Not to pile on...

BryceC · 01-22-2007, 11:24 AM

But our guards are playing like absolute crap right now. Yes, Taylor threw in 21 points in the last game, but it was all garbage time points when it didn't matter and his missed layups and missed free throws are killing this team right now.

In the last two games, our guards have shot 14-55 from the field. In the Kansas State game, only two players, Dodie and Corey scored in the first 25 minutes of the game. They scored 4 points combined (all off free throws – no guard hit a shot from the floor until Dodie made a 25 foot shot clock beating 3 pointer with 13:13 left in the second half).

Taylor was 0-fer everything until he went nuts when the game was already out of hand and KSU was cruising. He has 12 turnovers in the last two games. I know he was recruited as a SG and isn’t the kind of player that should be running point… but it’s getting ridiculous at this point. It’s beyond just learning the system or anything at this point. Taylor cannot be trusted to be a decision maker with the ball in his hands.

Plus… I hate to say this because he seems like a good guy, but Brock Jacobson is not a Division 1 player. He cannot shoot unless he is WIDE open, his release is way to slow. He’s shooting .281 on the year and he’s only made 1 shot in 10 attempts in Big 12 play.

Honestly, at this point, they should start Staiger and Garrett immediately upon arrival next year because I don’t see how the guard play can get any worse. Might as well build for the future.

ISUFan22 · 01-22-2007, 11:36 AM

While I agree with you, I don't think we're in dire straights just yet.

I watched some pretty good guard play vs. Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas - 2 games we won and another lost in OT to #6 in the nation.

Now we have 2 games with very poor guard play and we lose to one team we for sure should have defeated and other I personally think we should have beaten as well.

Clearly with Jiri playing well and as long as that continues - this team will live/die on its guard play. Nothing new there...we knew that would be the case before the season and have seen throughout the season for it to be true.

We have not shot well from the perimeter in the last two games - which is part of guard play. While we're getting good production from Jiri, this team still needs to shoot well from the perimeter to win games.

You brought it up before and I was screaming it during the game - Wesley needs to "camp out" closer to the basket. I'm not sure what's drawn him outside so much lately - yet something needs to draw him back down low. He's a great rebounder and can sky to get those clean-up baskets. So play to your strengths man and do it, don't be something that you're not (See Jiri). I'm not apposed to him taking the outside shot but his #1 focus should be inside presence.

Perhaps we needs to continue to slow the game down and instead of shooting the outside shot - make an effort to have the ball go inside on every possession. Jiri is doing a great job getting in position down there and hitting his shots. Continue to feed him until the defense stops it - which then would obviously open up other things.

BryceC · 01-22-2007, 11:56 AM

I agree that we shouldn't hit the panic button, but the guard play wasn't even that good in the previous games except Dodie was playing better and Taylor wasn't playing that bad. It is just absolutely not giving us a chance to win on both offense and defense.

ISUFan22 · 01-22-2007, 12:11 PM

Yeah, Dodie and Mike are a bit streaky as well as Brock taking too long to shoot.

Heck, the only guard we pretty much can expect the same thing from game after game is Corey. Not flashy and won't score much yet is smart with the ball. If I had to pick what area I'd like Corey to improve on - scoring or defense - it would easily be defense. If he could play defense something close to what Clark gives us - he'd be a really great weapon for ISU. Corey will never be a scorer - he doesn't have that mentality. He does have the ability to play very good defense if he works at it.

Knownothing · 01-22-2007, 12:18 PM

Brock Jacobson is way to slow to be playing basketball. It was thought at first that he would be a liability on the defensive side of the ball. Now he is both on the defense and he can't shoot. He may make all of his baskets in Practice but if you can't shoot the ball during the game it does not count. As Allen Iverson. Practice is Practice.

wonkadog · 01-22-2007, 12:36 PM

I'm still trying to figure out how McIntosh was the California juco player of the year last year...maybe the jucos in California are a huge step down from the ones in the midwest...or maybe I misheard...

jbhtexas · 01-22-2007, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

You brought it up before and I was screaming it during the game - Wesley needs to "camp out" closer to the basket. I'm not sure what's drawn him outside so much lately - yet something needs to draw him back down low. He's a great rebounder and can sky to get those clean-up baskets. So play to your strengths man and do it, don't be something that you're not (See Jiri). I'm not apposed to him taking the outside shot but his #1 focus should be inside presence.

Perhaps he's been reading CF this past week and is caving in to all those who wanted him to show off his nice stroke from behind the arc.

Sorry, I just couldn't resist that one...

I very much agree with what you've said (which was essesntially the point I was trying to make last week, and for which I was accused of "Wesley Bashing"). The thing that may take WJ back down low might be some "advice" from GMac...

ISU needs more points in the paint. When JH is on the floor, someone else besides him needs to also get in there and try to score, pick up second chance points, or get fouled and go to the line. You'll notice that in the last two games that WBB has won, they've shot a bunch of FTs. That comes from being more agressive and going to the hole, and not settling for long range jump shots.

ISUFan22 · 01-22-2007, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by jbhtexas

ISU needs more points in the paint. When JH is on the floor, someone else besides him needs to also get in there and try to score, pick up second chance points, or get fouled and go to the line. You'll notice that in the last two games that WBB has won, they've shot a bunch of FTs. That comes from being more agressive and going to the hole, and not settling for long range jump shots.

I agree. It's a conversation my brother and I were having. He made a good point that when we had Homan and Vroman, one would post up on one side and the other would sometimes post up on the other - so you couldn't double-team one of them. We really could use the same from Jiri and Wesley - with Jiri posting low and Wesley posting a bit higher.

That way Jiri could get the ball on the entry and either make a shot or dish to Wesley as he crashes or for a intermediate range shot.

Wesley can hit that outside shot but we need him inside scoring and on the boards.

BryceC · 01-22-2007, 01:59 PM

Wesley doesn't even need to necessarily post up - he just needs to get in some midrange seams to give him a chance to roll to the basket for putbacks. I just don't think we'll be that successful with 4 guys standing around the perimeter and Jiri inside. He's playing a lot better but he isn't good enough right now to power through double teams.

ISUFan22 · 01-22-2007, 02:02 PM

Yup, right now Jiri still unsure whether to kick it or power through those double teams. And when he kicks it, it's usually all the way outside instead of looking for someone in closer on the back side.

He'll get there though - he's already made this much progress. I don't expect him or G-Mac to let up now.

He's gotta feel good about hearing "UUUUUUUUUU" emit from the fans once again.

CTAClone · 01-22-2007, 02:07 PM

There was one play I really enjoyed in the second half of the K-State game. Dodie threw it in to Jiri, Jiri got doubled and he immediately dished it out to Wesley who hit a three. Simple play and easy to do. If only we can find someone to hit that shot consistently? And it doesn't have to be a three. I would love for Dodie to shoot a mid range jumper. Right now I'd rather have Dodie in there than Mcintosh because he seems like he can put up some offensive points.

RedStorm · 01-22-2007, 02:21 PM

I think GMac siad it on his show last night...

Ever since the KU game the team has not been as focused and they have not been practiceing very well. GMac expressed maybe they were reading all the stories and getting more "pats on the back" , and he also went on to say that he hopes "they", the whole team learned from it.

ISUFan22 · 01-22-2007, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by RedStorm

I think GMac siad it on his show last night...

Ever since the KU game the team has not been as focused and they have not been practiceing very well. GMac expressed maybe they were reading all the stories and getting more "pats on the back" , and he also went on to say that he hopes "they", the whole team learned from it.

Yeah, I said the same after the loss to Colorado. This team has been grounded for sure - hopefully they'll learn from it.

Just because the media says you're playing well and such doesn't mean the other team will just roll over for ya.

aeroclone · 01-22-2007, 02:28 PM

I agree that Brock Jacobson has no place playing D1 basketball. He can shoot the three, but he takes a long time to get it off and has a low release point. It's even worse on the defensive end. He isn't fast enough to guard a Big 12 caliber guard. He either fouls or gets beat for and easy hoop. He gave us some solid minutes in some non-conference games against the little sisters of the poor, but I would be fine not seeing him on the court again for the remainder of the Big 12 slate.

Though as others have mentioned, some of our other options have come up short of expectations as well...

cyclone14 · 01-22-2007, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by Knownothing

Brock Jacobson is way to slow to be playing basketball. It was thought at first that he would be a liability on the defensive side of the ball. Now he is both on the defense and he can't shoot. He may make all of his baskets in Practice but if you can't shoot the ball during the game it does not count. As Allen Iverson. Practice is Practice.

Ive never seen one player get blocked so much in a season, and not from down low, but getting blocked at three point attempts is a sign that you may be a little slow for division 1 basketball.