Just solidifying yourself as the CF Village Idiot
Nevada from a Nevada fan
- Thread starter Nevada
- Start date
Was the Mountain West just really down this year? I thought just a few years ago New Mexico was a 3 seed
Obviously any time a team can shoot the 3 well there is a chance for an upset. If we have a really off night and they are on fire we could be down 10 within 3 minutes, but i like our chances. Nevada is basically a big question mark. They played only a few tournament teams, and I believe lost or split with them, but they have a great looking record. ISU has played, and beat better teams, but we have also lost to worse teams. ISU has played 2 of the 1 seeds in the tournament. Kansas, who we split with, and Gonzaga, who we lost to by 2 on a neutral court. We are very capable of, and should, win this game. But it is march and **** happens. ISU fans are feeling confident because we also are entering the tournament on a tear. We have won 9 of our last 10 games, with our last win being for the big 12 tournament title against WVU who gave us our 1 loss in those 10 games.
Teams that have given us trouble have big physical teams, Seeing a team with its tallest player as 6'-8" is also giving us confidence. Nevada doesn't look like a bad match up for us. It isn't that they aren't skilled or talented, they just don't have the typical things that scare us. This is probably why so many fans are talking about purdue. Purdue has a very good big man (front runner for player of the year) and then if we win that, then kansas, which well, **** kansas.
Should be an exciting game.
Teams that have given us trouble have big physical teams, Seeing a team with its tallest player as 6'-8" is also giving us confidence. Nevada doesn't look like a bad match up for us. It isn't that they aren't skilled or talented, they just don't have the typical things that scare us. This is probably why so many fans are talking about purdue. Purdue has a very good big man (front runner for player of the year) and then if we win that, then kansas, which well, **** kansas.
Should be an exciting game.
Indeed they were. That was the year the Mountain West got five tournament bids (New Mexico promptly face-planted in their first round game against Harvard), and it's been a slow decline since then. Last year, Fresno State got a 14 seed for winning the conference tournament, and San Diego State got snubbed with a 16-2 record in conference play.
The league's average attendance is comparable to that of the Pac-12 most years, and is usually the highest among the non-power conferences. Getting its former prestige back has to start with teams like Nevada advancing past the first two days.
I understand what your saying, but man I hope it's not this year.
ISU seniors are battle tested defensively against pro-style BB under two years of Hoiball. I'll take our Big 12, 25th ranked offensive efficient Cyclones any day over the 81st ranked defensive efficient Wolfpack from the Mountain West Conference. Different level of basketball.
https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-basketball/stat/defensive-efficiency
That being said Nevada is playing with house money and has nothing to lose.
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I could see Nevada having an off shooting night in which case offensive rebounding will be key ingredient for an upset. If Nevada can get a second half lead and then have some success with the 1/2 court press I can see the upset.
ISU must match if not exceed the energy of Nevada. The problem with West Virginia is they don't play with the same energy outside Morgantown. It was the same case with Iowa State at times in the Hoiberg era. When ISU lost to UAB they were losing 50/50 balls; giving up offensive rebounds; missing bunnies. The lack of energy turned into nervous energy for ISU.
One key ingredient for first round upset is having higher energy levels than your opponent.
One key ingredient for first round upset is having higher energy levels than your opponent.
Cyclonepride
Thought Police
umm well they dont full court press; it is a nifty 1/2 court press that could actually give us fits.
This is absolutely right. There's reason for optimism there. First, we will have the crowd behind us, and Nevada has a much harder travel. They have only been east of the Mountain time zone once (@Bradley on Dec 3rd).
Second, my theory is that you can learn to play hard - and that this team has, specifically lead by Naz.
Third, this Nevada team definitely reminds me of a Hoiberg team. They only play 6 so they tend to conserve energy and "coast" at times.
Jumping out to an early lead is definitely important for ISU. Not that Nevada can't come back, but it will set the tone early.
Nope. They aren't good enough at it to cause Monte, Naz and Burton any problems. It spreads them out and we would exploit that. I doubt we see the trap until we get ahead double-digits.
Cyclonepride
Thought Police
I still like our chances with anything that, should we beat it, gives us a numbers advantage.
It looks and sounds like they're the type of team that could go off and knock down 15 threes against us, even if we're playing good defense. If that happens we could be in real trouble. If we put our at Texas effort out there, a good effort from them will win. Thankfully we haven't seen that version of ISU for over a month. I think our best beats their best, our good beats their good, etc.
One thing we did very well against WVU, outside of a few possessions when they first switched to the 1-3-1, was attack with the lead. We didn't shoot the ball great, but we got to the rim. Naz, Monte, and Deonte in particular didn't settle for a ton of long 2s as we've been prone to do. We don't have to hit 10+ threes to win this game so hopefully we remember that if shots aren't falling. Naz had a rough shooting night against WVU but everybody else is coming off a great stretch of shooting the ball. Hopefully that doesn't go away on everybody at the same time.
One thing we did very well against WVU, outside of a few possessions when they first switched to the 1-3-1, was attack with the lead. We didn't shoot the ball great, but we got to the rim. Naz, Monte, and Deonte in particular didn't settle for a ton of long 2s as we've been prone to do. We don't have to hit 10+ threes to win this game so hopefully we remember that if shots aren't falling. Naz had a rough shooting night against WVU but everybody else is coming off a great stretch of shooting the ball. Hopefully that doesn't go away on everybody at the same time.
