Seems like something special is happening with the MBB team.

[Mesaclone1]

“It really bothered everybody on the way home on that bus trip going back to Ames but when we went out and had that first day of practice, those guys were out there flying around. They were enthusiastic. They lifted us up as a staff because of the way that they came with their approach. We had two days like that.â€￾

I don't want to overstate things, or hype expectations, but when its the players on the team who are lifting the coaches from a funk...by their hard work and enthusiasm...then IMHO a team has something very special. Chemistry is everything in college basketball, though it means less without some solid talent, and it appears we have both in spades. It seems like we could have gone one of two ways after the KU game, into the dumps and feeling sorry for ourselves OR being welded together through adversity. I know its only one game against an average Texas team, but it sure looks like our guys have chosen the latter path...with enthusiasm.

I'm stoked for the rest of this season, and equally stoked for Coach Hoiberg's coming years of greatness. The magic is back, baby!

 

[Go2Guy]

I'm stoked to see Niang play so tough in his first two Big12 games and for Korie to settle into his role.

If the team can bring it like they have in the last two, this season will be special.

 

[alarson]

Now they have to take what theyve developed in these 2 conference games, and continue rolling with it. No playing down to an opponent like we did during some of our noncon outings. We do that and we'll win a lot of games.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Chemistry is the word that was on my mind after two games. It seems like they enjoy playing together and that the pieces for Freddy's style of basketball are coming together.

 

[jsb]

I agree that it is easy to turn a good win against a bad team (that was probably closer to a 10 point game most of the way) into more than we should. Not to mention that with Kansas struggling against a bad TTU team, maybe Kansas isn't that great.

But I also agree that I love the attitude that this team took after the Kansas game. It started with the interviews right after the game. The players all took the exact right tone. They basically said that they realize that they should have won, but that they know they played well. I loved Will saying last night that their performance against Kansas gave them a lot to live up to. Love that! Based on how hard it sounds like Fred took Wednesday night, it might have been hard for the team to bounce back if they hadn't taken the lead.

With the execption of the Iowa game, I hadn't been upset with the chemistry on this team. In a lot of ways, I liked this team's chemistry a lot better than last year's team in the preseason.

One of the things that I thought often happened with McDermott's teams was that they would play well and barely lose to a good team (Texas, Kansas, etc) and then that loss would mulitiply. That doesn't seem to happen with Fred's teams.

 

[jsb]

I don't really think we played down to too many non-con opponents.

 

[Rabbuk]

I don't really think we played down to too many non-con opponents.

You didn't watch many games then...

 

[Luth4Cy]

No doubt it can be something special. I think it can go down as one of the truly great teams in school history but for that to happen more consistency is needed than there was was last season. By that I mean no letting Oklahoma State compete with you at home or losing in the first round of the Big 12 tournament.

 

[State43]

Didn't we have an unofficial visitor for this game? Anyone have an idea on how he liked his visit?

 

[jsb]

You didn't watch many games then...

What games exactly....we blew out the teams we were supposed to. We hit a bit of a wall around finals and that crazy schedule, but I thought the only game that we really played down was Yale and maybe Drake.

I have no idea about Iowa....we played bad, but I'm not sure if we played down to them because I am not sure if they are a good team or not.

 

[Rabbuk]

What games exactly....we blew out the teams we were supposed to. We hit a bit of a wall around finals and that crazy schedule, but I thought the only game that we really played down was Yale and maybe Drake.

I have no idea about Iowa....we played bad, but I'm not sure if we played down to them because I am not sure if they are a good team or not.

I think it was more we played up and down in a lot of games, we looked real bad a lot of the time and then real good other times. People didn't really know what to expect.

 

[jsb]

I think it was more we played up and down in a lot of games, we looked real bad a lot of the time and then real good other times. People didn't really know what to expect.

I guess. I thought it was MUCH more that way last year. Last year we would have a 25 point lead and suddenly it was 12. This year there was much less of that. We didn't always play well, but the effort was solid and the team was far less up and down during the actual games.

 

[Rural]

What games exactly....we blew out the teams we were supposed to. We hit a bit of a wall around finals and that crazy schedule, but I thought the only game that we really played down was Yale and maybe Drake.

I have no idea about Iowa....we played bad, but I'm not sure if we played down to them because I am not sure if they are a good team or not.

I feel like the kid waving his arm at the teacher in sixth grade.

 

[CyBroncos]

The Big 12 is down this year...we have a shot to have a special season

 

[Wesley]

KL has simplified his game.
Clyburn is starting to take better shots.
Melvin is being even a bigger nusiance on the opponents boards.
Tyrus is helping out everywhere.
Georges is taking over the middle with his moves.
Gibson is starting to also play defense.
Lots of options means less pressure on any one player.

 

[Koolman]

I love the way this team is playing right now!

 

[acgclone]

I don't really think we played down to too many non-con opponents.

I don't really get this claim either. We maybe had two games where we played down with them for periods of time but the bottom line on the season is that we've blown out almost all if the average or worse teams and lost to most of the good teams.

That doesn't equate to playing to your opponent IMO

If you're playing down to your opponent you squeak by bad teams and look bad doing it. Then you beat teams that you shouldn't.

 

[mitten1975]

I think they start the year with a different philosophy, and work hard trying to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of players and how they can best be employed game time. That causes some of the games to look a little messy and perhaps even allows a game or two to get away. Basketball is all about the NCAA and so you want your team peaking at the end of the season. Hoiberg works to get his team to peak at the end of the season. That is smart coaching.

 

[azepp]

KL has simplified his game.
Clyburn is starting to take better shots.
Melvin is being even a bigger nusiance on the opponents boards.
Tyrus is helping out everywhere.
Georges is taking over the middle with his moves.
Gibson is starting to also play defense.
Lots of options means less pressure on any one player.

I think that bolded part is very important. Less pressure on individual players and tougher matchups for opponents.

 

[NATEizKING]

I think the special thing happening is Hoiball. CFH game planning is outstanding and execution seems to start with the beginning of conference play.