RPI comparison
- Thread starter BryceC
- Start date
I think itd have to be that to top it. An elite 8 would tie the tourney performance with the 00 team but not match the big 12 performance. Still wouldnt be anything to complain about.
Great comparison by the OP of the two teams. I think the obvious difference is the expectations. I remember them saying Hogue was going to be a non scoring threat but a high energy guy off the bench that would contribute some minutes. And that Kane would be decent. They both along with the teams undefeated non-con schedule drastically exceeded expectations.
This year we thought final four or bust with all the talent we had on the roster, and we are the ones who felt our expectations weren't FULLY met.
But, we are playing just as consistant if not a tick better this year, and you couldn't tell by some of the threads around CF.
Oh, myself included.
This year we thought final four or bust with all the talent we had on the roster, and we are the ones who felt our expectations weren't FULLY met.
But, we are playing just as consistant if not a tick better this year, and you couldn't tell by some of the threads around CF.
Oh, myself included.
I totally agree, but they did have a bad loss (Drake) and the conference wasn't as good.
I never thought Final 4 or bust. I figured that it would be a lot harder to replace the Big 12 player of the year and newcomer of the year. I knew that a lot of things went right last year and that doesn't always happen.
Roy KU was more inconsistent than Self KU.
I think we can get a conference title away from KU, but we aren't going to beat Self 5 times in a row like those teams did with Roy unless he gets old and senile.
'00 was a 12 team league with really only 4 or MAYBE 5 good teams. This year is a 10 team league with 6 good teams, OK State would be ranked or near it in any other conference.
To be fair, the 2000 team feasted on a much weaker Big 12 Conference than the 2015 team has had to face.
In 2000 the Big 12 sent 6 of 12 teams to the Tournament; the 2015 Big 12 will send at least 6 of 10, perhaps 7 of 10. Excluding conference tournament, in 2000 ISU played those teams 7 times (Missouri x2, Kansas x2, Texas, Oklahoma, and OSU). In 2015, ISU played those teams 10 or 12 times (Kansas x2, OSU x2, OU x2, WVU x2, Baylor x2, Texas x2). Not to mention KU finished 11-5 in conference that year, for 5th place, and was an 8 seed in the Tournament.
In 2000, the conference had 6 teams with a sub-.500 conference record, 5 of those teams had a conference record of 4-12 or worse. In 2015, if K-State and OSU win out (K-State plays at Texas; OSU plays TCU and at WVU), the conference will have 3 teams with a sub-.500 conference record. Regardless of how those three games play out, only 2 teams will have a conference record of 4-12 or worse. Assuming OSU doesn't win out, the Big 12 will have at least 1 or perhaps 2 teams (Texas) with with a sub-.500 conference record making the NCAA Tournament. No Big 12 team in 2000 made the NCAA Tournament with a sub-.500 conference record; Missouri was the worst with a 10-6 record.
One last tidbit - yes, the 2015 team has two really bad losses - South Carolina and Texas Tech. However, the 2000 team had a really bad loss as well - Drake.
Comparing the 2000 team with the 2015 team is almost like comparing apples and oranges. While it's fair to say that the 2000 team is better on record alone (32-5 v. 21-8), it's shortsighted because the 2000 team didn't face anywhere near the gauntlet that the 2015 team has had to face.
I'd say it's absolutely fair to say that the 2015 team is better than the 2000 team if it makes the Elite 8. It shouldn't even be a question if this team somehow finds its way into the Final Four.
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I'd like to summarize this thread and close it out. Some people think this team MIGHT be the best ever depending on how they finish, others disagree.
A litte more on the 2000 team. They played number one Cincinnati very tough early in the year. After losing that game, they did not lose again in regulation until the MSU game. That was about 14 weeks without a loss in regulation. The other thing that not to many bring up is that team had injury issues that depleted their bench. Rancik and Shirely were out for a lot of the conference season. What if they had those guys, maybe they win the two they lost. The other reason why I consider that team our all time best, is not only did they make far but they looked amazing doing it. They went through everyone in front of them like a knife through butter. It is a shame they had to play a road game in the regionals and that the officials had a huge impact on the loss because that team truly had a shot at a NT. Could have that MSU come to Des Moines and play a regional in front of 20,000 ISU fans and pull off a win? Not a chance in hell. Yet our guys almost did it over there.
So this years team has a chance to be great, and I hope they do make a heck of a run, but they seem to have a long way to go to be considered in as high regard as our 2000 team. By the way, if the two team were to play each other which one would you put your money on? Me, the 2000 team, no question.
So this years team has a chance to be great, and I hope they do make a heck of a run, but they seem to have a long way to go to be considered in as high regard as our 2000 team. By the way, if the two team were to play each other which one would you put your money on? Me, the 2000 team, no question.
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I'm pretty sure that Paul Shirley got injured after the two losses in OT--which by the way still count as losses.
There were some amazing games in that stretch, but they didn't go through everyone 'like butter' as you suggest. They struggled in plenty of their games.
I'll be honest.....I think I might have taken last year's Iowa State team over the 2000 team. I doubt I'd take this year's team over that one. But when last year's team was clicking in March....I'd take them.
If the two teams were to play each other, I have no idea who would win... but I would love to watch those match-ups. Would Fizer guard Niang out to the three point line? Morris vs Tinsley at PG would be amazing to watch. I kind of feel that Hoiball would win, but who knows?
That UCLA game was a thing of beauty. I remember watching it thinking back to the Sweet 16 UCLA game that Willoughby and Cato played. It was the same situation--Thursday night late game. In 1997, Iowa State had a big lead in the first half only to lose on that last second shot. It was pretty satisfying to win that game.
The first game in the NCAA tournament in 2000 was a 10 point game. I was there and I don't think that game was in hand until late. They probably weren't trying super hard, but it was a lot tougher than either of the other two games.
2000 Team no question. I am a big subscriber to 'best player in the game' theory when it comes March. Neutral court, neutral whistles, and the lights are brighter, the environment for the best talent.
The 2000 team played championship caliber defense, and Fizer was a dude. If you all recall the Sweet 16 matchup vs the UCLA Bruins who had literally went NBA Jam on the Maryland Terrapins in the Target Center in 2nd round winning by 20 with a barrage of half court alley oops, ISU locked JaRon Rush and Earl Watson UP dropped like 90 um.... Fizer was the best man.
The 2000 team played championship caliber defense, and Fizer was a dude. If you all recall the Sweet 16 matchup vs the UCLA Bruins who had literally went NBA Jam on the Maryland Terrapins in the Target Center in 2nd round winning by 20 with a barrage of half court alley oops, ISU locked JaRon Rush and Earl Watson UP dropped like 90 um.... Fizer was the best man.
Yeah I'd take the Fizer-Tinsley team over either this year's team or last year's and I don't really have to think hard about it. Fizer was just unstoppable that year and in a completely different way than Kane or Ejim were last season. That team was a much, much better defensive team than any of Hoiberg's.
This year's team can handle foul trouble better is the one clear check I'd put for this year. BDJ/McKay, Nader, Thomas, Edozie is a stronger bench than we had either of the B12 title years. But until this year Fred's teams haven't had a deep reliable rotation either.
Of course that means this team still has to go on awesome B12 and NCAA runs to have the topic even be a discussion.
Next year's lineup could hypothetically match the 1-2 punch of Fizer Tinsley but with a stronger supporting cast. If Monte keeps improving he'll certainly be a top 3 pg (he's already the best in certain areas) then you'll have senior Niang with McKay next to him who has a really high ceiling along with other talented players...and big potential still with the two open slots.
