Post game thoughts

[cyco2000]

Let a couple years of recruiting classes mature to the point where we have 5 scholarship starters and an 8 man rotation of scholarship players in the system. The recruiting classes continue to grow in talent and although we haven't produced wins, we are producing more and more talent to achieve those wins.

How long will it be before that happens? How long is too long? I think next year is the year.

Man, I hate losing. But, I love ISU. I guess my mind is clouded by going to school from 1995-2000, and knowing that it can be done at ISU. I got to see some awesome basketball games, along with some poor ones. But, at least there were awesome times mixed in. Maybe with lower expectations, I could be happy in the lower third of the B12.

I will go into the next game cheering and wanting ISU to win. Hopefully I won't be ****** off afterwards, and wondering WTF?

[ianoconnor]

I don't understand why we let 5 seconds run off the clock between all of the Cam Lee fouls...

[cyco2000]

I can easily identify things I think Mac can do better.

I don't think putting walk-ons in starting roles is anyone's ideal situation, and I would guess that Mac doesn't sit a McD All-American to play Brian Peterson.

Your answers would probably help--I don't know. The problem I have is that I don't see anything happening to correct the problems (we're still losing). I don't go to practice, I don't recruit. I go to and watch games, and I see us not winning. I come on here and see us waiting until next year.

I think Coach is an awesome person, and want him to succeed. However, my love for ISU is greater, and I want them to succeed moreso.

[mwitt]

I don't understand why we let 5 seconds run off the clock between all of the Cam Lee fouls...

Because he wasn't fouling him on purpose. He was supposed to go out there and play really tough defense. Maybe force a turnover. If he fouls, so be it.

[CyCrazy]

I wish we could find someone to complement CB untill we do that and get someone else to shot it will be tough to win. I look at Lucca for instance today and he stands around hoping to get the ball I hope he can learn to create a shot on his own that would help.
Go clones

[StLouisClone]

I love lucca as much as the next guy but is it me or does he look like a baby calf trying to walk when he drives to the basket ....arms legs ball all just falling over himself

I've noticed that too. He seems fine bringing the ball down the court, but really struggles on the drive. All of our guys need to be stronger when they put the ball on the floor. And is it too much to ask for someone to recover a loose ball once in a while?

[johnsonjj]

Where is the dude that was telling us Brackins couldn't carry Aldrich's lunch? don't get me wrong, Aldrich is and will be even more solid as he develops. he is the traditional big lumbering Center type, but Brackins was in a different league, and it was a variety of offensive weapons.

Did anyone notice how good a job the Kansas big men did after they rebounded to hustle down the floor to get a deep post up position established. I was impressed. Another sign of good coaching.

[nj829]

How long will it be before that happens? How long is too long? I think next year is the year.

Man, I hate losing. But, I love ISU. I guess my mind is clouded by going to school from 1995-2000, and knowing that it can be done at ISU. I got to see some awesome basketball games, along with some poor ones. But, at least there were awesome times mixed in. Maybe with lower expectations, I could be happy in the lower third of the B12.

I will go into the next game cheering and wanting ISU to win. Hopefully I won't be ****** off afterwards, and wondering WTF?

I think next year is the key year, unless the recruiting class he gets is ranked quite high, then it may be time to look elsewhere, especially if post-season play is missed again. I really want him to succeed and want him to get a fair shake and think he can do it, but will be joining the unpatient bandwagon I fear if next year isn't a good one.

[johnsonjj]

My first staff change would be to name Hamilton team cook and get him to force feed his PB&Js to the rest of the team!!!

[isucyfan]

Your answers would probably help--I don't know. The problem I have is that I don't see anything happening to correct the problems (we're still losing). I don't go to practice, I don't recruit. I go to and watch games, and I see us not winning. I come on here and see us waiting until next year.

I think Coach is an awesome person, and want him to succeed. However, my love for ISU is greater, and I want them to succeed moreso.

Fair enough.

I think Coach could be less stubborn and change up defenses. I'd like to see us switch in and out of a zone in certain situations to keep offenses guessing and out of sync.

I think Coach should burn timeouts at the first sign of a run...it doesn't help to have them for the end of the game if you're out of the game.

I think Coach's substitution patterns are sometimes confusing. He tends to take guys out when they are hot. I don't care how tired someone is...if he just made two threes, or two good post moves, ride him until he cools off, then rest him.

With this being said, I think these things, and the McDermott downsides in general, are not the complete product of bad coaching. It's been rehashed here ad naseum, but there just aren't many coaches that could come in and succeed quickly with the hand that's been dealt them. I subscribe to the thought that the devastating defections from the program have more to say about those that chose to leave than McDermott, and no one that loses the talent that we've lost should be very good right now.

I also think we're not far away from being good. I think we are vastly improved from last year. I remember taking 25 seconds to get into our sets. It's not showing up in the W/L column yet, but we are improving. I will love to see upperclassmen in the system next year.

Before you accuse me of "waiting for next year", or being a Mac apologist, please give me something concrete that you would do to improve the program. I think complaining is a waste of breath, and I will respect constructive criticism. It's the repeated complaining with no substance that grates on my nerves.

That is all...you asked!

[CyCloned]

My first staff change would be to name Hamilton team cook and get him to force feed his PB&Js to the rest of the team!!!

I agree, ISU just isn't physical enough. All the good guards in the Big 12 look like LBers and can handle the ball and can shoot. DG can sort of handle the ball, Peterson can shot if open, no one brings that physical, get bumped and make the shot to the table for ISU.

[cyclonenum1]

So do you think ISU should fire him after this season? Do we need to shake up the staff? Let's hear something concrete.

It may come as a surprise to you but I have never called for him to be fired. I also may surprise you by saying that since we have a pretty decent chunk of season left that I would like to see that play out. If we did not win another game the rest of the way (which I doubt would happen...but could) then I will probably be ready to see us find another coach. Of course, if he could show me some evidence of being able to produce (a good upset win, some road wins, a little run in the conference tourney, etc.) then I probably would be of the mindset to let him go forward. One thing is certain, if I were Pollard I would be having a conversation with him now letting him know that he needs to start producing and posthaste.

[Wesley]

Great post! The thing we needed was Garrett or Lucca to knock down a few shots and that would've force KU to change their game plan but they didn't and kept everyone except Brackins from doing anything.

What it looked like:

DG can dribble but cannot shoot layups or short shots.

SH looked like a starter.

BP could not guyard Collins as he was too small to fight through the opicks. He did not get any good shots.

Lucca was a non factor, especially shooting.

VB made it too easy for KU by lauching too many threes.

Booze looked good.

AT was a non factor.

We saw a lot of crappy shooting at home. What a disappointment.

I think everybody should take a lesson from jake Sullivan and go practivce on their shooting. We3 cannot win if wwe shoot this poorly.

Greg needs to hget a point guard who is a shooting threat or DG needs to get better at shooting. No threat hurts the rest of the team.

Fifteen loss could have been thirty point loss.

[acody]

I posted this in the game thread, but I'll post it again here.

Self had an awesome gameplan. For the most part, they played Brackins straight up, but their guards were all over Staiger & Peterson. Brackins can go off for 50, but if nobody else contributes ISU is still going to lose. Garrett isn't a threat with the jump shot so they're sagging off of him. But whenever he drives into the lane KU is sending a second defender at him hard so he can't create for somebody else. Brackins really is our only multi-dimensional player. You focus on the rest of our team & take away what they do best, & we're screwed.

I don't think this is a coaching issue. I think this is an athelte issue. Plain and simple, KU has much, much better athletes. You hassle our outsider shooters, none of whom are a threat off the dribble, and you can really take them out of the game. Combine this with the fact that we shot 34.5% on the game & we didn't stand a chance. If the rest of the team knocks some shots down, this is a drastically different game. But I think KU's gameplan had a lot to do with the result of this game.

You are right on target Mr. ShagcarpetJesus! This is one of the worst collection of athletes I've seen in the last 20 years of ISU basketball. College basketball is about guard play. Our guard play is weak and we have no small forward. Garret is the only player on the team that can beat anyone off the dribble so it is easy to defend us.
In summary, Gmac has done a poor job recruiting and an equally poor job of player retention. South Dakota State had better athletes than we do. Hopefully the new assistant who is recruiting Chicago will bring us some players. If not, we're screwed.

[isucyfan]

It may come as a surprise to you but I have never called for him to be fired. I also may surprise you by saying that since we have a pretty decent chunk of season left that I would like to see that play out. If we did not win another game the rest of the way (which I doubt would happen...but could) then I will probably be ready to see us find another coach. Of course, if he could show me some evidence of being able to produce (a good upset win, some road wins, a little run in the conference tourney, etc.) then I probably would be of the mindset to let him go forward. One thing is certain, if I were Pollard I would be having a conversation with him now letting him know that he needs to start producing and posthaste.

That's as close to a vote of confidence as I'll get from you!
A couple of things: I think Pollard has already given Mac a big vote of confidence himself. Also, I would really want to hear what you (or others) would do to improve the program, especially if you think Mac should be around for at least next year. Not to put words in your mouth, but I feel I've heard about the things he doesn't do, and the negatives about the players and recruits. Throw me a bone here...be an armchair coach and tell us how to turn this around.