An honest question

**IcSyU** · 02-26-2013, 08:12 AM

And we have some AWFUL plays drawn up to finish halves. The play at the end of the game was absolutely terrible draw up. "Yeah Korie, we're going to get you the ball on the run (excellent) and then just jog up and take a shot from 26' (what?!)." 4.9 seconds is more than plenty to go coast to coast.

**cyhawkdmb** · 02-26-2013, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by CyCy

Bill Self has been a coach for 28 years, Fred Hoiberg for 3. A lot of development is learning from mistakes - Fred is doing some of that now.

Agree.

**cyhawkdmb** · 02-26-2013, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by IcSyU

And we have some AWFUL plays drawn up to finish halves. The play at the end of the game was absolutely terrible draw up. "Yeah Korie, we're going to get you the ball on the run (excellent) and then just jog up and take a shot from 26' (what?!)." 4.9 seconds is more than plenty to go coast to coast.

Agree here to.. 1 point wins the game. That was poor execution. No need for a 3

**CYclist** · 02-26-2013, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by kingcy

Guys from the other team step up and make big plays. ISU lacks that guy that can step up in the last 10 secs of a game and hit a shot. Guys hit tough shots against us late in games for whatever reason.

I've kind of said that in all the other games, but can't say that last night. Niang stood up and made THE gamewinning play. More often than not, the gamewinning play is a defensive play and he provided that last night. Any other game, any other opponent, any gym around, that call gets made. I'm still trying to figure out how it didn't get called.

**Wesley** · 02-26-2013, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by chuckd4735

I agree that ISU seems to play very up tempo for about 38.5 minutes, and then they slow it way down and try to burn clock. It get frustrating watching ISU dribble the ball around for 27 seconds, and then try to score with 8 seconds left on the shot clock. I get the point of trying to burn clock, and I'm OK with it, but too many times for ISU it has ended with an empty possession, and that's frustrating.

I got trashed after the Texas game for bringing this up, but Hoiberg's use of timeouts at the end of the game are still not good, IMO. Letting the guys play is just not working.

He has been calling timeouts during the runs in the last two games. He has adapted.

We need to play more aggressively on defense in the last two minutes. Will and KL need to help Babb out more in the last two minutes on defense. Let them drive the middle instead of canning threes. It is tiresome to see how many threes go down when the other teams need them. I think we need to go to Plan B on defense. Put Booker in. Bring Bubu in. He is pesky as you do not know what he will do on defense. We need to tweak.

**iowast8fan** · 02-26-2013, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by IcSyU

We change what got us there in the first place. We force ourselves to be a half court team and we just aren't very good when we do so.

We also show our lack of size and lack of fundamentals defensively. You can get away with trying to out-athletic team when they're only sending 2 or 3 to the board. When they start crashing 4 or 5 you aren't going to have much success.

I agree with this. ISU is one of the worst teams defensively in the big 12. If you look at field goal percentage, our opponents are shooting very well against us. That doesn't play out well in close games at the end when the team can't defend well.

**WalkingCY** · 02-26-2013, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by chuckd4735

I agree that ISU seems to play very up tempo for about 38.5 minutes, and then they slow it way down and try to burn clock. It get frustrating watching ISU dribble the ball around for 27 seconds, and then try to score with 8 seconds left on the shot clock. I get the point of trying to burn clock, and I'm OK with it, but too many times for ISU it has ended with an empty possession, and that's frustrating.

I got trashed after the Texas game for bringing this up, but Hoiberg's use of timeouts at the end of the game are still not good, IMO. Letting the guys play is just not working.

agree here. When they went up 97-92... Fred should have burned one of our 2 timeouts there. And I mean early in the possession to work out a play and get us back in it. What happened - the guys looked out of sorts on the next possession, we chucked up a tough looking shot and missed it. Thus, gave kansas an even better chance to bury us in OT. That was the possession that cost us the game right there.

I love Freddie, I have no doubt we will be the most sucessful we have ever been under him. But burn those timeouts to put the flames out sometimes... Playing through it, especially late in the game, has not worked. Well, hasn't worked against "good" competition. Thus, resulting in late game losses.

Still have a lot to play for left. Get focused for OU and win out the remainder of the reg. season. It can be done, especialy with the talent we have. No excuses from here on out.

**IcSyU** · 02-26-2013, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley

Will and KL need to help Babb out more in the last two minutes on defense. Let them drive the middle instead of canning threes.

This is what gets us in trouble in the first place. We help one pass away and then there's someone wide open (last night, Releford and Johnson) with no one on their half of the floor. Letting them drive is great in theory but with our big man troubles we can't let that happen.

Our three point defense at the end needs to do one of two things:
1) Hedge out with the screener's defender so there isn't space to shoot
2) Go over all screens

We continue to go under -> Open looks. Kind of like how we will blow teams up if they play under screens.

**megamanxzero35** · 02-26-2013, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by CycloneErik

We don't have a finisher.

Last year, we had Royce and Scotty. They loved finishing those games.
This year, we don't have that guy.

We're good enough to win these games. It's not a lack of coaching experience here. We won these games last year, and Fred had less experience.

We just don't have that assassin that loves to finish a team off.

Fully agree here. I think most of us would feel comfortable with Royce or Scotty taking the last shot. We just don't have a guy on the team that has that edge to him.

**LutherBlue** · 02-26-2013, 09:18 AM

Come on, last night was not on Fred or anyone else. We have given away a couple games with bad defensive lapses (first KU game and at UT), but ISU did everything they needed to do last night to win the game.

We were up 4 after KL made free throws with 23 seconds left. Johnson heaves in the 28 footer at the 15 second mark -- that was not bad defense, that was a miraculous shot. KL makes one of two and then the zebras stole the game. Georges did his job, he beat the guy to the spot on the floor and had his feet set. We did what we had to do last night. Sometimes the other guys hit crazy shots and sometimes you get robbed. Last night it was both.

**VeloClone** · 02-26-2013, 09:33 AM

I have seen this team go down and play it like they usually do - that is not slow it down - and come away empty leaving the other team with extra time to come back and I have seen them slow it down and come up empty. They seem to have a problem closing either way.

I don't put this one on the team, though. They were keeping KU at arms length but KU was getting all the calls in the last couple of minutes and were making ridiculous shots.

**MartyFine** · 02-26-2013, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by Mumbai1986

This is an honest question. No need for pointing of fingers or criticizing what other people say. It is fair to say that ISU has lost a good amount of close games this year. We have lost to Kansas in 2 overtimes after we gave up a lead in the final minute. Same thing occurred at Texas and at Oklahoma State. We nearly gave up our lead to West Virginia at home, but eeked out a win. The Texas Tech game we were just awful the entire game. Even our win against Baylor, the last minute or so was nerve racking because we could not seem to finish them off right away.

My question then is, why is this occurring? Why can we not seem to win these really close games? Do we take too many threes in the final minutes? Do we take too quick of shots in the final minute? Could this be the fault of the coaching staff not teaching our athletes how to play in the final minutes of the game? Does this team just not have the ability to close out good teams in the final minute? Are the referees to blame? Or are we just cursed?

I really want hear the opinions of people on this board. We have had the night to rage and drink our sorrows away. What do you think is the reason why we can't win these close games?

We will still make the tournament. I am confident in that assertion. This team is too good to be left out. These losses though are excruciating.

ISU has been robbed by awful officiating in practically every game that you mentioned.

The Big 12 has to get some young blood in there, and they have to do a better job of evaluating officials.

**Gunnerclone** · 02-26-2013, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by megamanxzero35

Fully agree here. I think most of us would feel comfortable with Royce or Scotty taking the last shot. We just don't have a guy on the team that has that edge to him.

We might, but Luscious won't give up the damn ball any time there is a chance to be a hero so we may never find out.

**Rhoadhoused** · 02-26-2013, 10:31 AM

It comes down to defense. It has never been an offensive issue. We don't have a shot blocking help defender.

**cloneteach** · 02-26-2013, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by IcSyU

And we have some AWFUL plays drawn up to finish halves. The play at the end of the game was absolutely terrible draw up. "Yeah Korie, we're going to get you the ball on the run (excellent) and then just jog up and take a shot from 26' (what?!)." 4.9 seconds is more than plenty to go coast to coast.

We have no clue if this is what was drawn up. It is what was executed or not executed. To me it looked like KL was going to take it at the rim and dish it out the McGee in the corner if his defender collapsed but he slowed down for the three.