Does Fred need to change things up after this???

**J-Diggy** · 12-08-2012, 09:44 AM

Booker has played about 20 minutes TOTAL in our last 3 games and consistently picks up two fouls in the first 3-4 minutes. His head isn't right....and if he were to bail right now because he gets benched what exactly are we losing?

Last night we had 3 starters (Mel, Will, and Book) who also happen to include two of our top scorers and rebounders, combine for 5 points, 9 boards and like 9 TOs. Brutal. I have confidence two of those three will play better.

**RayShimley** · 12-08-2012, 09:45 AM

Luscious didn't have a great game, but he played well enough for us to win. The problem was our other 3 starters (outside of Babb) gave us zero (literally in Booker and Clyburn's case).

**RayShimley** · 12-08-2012, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by J-Diggy

Booker has played about 20 minutes TOTAL in our last 3 games and consistently picks up two fouls in the first 3-4 minutes. His head isn't right....and if he were to bail right now because he gets benched what exactly are we losing?

Last night we had 3 starters (Mel, Will, and Book) who also happen to include two of our top scorers and rebounders, combine for 5 points, 9 boards and like 9 TOs. Brutal. I have confidence two of those three will play better.

....or what this guy said.

**CycloneErik** · 12-08-2012, 09:54 AM

It seems so easy to take Booker out of the game mentally. He gets so angry with the 1st and 2nd foul, it seems to take him out of the game for the duration. He needs to get both parts of that right: ease off the fouls, get mentally prepared (and stay there).

Clyburn can turn that around. He needs to be tougher, and remember that every game matters.
Ejim will. He has a track record that suggests last night was an anomaly.

If the change right now were to play Booker 5 minutes a game, and not as a starter, so that he doesn't put us in a hole, I think that could work.

**Yellow Snow** · 12-08-2012, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by Bobby45

I agree bro I agree one hundred percent....

Lucious would be fine if he had Niang's brain. It's a bad combo when you have a point guard with no basketball sense...

Our starting line up needs work. We have a hacker at the 5 that brings no offense. Melvin at the 4, and again no real offensive threat other than garbage buckets. Babb at the 2... good defender but not REALLY a scoring threat either. Be honest how many of you expect the ball to go in when he shoots? Clyburn is our only real scoring option. Good teams will just focus on him and take their chances with the rest.

**fsanford** · 12-08-2012, 09:57 AM

I will vote against the chicken little contingency and say, no he does not need to change things up.

**Dryburn** · 12-08-2012, 10:35 AM

What bothers me most about Booker is that he just does not seem to learn.

In the BYU game, he got his first foul 36 seconds after the game started. Questionable call....but that should tell you the refs are going to be nit-picky. So, then he picks up his second foul with 4:33 gone by, and sits the next 15:27 of the 1st half. He starts again in the 2nd half......and picks up his 3rd foul 1:01 in. Come on!

Last night at Iowa......gets his first foul at 1:08 of the first half. Now again......a player should maybe realize.....I need to play smart here and be more careful. Picks up his second foul 3:48 into the game, and sits the next 16:12 of the half. Second half he starts again.......picks up his 3rd foul 1:35 into the half and sits again.

I'm sorry, but that is just not playing smart basketball. It almost looks like he doesn't want to be out there in the "big" games or something.

He has to somehow learn to play better defense without fouling. Be observant. Be aware. Know what the refs are calling (not just on you but on everyone) and make adjustments to avoid getting called for fouls. It's not easy....but it can be done.

**Wesley** · 12-08-2012, 10:39 AM

When is Bubu's trial?

**Palmer** · 12-08-2012, 10:39 AM

This team is not smart and does not have a Royce White to bail them out.

the end.

**Wesley** · 12-08-2012, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Yellow Snow

Lucious would be fine if he had Niang's brain. It's a bad combo when you have a point guard with no basketball sense...

Our starting line up needs work. We have a hacker at the 5 that brings no offense. Melvin at the 4, and again no real offensive threat other than garbage buckets. Babb at the 2... good defender but not REALLY a scoring threat either. Be honest how many of you expect the ball to go in when he shoots? Clyburn is our only real scoring option. Good teams will just focus on him and take their chances with the rest.

Yep, from what we see on interoir defense, the good teams will score 754-80 against us., That means we need mnore firepower in the starting lineup.

I would like to see a lot more Naz Long at 6-4. Some of thse KL turnovers people just reach in on him and steal the ball.

Clyburn looked shell shocked. When he cannot find a way to drive in from the side bucket, he folded his tent. I thought he could shoot a few mnore from outside. He needs to shoot more floaters from the middle of the lane since he is 6-7.
When KL takes a three, it would be nice to have some rebounders ready to get it.

Niang and Percy need more minutes. Our team IQ would be improved with those two guys out there.

Melvin is the leading rebounder in B12. Good for him.

Thinking we need a Scotty shooter type, and I think Babb is shooting very good right now.

Tyrus is Mr Hustle.

Maybe when we had Royce, Booker had more opportunities. With our new point guard, he does not.

**mitten1975** · 12-08-2012, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by J-Diggy

I have confidence two of those three will play better.

I would say 3 out of 3.

**cloneteach** · 12-08-2012, 10:57 AM

Any starting lineup listed here without Clyburn is absolutely foolish at this point. The team will go as he goes IMO. If he isn't good enough to start then its going to be a long season. Good news is he is a lot better than he played last night and will win more games for you than he will lose. This is still an NCAA tournament team just take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.

**CycloneNation18** · 12-08-2012, 11:00 AM

First of all put Percy Gibson in the starting lineup over Anthony Booker. Gibson's already getting way more minutes than Booker and seems to stay out of foul trouble more often than Booker. Second, if Lucious continues to turn the ball over, give Naz Long more minutes and see how Lucious responds to fewer minutes. I think that Will will be fine. I just don't know where he was mentally last night. Also Iowa is better than most people thought they were. Their only two losses came to Wichita State and Virginia Tech, both of whom are currently undefeated. They will make a run at the NCAA tournament this season.

**Clones21** · 12-08-2012, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Palmer

This team is not smart and does not have a Royce White to bail them out.

the end.

I can agree with this.

**mitten1975** · 12-08-2012, 11:07 AM

The problem with Booker, he wants to be an offensive star. He forgets about his defense as a result on the floor. I think he has proved that he will never be an offensive star. But he still could be the defensive piece this team desperately needs. Gibson has improved but he can't be our defensive stopper inside all alone. We don't have anyone that can besides Booker. Whether we like it or not, Booker needs to be the guy. He needs to forget trying to poke at the ball and force turnovers and think position. He is strong enough to stop any big man in America or at least anyone that I know of. It is obvious that he has worked hard on strength since coming to ISU. All he had to do was force Adam Woodbury away from the hoop last night and he could have done that easily, while moving to stop penetration. If he would buy into a role, he could still help us and maybe even make us into a great team.