. Really still not sure how Iowa State pulled it off. Magic at work.
 

VeloClone

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Jan 19, 2010
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Nice write up. You guys have a great team. I was disappointed in the Cyclones' transition defense. I thought the Hawkeye FT defense was excellent. ;-)

Seriously, you should be proud of that team. They played with a lot of poise in a tough environment. Keep playing like that and you will be dancing no doubt.
 

CyFan61

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Oct 25, 2010
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Clones hit their free throws and they win by 10.

Don't wanna be "that guy" but I will agree with Blandboy and disagree with what I perceive as the coming Hawkeye narrative.

I don't see two teams as equal; rather, I see ISU as a team that won a close game on an off night against a very good team. Clones win pretty easy if they play well. Now, it's at Hilton, I'll give you that. But neutral floor, if ISU plays well, I still don't think it's that close.

That said, we'll never know (unless we find out in March) and all we have is this game. Hawks are very good and will be dancing.
 

Clark

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Jun 24, 2009
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Don't wanna be "that guy" but I will agree with Blandboy and disagree with what I perceive as the coming Hawkeye narrative.

I don't see two teams as equal; rather, I see ISU as a team that won a close game on an off night against a very good team. Clones win pretty easy if they play well. Now, it's at Hilton, I'll give you that. But neutral floor, if ISU plays well, I still don't think it's that close.

That said, we'll never know (unless we find out in March) and all we have is this game. Hawks are very good and will be dancing.

ISU nearly shot their FT average on the year.

Also, off night? You people are just absurd. I need sleep.
 
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3TrueFans

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Clones hit their free throws and they win by 10.
2 more free throws and we're above our season average FT% so I'm not sure that's necessarily true. If we were a better FT shooting team in general maybe we win by 8-10.
 

dirtyninety

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Oct 6, 2012
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Please ignore the ****** Iowa State fans and posters. Good post. I thought Iowa should have/could have won it. Two good teams and I agree....two top 15 teams throwing punches. I am going to have to watch a replay.
 

tzjung

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I was also surprised ISU got up to 36% on 3's (6-17)...as it sure seemed we were throwing up lots of bricks. Maybe that was the pessimist in me! anyway...close game by 2 really good teams. Fun one to watch.
 

IsUaClone2

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May 12, 2006
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Nerves, gentlemen, nerves. Several times this year Iowa State has had to come back from nasty deficits in the second half and that is the key. Iowa couldn't handle the pressure and the Cyclones can. I'm not sure if the court is going to mean too much to these guys because they are just clutch.
 

clonedude

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Apr 16, 2006
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Very even handed and fair analysis of the game. Iowa came to Hilton and played a great game. Much better than ISU did. Iowa actually deserved to win the game IMO. Had this exact same game been played at Carver, I fear Iowa would have blown Iowa State out.

Here's the thing though. If this game was played 10 times, I doubt if ISU would play this poorly every time. I know we wouldn't be this poor at FTs again. And ISU's defense was just lazy. I've never seen them not get back like that before. So who knows how it would really play out?

On a neutral court, with both teams playing their absolute best, I think ISU might still be just good enough to win though. Hard to say though. I think Fred was outcoached again tonight too to some extent. Iowa seemed to be getting whatever they wanted. Whether it be on fastbreaks, inbounds plays, etc. ISU really struggled to get what they wanted.

Iowa's last 3 pt shot was a prime example. Iowa's best 3 pt shooter, McCabe, was able to get a wide open look to tie the game. That was a great play drawn up by Fran, and horrible defense by ISU as well. ISU really was lucky to pull this thing out, but that was far from ISU's best effort this year IMO.
 

tm3308

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Jun 13, 2010
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I said that, and heard 3 others say the same thing

Expecting the team to shoot well above average from the line (which is what they would have had to to, if they were going to win by 10 because of FT's) is pretty ridiculous. Tonight's performance from the line was hardly out of the ordinary for ISU.
 

cstrunk

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Mar 21, 2006
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We shot close to our season FT%. We're going to need to do better, that is clear. Iowa definitely played their ***** off, as evidenced by being ahead for about 37.5 mins of the game. On a neutral court, I'm not so sure we win this game. Very glad it was played in Hilton.

Hilton Magic!!

I'm about to puke when I say this, but I hope Iowa has a good season so this will look good for us. We beat Michigan and they kind of fell off. Same with BYU.
 

Iastfan112

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ISU stole this game plain and simple. Not saying Iowa is the better team but I think they were on this particular day. Iowa impressed the hell out of me. Should win at least one game in the NCAA tourney.
 

tm3308

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Very even handed and fair analysis of the game. Iowa came to Hilton and played a great game. Much better than ISU did. Iowa actually deserved to win the game IMO. Had this exact same game been played at Carver, I fear Iowa would have blown Iowa State out.

Here's the thing though. If this game was played 10 times, I doubt if ISU would play this poorly every time. I know we wouldn't be this poor at FTs again. And ISU's defense was just lazy. I've never seen them not get back like that before. So who knows how it would really play out?

On a neutral court, with both teams playing their absolute best, I think ISU might still be just good enough to win though. Hard to say though. I think Fred was outcoached again tonight too to some extent. Iowa seemed to be getting whatever they wanted. Whether it be on fastbreaks, inbounds plays, etc. ISU really struggled to get what they wanted.

Iowa's last 3 pt shot was a prime example. Iowa's best 3 pt shooter, McCabe, was able to get a wide open look to tie the game. That was a great play drawn up by Fran, and horrible defense by ISU as well. ISU really was lucky to pull this thing out, but that was far from ISU's best effort this year IMO.

Regarding the last play, I'd have to see it again. I know Fred said he wanted a foul there, and I'd like to see if maybe that's what the defense was trying to do and left McCabe open in the process. That's the ONLY way I can think that the B1G's second-best 3-point shooter could get that open. That's EXACTLY the kind of look you want in that situation.