Style of play......

**jay moe** · 11-22-2010, 12:07 PM

Wasn't able to attend the game yesterday, caught most of it on the radio and watched all the post game video. What an exciting and energetic game, which leads me to this question. Why didn't ISU play this style while MCD was coach? He had the athletes, especially last year, I just don't understand. Somebody close to the team please enlighten me....

**CycloneErik** · 11-22-2010, 12:08 PM

We saved it for one big game: Texas (and some small-scale opponents).

Greg just wasn't comfortable that we could hang if we went running. It had to be the grind-it-out style, even though that wasn't going to work.

**CycloneYoda** · 11-22-2010, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by jay moe

Wasn't able to attend the game yesterday, caught most of it on the radio and watched all the post game video. What an exciting and energetic game, which leads me to this question. Why didn't ISU play this style while MCD was coach? He had the athletes, especially last year, I just don't understand. Somebody close to the team please enlighten me....

Every coach has their own philosophy. McDermott played a structured half-court offense at UNI, and adopted this strategy when he started coaching.

**Clones21** · 11-22-2010, 12:09 PM

McDermott is very hard headed about running his sets. They tryed to run with us yesterday and they did an alright job at it, but they were hitting everything. After this game the Blue Jays will go back to scoring 56 points a game.

**jay moe** · 11-22-2010, 12:12 PM

One of the qualities of a good coach is to adapt to the type of player he has or is able to get. Now since MCD was such a supposed great X's and O's coach, why couldn't he adapt to the type of player he could get at a BCS school?

**CycloneErik** · 11-22-2010, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by jay moe

One of the qualities of a good coach is to adapt to the type of player he has or is able to get. Now since MCD was such a great X's and O's coach, why couldn't he adapt to the type of player he could get at a BCS school?

That question has gone on and on for 4+ years now. Basically, he's sort of good at one style, and that's it.

**Ficklone02** · 11-22-2010, 12:20 PM

He's smart enough to understand the concepts of running basketball...but I think his personality is his own worst enemy, he's such a control freak that he can't handle having an uptempo offense, because he then yields control of the offense to player judgement on the court. My 2 cents...makes him look bad, like he wants all the praise for his teams successes because he controls it all.

**jay moe** · 11-22-2010, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Ficklone02

He's smart enough to understand the concepts of running basketball...but I think his personality is his own worst enemy, he's such a control freak that he can't handle having an uptempo offense, because he then yields control of the offense to player judgement on the court. My 2 cents...makes him look bad, like he wants all the praise for his teams successes because he controls it all.

Excellent post, just found it odd that the score was so high yesterday and that Creighton was allowed to run as much as they did. I was expecting a much more concerted effort by Creighton to make the game a half court style of play.

**kucyclone** · 11-22-2010, 12:25 PM

You guys realize that the game was only 70 possessions, right? It was basically the same pace we played at last year under Greg. The difference wasn't the pace; it was that the defense was poor (or the offense was really good).

**Cyclonepride** · 11-22-2010, 12:26 PM

Freddie seems to be more comfortable taking gambles at steals and then helping on the defensive end if they miss than Greg was, and on the offensive end, he certainly looks like he wants to break down the defense before it gets set up as a first option, where it seemed like Greg wanted to look for the easy transition, but preferred to run the offense if they didn't have the numbers.

**VeloClone** · 11-22-2010, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Ficklone02

He's smart enough to understand the concepts of running basketball...but I think his personality is his own worst enemy, he's such a control freak that he can't handle having an uptempo offense, because he then yields control of the offense to player judgement on the court. My 2 cents...makes him look bad, like he wants all the praise for his teams successes because he controls it all.

I get what you are saying, but how do you explain Larry Eustachy then? He was/is the most controlling coach you will ever meet. They graded everything out in each player's performance right down to which hand took the towel from the manager during time outs, but he regularly turned the whole offense over to Mel. "We are running 1-4 flat. Make something happen, Tinsley."

**jtdoyle1** · 11-22-2010, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by kucyclone

You guys realize that the game was only 70 possessions, right? It was basically the same pace we played at last year under Greg. The difference wasn't the pace; it was that the defense was poor (or the offense was really good).

Both teams shot lights out, especially the 3 ball.

**Goldfinger** · 11-22-2010, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by jay moe

Wasn't able to attend the game yesterday, caught most of it on the radio and watched all the post game video. What an exciting and energetic game, which leads me to this question. Why didn't ISU play this style while MCD was coach? He had the athletes, especially last year, I just don't understand. Somebody close to the team please enlighten me....

we did, but after JVB got hurt early and then Lucca left it was mostly just Scot C as a three point threat, it affected spacing teams could pack it in making it tougher for DG to penetrate and Brackins would get doubled. Scot got mono and it made things even worse. The other thing to not forget is we just never had enough quality guards under Mac, it was his undoing. DG is improved but now we have Jake, a healthy Scott, Bubu, and Phillips, plus Ejim can put the ball on the floor a little. It makes all the difference in the world, who could put the ball on the floor and create last year-DG and that was basically it.

**kentkel** · 11-22-2010, 12:39 PM

I think it took too long for Mac to begin to adapt and, even then, he didn't adapt enough.

I think TOO much emphasis was placed on CB, when DG should have been given a little longer "leash."

Also, think about what a Jake Anderson & healthy JVB & SC would have done for last year's team? Lucca, Colvin & even too much CB really hurt our team last year. This year's squad is playing with confidence, a sense of urgency (especially the seniors) and unselfishness. If JA had scored one more point, he would have been the 5th Clone to have gone for 20pts this year. We don't have a deep bench, but I like the "team" concept that is evident already this year!!

-Don't know how we will end up doing by year's end - but it has been great to watch THIS brand of basketball so far!!