Where we are now

[cyclones12321]

Just 5 years ago we would have stormed the court with a top 10 victory. Might be a rebuilding year and who knows, this team may still have something special in store but this team is very fun to watch and to dream about what we’ll be like next year. Even our rebuilding years are fun. What’s some things you notice that is different then it was 7 years ago?

 

[cyclone101]

I'm not sure we would've stormed the court after an 18 thrashing of a top ten team but there is definitely a different expectation for the fans now.

I think most feel that anything less than a NCAA birth is disappointing rebuilding year or not.

I'm pumped for the rest of the year and beyond.

 

[knowlesjam]

Agreed...the crowd at the game was like, "okay, this is like the last few years...nothing to see here." TTech simply had no inside game and their 3 point shooting was atrocious. You can still see the inexperience of ISU at times (like the start of the second half), but other times the team just clicked.

 

[2020cy]

It certainly was fun to watch and hopefully they can keep it going.

 

[jburke]

I'm not sure we would've stormed the court after an 18 thrashing of a top ten team but there is definitely a different expectation for the fans now.

I think most feel that anything less than a NCAA birth is disappointing rebuilding year or not.

I'm pumped for the rest of the year and beyond.

All very true, I was just glancing through the remaining schedule, if we can take this momentum and go .500 the rest of the conference season I think I would be pretty happy. I will say I do like our gauntlet coming up with KU, OU, and Ten all at home in the next 2+ weeks....I believe the Texas game is winnable on the road but we need a Saturday effort.....

 

[jsb]

1. I have no problem with storm courts. Sports are supposed to be fun. If people want to, no one should care. The whole acting like you’ve been there is stupid. I never want to get to the point that I take big wins for granted.

2. There was no storming Saturday since we won by 18 (usually it happens with an exciting or crazy finish) and even though tech is good, it’s hard to think of them that way. Especially since we won by 18.

 

[Cyclonepride]

The expectations are certainly higher, and if you look at last year's recruiting class and this one, the talent level is increasing too.

 

[chuckd4735]

Just 5 years ago we would have stormed the court with a top 10 victory. Might be a rebuilding year and who knows, this team may still have something special in store but this team is very fun to watch and to dream about what we’ll be like next year. Even our rebuilding years are fun. What’s some things you notice that is different then it was 7 years ago?

Improvement as the season progresses. I still scratch my head when I look back at McDermott teams. No idea how they played so poorly. McDermott is not a BAD coach by any means, but he was downright awful when he was at ISU.

 

[JP4CY]

I know Tech is having a good year but with having one of their better players out, and just having this feeling they'll end up out of the top 25, I'm really glad the court wasn't stormed.
I have a feeling they'll end up on that 8/9 line in the NCAAs.

 

[ca4cy]

I know Tech is having a good year but with having one of their better players out, and just having this feeling they'll end up out of the top 25, I'm really glad the court wasn't stormed.
I have a feeling they'll end up on that 8/9 line in the NCAAs.

Is Smith out for the season? Saturday was the first I'd heard of him being out for some reason. Him being out for any amount of time is a huge blow for them.

 

[JP4CY]

Is Smith out for the season? Saturday was the first I'd heard of him being out for some reason. Him being out for any amount of time is a huge blow for them.

As for Zach Smith’s short-term prognosis, Beard said, “I don’t know if he will back. It’s really like a huge time frame now.”

From a Lubbock website

 

[FinalFourCy]

TT without Zach Smith isn’t a top-10 team, but they should finish as a top-25 team.

 

[bawbie]

Hopefully we can get enough Ws to get into the NIT. this is the type of team that does really well there and it would be a huge boost for next year to get tourney-type experience for Babb, Wiggy, Lard.

 

[exCyDing]

No 8 ranking or not, it's still Tech and it's a little hard to think of them as a good team. Storming the court should be reserved for exciting, big wins. Something like act like you've been there before, but still have fun.

Improvement as the season progresses. I still scratch my head when I look back at McDermott teams. No idea how they played so poorly. McDermott is not a BAD coach by any means, but he was downright awful when he was at ISU.

McDermott illustrates a little bit of the randomness of it all. He's a good coach, who had talented teams, but for whatever reason, nothing worked for him for about 5 years. I was glad to see him leave Iowa State (as an alum), but disappointed he was going to Creighton (as an Omaha native). I'm glad it's worked out as well as it has for everyone.

 

[CycloneWanderer]

Improvement as the season progresses. I still scratch my head when I look back at McDermott teams. No idea how they played so poorly. McDermott is not a BAD coach by any means, but he was downright awful when he was at ISU.

We seemed to struggle with injuries every year as well as closing out some close games (some bad decisions usually).

 

[cyclone101]

Hopefully we can get enough Ws to get into the NIT. this is the type of team that does really well there and it would be a huge boost for next year to get tourney-type experience for Babb, Wiggy, Lard.

Hopefully we get enough Ws to get into the NCAA.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

No 8 ranking or not, it's still Tech and it's a little hard to think of them as a good team.

It's probably not giving them the respect they deserve, but I'm right there with you. Without Smith, Tech looked really flat against us and not very deserving of a #8 ranking. We looked good and I don't mean to belittle our play, but they did not look anything like the team that went into Lawrence and punked KU.

It's still early, but losses to UT and us pretty much removed them from talk of serious contention for the Big XII title.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Improvement as the season progresses. I still scratch my head when I look back at McDermott teams. No idea how they played so poorly. McDermott is not a BAD coach by any means, but he was downright awful when he was at ISU.

Ain't that the truth. He went from promising mid-major guy to totes suck to excellent again. It's just weird how ******* bad he was for a guy that obviously isn't that ******* bad. I just assume it had something to do with very dark sinister black magic . Someone cursed him while at ISU or he sold his soul just after he left to become good.

 

[dahliaclone]

Agreed...the crowd at the game was like, "okay, this is like the last few years...nothing to see here." TTech simply had no inside game and their 3 point shooting was atrocious. You can still see the inexperience of ISU at times (like the start of the second half), but other times the team just clicked.

This is why the Red Raiders are a tried and true early exit in the NCAAs.

 

[mb7299]

In a way Im glad we didnt get some of the bigger fish we went after this summer. One it let some of our younger guys take on larger roles quicker (Lard, Wiggington) and secondly losing games with talented players should put a chip on their shoulder which usually results in great seasons following because they are fully invested and dont want to lose again.