Conference Wins?

01/06 at Missouri
01/10 Nebraska
01/13 #9 Kansas
01/17 at Colorado
01/20 Kansas St
01/27 at #12 Oklahoma St
01/31 at #11 Texas A&M
02/03 Baylor
02/06 Missouri
02/10 at Texas
02/13 Oklahoma
02/17 at Kansas St
02/21 Colorado
02/24 at #9 Kansas
02/28 at Nebraska
03/03 Texas Tech

This is ISU’s conference schedule, and really, my goal of 6 conference wins (getting the team to .500 on the year) is looking at least very possible now. It does include a lot of very big “ifs” however.

IF we can win against Nebraska, I think that would give this team a lot of momentum and confidence, especially running into the annual home game with Kansas. I think we’ll lose that game but I would expect to see a nearly packed house for Kansas and a lot of energy for that game. That would be a lot of fun and I think it could do a lot to bring some lollygagging fans back into the fold for the rest of the year.

At Colorado and K-State are definitely winnable games especially if Bill Walker did indeed get hurt. I hope he didn’t but it’s a winnable game even if he’s back.

The next two games are what I consider to be pretty much L’s since they are against ranked teams on the road. I don’t think this team has that kind of firepower yet.

But we come back with Baylor and Mizzou at home, and once again, two huge ifs, but that could put us at 6-4 in the Big 12 right there. I mean with wins against Colorado, @KSU, or @Nebraska… this team has what I consider to be a somewhat decent shot to go 8-8 in the conference and if that happens I think McD should be Big 12 coach of the year.

That all being said, I still think that we go 6-10. I’m not sure if we can count on too many 16 point comebacks. I really think this did do a lot to up the collective excitement around the program though. Go State!

This is the type of thread that is going to make people make unreasonable conference record predictions. I hope they come true, but the sensible person in me says 5-6 conference wins.

Right now I'm sticking to my 5 win prediction. One game doesn't make a season. I look at our win vs. Mizzu similar to the win at Minnesota. A game that gave fans false hope and unrealistically increased expectations.

However, I'm not as confident on that prediction either - and in a good way.

If we take out Nebraska Wednesday and don't get completely obliterated vs. Kansas - I'll adjust my outlook for 2006.

My outlook for 2007 and beyond? Gets brighter and brighter every time I observe our coaching. G-Mac has to be one of the better in-game coaches around. I find myself watching him as much as the action on the court.

Sorry, god forbid I get excited about the team. What did I end the post with? That I think we go 6-10. If somebody would have told me before the conference season that we would go 8-8 I would have thought they were beyond ridiculous. I also thought we'd lose to Mizzou by 10. I'm just saying with this thread that I'm reevaluating where I think this team is.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BryceC

Sorry, god forbid I get excited about the team. What did I end the post with? That I think we go 6-10. If somebody would have told me before the conference season that we would go 8-8 I would have thought they were beyond ridiculous. I also thought we'd lose to Mizzou by 10. I'm just saying with this thread that I'm reevaluating where I think this team is.

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I completely understood where you are coming from. It would be foolish not to reevaluate, just as it would be foolish to expect a bunch of wins based on beating Mizzu.

That's the wonderful aspect of the team and this season - complete unknown with no real expectations. This could make for one of those wacky-n-wild years where the underdog that nobody is worried about comes from nowhere to shock people.

That table has been set - just gotta put the food on the table. Right now I'm still expecting Mac-n-Cheese and not Prime Rib.

One nice thing so far...we've won 2 games now that most expected us to lose...

Minnesota and Mizzu.

Have we really lost a game that we shouldn't? Some could say Drake yet I really didn't feel good about that game. Iowa could be tossed in there - yet again I didn't feel good about it.

I think that in our 5 losses, we were just outmatched on the court. This I can handle.

And somedays, like vs. Mizzu when we aught to be outmatched - our coaching trumps theirs and helps us get a win.

Before Missouri, I said we would finish anywhere from 4 wins to 8 wins in the conference.

I wasn't counting on a win at Missouri, so by default, my prediction goes to the range of 5-9.

I do think we will end up with 6-7 wins though. And if we improve enough, 8-9 isn't out of reach.

Drake is the only game I believe we "should" have won, but they played excellent that day (or at least we allowed them to look really good). I'm very happy with where the team is, but don't be shocked if we turn around and lay an egg against Nebbie on Wednesday. That is the kind of season we are in for I believe. A couple of shockers, but then quickly back to reality. I like 5-6 wins and would be thrilled with anything better.

if this team keeps improving like they have so far i really dont see 8 wins being out of the question and a possibly NIT birth. we were without marsden for a lot of that time and he could really help mesh this team together. if we can incorporate wesley more into the offense and get taylor to stop turning the damn ball over i think we'll be in very good shape with some tougher teams. our defense is really improving and starting to look impressive

I guess I must be drinking some serious Kool Aid. I think that we can protect our home court losing 1 or 2 at most home games. Then on the road we already snuck one out against Missouri and I think we can get one at Colorado and Nebraska for sure. So right there is 9 or 10 games in my optimistic view point. I seriously could see us having a good shot at anywhere from 8-11 conference wins. If it is over .500 I believe that GMAC wins Big XII coach of the year also.

All i know is that the NU-ISU game will be televised on KCAU on sioux city, woo hoo!!!!!!! I predict we are going to surprise a ranked team this year. I know there is alot of doubt, but ranked doesnt mean squat. If you dont prepare and respect your opponent, you will lose.

Beating Nebraska at home will be a big enough challenge. I think lots are chalking them up to a win before the game is played. Make no mistake EVERY game is going to be a challenge in the Big 12. We have the ability to do well, but we also have the ability to do poorly.

Nebraska is playing very well under their new coach and will not be easy.

No game is going to be easy in the Big XII, but my predictions are based on the fact that I think GMAC can have them ready and will pull it out. I am very excited for the rest of the conference season.

01/06 at Missouri - Loss/ was a win
01/10 Nebraska - Win
01/13 #9 Kansas - Loss
01/17 at Colorado - Win
01/20 Kansas St - Win
01/27 at #12 Oklahoma St - Loss
01/31 at #11 Texas A&M -Loss
02/03 Baylor - Win
02/06 Missouri - Win
02/10 at Texas - Loss
02/13 Oklahoma - Win
02/17 at Kansas St - Win
02/21 Colorado - Win
02/24 at #9 Kansas - Loss
02/28 at Nebraska - Loss
03/03 Texas Tech - Win

Makes it a 10 win conference- reason for the wierd pics - Iowa State is finally getting into a rythem and I needed a few upsets. but then again these are my opinion picks from what I have seen so far.

Predicted Wins in Bold

01/06 at Missouri
01/10 Nebraska
01/13 #9 Kansas
01/17 at Colorado
01/20 Kansas St
01/27 at #12 Oklahoma St
01/31 at #11 Texas A&M
02/03 Baylor
02/06 Missouri
02/10 at Texas
02/13 Oklahoma
02/17 at Kansas St
02/21 Colorado
02/24 at #9 Kansas
02/28 at Nebraska
03/03 Texas Tech

I think 6 to 7 wins in the conference is a reasonable prediction, would that probably be enough to send us to the NIT?