Question For Basketball Experts..?

coachdags · 12-09-2006, 09:03 PM

Are the players at UNI..Better Players or Play Better.?

They were not even on our so-called Big 12 radar a couple of years ago..?

No 4-5 star recruits, no one going to the NBA...?

Ask yourself how they got this good...?

They have a chance to go to 4 dances in a row...

Coach Greg McDermott will be fine..

HardcoreClone · 12-09-2006, 09:24 PM

As of right now, I think Stout, Coleman, and McKowen are just as good as who we have at the PF and PG spots. And they also play better as a TEAM. They play a good and disciplined system(Greg's). All of their players are fundamentally sound. They have a couple of good players to build around, and everyone else knows their role for the team and execute it very well.

I completely expect this to be the case for ISU by Greg's 3rd year, optimistically maybe next season.

CrossCyed · 12-09-2006, 10:11 PM

They are probably used to working harder as well.

jgooder · 12-09-2006, 10:20 PM

The only guy on our team that would start for UNI is Rashon Clark. Wesley Johnson would receive significant minutes.

Dunson will be good, and Taylor will be hot and cold, but we can't continue to have 15+ turnovers a game. That's ridiculous.

BigBake · 12-09-2006, 10:22 PM

I thought the UNI player's were just plain better.

9seven · 12-10-2006, 01:53 AM

Originally Posted by BigBake

I thought the UNI player's were just plain better.

As did I!!

kcolthoff · 12-10-2006, 05:20 AM

Both, in college ball a good TEAM has every chance to beat more talent. What I mean is experience in a system and experience playing can trump some of the defficiencies of greater talent. When you get to just average talent which both teams really have and recruited it comes down to understanding the system and the experience of playing at a certain level. It's not the one on one game where talent prevails it has more to do with the TEAM concept and how they mesh together and understand one another.

coachdags · 12-10-2006, 10:01 AM

I agree with all the last 6 posts, good points, and summations, by Kcolthoff, 9seven, BigBake, jgooder, CrossCyde, and HardcoreClone, In my book your are all "Experts" and I too believe that Greg will accomplish the same in Time with the Cyclones.... GO ISU!

CyBobby · 12-10-2006, 10:10 AM

I hate to say it or be redundant, but Northern Iowa's players are just a lot better than what we have right now. UNI also plays together and as a team a whole lot better than most teams that I have seen so far this season.

Mac needs to go out and keep recruiting and building the b-ball program so we can compete for an invite to the "Big Dance" every year!!

Cloned4Life · 12-10-2006, 10:49 AM

Wes or Rahshon would probably start at the 3 for UNI.. but other than that, UNI's guys are just better. Not necessarily more talented, just better. They know the system, know the plays, understand the importance of ball security, fundamentals, and team defense, and really gel together. Why? Because of Greg McDermott. Like someone posted already... we'll be like that in 2 years, maybe even next year.

hursts · 12-10-2006, 11:10 AM

UNI many not have as many good "athletes" as some teams, but they are a TEAM. They know their roles and play within their system. They are unselfish and that's what it takes to win in college basketball. I could see UNI as a sleeper Sweet 16 team.

cyputz · 12-10-2006, 12:55 PM

UNI understand the role player concept and play as such. The chances are they came from HS which played in the same manner. They each may have been the go to player on their respective teams, however, they were coached as roles within in a team. Many upper 3-5 star (Brewster for example) players are set-up with inidividual role mapping versus team roles. UNI has some good players who as a team are very good players. Keep in mind, that is how McD brought them in and molded them. It may be a bigger challenge as you step up in recruiting base - but it will happen.

Costanza · 12-10-2006, 04:24 PM

ISU has players that have higher ceilings than UNI. With that said UNI has players that currently have better skill because they have more experience. They play better team offense and defense and the understand what they are trying to get with their system. A lot of "mid major" teams have had success the last 5 years because they are older and in turn more skilled than the team that they are going up against. If ISU can get some "buy-in" out of their players they will start seeing better results. It will take some time considering only two of these players saw major time at the D1 level last year and it was with a completely different style.

I think people are getting a little too nervous because Drake and UNI both beat us this year. They have guys that have been around more. When we start to approach our ceiling we will be a very good program and that isnt that many years away.

9seven · 12-10-2006, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Costanza

ISU has players that have higher ceilings than UNI. With that said UNI has players that currently have better skill because they have more experience. They play better team offense and defense and the understand what they are trying to get with their system. A lot of "mid major" teams have had success the last 5 years because they are older and in turn more skilled than the team that they are going up against. If ISU can get some "buy-in" out of their players they will start seeing better results. It will take some time considering only two of these players saw major time at the D1 level last year and it was with a completely different style.

I think people are getting a little too nervous because Drake and UNI both beat us this year. They have guys that have been around more. When we start to approach our ceiling we will be a very good program and that isnt that many years away.

UNI's transition to a new coach was much smoother then ours. We brought in a new team with a new coach and play a totally different style of basketball. We also recruited most of this team in about a span of a month. UNI on the other hand has had all of there players now in the system for 2,3 or even 4 years. Its not a new system and they all understand it. ISU will be a good team in the coming years, we just can't expect a spectacular turnaround with a makeshift team in year one!

Wesley · 12-10-2006, 04:35 PM

Do not jump on me for this, but maybe Coach Ben Jacobsen was doing most of the pulling with the players the last four years. He looked dynamic on the sideline. Their players have also been around a few years, but they have no more talent than ours. Their freshman did pretty good though. They had a great plan with hundreds of possible play combinations. Our players are still trying to memorize the basics. We play together terrible as a team. That is all. However, we played lousier against Iowa than we did against UNI and Drake. I am not sure why. Iowa looked crappy too.