*** Official Ole Miss vs #15 IOWA STATE Game(Day) Thread ***

[NYCYFan]

I don't think it was a chemistry issue; you don't go 17-2 and get to a #2 rating if your team has chemistry issues. The team dealt injuries most of the back half of the season. Old story already, but Gilbert got hurt, and didn't really get a chance to sit to get better because Momcilovic got hurt. Then Gilbert kept playing on it until it became a season (and perhaps career) ending injury. Then Lipsey got hurt again. And with both Gilbert and Lipsey injured we just didn't really have a way to defend opponent's guards.

That's not a "chemistry issue"; that's injuries killing your once-promising season.

Fair enough, and for the record I'm not saying that injuries didn't play a significant role because, duh, of course they did but it was just really disappointing to see the team basically no show in their final game. A hugely promising season ending with a thud and the thing is, that I'm not sure we'll see a team this talented and experienced at Iowa State for a while so I feel like this was their real opportunity to make a legit Final 4 run.

 

[isufbcurt]

Saw a post on X that Jefferson plans to be back next year

It sure sounded like that from the player and TJ interviews on the radio

 

[madguy30]

Saw a post on X that Jefferson plans to be back next year

He talked about it too in his post game locker room interview.

 

[HoustonClone]

Fair enough, and for the record I'm not saying that injuries didn't play a significant role because, duh, of course they did but it was just really disappointing to see the team basically no show in their final game. A hugely promising season ending with a thud and the thing is, that I'm not sure we'll see a team this talented and experienced at Iowa State for a while so I feel like this was their real opportunity to make a legit Final 4 run.

Injuries are perhaps the SOLE REASON we no longer had the juice to make a run. It's disappointing as the way this season started, it WAS a real opportunity, but Tamin hobbling, and no Gilbert.....means the talent was not on the court in the same way. Simple as that.

 

[CycloneVet]

It sure sounded like that from the player and TJ interviews on the radio

I would expect next years NIL deals are on the table already, that gives us Lipsey, Milan, Dishon, Heisie to build off of. I like Heisie in the Curtis Jones microwave role. It would be nice to get a good explosive shooting guard. I would expect 1 incoming freshman to step up

 

[NYCYFan]

Injuries are perhaps the SOLE REASON we no longer had the juice to make a run. It's disappointing as the way this season started, it WAS a real opportunity, but Tamin hobbling, and no Gilbert.....means the talent was not on the court in the same way. Simple as that.

I still don't think they should have gotten blown out by a middling team despite all that. I don't think they showed enough fight in this game tbh but I guess it doesn't matter anymore about the why and how, it happened and it's time to move on.

 

[HoustonClone]

I would expect next years NIL deals are on the table already, that gives us Lipsey, Milan, Dishon, Heisie to build off of. I like Heisie in the Curtis Jones microwave role. It would be nice to get a good explosive shooting guard. I would expect 1 incoming freshman to step up

Don't forget JJ....

 

[t-noah]

Absolutely not. Fully healthy the disparity in talent would've been muted. 5 star culture when healthy still beats 5 star talent

Then, it wasn't about the SEC money Mississippi has and ISU doesn't.

Yes it was. You must have missed my post about them having P5 transfers filling out their roster. Iowa States guys come from UNI, Seattle, St Mary's, and Charlotte. They have and are able to acquire better joes. We can make up that gap when our upperclassmen who've had multiple years in the system and play at all conference level when healthy are able to go. But they weren't tonight. It was that simple.

Yes and yes. 5* culture = good. Four and 5 star talent often times a little more good.

 

[HoustonClone]

I still don't think they should have gotten blown out by a middling team despite all that. I don't think they showed enough fight in this game tbh but I guess it doesn't matter anymore about the why and how, it happened and it's time to move on.

I'll agree that at the first part of the second half, I was literally screaming for more fight from our team.....as I also didn't see it. But I've reconciled that with a team that was depleted (see injury comments) and just frankly wasn't hitting from the outside. Can't win those at this point in the tournament. And yes, it's time to move on from the roller coaster ride of a season.

 

[cyclonestunners]

I'll give credit to Miss, it did well on D, actually converted shots and FTs.

I think officiating was uneven early and OM hammered the **** out of ISU, then we got timid because of it.

But ISU didn't score inside consistently, erratic on FTs when we did get to the line, our deep-shooters were erratic, couldn't secure rebounds on either end.

I think this is something we need to figure out. We didn't do well this year when hammered repeatedly inside..I don't think we adjusted well to that in games.

 

[CycloneVet]

Don't forget JJ....

lol I didn’t mean to, so yea him too

 

[Trice]

Injuries are perhaps the SOLE REASON we no longer had the juice to make a run. It's disappointing as the way this season started, it WAS a real opportunity, but Tamin hobbling, and no Gilbert.....means the talent was not on the court in the same way. Simple as that.

Sole reason? Uh, no. They gave up 91 points tonight. That is not solely on injuries.

 

[BigLame]

It sure sounded like that from the player and TJ interviews on the radio

 

[t-noah]

Currently staring into the abyss right now. It appears to be staring back at me. Any advice on how to proceed?

We pick ourselves up by the bootstraps and go again.

Reminder to all who can and want to, add an extra $$ amt to our/your end of year BB NIL contribution. We won't go down w/o a fight.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Agree. To play the style TJ wants to play, need at least one (preferably 2) more athletic, gritty perimeter defenders than we currently have. Over the course of a long, physical season, our current roster configuration just can’t sustain the rugged pace.

I think about Huggins WVU teams and they always had guards for days. Only 1 or 2 of them could actually hit water if they fell out of a boat, but the rest of them played tenacious on d and made life hell for the opponent.

 

[awd4cy]

This is what is most depressing about the end of a Cyclone athletics season.

I never liked racing, just cannot get into it. Any of it.

I used to love baseball, but that sport literally is like 6th on my fav sports list now. So long, very boring at times.

NHL is cool, especially playoffs so there is that. But I hate they completely remove fighting once playoffs start.

NBA regular season is a joke (I wouldn't care at all about it if it weren't for the plethora of Cyclones in the NBA.) Playoffs get a little interesting towards the end at least sometimes.

MLS. Eh, fun in person, but not gonna watch hardly of that on TV when EPL/La Liga/Bundesliga are so vastly superior.

Cyclone football. Cyclone basketball. Those two are the best. Once those two are over, it just feels like I'm into twiddling thumbs time with the other sports until FB is back.

Find some hobbies outside of sports watching. Weather is getting nice, so more opportunities.

 

[t-noah]

Love our guys, no matter what. Gotta love our guys that want to stay as well.

 

[Erik4Cy]

Just imagine if JJ gets better at anticipating the double team in the offseason...sprinkle in some ball handling improvement. This dude COULD play years in the NBA if he really works at it.

 

[t-noah]

This is what is most depressing about the end of a Cyclone athletics season.

I never liked racing, just cannot get into it. Any of it.

I used to love baseball, but that sport literally is like 6th on my fav sports list now. So long, very boring at times.

NHL is cool, especially playoffs so there is that. But I hate they completely remove fighting once playoffs start.

NBA regular season is a joke (I wouldn't care at all about it if it weren't for the plethora of Cyclones in the NBA.) Playoffs get a little interesting towards the end at least sometimes.

MLS. Eh, fun in person, but not gonna watch hardly of that on TV when EPL/La Liga/Bundesliga are so vastly superior.

Cyclone football. Cyclone basketball. Those two are the best. Once those two are over, it just feels like I'm into twiddling thumbs time with the other sports until FB is back.

Pick up and try to learn a musical instrument! That'll take care of your free time. Haha

Try to learn to sing. That'll take up the rest!

 

[Erik4Cy]

Find some hobbies outside of sports watching. Weather is getting nice, so more opportunities.

No problem there. I golf. I fish. I game. I didn't post that to have it come off like I don't touch grass, cuz I def do, lol.

Just always been a huge sports fan and it sucks how packed Sep-Mar is and then April-August is well, not so much.

Try to learn to sing. That'll take up your rest!

All the auto-tune in the world couldn't save this voice, lol.