Question for ISU fans

[palatine]

That's the stuff we haven't heard much of so far from UCONN fans. Of course I haven't read every post in the treads from today, but most of the UCONN fans have been stating rather matter of factly that no one on our team has a shot at shutting down Lamb and that Drummond is one of the best bigs in the nation and that he will shut down Royce White.

That kind of talk in turn leads ISU fans to tout the efforts of Chris Babb and the unselfishness of White.

That is why someone stated that they hadn't heard any UCONNs provide critical analysis of their team. If any of you had lead with anything resembling minor criticism of your own team then a lot of ISU fans would probably have recieved it better.


Any fair a reasoned analysis is completely welcome here.

Think about it, you get on UConn fans for being too positive. And all we hear is Babb is too special for Lamb and will shut him down. Isn't that exactly what you are complaining that UConn fans are guilty of?

My point is that Lamb is a NBA lottery pick talent with some unique physical traits that have allowed him to be successful. Perhaps, it is in the realm of possibility that he will get his points.

[MNCyGuy]

Uconn fan here. Want to address a few things here:

1) I think the thought throughout the country (which started with Uconn fans) that Jeremy Lamb is disinterested isn't fair. I see him trying to get open, moving without the ball. His problem is a lack of aggressiveness once he has the ball in his hands. He tends to have trouble pulling the trigger when he's got a split second window to shoot the ball. So he tends to disappear a lot in the 2nd half of games (Syracuse in the BET, and West Virginia in the BET, although he did hit a big 3 in OT to help us win). I would not be surprised to see him struggle in this game. Teams have been very physical and aggressive with their defense, so he hasn't taken as many shots. He's tended to be efficient, however, so hopefully he can get his 15 or so points while shooting around 45-50%, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him with only around 10 or so.

2) Andre Drummond has the athleticism to keep up with any big man in the country. I'm not trying to be cocky here; he is likely the #2 pick in this year's NBA draft and as far as a true center goes, he's probably the fastest and most athletic 5 to enter the draft in the last decade. He definitely has the tools to keep up with Royce White...but he's still young and I could see him struggling. Sometimes he needs a fire lit under him. We were losing to WVU by 9 with about 5 minutes left. Jim Calhoun told Andre that if Kevin Jones, the guy Drummond was guarding and one of the best scoring threats in the nation, scored again, he would be taken out of the game. Drummond had done an OK job on Jones prior; he hit some really tough shots, but also got by Andre a few times. For the last 5 minutes of regulation and the entire OT, Drummond locked him down and Jones didn't score a point. I guess what I'm saying is that Andre can keep up with anybody, there's no question. Now, if it was that easy, we'd be a much better team this year, so who knows if he'll play that well Thursday. But this notion that Royce White is too much for the most hyped center prospect since Greg Oden is a little peculiar to read.

The key in this game, IMO, will be whether or not Uconn can guard the 3. We tend to overhelp in the lane, leaving three point shooters wide open. As you all probably know by now, our 3 point defense was 2nd last in the Big East this year. We have the ability to defend the 3 solidly, and have the last few games, but who knows which Uconn team shows up? If you guys are getting open looks and hitting your 3s, it's going to be a tough game.

Defensively, you all need to watch out for Ryan Boatright. He's our 3rd guard and backup PG who plays 20-30 minutes per game. He's about 5-10, but incredibly fast and athletic. He plays similarly to Allen Iverson; not to say he's as good as the Answer, but has a similar style of play. From what I've heard, you guys struggle to limit penetration. If that's the case, he is going to be our biggest weapon, as he usually does a great job getting into the lane and either pulling up, taking it to the rim, or drawing defenders and dishing off a pass to the big men for an easy layup or dunk.

Anyway, here's to a great game on Thursday. Good luck (but not too much!), and if you guys end up beating us, I'll be rooting like crazy for you to knock off Kentucky.

I think Royce is tough to understand if you haven't spent a whole season watching him play. If he's the team's best player and leading scorer, you would think your main concern with him on offense would be keeping him from scoring, but it's not. Even if Royce scores a bunch of points, but they can keep him from setting up easy shots for Ejim or our outside shooters, I think UConn still wins.

[MNCyGuy]

Think about it, you get on UConn fans for being too positive. And all we hear is Babb is too special for Lamb and will shut him down. Isn't that exactly what you are complaining that UConn fans are guilty of?

My point is that Lamb is a NBA lottery pick talent with some unique physical traits that have allowed him to be successful. Perhaps, it is in the realm of possibility that he will get his points.

I don't think it's impossible for Lamb to get his points, but he will EARN them if he does.

[Rico444]

While I agree with everything you just said... Still can't figure out why Vegas has us favorites, why our season was better, and why you guys struggled so much.

I watched you guys play at Lville and completely gave up. I watched you play several times this year when the team played with no emotion. While you guys def have a tangible advantage, it will be interesting to see how well you adapt to a system that you have never seen before.

We also lost our head coach for a month. He had spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spine, and actually had part of his spine pressing down on a nerve. While he was at the Louisville game, he was barely able to move without pain, and if you've seen Calhoun on the sidelines, he is very animated and gets into the players' faces, which is usually very effective. We struggled and really played pretty badly that month without him, but have played much better since he's come back.

We're a very young team, 2nd youngest in the field, so having a hall of famer on the sidelines as opposed to an associate coach who, quite frankly, isn't very good, is a huge difference. We've grown throughout the year, and I'd be shocked if this team showed no heart on Thursday. We may struggle, we may shoot badly or not defend the 3, but we'll play hard.

[Rico444]

I think Royce is tough to understand if you haven't spent a whole season watching him play. If he's the team's best player and leading scorer, you would think your main concern with him on offense would be keeping him from scoring, but it's not. Even if Royce scores a bunch of points, but they can keep him from setting up easy shots for Ejim or our outside shooters, I think UConn still wins.

I understand that. My point is, Drummond should be able to D him up fairly well. If others get lost on screens and are unable to play good defense off the ball, that's something completely different.

[CycloneErik]

After looking at both message boards I am surprised how confident both fan bases appear to be. The majority of both expect to win on Thursday by a decent margin. I think it'll be a great game most likely but either team could run away with it as well.

I'm confident that we can win this game. I'm just looking for a 2-point win.

Survive and advance.

[MNCyGuy]

I'm confident that we can win this game. I'm just looking for a 2-point win.

Survive and advance.

Yea, if this thing is a blowout, it won't be in our favor.

[atlantacyclone]

Why is it that ISU fans are convinced that Babb will shut down Lamb but on the same hand no one can cover White???

As to Lamb, he seems to get his points regardless of who is covering him, The Big East does play some tough defense, I have never seem Babb play so you guys might be right but I would be very interested in conversation that tells me why you consider Babb to be a super defender, like who else has he shut down and how that player compares to JL.

Also White, From what I see he's a tough match up, But Calhoun in the past has had success designing game plans, think Elton Brand and Shaq, Also as far as White bringing ball up I would assume that Uconn is not pressing so it doesn't matter.

Other than Babb shutting down Lamb how do you see ISU defending Napier and Drummond without fouling etc

I see this game as a Tossup, that is Uconn could play well and still Lose,, I just don't get the Lamb will be totally shut down but no one can stop White? seems a little naive, no?

Just watch the game....

[klamath632]

Yea, if this thing is a blowout, it won't be in our favor.

With such different playstyles, I'm confident it's going to be a blowout one way or the other. We'll know by 10 minutes left in the game which team showed up to play.

[Cloner97]

Ask Marcus Denmon of Missouri in the first game ISU played against Missouri in which he only got 6 shots off the entire game, and only made one of them through 39 minutes. He ended up with 6 points, because we fouled him twice in the last minute to try and win/tie the game.

Ask Jackson of Baylor after Babb was put on him in the 2nd half after he dropped 30 points on another defender through a half and some minutes. Jackson could barely get a shot off in over 10 minutes of play with Babb on him and i'm pretty sure he either didn't make any or made only 1 of the shots.

You could pretty much ask any team the same question, minus a few games maybe. Some stats are misleading as well. For example, he might have been on J'Covan Brown last game, but brown also went 7-19 from the field that game, and 3-16 in another.


As far as White goes. You can shut him down for scoring but he's going to find open shooters/cutters if you do that. He's been doing that all year to every team. Our coach has told him to stop being so selfless before because he loves to pass the ball. He's already recorded a triple double this year, and a few other games he was close to having one. There was one game where he scored 2 points, but we still won because he had about 7 or 8 assists. He might be a big man, but he passes and when he's on his game, you will be shocked at some of the passes he's able to make.

Obviously this guy couldn't ask Denmon, Brown, or Jackson unless he has soem sort of media credentials. Thus, I would guess that's why he on here asking those questions.

[MNCyGuy]

With such different playstyles, I'm confident it's going to be a blowout one way or the other. We'll know by 10 minutes left in the game which team showed up to play.

I don't know if I buy that just on the "different styles" argument. We play a very different style than K-State and both of those games were close.

[cyhiphopp]

Think about it, you get on UConn fans for being too positive. And all we hear is Babb is too special for Lamb and will shut him down. Isn't that exactly what you are complaining that UConn fans are guilty of?

My point is that Lamb is a NBA lottery pick talent with some unique physical traits that have allowed him to be successful. Perhaps, it is in the realm of possibility that he will get his points.

I responeded to a poster who said that a lot of UCONN fans have negative things to say about the team, but we hadn't heard any until that point.

I'm pretty sure most fans here have been touting Babb only because UCONN fans said that we have no chance to contain him.

Most of the ISU fans here have been pretty unbiased. Most have stated that Babb has been our best defender. There have even been stat comparisons for the best scorers in the Big12 which he has guarded.

You can be positive if you want, but don't be surprised if we respond with out own optimism.


Personally, I think Lamb will score some points, but Babb will give him a good game defensively.

Also, if UCONN fans really think that all they have to do is not let Royce score, they are mistaken. We have had some of our best games when he has had the offense flow through him and set up his teammates.

[Doc]

Why is it that ISU fans are convinced that Babb will shut down Lamb but on the same hand no one can cover White???

As to Lamb, he seems to get his points regardless of who is covering him, The Big East does play some tough defense, I have never seem Babb play so you guys might be right but I would be very interested in conversation that tells me why you consider Babb to be a super defender, like who else has he shut down and how that player compares to JL.

Also White, From what I see he's a tough match up, But Calhoun in the past has had success designing game plans, think Elton Brand and Shaq, Also as far as White bringing ball up I would assume that Uconn is not pressing so it doesn't matter.

Other than Babb shutting down Lamb how do you see ISU defending Napier and Drummond without fouling etc

I see this game as a Tossup, that is Uconn could play well and still Lose,, I just don't get the Lamb will be totally shut down but no one can stop White? seems a little naive, no?

Ken Pomeroy does comps based on stat profiles for each player in college basketball. Royce White's #1 comp is 2010 Greg Monroe. Royce White's #2 comp is 2009 Evan Turner. A center and a PG.

Lamb is a very good player, and I don't see us keeping him <10 pts. You may very well keep Royce <10 pts. That said, Royce is a unique player, while Lamb is just a really good player, and I think that's why we're confident that Drummond won't stop him from creating points for us.

EDIT: FYI, Lamb's comps are Sean Kirkpatrick, and a guy named Shan.

[isulive2train]

We think our pep band drummer is rushing songs half the time. That's what we criticize.

[vmbplayer]

We think our pep band drummer is rushing songs half the time. That's what we criticize.

I e-mailed Pollard about that. I'm pretty sure it's been worked out.