While that is nice, at some point you have to break through that glass ceiling. If you’re capable of getting to the Sweet 16 that frequently, why not one Elite 8 appearance at least?
Why? Just why?
- Thread starter Thomasrickj
- Start date
At this point next time Iowa state makes a sweet 16 just empty your bank account on the opposing team to win we clearly can’t break that ceiling and pee down our legs in every big moment ever
Big 12 football title game
Sweet 16s
Etc
Big 12 football title game
Sweet 16s
Etc
Two reasons for this regardless of year or coach:
01. The 2nd Weekend has better competition than the first weekend.
02. ISU is losing to very talented athletic teams not to teams full of goobers.
At the end of the day, Iowa State has teams that are meant to play and compete in the Big XII, and they do. Once they are in a National Tournament, it is just a tougher deal. It only takes one mismatch (like the 3 trees dressed in orange last night) to end the journey.
Some teams (like Arizona) are built to do both. Most (like ISU) are not.
Doesn't bum me that much. I'd like ISU to advance to the Elite 8, Final Four and win a National Championship, but with the exception of the 2000 team, ISU has not had such a team IMO. I think Jefferson could have helped ISU get to the Elite 8, but that would have been it. Michigan is really, really good and one of those teams built to cut down nets.
Bottom Line, I went to four games @ Hilton this year, had four Clone Cones, and the Cyclones won all four games (Northwestern, Okla. State, Baylor and Ariz. State). It was a good year.
My goal is to go to more games next year!
Let's Go State!
And they will, had Jeff played think this was the year.
Most of the great coaches took 5-7 years at their school to get beyond the sweet 16.
Go look it up
Yes, it was Otz's fault Jefferson sprained his ankle. Otz got us to the Sweet Sixteen without Jefferson, just that should be enough to make him a finalist in the COTY discussion. NC and other top schools courting Otz certainly recognize what he accomplished after Jefferson's injury.
"Fans" like you are never satisfied with anything. Complaining without a basis doesn't make you look knowledgeable about basketball, quite the opposite in fact.
Have you watched Michigan? They are basically Tennessee except all of their massive guys actually are good basketball players and not just 6’11” athletes without skill. Swap Michigan for Tennessee last night and ISU loses by 30.
Unfortunately it has been a thing for us. Of course there was the Niang flukely broken foot, but people forget Chris Babb injury too which might have changed that game. Jefferson was a huge loss this year again. Hate The woe as me stuff but it’s pretty ridiculous.
Last edited:
TJs teams always struggle with bigger/longer teams. Was it because the guys would get caught flat footed staring at a rebound on the floor and not racing each other to go fet it at times?
Were we not able to box out the big guys? Just a matter of shots not falling? tough to say.
After this last loss, I'm starting to wonder what the remaining 5 players on the bench are bringing to the table? If they are freshman then I could understand not having enough developed skills to hang with some teams like Tennessee. But Mulder and Nelson were seniors. Are you telling me they can't play defense well enough and on offense drive to the basket to try for free throws better than the tired 7 guys already in the rotation?
If thats the case what are we not teaching them or why are they here?
Also, if Milan is going to attract attention why not shove him in a corner near half court and open up some operating room for everyone else? Make his defender choose between guarding Milan who clearly isn't going to partake in the offense or double up the ball and free up Milan who is hopefully on the opposite end and can get close enough for a decent open look at a 3?
I know a birds eye view is almost as good as hindsight but this happens everytime they play someone bigger and longer. Bum rush the hoop or space it out. What am I missing?
Were we not able to box out the big guys? Just a matter of shots not falling? tough to say.
After this last loss, I'm starting to wonder what the remaining 5 players on the bench are bringing to the table? If they are freshman then I could understand not having enough developed skills to hang with some teams like Tennessee. But Mulder and Nelson were seniors. Are you telling me they can't play defense well enough and on offense drive to the basket to try for free throws better than the tired 7 guys already in the rotation?
If thats the case what are we not teaching them or why are they here?
Also, if Milan is going to attract attention why not shove him in a corner near half court and open up some operating room for everyone else? Make his defender choose between guarding Milan who clearly isn't going to partake in the offense or double up the ball and free up Milan who is hopefully on the opposite end and can get close enough for a decent open look at a 3?
I know a birds eye view is almost as good as hindsight but this happens everytime they play someone bigger and longer. Bum rush the hoop or space it out. What am I missing?
Giving Rick Barnes 5 days to prepare for Iowa State without Jefferson sucked. Not that we didn't do the same, but it's hard when you go against a team with that size, and your 4 is out.
Toure is very athletic and Batemon is athletic but they’re freshman. We’re missing a Dustin Hogue or Ejim type of player
This year just like any other just shows how hard it is to reach the final four unless you have an uber talented team or playing at a high level and injury free. Barnes at Tennessee has coached for decades and I do not believe has ever taken a team to the final four.
What really hurts us as ISU fans is that it looked like the past two years we had teams that had the talent to get to the Elite 8 and the final four only to see them go down with injuries.
What really hurts us as ISU fans is that it looked like the past two years we had teams that had the talent to get to the Elite 8 and the final four only to see them go down with injuries.
This team needed that junk yard dog rebounder that was talented enough to not only get boards but score after he got them. Houge or Ejim would have made this years teams so much better than what they were.
The thing that scares me about the alpha athletic dudes is that they have it. And some don't want to work at improving it. TJ seems to recruit guys who want to work to get better. Its got to be a tough balancing act. Think about Peterson at Kansas. What a crappy situation that was. I dont want anything to do with that type of season. I believe our NIL budget will grow and the coaches can identify and afford more great players.
What do you mean he NEEDS TO get them further? This is Iowa State, not Duke, Kansas or North Carolina so getting this team to 3 Sweet 16s in 5 years is a smashing success for this program. Anything more than that is gravy not the expectation.
Or a 6'9 Josh Jefferson.
Yeah this was exactly what I was thinking. One guy that comes to mind is Keta from BYU. Stats don’t pop off the sheet but that dude was just imposing his will I feel like.
