This is a very important game this weekend

**BryceC** · 12-06-2007, 03:39 PM

I don't often say things like this 7 games into a season, but we really need to beat Iowa this weekend. Moral is very low after the beatdown the MBB team took last night, and honestly if we lose on our home floor to the worst Iowa team in my memory this season could really take a turn for the worse when it comes to fan support.

With the weather what it is on Saturday, we may not get everybody in that bought a ticket. After that, we have 5 straight home games against teams nobody will care about. The next home game that will get any blood flowing is the Missouri game but that's not until 1/16. If we lose this game we'll have some pretty empty games which will not be at all helpful for this young team.

Honestly, if we do lose, it's youth movement time. Peterson doesn't start anymore. Haluska doesn't start anymore. If Jiri doesn't get in gear Vette starts getting his minutes. If we're going to lose and nobody will care, we need to start building for the future.

A couple other random thoughts:

1. I have been a staunch McD supporter but I don't think I've ever witnessed a beatdown quite that bad for a while. He REALLY needs to put a team on the court next season that is competitive for the NCAA's or this program is going to lose any momentum it got after the coaching change. Season ticket sales will be down, recruiting is only going to get tougher... etc.

2. I've said it before, I'm very happy Bryan Peterson decided to come to ISU and be a Cyclone. This is not intended as a personal attack on him. However, I do not expect us to win a single conference game if he is our starting PG and continually plays 30 minutes per game. That being said, Diante is playing soft as heck right now and we need him to step up. He's the only other guy on the roster who could compete to take Petey's minutes, and he's just not stepping up right now either.

3. For a while there I was in favor of redshirting Wesley. But the fact is that we will be so abysmal without him we have to try and get him healthy while still playing him as much as possible. I don't think there is much to be gained this year, but I don't think going 10-21 is a good idea either. I also think that it'd be hard to keep Wesley on campus for 5 years. He'd be a 24 year old senior and a 25 year old Pro rookie if that were the case. I have a hard time believing that will happen. Of course if he could permanently hurt himself he should sit, but otherwise, get him on the floor.

I have a million MBB thoughts in my head, and that's why I haven't posted anything until now. I was a pessimist around here before the season and I didn't think it would be this bad.

**The_Architect** · 12-06-2007, 03:49 PM

Excellent post.

**clonefarmer** · 12-06-2007, 08:16 PM

I agree with all of that. Up till the two games last night, I thought we'd handle Iowa easily but unless we get on a shooting spree Saturday, it may be a grind-it-out affair. We need to hold down our turnovers and make each possession count cause even though Iowa may stink, I don't think they'll beat themselves.

Hopefully we had our "Texas" game last night and the boys will come out ready to put the hurt on Iowa. Man, I at least want to seem some defense and rebounding and ballhandling even if we can't shoot straight. Last night was pathetic.

**MJAnderson** · 12-07-2007, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by clonefarmer

I agree with all of that. Up till the two games last night, I thought we'd handle Iowa easily but unless we get on a shooting spree Saturday, it may be a grind-it-out affair. We need to hold down our turnovers and make each possession count cause even though Iowa may stink, I don't think they'll beat themselves.

Hopefully we had our "Texas" game last night and the boys will come out ready to put the hurt on Iowa. Man, I at least want to seem some defense and rebounding and ballhandling even if we can't shoot straight. Last night was pathetic.

I totally agree with you. Turnovers, intensity, and hustle are key. We really need to value the ball and each possession. During the Drake game there was a stretch of 7 minutes where we only got off 7 shots. That hurts especially when you're only shooting 37%. I think the team who values the ball the best and is more intense wins the game.

**Iastfan112** · 12-07-2007, 08:08 AM

Agree with the sentiment that we need to win. Several reasons: instate rival, not a good team we're playing and we got shellacked last game. If not a must win its at the very least a "must play well".

**throwittoblythe** · 12-07-2007, 08:12 AM

I talked to one of the guys on the team yesterday about how morale is doing. First, I said something to the effect of "hey, the football team got killed by Texas and bounced back to have a great end to the year" his response was "well, there's one BIG problem with our loss...we didn't lose to Texas, we lost to Drake."

Second, I asked him if McD was going to run them into the ground at practice after their loss to Drake. He fully expected to run suicides all day; in fact, he didn't eat much all day in preparation for the runing. However, he said after practice there was no punishment for the loss and no mention of the game. I'm guessing McD did that to keep morale up and just move on because there was nothing to be learned from that loss.

**CyBobby** · 12-07-2007, 08:49 AM

The drake game reminded me of the Lynn Nance years and losing to iowa and drake every year. I had to laugh at Cotlar this morning reminding everyone how bad Iowa State got beat by Drake, and then reminding us that ISU hasnt won an instate game in either 2006 or so far this year.
When you LOSE that is what you have to put up with!!!

**cycloneryan** · 12-07-2007, 09:09 AM

A win against Iowa would put the whole Drake nightmare to rest and give them some pep in their step.

**Skyh13** · 12-07-2007, 09:22 AM

At this point, every game is important. We already know that, if the team doesn't try their hardest to win each game, very bad things will happen.

**GoState** · 12-07-2007, 06:42 PM

I'm confident in a win. Not by 20 points, but I think we'll squeak it out. Home court advantage will be big for us. Irregardless of the weather, I suspect a nice crowd. I foresee Brackins having a nice game, and I think Haluska has found his touch and confidence. I've seen Drake play in person three times so far (including that beat down a few days ago). Drake's good. Sure, not a national championship contender, but I think they have a shot to surprise many in the MVC. It doesn't justify the 35 point shellacking, but we didn't get beat by DMAC. Iowa, from what I've seen is tough defensively, but has no offense. A lot depends on Freeman and how much and effective he can play. They shot the 3 well against UNI. They won't Saturday.

ISU 56, Iowa 51.

**Prone2Clone** · 12-07-2007, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by throwittoblythe

I'm guessing McD did that to keep morale up and just move on because there was nothing to be learned from that loss.

Hopefully they learned if they play like that, they'll get waxed by just about any team they might play.

**ripvdub** · 12-07-2007, 11:23 PM

If we keep their 3's from going in, we win.

**Wesley** · 12-07-2007, 11:28 PM

Do you think they will press us?

**BD4CY** · 12-07-2007, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley

Do you think they will press us?

I don't see why any team wouldn't this year

**Erik4Cy** · 12-07-2007, 11:54 PM

Well, we don't need to win the game to win the Cy-Hawk series this year...that's already rapped up :) WOOT!!! BUT we need this game for other reasons and it's basically been covered really well in this thread. We need to find a way to pressure teams & throw them out of their gameplan and relieve the press we get as well.