**** WBB: Gamethread: Iowa State hosts Utah 5:30 pm ESPN2 ****

[BoxsterCy]

Who: Iowa State (10-5, 1-1 Big 12) vs. Utah (11-2, 2-0 Big 12)
Where: Hilton Coliseum – Ames, Iowa
When: Sunday, January 5, 2025 – 5:30 p.m. CT

The Links
WATCH: ESPN2
PxP: Eric Frede Analyst: Christy Thomaskutty
LISTEN: Cyclone Radio Network – Varsity App or Radio Affiliates
PxP: Noah Wolf Analyst: Jamie Steyer Johnson
LIVE STATS

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Today is a "stripe" day. Sigh. Cardinal and gold sections. Probably should break down and buy a new gold sweatshirt or sweater. Eventually my decade-plus old tee shirt won't work anymore.

 

[barometriclow]

 

[BoxsterCy]

Here's the Ute's preview posting. Some good stat stuff. Their star is 6'-0" guard Gianna Kneepkens. She was all PAC 12 but missed most of last season with a foot injury. Scoring 18 pts while shooting 44% from three and 93% from the line. Interesting sort of sleeper recruit. From Duluth and was not in ESPN Top 100 and goes ahead and is Pac-12 Freshman of the year and makes first team as a freshman.

They were pre-season #5 last year before Kneepskens got hurt and finished at #22 without her. With her back that's four starters from last years start with freshman and transfer adds. On paper they seem to be underrated? Coaches picked them for 6th.

UP NEXT: Utah Hits the Road to Take On Iowa State - University of Utah Athletics

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Utes women's basketball team will continue the inaugural Big 12 season by hitting the road to take on Iowa State to take on the Iow...

utahutes.com

 

[geewago]

It's a smorgasbord for WBB today. Auburn at Baton Rouge. OU at Knoxville. I've really been keeping my eye on the new coach for the Vols. I watched them down at College Station a couple of days ago. Poor Aggies. They have two excellent players. Then the drop-off is amazing.

Utah at Ames. I will definitely be watching this. Utah is either a sleeper or a fluke. Today will tell a lot about them. Whoever wins this one will certainly create the much needed momentum to face the rest of the schedule. This is not a game ISU can afford to lose. They certainly don't need to create a hole for themselves this early in the schedule. Rooting for State.

 

[NWICY]

Not worried about striping sitting up in GA today, so who knows what section we'll be in, bringing the second half on the nephew and nieces group, the ones that couldn't go on the main day.

Hope to see a Cyclone victory and continuing improvement.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Not worried about striping sitting up in GA today, so who knows what section we'll be in, bringing the second half on the nephew and nieces group, the ones that couldn't go on the main day.

Hope to see a Cyclone victory and continuing improvement.

So kicked out your season seats? Too rowdy or something?

 

[acoustimac]

It's a smorgasbord for WBB today. Auburn at Baton Rouge. OU at Knoxville. I've really been keeping my eye on the new coach for the Vols. I watched them down at College Station a couple of days ago. Poor Aggies. They have two excellent players. Then the drop-off is amazing.

Utah at Ames. I will definitely be watching this. Utah is either a sleeper or a fluke. Today will tell a lot about them. Whoever wins this one will certainly create the much needed momentum to face the rest of the schedule. This is not a game ISU can afford to lose. They certainly don't need to create a hole for themselves this early in the schedule. Rooting for State.

This one is more critical for ISU than Utah. As you said being 1-2 with the difficult part of your schedule yet to come is a bad hole to be in.

 

[acoustimac]

Crooks better be hitting free throws today. I’m betting Utah employs a hack a shaq defense on her. Foul her before she shoots. KU started doing that and it worked. Big thing for ISU is our three outside scorers - Harris, Brown and Ryan need to be on. Make it difficult to double down on Crooks. Like to see us hit 7-8 treys minimum.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Crooks better be hitting free throws today. I’m betting Utah employs a hack a shaq defense on her. Foul her before she shoots. KU started doing that and it worked. Big thing for ISU is our three outside scorers - Harris, Brown and Ryan need to be on. Make it difficult to double down on Crooks. Like to see us hit 7-8 treys minimum.

Starting with our first shot would be OK.

 

[BoxsterCy]

The Gianna Kneepkens deal sort of fascinates me. She is a legit first teamer from Duluth, MN that apparently was not recruited by ISU. No mention of her on the Gophers board either although they are listed as a school she passed on. She would have been a perfect fit at ISU.

 

[NWICY]

So kicked out your season seats? Too rowdy or something?

Wbb is popular again not enough room to bring them in If the lady behind me is gone we may move down at the qtr break.

 

[BoxsterCy]

It's a smorgasbord for WBB today. Auburn at Baton Rouge. OU at Knoxville. I've really been keeping my eye on the new coach for the Vols. I watched them down at College Station a couple of days ago. Poor Aggies. They have two excellent players. Then the drop-off is amazing.

Utah at Ames. I will definitely be watching this. Utah is either a sleeper or a fluke. Today will tell a lot about them. Whoever wins this one will certainly create the much needed momentum to face the rest of the schedule. This is not a game ISU can afford to lose. They certainly don't need to create a hole for themselves this early in the schedule. Rooting for State.

That's what I am wondering. Pac-12 was a blackhole for TV so I never saw them. Heck the national fans rarely even saw Juju. Utes were preseason #5 last year and finished #22 without their best player who is back with three other starters. Yet this year coaches picked them for #6 in Big 12 and polls this year didn't rank them. Doesn't completely add up for me. I'd get if they had lost a ton-o-players but they have their core and best player back.

 

[ICCYFAN]

Utah at Ames. Utah is either a sleeper or a fluke. Today will tell a lot about them. Whoever wins this one will certainly create the much needed momentum to face the rest of the schedule. This is not a game ISU can afford to lose. They certainly don't need to create a hole for themselves this early in the schedule. Rooting for State.

This game has "danger" written all over it for ISU. Audi will get her 25+. She always does and other teams know that, throwing their "resources" into minimizing the others. I'm of the belief ISU needs to run plays for our outside shooters early in the game - Audi can rebound and get put backs in Q1. I want to see Harris taking shots at the frequency Hare was taking them, double-digit shot attempts / game. Establish the outside shot first and then feed the post once the D is out guarding the three-point line. It's not a difficult concept.

My prediction: If CBF remains stubborn, feeds Crooks in the post from the beginning and leaves the outside fighting for shot scraps (5 for Harris, 3 for Joens, 2 for Tanke), Audi will score 30 and we'll lose. Utah has two 3 point shooters in the national top 20 and we don't guard anybody. If we run sets specifically for and encourage shots from Brown, Harris, Joens & Tanke, Audi scores 26 and ISU wins. Let's go State!

 

[BoxsterCy]

Utes are favored by 3.5 for what that is worth and ESPN win probability for them is 80%. Thought that win probability thing would be closer.

 

[BoxsterCy]

This game has "danger" written all over it for ISU. Audi will get her 25+. She always does and other teams know that, throwing their "resources" into minimizing the others. I'm of the belief ISU needs to run plays for our outside shooters early in the game - Audi can rebound and get put backs in Q1. I want to see Harris taking shots at the frequency Hare was taking them, double-digit shot attempts / game. Establish the outside shot first and then feed the post once the D is out guarding the three-point line. It's not a difficult concept.

My prediction: If CBF remains stubborn, feeds Crooks in the post from the beginning and leaves the outside fighting for shot scraps (5 for Harris, 3 for Joens, 2 for Tanke), Audi will score 30 and we'll lose. Utah has two 3 point shooters in the national top 20 and we don't guard anybody. If we run sets specifically for and encourage shots from Brown, Harris, Joens & Tanke, Audi scores 26 and ISU wins. Let's go State!

We talking Archer and his Kenny Loggins "Danger Zone" level?



or "Danger Will Robinson!" from Lost in Space level?

 

[acoustimac]

If we play D like we did against KU we will be fine on that end.As I mentioned earlier Utah is more than just one player…if we concentrate on Kneepkens other players will make us pay. Play perimeter D, establish the inside game (opens up drives and outside shots) and rebound like crazy. Then it’s a matter of hitting free throws. Be a good game for another option like Joens, AJ or Tanke to step up.

 

[67CY]

Will Cyclones B+ game or Utah C game be good enough for a Cyclone win?

 

[Cyched]

4-4 on 3s? Fortunately that can't continue.

 

[ISUCubswin]

This defense is hilariously pathetic. I’m not sure any of Utahs shots have been contested, yet.