WBB: **** Iowa State vs. No. 4 UCONN- 7:30 PM FS1 GAME THREAD ****

[ZorkClone]

I don’t know if I’ll phrase this right but we need to get to the point where Brown is the star player that needs lots of touches and Crooks is just a 25 point/game complementary player.

Brown is already a star player when it comes to filling the stat sheet. Crooks often gets 60%+ shooting you can't just not take that when it's given.

I think we need a third player as a threat. Emily can be that, but she hadn't been super consistent at scoring this year.

 

[isufbcurt]

Over/under on this being uglier than SCar?

 

[goody2012]

I think they are past the "good showing" portion of the season. Unranked, no quality wins in the non-con and only 4 more games against ranked opponents, with 2 of those being on the road. They have to start putting together some wins or that resume is going to look really weak in March.

21 point underdogs. Don't think this one is realistic.

 

[Clonefan32]

Drake is a quality win in my book. However, we need to build our resume for sure!!

I think one issue is the additions to the new Big 12 did not make up for what was lost in terms of women's basketball. The opportunity for quality wins just isn't what it used to be.

 

[ZorkClone]

Drake is a quality win in my book. However, we need to build our resume for sure!!

According to the NET Drake (92) is better than UCF (121), ASU (163), and Houston (228!). So beating them is better than some of Big 12 opponents this year.

 

[67CY]

It would be nice to see some good ball movement and passes to open players and a lot less dribbling

 

[Cyfan1965]

So unfortunate to lose Hare for the season. Hope Lily Hansford can gain some confidence and contribute.

 

[isuno1fan]

Lose by 25. Move on.

 

[ISU_Guy]

I don't think 'not expecting a win on the road against a top 5 team' = 'writing this team off.'

Yep, definitely not writing the team off, but you can tell we are young, not exactly athletic and very slow. Like painfully slow.
now, can we go 15-22 from 3 today, along with 40 points in the paint to counter all that? sure, and may need that to win a game like this.

This team just feels more like a dangerous 5-7 seed to me and maybe we will get some things figured out by end of the year.
either way I will root them on and I hope they play well

 

[VeloClone]

So unfortunate to lose Hare for the season. Hope Lily Hansford can gain some confidence and contribute.

This really makes me sad. Hare is a resourceful player whose rebounding reminds me of Kelsey Joens. So many times she will get an offensive rebound leaving me thinking, "Where the hell did she come from?" So valuable to get 2-3 extra possessions a game from a guard who wasn't anywhere near rebounding position when the shot went up. 2-3 extra possessions can mean a ~4 point swing in a close game.

 

[SolarGarlic]

Based on the games this year, I see 3 keys:

1) Foul trouble, especially for Addy. When she is on the floor it makes a gigantic difference to the team.
2) Shots going down. Some of this is about good shots versus rushed shots or bad shots. Not all will go in, but time to shoot out of our minds.
3) Adapting the offense. Can’t just force it in to Audi or keep shooting 3s all night if they aren’t dropping. Drive the lane a bit and move.

3 sound nice, but that's how they built the roster. It's going to be Audi and chucking threes. We don't have the talent to drive the lane. We have to take care of the ball and start making shots. Hare and Hansford have been busts in that department. Can we get Harris more looks? Someone has to become a more consistent 3-point threat. Huge disappointment in that area this season.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Going to be an interesting matchup with Sarah Strong versus Addy Brown. Similar size gals at 6'-2" and similar stats. Freshman Strong is at 16 pts 8 rebs. Maybe good news is that if we are in man and Brown is guarding her that Strong doesn't seem to get to the line much.

UConn will be without Azzi Fudd who has a sprained knee. Huskies were all afraid it was another ACL for her but believe she'll be back soon, just not for our game. Been just a year since her surgery so she wasn't back to 100% but you'd think by late winter she'd be starting mre again. If she was healthy and playing I'd be predicting a 25 point win for UConn with her teamed with Bueckers versus our guards. She is supposed to be day-to-day now but I don't expect her to play.

 

[Tailg8er]

Lose by 25. Move on.

Thanks for the contribution.

 

[SolarGarlic]

It would be nice to see some good ball movement and passes to open players and a lot less dribbling

We don't have the talent for it. We've seen it for years. We play with our backs to the defense. The opponents are free to pressure the ball because we don't have anyone who can beat their defender one on one. It's very easy to guard. We struggle to even get an offense started because it's too easy to deny passing lanes knowing that we won't make you pay for pressure. Who on the roster can take a pass on the wing and beat their defender all the way to the hoop? Brown? Is that it?

Pressure the ball. Cut off passing lanes on the wing. It's been the book against us for years, and it works.

 

[ICCYFAN]

BoxterCy periodically mentions the-boneyard.com as a website he reads, so I've spent a few minutes reading the multiple ISU-related threads there this week. If you haven't checked it out, I'd highly recommend it. The regulars appear to be very knowledgeable - the game assessment written last Sunday is excellent, and the UCONN fans are way more complimentary of our team than the handful of visiting Cyclone fans. There's also a prognostication thread with 57 entries as of this writing - all 57 predict a UCONN victory. When it opened on Sunday, fans were predicting an 8-10 point margin - predictably, that's widened as the days passed.

If you want to give it a look, here's the linky:

Game Analysis - Game 11 - UConn vs Iowa State (Adjusted for Kelsey Joens replacing Kenzi Hare)

GENERAL COMMENTS: Here we go again...we are facing another top-25 team when the Huskies meet #18 Iowa State on Tuesday. The Huskies had a pretty good bounce-back game after losing to the Irish. While the Hoyas were a scrappy team they were somewhat undersized against the Huskies. Both Sarah...

the-boneyard.com

Let's Go State - this is as good a night as any to play to our potential and shock the CWBB world!

 

[Clonefan32]

We don't have the talent for it. We've seen it for years. We play with our backs to the defense. The opponents are free to pressure the ball because we don't have anyone who can beat their defender one on one. It's very easy to guard. We struggle to even get an offense started because it's too easy to deny passing lanes knowing that we won't make you pay for pressure. Who on the roster can take a pass on the wing and beat their defender all the way to the hoop? Brown? Is that it?

Pressure the ball. Cut off passing lanes on the wing. It's been the book against us for years, and it works.

Basketball is an impossible game if you don’t have anyone who can get by their defender on the dribble. This is really the beginning, middle and end of our offensive struggles. If you can’t attack the paint, you can’t get shooters open.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Over/under on this being uglier than SCar?

Way under. Don't see that sort of beat down tonight. Even the UConn fans are looking more in the 10-14 point margin.

 

[ZorkClone]

Way under. Don't see that sort of beat down tonight. Even the UConn fans are looking more in the 10-14 point margin.

I'd take that.

 

[isufbcurt]

Way under. Don't see that sort of beat down tonight. Even the UConn fans are looking more in the 10-14 point margin.

Really?

 

[BoxsterCy]

Really?

In their game prediction thread there's a lot of predictions in that range. None closer and a few looking for the 25-30 point win but I'd say the majority are in the 10 to 14. That's not saying any of their fans think the game will be in doubt.

I have NO idea myself on the score, just sharing what I saw them post. Could be a 10 point game or could be another lopsided thumping but I lean for closer rather than thumping. My biggest reservation is we have not been good away from Hilton so thumping isn't off the books.