***NCAA Second Round: (7) Iowa State at (2) Stanford [Sun., 9:00 CT]***

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Great overall effort by the women, they can walk off the floor with their heads held high, they gave Stanford everything they wanted for 45 minutes.
Not a fan of the last shot by ISU, we had the ball with 18 seconds left down by 2, that is when you either have Ryan or Brown shoot the last shot, a 3 pointer to win the game or lose it right there. But Bill knows a lot more about BB than I could ever learn, and it was his call.

The refs left a lot to be desired, since when you can have your hands over the player when she is going up for a shot and not call that a foul. The Stanford players were getting away with it the entire game, just bringing their arms down and swatting at the ball. What ever happened to the idea that the defender has to stay vertical? I really did not enjoy the big girl from Stanford dropping the F bomb on our bench or why she was talking to the official after she had fouled out towards the end and was on the bench. The ref should have T ed her up.

 

[NWICY]

Emily Ryan did all she could. Women need hand strength to hold rebounds and ballet to improve footwork and balance. I was impressed by Bristow and Jackson tonight. Addy can shoot too. If we lose Belanger is that it? Does Natabou have another year?

Belanger and Diew

 

[swclone11]

Only one negative about this, and previous games. Can we give the whining about refs a break. It is unseemy, and frankly poor sportsmanship. I remember years ago a guy on our team commented that the only time you can complain about refs is when you win - and then you don't care. Give it a break; we are much, much better that than!

I understand where you're coming from, but for me - there were plenty of missed calls (both ways, but I think it tilted more in Stanford's favor than ours) and it is completely fair to point that out. It's not unsportsmanlike to point out that the refs called a poor game. Their coach went 3 feet onto the court - can anyone reasonably say that isn't because of her name and the jersey her team wore? Add in all the hacks on arms and the bizarre non-shooting foul when Audi got hacked on her shot, I think it's about having accountability. That being said, I just don't want it to drown out the appreciation and congratulations to this amazing team and performance.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

live press conference for those still up

 

[shadow]

I understand where you're coming from, but for me - there were plenty of missed calls (both ways, but I think it tilted more in Stanford's favor than ours) and it is completely fair to point that out. It's not unsportsmanlike to point out that the refs called a poor game. Their coach went 3 feet onto the court - can anyone reasonably say that isn't because of her name and the jersey her team wore? Add in all the hacks on arms and the bizarre non-shooting foul when Audi got hacked on her shot, I think it's about having accountability. That being said, I just don't want it to drown out the appreciation and congratulations to this amazing team and performance.

That was more like 15 feet on to the court from the coach. She was in the huddle.

Brink saying eff you to the ref (or our bench) within a few feet of the ref too. Yikes...

 

[Jnecker4cy]

I understand where you're coming from, but for me - there were plenty of missed calls (both ways, but I think it tilted more in Stanford's favor than ours) and it is completely fair to point that out. It's not unsportsmanlike to point out that the refs called a poor game. Their coach went 3 feet onto the court - can anyone reasonably say that isn't because of her name and the jersey her team wore? Add in all the hacks on arms and the bizarre non-shooting foul when Audi got hacked on her shot, I think it's about having accountability. That being said, I just don't want it to drown out the appreciation and congratulations to this amazing team and performance.

Couple of big travel calls near the end on Emily I am still puzzled about, one would have lead to a layup late to give us a 5 pt lead. Also on the last foul on Brink where were the free throws? That foul was either on the initial shot by Audi or the following up by Bristow right? And what happened to vertical arms? Audi had a tough night but half those misses were without a doubt fouls. In the end Stanford got more calls than the other side or non calls.

Audi played tough, she had 4 or 5 of those misses go in and out. Little things in the end lead to the loss. I think Stanford is very lucky to be moving on. Without number 44 tonight they were in big trouble.

 

[FLYINGCYCLONE]

Thanks for the great year Cyclones.
Looking forward to more great Cyclone wins.
Go Cyclones.

 

[Connor_Ferguson]

Thanks to y'all for being so passionate! Making it my goal the next year to be on here more often / as much as I can. Appreciate you guys following along all season and I'm lucky as hell to get to do what I do. Preciate it!

 

[cayin]

Crooks had a rough night. As the announcers said she wasn't squaring her shoulders. We wasted so many possession going inside to her. But, I also felt they let some stuff go on the blocks too. I think that was the difference in the game, Crooks struggling. Had just a few of those shots fell at a little better rate, ISU wins this for sure.

 

[KidSilverhair]

The refs left a lot to be desired, since when you can have your hands over the player when she is going up for a shot and not call that a foul. The Stanford players were getting away with it the entire game, just bringing their arms down and swatting at the ball. What ever happened to the idea that the defender has to stay vertical?

Right from the start, in the first quarter after a foul on Audi (I think; maybe it was just a block) ESPN ran a replay of it. Brink was towering over Audi with her arms and upper body looming over the top of her, like AudI was dribbling under the shade of some long-branched tree: if Audi had jumped straight up she’d have to have gone through Brinks’ arms. Seeing that not called opened my eyes to why Brink is considered such a great defensive player … if you’re 6’4” and the refs let you get away with that, you better have a ton of blocks.

 

[Cyhig]

That was more like 15 feet on to the court from the coach. She was in the huddle.

Brink saying eff you to the ref (or our bench) within a few feet of the ref too. Yikes...

She definitely said something, but I think it was directed towards the official

 

[CYDJ]

This loss goes on Fennelly. The last play call to Brown was terrible. Continuing to go to Audi when she clearly was not able to score against the Stanford bigs. Refusing to make a change. Finally, got Bristow some looks in the post but it was too late. Bad coaching cost us.

It's really sad that the ISU women planned such a great game, executed it, all by themselves put themselves in the position to possibly win the game with 10 seconds to go (completely by themselves mind you) and then Bill has to go and step in a screw everything up with one play that he forced them to run that only had one option that had to be run exactly as drawn up no matter what the defense showed or did.

Damn Bill. It's like he thinks he is the organizer, or director or coach or something.

 

[dafarmer]

It was toward the ISU bench. Should have been a bench technical as she had fouled out and was under bench rules. Needed someone to knock that whiny giraffe on her butt during the game.

 

[jbhtexas]

Crooks had a rough night. As the announcers said she wasn't squaring her shoulders. We wasted so many possession going inside to her. But, I also felt they let some stuff go on the blocks too. I think that was the difference in the game, Crooks struggling. Had just a few of those shots fell at a little better rate, ISU wins this for sure.

Hopefully a learning experience for Crooks, and she (and the team) can develop something to counter the "arms over" defense. Stanford basically just dared the refs to call the fouls, knowing full well that the refs weren't going to do it time after time. She will probably see that strategy again.

I agree that ISU should have backed off feeding Crooks and looked for some different scoring opportunities. She was clearly struggling with the defense and wasn't going to get the foul calls.

 

[CYDJ]

Only one negative about this, and previous games. Can we give the whining about refs a break. It is unseemy, and frankly poor sportsmanship. I remember years ago a guy on our team commented that the only time you can complain about refs is when you win - and then you don't care. Give it a break; we are much, much better that than!

When the officials are bad, you point it out. EOS.

However, it is not all the officials' fault.

We need a DIFFERENT SYSTEM, not better officials. We need to have better technology and specialization. With the way officials have to do their job, it is hard to be consistent from end to end AND that is not even counting on all the times they are out of position, have their head turned, are blocked by players or are too close to the play to make the correct call.

We should be to the point where we could bring cameras (not television based feeds, I know not all productions are alike) well trained individuals who can run the technology and specialize in particular areas of the game (both spatially and rules focus) and figure out how to physically manage the floor (whistles, break up fights, call a T on the coaches when they say ANYTHING to an official, etc.)

Has anyone ever seen any research done on the accuracy of calling a game from a screen vs. on the floor? It could be a complete mess, but I can tell you that I can see and FEEL a travel a heck of a lot better from a basic TV feed than I can when I am sitting close to the floor.

Get 10 sets of eyes on a game with specialized, replicable view angles, great technology and well defined and trained assignments at both ends, you are going to get a system that is more consistent from end to end (Bob or Jane is the one calling all the charge / block fouls on both ends, etc.), less influence from the constant chatter of the coaches / players (they all do it in one way or another) and much better QC of the entire system as well. The next step after that is AI, then we can get rid of all the head whip stuff and start complaining about the programming and how the programming "isn't how that works."

But that is for the future me. ha!

 

[jcf817]

Only one negative about this, and previous games. Can we give the whining about refs a break. It is unseemy, and frankly poor sportsmanship. I remember years ago a guy on our team commented that the only time you can complain about refs is when you win - and then you don't care. Give it a break; we are much, much better that than!

No. There's a difference between whining and pointing out how ******* terrible they are half the time.

 

[CYDJ]

Hopefully a learning experience for Crooks, and she (and the team) can develop something to counter the "arms over" defense. Stanford basically just dared the refs to call the fouls, knowing full well that the refs weren't going to do it time after time. She will probably see that strategy again.

I agree that ISU should have backed off feeding Crooks and looked for some different scoring opportunities. She was clearly struggling with the defense and wasn't going to get the foul calls.

Oh, she is going to figure that out. There is a move she could develop that would not be the very nice and consistent flow toward the basket that she normally has. While that is usually effective, what happened last night is what I feared would happen all season after I saw a couple of her games (but it rarely happened, so I was pretty much wrong.)

I think she could develop an optional move that has just a little hitch or delay, like an up an under without the reverse pivot. The taller girls still have to jump to make up the space that Audi creates for herself, she just needs to be going up and through them when they are coming down. They are timing her move and, while still fouling, look like they are getting a block. When you hesitate and move through them on their downward path, it will be more obvious.

1) Easier said than done.
2) Audi is pretty damn good for a Freshman.
3) She has the time to learn several techniques that will add to her already very good skill set.
4) She figures this out, she will be unstoppable on O.

It will be fun to watch her get even better.

 

[CYDJ]

She definitely said something, but I think it was directed towards the official

Oh, then that was OK.

 

[ARCYCLONE]

What an outstanding effort and great season by our women's team, they are so fun to watch!! Emily was on fire and I would have liked to see the ball in her hands for a final 3 attempt to win it - but I'm sure Stanford was looking for that too. The women played good enough to be in the sweet sixteen but the refs stole this one. I get the "...can't complain about the officiating" but in this game it was too much to overcome. Terrible non-calls on Audi; the two big, late traveling calls (when their travel on the first half three was much worse); the no tech call on baby giraffe; Audi not shooting FT on the last foul; and just allowing Stanford to be much more physical the entire game. I'm proud to be a Cyclone fan and proud of the way our women's and men's teams handle themselves in the game. It shows great toughness, teamwork and focus. But as fans, we have every right to complain about terrible officiating that cost us the game. I'm looking forward to watching these players next year!

 

[jbhtexas]

Oh, she is going to figure that out. There is a move she could develop that would not be the very nice and consistent flow toward the basket that she normally has. While that is usually effective, what happened last night is what I feared would happen all season after I saw a couple of her games (but it rarely happened, so I was pretty much wrong.)

I think she could develop an optional move that has just a little hitch or delay, like an up an under without the reverse pivot. The taller girls still have to jump to make up the space that Audi creates for herself, she just needs to be going up and through them when they are coming down. They are timing her move and, while still fouling, look like they are getting a block. When you hesitate and move through them on their downward path, it will be more obvious.

1) Easier said than done.
2) Audi is pretty damn good for a Freshman.
3) She has the time to learn several techniques that will add to her already very good skill set.
4) She figures this out, she will be unstoppable on O.

It will be fun to watch her get even better.

Yes, "uglying up" the contact is a good approach...make the contact obvious. Another is to start the move earlier, right when the defender is starting to lean over the top. In that moment the defender is off-balance and really unable to react.