*** Official #10 Illinois vs #4 IOWA STATE Game(Day) Thread ***

[pulse]

I'm not too upset that we lost. We had one of the best seasons in school history. But I am upset that we lost to a team that I hate. I hope UCONN destroys Illinois.

Not much hope required

 

[HFCS]

Not happy with the outcome, but think it’s important to keep it in perspective. ISU’s coaching staff and this team exceeded most everyone’s expectations. Illinois had a much bigger and athletic lineup. Shannon was a breast and ISU didn’t have anyone who was as remotely good. Still, this team fought and the three guard tandem of Lipsey, Gilbert, and Jones are likely to return. Consequently, next year is likely to be even better.

Tournament records are worse than anybody realizes since everybody finishes with a loss.

There are probably not a lot of teams that are better than 4-3 in the past 3 years. Maybe 10 max if I had to guess.

 

[Cyched]

Greg Gard? I like the philosophy but he’s the last guy who should be using that example. Haha

Think he meant Bo Ryan. I remember pollard relaying a similar story from his WI days on a pod

 

[Stumbles]

Not if you take into account that Illinois shot well below their FT average. We lost the game in the first half when we could buy a bucket outside of Curtis.

By that account, we missed more bunnies than they did FTs.

 

[cyatheart]

Teams like FAU, VCU, Loyola and George Mason have made the final four. There’s absolutely no reason we can’t get there.

I'm telling you guys. If tj gets another big man and a shooter. Nobody is beating us. Next year could be our best team ever.

Need a shooter, and either a real post or a stretch 4. I get it, but if it's dine right we can do this.

 

[cyclonestunners]

Especially in first half, it seemed Illinois got EVERY 50/50 ball, either by luck or hustle. We got a few in second half but still 75/25 Illinois instead of 50/50.

When we won that 50 50 ball with 3 mins left with diving onthe floor...that was the time I was most hopeful we'd win.

 

[Darius Bieber]

Not much hope required

Yeah, UCONN looks like a team that would have beaten any team other team playing tonight by 30+.

 

[trevn]

Seeing teams like Clemson, NC State, FAU, Loyola Chicago etc make these deep runs and us just never getting that high just doesn’t make sense. You’d figure a deep run would happen SOMETIME

Deep runs are relative to the team. For us, Sweet 16 feels like a glass ceiling. For your team, a Sweet 16 would be a deep run because you haven’t done it in 25 years.

 

[Big_Sill]

Our bigs were poop.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Teams like FAU, VCU, Loyola and George Mason have made the final four. There’s absolutely no reason we can’t get there.

That’s why just making the tourney a 6 seed or better is so key. Eventually the stars align and you either get a favorable region or a bunch of upsets. It’s all about the path.

Our region was not favorable this year and the whole tourney has been pretty chalky.

 

[HoustonClone]

I'm telling you guys. If tj gets another big man and a shooter. Nobody is beating us. Next year could be our best team ever.

Need a shooter, and either a real post or a stretch 4. I get it, but if it's dine right we can do this.

I'll bite....need that sort of perspective.

 

[bustamoveisu]

BRE, Milan & Ward = 7 pts. Not gonna get it done w/ this lack of production.

 

[NorthCyd]

Tournament records are worse than anybody realizes since everybody finishes with a loss.

There are probably not a lot of teams that are better than 4-3 in the past 3 years. Maybe 10 max if I had to guess.

Exhibit A: Mad Fran

 

[cyfanbr]

By that account, we missed more bunnies than they did FTs.

I’ve posted before, but I honestly can only think of two obvious plays that should have been points. Gilbert’s layup after the steal and King missed bunny towards end of the game when he had time to catch it and go go back up.

 

[GlenviewIllini]

Good game and thanks for letting me hang. I will continue to root for ISU going forward and as always, may Iowa continue to suck!

 

[cyatheart]

Yeah, UCONN looks like a team that would have beaten any team other team playing tonight by 30+.

Illinois has a punchers chance, but likely get blown out.

 

[CycloneBamaFan]

I'm telling you guys. If tj gets another big man and a shooter. Nobody is beating us. Next year could be our best team ever.

Need a shooter, and either a real post or a stretch 4. I get it, but if it's dine right we can do this.

I am hoping Hamilton will be special next year.

 

[ClubCy]

Man. If hasn’t been given yet I’ll do it. Shoutout to Curtis Jones with a Hogue style game trying to will us to win. If you’d have told me we’d get 26 from him I would have predicted a 15 point win.

 

[danvillecyclone]

We played better 2nd half by not doubling and just playing hard nosed one on one defense. We can learn from this next year when our trap is not working against teams that are consistently breaking it.

I disagree

 

[cyfanbr]

I’m out gang. Heck of a season. We could have won tonight, but overall the opponent earned the W by responding to our runs. Maybe a slightly better first half and we would be in the elite eight. Either way, proud of this group and the future is bright.