Jay Williams on ISU

[IASTATE07]

The only thing that matters is winning tournament games. Guess what's the closest to NCAA Tournament? The conference tournament.

Winning 3-4 games over 3-4 days tells me more about a team for the next week than playing a game every 3 or 4 games over the course of 2 months.

What did our last 3 tournament titles tell you?

 

[jsb]

Hasn't he beaten them like once?

At least 2 times.

 

[madguy30]

What did our last 3 tournament titles tell you?

Anyone who pays attention to things like stuff that actually happens knows that the regular season and conference tourney have no bearing on the outcome of the NCAA tourney.

Sure it's good if a team is playing well at the end of the season but the first round NCAA opponent won't care.

Things felt awfully rosy entering the 2015 tourney and then the games started.

 

[madguy30]

At least 2 times.

Yep that's correct. Beat them in the 2017 Big 12 tourney final and then beat them badly last year...I had forgotten that one.

 

[WalkingCY]

The problem with winning the league is a lot of teams in the conference mentally collapse against KU. The bad 6 minute stretch we had in Lawrence seems to happen to good teams all the time against the Jayhawks. After WVU I have no faith in the rest of the conference not rolling over to the Jayhawks.

Agree here. And, the biggest team that constantly chokes to KU... is freaking K-State. They will lose both of those games. Mark it down.

 

[harimad]

You have it backwards. The Big 12 Championship is determined in Kansas City. Not sure why you guys keep minimizing it.

The regular season title is nice. Congrats to KU on their streak. But the NCAA allows every conference the freedom to choose whether their regular season record or the conference tourney determines the official conference champion.

Because the official conference champion is the one that gets the automatic bid to the NCAA Tourney.

Take a wild guess which one the Big XII designates as their official champion?

I think we have a great shot at being Big XII Champs again this year. And a good one at winning the regular season, too.

People died to give you the right to air any opinion, no matter how wrong it might be. And this is how you repay them?

 

[Frak]

I think that the conference title goes through Manhattan and Lubbock. KU sweeps those two and it’s over. ISU needs to win at KSU and beat TT at home to have a real shot.

 

[AuH2O]

Anyone who pays attention to things like stuff that actually happens knows that the regular season and conference tourney have no bearing on the outcome of the NCAA tourney.

Sure it's good if a team is playing well at the end of the season but the first round NCAA opponent won't care.

Things felt awfully rosy entering the 2015 tourney and then the games started.

Yes, and you can be playing your best ball in March, but if you **** around in the regular season you may end up a 7-10 seed and cost yourself in the tournament. For two straight seasons with Royce, then Clyburn, ISU had teams playing very well late in the season and looked really good in the first round. Had those teams not lost some head scratchers in the regular season they are looking at games they very well could've won in round 2.

 

[Thomasrickj]

I don’t think we will win the conference (think KU still does) but I’m starting to believe more and more that we will be 2nd. Schedule isn’t looking too bad for us the rest of the way.

If we win outright, I think we take the conference. I think Kansas loses two of these four: @TT, @KState, TT, @TCU. If we pull off not losing the rest of the season, then we finally dethrone Kansas during the season. It's possible and we have a very good team with the toughest part of our schedule already done.

 

[aeroclone]

Agree here. And, the biggest team that constantly chokes to KU... is freaking K-State. They will lose both of those games. Mark it down.

Yeah, this hasn't helped with the streak at all.

I really don't like our odds of breaking the streak. We are a game behind now, so we need to be two games better than KU the remainder of the season. KU is done with us and their road trip to WVU. Nobody else in the league seems to show up consistently against KU. We are dependent on help from a group that doesn't have much history helping in this regard.

 

[madguy30]

Yes, and you can be playing your best ball in March, but if you **** around in the regular season you may end up a 7-10 seed and cost yourself in the tournament. For two straight seasons with Royce, then Clyburn, ISU had teams playing very well late in the season and looked really good in the first round. Had those teams not lost some head scratchers in the regular season they are looking at games they very well could've won in round 2.

Yeah goes both ways too...point being nothing just happens just because of your resume.

The hope ISU gets in and we see if they can make a run.

 

[VeloClone]

As long as they continue to offer a trophy for the regular season champion I will want ISU to win it. It is really too bad they disqualify the regular season champion from participating in the Big 12 Tournament because if they didn't a team could try to win both.

 

[mynameisjonas]

regular season champ > tourney champ

I'm embarrassed for those that think the tourney champ is more important.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Agree here. And, the biggest team that constantly chokes to KU... is freaking K-State. They will lose both of those games. Mark it down.

Weber is like 2-13 against KU.... Once you factor in K-States struggles scoring and the "dockers crapping effect" KU has on the Wildcats I definitely see a KU sweep this year.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

regular season champ > tourney champ

I'm embarrassed for those that think the tourney champ is more important.

I agree but my only argument is that the team that wins the conference tournament is generally peaking at the right time which is just as important heading into the big dance.

 

[cycloneG]

regular season champ > tourney champ

I'm embarrassed for those that think the tourney champ is more important.

It sort of depends on the conference. It's the other way around outside of the few power conferences. The majority of teams would rather win their conference tournament rather than the regular season.

 

[EatemupISU]

Anyone claiming "Big 12 > Regular Season" must be a millennial who missed out on 2000 and 2001.

We won both titles in 2000 but the regular season title was sweeter *by far*.

The 2001 team lost to Baylor in the conference tourney and Hampton as the 2 seed, but my enduring memory of that season is still sweeping KU, winning our 2nd straight regular season crown, and cheering as the confetti fell inside Hilton and the team cut down the nets. My personal ranking of college bball achievements would be:

1) National Title
2) Final Four Appearance
3) Regular Season Conf Title
4) Elite Eight
5) Conference Tourney Title
6) Sweet 16

Your mileage may vary.

 

[IndyClone15]

I think that the conference title goes through Manhattan and Lubbock. KU sweeps those two and it’s over. ISU needs to win at KSU and beat TT at home to have a real shot.

@TCU is also an important game to keep in mind (for both teams). They have not lost at home yet.

 

[nfrine]

Weber is like 2-13 against KU.... Once you factor in K-States struggles scoring and the "dockers crapping effect" KU has on the Wildcats I definitely see a KU sweep this year.

Blue Adidas beat Purple Nike 9 out of 10 times.

 

[KKramer]

You have it backwards. The Big 12 Championship is determined in Kansas City. Not sure why you guys keep minimizing it.

No.

Oh, come on, I think we all know the highest goal is ending KU's regular season streak. I am sick of that thing. I love the Big 12 tournament as much as anybody, but consistent performance over 18 games in a home-and-home round-robin proves more than the results of a single-elimination tournament over a few days where you pay 3-4 games.

I know what officially gives the auto-bid, but I think you knew what I was talking about. We all know what Kansas is talking about when they boast about their streak, too.

Yes.