Other coaches have us figured out?

[CYKOFAN]

I don't think so. ISU was crushing West Virginia until they shot 75% from 3 in the last 9 minutes.

TCU crashed the glass hard, but couldn't make a shot and ISU had their own offensive rebounds that game also (so at least we were trying).

Last night was all about the lazy play of our team (turning the ball over, taking bad shots, and getting killed on the glass).

We weren't sharp last night and not hitting our 3's, but I wouldn't call it lazy play. We had 11 turnovers to their 15, and we're just going to have to accept that we're likely going to get outrebounded in most big 12 games. Our tallest starter is 6-7 and we're getting nothing out of the guys we were relying on for an inside presence this year. Booker wants to play outside and has been playing poorly, and Gibson has lost the speed and touch he had last year, maybe from the added weight. If we hit a few more 3's last night as we usually do, we win and posters are talking about our good defense, low turnovers, and another gritty road win. Unfortunately we are getting no post play, especially when Niang gets in foul trouble as has happened lately, and we're going to live and die with the 3. Teams are starting to figure that out and I'm hoping Gibson can at least get back to the level he was playing at last year.

[Dryburn]

I don't think coaches have figured anything out really. One of the nice things about Fred's offense is that it is adaptable to adjustments in the defense as long as the basic rules of it are followed.

I think the biggest problems since conference started are the lack of rebounding, the interior defense, and the lack of offensive spacing and ball movement. In the non-conference games, ISU established itself as one of the better rebounding teams in the country. Even in their non-conference losses, ISU either won the rebounding battle, or kept it very close. That has not been the case in the conference games. In the 5 games, ISU has won the rebounding once (TCU), tied once (Texas) and lost the other three. In particular, they seem to give up a lot of offensive rebounds and second opportunities which can cause problems.

The interior defense has not been strong in conference. It seems ISU cannot defend on the inside without fouling, which as we saw last night can lead to personnel problems. I think every college team needs one good shot blocker, if at all possible. I'm not sure ISU has had one since Cato was here.

Finally, ISU was one of the highest scoring teams in the country in the non-conference. That was done with excellent spacing and rapid ball movement which resulted often in good open looks. Teamwork. You can see it by watching, but you can also see it in the stats by the number of assists compared to the number of made baskets. Our of conference, the percentage of made baskets which had an assist was very high. During conference...it is not very good. It seems like ISU is reverting back to the individual play in conference, and that just is not going to win many games.

[Clonehomer]

With the way we played on Wednesday I have to think the crowd or lack there of had some effect on how they played. We've seen this for years now that when we play in 3/4 empty arenas, the effort just isn't there. I don't know if our guys have gotten used to Hilton and feeding of the energy of the fans, but this is nothing new.

So if by figuring us out by clearing out their arenas then yes the lower ranked teams have figured us out.

[SyracuseCyclone]

Ya...I think its much simpler and just comes down to the fact that Lucious and Clyburn are not intellegent players. Therefore they better be giving 100% b/c when they are not the team sucks.

Some teams are OK at 80%. ISU is not one of them. We're a good team when we play hard. When the team goes hard you get very good D as well as fast break points and offensive rebounds to go with the threes. When the team isn't playing hard you get jacked 3s and nothing else.

[im4cyclones]

With the way we played on Wednesday I have to think the crowd or lack there of had some effect on how they played. We've seen this for years now that when we play in 3/4 empty arenas, the effort just isn't there. I don't know if our guys have gotten used to Hilton and feeding of the energy of the fans, but this is nothing new.

So if by figuring us out by clearing out their arenas then yes the lower ranked teams have figured us out.

I asked Coach Rutter once how tough it was to play at the Phog. He said it wasn't the toughest in the conference. The toughest place to play (at least back then) was Colorado because NOBODY showed up at the games. It was hard to get any emotion or energy going. Loud, full arenas - regardless of whether they are for you or against - are easier to get jacked up.

Judging from our play these past two games, I wonder if there isn't something to it.

[MJ271]

I think that the last few teams have figured out a way to stop us. That doesn't mean every other coach in the conference has "figured us out." We should be easy to beat on a bad shooting night, assuming that the other team is playing well.

I think that Tech exposed that we weren't ready for the defenses that they through at us, such as the triangle and 2. I'm sure that Fred will look at tape and figure out how to break that

[Go2Guy]

Last night was all about the lazy play of our team (turning the ball over, taking bad shots, and getting killed on the glass).

I totally agree with this. But I will add that playing lazy is "not having a bad night" - and contributes to the last two points: taking bad shots and getting killed on the (offensive) glass.

We'll have nights when we can't hit a buckets, or have zero chemistry, but to play apathetic - lazy just pisses me off.

[CyCloned]

Last night the team did not seem real inspired and shot the ball horrible. Mcgee has been really bad the last 3 games, and it is not because he hasn't had some good looks. ISU does not have much of a half court offense and never will until they get a real presents in the post. GN does a lot of nice things, but he just isn't tall enough to be a go through post player.

Fred has done a pretty good job of making things works with what they have, but it is clear at times that there are still a few pieces missing.

[CYUL8R]

I asked Coach Rutter once how tough it was to play at the Phog. He said it wasn't the toughest in the conference. The toughest place to play (at least back then) was Colorado because NOBODY showed up at the games. It was hard to get any emotion or energy going. Loud, full arenas - regardless of whether they are for you or against - are easier to get jacked up.

Judging from our play these past two games, I wonder if there isn't something to it.

Iowa game is calling you out on this...I think it's still a team issue and not wanting it badly enough. At least that's what I see. However, we have Fred, so...


LET ME MAYOR COACH.

[Rural]

I don't believe TTEch "figured" anything out.
The game was just bloody gruesome. It was so bad I seriously thought about not watching the 2nd half.

[3rdGenStater]

We are soft, have no big men who want to get nasty. And we don't have a team leader. Its not rocket science to beating us. I think Scott Drew might even be able to figure that out.

This. We're in dire need of a Jared Homan-like guy in the middle. A big guy who cleans the glass, isn't afraid to make contact, is a solid defender, and can go get a bucket when needed.

[bozclone]

We are way more talented than TCU and TT. The issue wasn't with Xs and Os, it was our lack of aggressive play. We seemed to think we could coast and then turn it on when we needed to. The players have to be ready to play from the opening tip. If we set the tone early, both TCU and TT realize they don't have a chance and we win going away. It is easy to single out KL and WC, but it wasn't just those two. Our high energy guys didn't even have energy at Tech.

[Doc]

We are way more talented than TCU and TT. The issue wasn't with Xs and Os, it was our lack of aggressive play. We seemed to think we could coast and then turn it on when we needed to. The players have to be ready to play from the opening tip. If we set the tone early, both TCU and TT realize they don't have a chance and we win going away. It is easy to single out KL and WC, but it wasn't just those two. Our high energy guys didn't even have energy at Tech.

Yeah, they coasted, and then topped it off by not making big shots while Josh Gray and Daylen Robinson did. TTU made a couple huge shots.

[Wesley]

Let's face it. Whrn the game is young we take a lot of dumb, forced shots. Three people touch the ball: KL, WC, and GN. Those three have to make smart choices. Unfortunately, GN keeps getting two fouls early and so he leaves the game. KL has played smart but then he was "sick" at the last game. WC needs to be more judicious on what moves he makes. He gets stuffed at the rim quite a bit and should kick out more.

The team does not take enough ten foot shots: KL, WC, ME, Babb. It is either three or dunk it.

[Bobby45]

Well now since we played the mtn men and coach huggie both tcu and ttech have really slowed down the game and it has kept our offense from really producing, like it did in the texas game.

Unless Coach Fred adjusts to this slow play we will see it for the rest of the season.