WE WILL NOT make the NCAA tourney

[Luth4Cy]

The best 68 teams do not make the tourney, never have and never will with the format of automatic bids.

Yep, but read the second half of what I posted. Blum had an interesting stat on this in a piece several weeks ago. And I would have put best __at-large teams, but I couldn't remember how many teams get at-large bids after automatic bids are done.

Also, what you posted corrects a factual error I made on purpose, but it doesn't refute what I said.

[cmjh10]

NIT is still better than no post season at all. Gets some more experience for those coming back next year.

[kingcy]

This team can beat any team in the Big 12 so yes they can make the tourny, all they need to do is make a run. The bad news is they also can get beat by any team in the Big 12.

[theyork]

We've lost to a winless big 12 team on the road (TT) and now we lost to pathetic (2-8) Texas. I don't care that Kabongo was back. This is not an NCAA tourney team. Why? Because NCAA tourney teams don't fail down the stretch like we do. This is freaking pathetic. Hoiberg you need to coach your team in the last minute instead of relying on statistics. I'm done with this team. See everyone next year

are you done with CF too then? please say yes. my glass is 3/4 empty on a daily basis, but i'll cheer till the bloody end. go be a hawk fan.

[CyDude16]

Lol, I say if we do end up making the ncaa tournament, everyone who posted negatively in this thread should receive a ban of a week.

[Aldencyclones]

if they can win out at home that puts the win total at 20 look at the road games at baylor toss up going to be tough to win at baylor at oklahoma they can win that one at west virginia very winnable i say 22 wins to close out the regular season then the big 12 tourney win the first game that should be a lock for the tourney

[CYUL8R]

+1 to this guy. Good grief! Win out at home and steal just 1 on the road and thats 21 wins. Some of you people seem to lack the capability to see things in some perspective. It is one game. It sucked. Lets go on a run from here. Come on.

If it was just one game (which sucked) I think we'd all be fine. Thing is, this team can't ******* win a road game to save their life. It's like I don't even need to watch anymore...I know it's going to come down to a last-second shot and we **** it away because we LET them get that close and didn't close out. Good teams don't lose this many 'close' games. I think Fred did everything he could tonight - gave Texas like 8 different defensive schemes to fight, kept the guys under control, etc. However, when we are SOOOO soft on defense (lookin' at you, Will) we can't stop anybody. That's why we lose these close games.

Everything else - turnovers, rebounding, assists, heck even scoring, was great tonight. Defense was terrible.

[LindenCy]

We're still in fine shape to make the NCAAs, but these losses are rough. This could be one of those teams that gets into the NCAAs and since no one has expectations, surprises everyone with a mini-run. But again, watching these finishes is excruciating.

[DistrictCyclone]

We're still in fine shape to make the NCAAs, but these losses are rough. This could be one of those teams that gets into the NCAAs and since no one has expectations, surprises everyone with a mini-run. But again, watching these finishes is excruciating.

I'd love this. I don't know who coined it, but the phrase "that's why you play the games" has stuck with me a lot lately. One of the things I love so much about college basketball is that anybody can beat anybody; it's why I follow every single ISU game I'm able to, even when we're down in the dumps, and why I'm usually glued to my couch on Saturdays and Wednesday evenings during the winter. It could happen to us anytime, and I want to be watching when it does.

[isuchicago]

Yeah we should be cool with the third final minute lead choked away in Big 12 play. We should be cool with a loss that could kill us when it comes to Selection Sunday. We should be cool with the coaches not seeming to have any answers to cure the late game collapses. My bad dude

Is that sarcasm? Because yes, you should. Its a ******* game. Be cool dude.

[cyclones500]

I'm trying to keep a level perspective.

Yes, it's frustrating Iowa State couldn't have closed out even one of those 3 road games when it squandered the lead at the end (let's consider the Tech an anomaly because honestly I don't that'd happen more than once in 10 games).

This team is bipolar between home and road/neutral, so it's encouraging that we still get KU and OSU at Hilton, but my worry there is Self will have steered the train by that time after that lull, and the highest-impact win that remains won't happen.

In the mid-range of positivity, 10-8 would may get a bid — but it also could come along with Selection Sunday anxiety. And so far, this remains a classic 10-seed-type team. Few big wins, some regrettable losses, missed opportunities, but still would have to play its way out of the tournament.

And remember this: By mid-February in the six seasons prior to 2011-12, Iowa State was either completely out of realistic at-large contention (all 4 GMac years and Hoiball 1) or was seriously running out of opportunities (2005-06 — Feb. 15: Lost to Nebraska at home, which was followed by the 72-Second Collapse at OU). At least we're still in the mix.

[cyguytillidie]

[RotatingColumn]

Win out at home and we're in. Steal one on the road against Baylor or OU just to help the cause

Yep.. classic Orr team. Undefeated at home and winless on the road.. lock up the 10th seed.

[isuchicago]

And remember this: By mid-February in the six seasons prior to 2011-12, Iowa State was either completely out of realistic at-large contention (all 4 GMac years and Hoiball 1) or was seriously running out of opportunities (2005-06 — Feb. 15: Lost to Nebraska at home, which was followed by the 72-Second Collapse at OU). At least we're still in the mix.

True. We have 16 wins now. How many times have we ended the season with more than 16 wins in recent years? We had a good year last year, having a good year this year..then it was a solid 7-8 straight years of worse records. The sense of entitlement some people have is sickening. The kids are playing hard and have a team that is in the NCAA tourney mix.

Whether they make it or not, do people have to whine so much like they deserve to have their team win the championship and nothing else is good enough? You're not the ones busting your *** in practice.. Only 1 team ends the season 100% satisfied. And there's a good chance that won't be us..get over it.

[Guetterdone1]

People need to unravel their undies.