Williams Blog: Cyclones lack a closer

**ISUFan22** · 03-03-2010, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by snowcraig2.0

In your mind, but I bet Greg would be brought back next season had we reached the NIT.

If our fans and athletic director can't expect an NCAA appearance in 4 years, with 2 guys that are firm on the NBA scout radar, it's not gonna happen.

NIT wasn't going to mean squat this season.

**snowcraig2.0** · 03-03-2010, 08:38 AM

I refuse to believe that a guy that can play for his country is as one dimensional as he was in this offense.

Yeah, maybe one of the reasons he left?

**ISUFan22** · 03-03-2010, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by snowcraig2.0

Yeah, maybe one of the reasons he left?

Right. How was Lucca going to benefit if he stayed?

I do think Lucca did a very cowardly thing and left midseason. But I would not blame him for leaving after the season like a man (aka, not sneaking out of town cowardly) and I wouldn't blame any other player on our team for also doing it.

**BryceC** · 03-03-2010, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by snowcraig2.0

In your mind, but I bet Greg would be brought back next season had we reached the NIT.

I honestly think Greg would have been back had he given the fans something to hang their hats on - some big wins, an NIT, something. As it stands this is the worst season record wise of his four. It was NCAA or bust for me as far as my support of him goes, but my opinion doesn't matter.

**snowcraig2.0** · 03-03-2010, 09:26 AM

I think Lucca could do more than Greg was letting him. Greg pigeon holes players into certain roles.

**jbhtexas** · 03-03-2010, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by snowcraig2.0

I think people really, really underestimated what losing Lucca was going to do to this team. Lucca was average in most facets of the game. However, he was a great 3 point shooter. We have very few players one the team who are 'great' at anything. I really believe we would have 3-5 more Big 12 wins with him on the team.

Disagree. Look at his Big 12 stats...he was a non-factor offensively (and defensively) in the Big 12 last year, and he was headed on the same path this year. He was a "great" 3-pt shoorter when he was open. When guarded by a Big-12 caliber players, he was below average, and couldn't get open to make his shots.

Either he didn't have the abilities to be a factor night-in and night-out in the Big 12, or his coach didn't understand how to utilize him in such a manner that he would be a consistent factor in Big 12 play. Maybe two more wins with him this year if he sticks out the season...

**CycloneWarning** · 03-03-2010, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by jbhtexas

Disagree. Look at his Big 12 stats...he was a non-factor offensively (and defensively) in the Big 12 last year, and he was headed on the same path this year. He was a "great" 3-pt shoorter when he was open. When guarded by a Big-12 caliber players, he was below average, and couldn't get open to make his shots.

Either he didn't have the abilities to be a factor night-in and night-out in the Big 12, or his coach didn't understand how to utilize him in such a manner that he would be a consistent factor in Big 12 play. Maybe two more wins with him this year if he sticks out the season...

Agree that it is tough to say since we did not see him in conference play.

On one hand, ISU used to lead the Big 12 in 3 pt percentage and used to be top 10 in the country in that category. We have spiraled down.

But a lot of us fans saw serious issues with this team (coaching) after they blew back-to-back second half leads against NW and UNI. And that was WITH Lucca and Boozer. So in the end, to me, Lucca is just another log on the GMac excuse pile.

**Clones85'** · 03-03-2010, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by jbhtexas

Disagree. Look at his Big 12 stats..

17 points against Texas
7 against Nebraska

Average of 12 a game

Doesn't seem bad to me. Now if you want to look at last year, yeah he struggled. But it was his first year playing college basketball and he was playing on a bad wheel on a team that had 2 walk ons getting lots of minutes

**mcblogerson** · 03-03-2010, 09:52 AM

They lack more of a go-to scorer, than a closer. DG or Gilstrap should be the ones taking shots at the end of a game, they're the only ones who can drive to the hoop and put pressure on the d to foul. Colvin and Scotty can create, but only as a last resort would I want them taking the last shot.

Otherwise the biggest disappointment this year was Brackins not living up to the hype. Big time players take over in big games. He's a solid player, and I hope he comes back, but he's not even as good as Gilstrap IMO.

**ISUFan22** · 03-03-2010, 09:54 AM

Lucca showed against Texas what I think he could have been doing more often. I watched him create his own shot twice in that game. One a longer 2 and the other a 3 point shot.

Leaving this program seems like a wise decision for players. Brackins should have made that decision last season.

**Wesley** · 03-03-2010, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by snowcraig2.0

Exactly who on our team is that much better of a defender than Lucca? He was not any worse than what we are currently putting out there.

His performance in the Drake game is really the only 'dominating' performance we have seen all season out of a player on this team.

Craig had a 29 point effort recently.

Gilstrap had a 26 pointer.

Booze had a 19 pointer.

Ham made double digits a few times.

DG had a 15 point effort recently.

Dendy had ten last night.

That is all.

**CloneIce** · 03-03-2010, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by tamjam

I think his defense offset whatever benefit he would've given to our offense and our Big 12 wins would be the same.

Sadly, his main replacement (Scottie) gets burned just as regularly as Lucca on the defensive end.

**Ficklone02** · 03-03-2010, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by BryceC

I honestly think Greg would have been back had he given the fans something to hang their hats on - some big wins, an NIT, something. As it stands this is the worst season record wise of his four. It was NCAA or bust for me as far as my support of him goes, but my opinion doesn't matter.

I could see this. I don't think McD had to set the world on fire to receive some support from Jamie at season's end....but we needed something. There is zero evidence right now to believe anything will change by bringing him back.

**Clonegrad07** · 03-03-2010, 10:46 AM

I disagree on the Lucca comments. We weren't winning with him... what makes you think we win any more games with him down the stretch. He's not a guy who could create his own shot or take the ball and you knew he would score. He was a spot shooter with a nice stroke who couldn't play a lick of defense. I don't think we missed him that much. The only impact him leaving had on us was it was another blow to the psyche of the team. It was just one more person jumping off the bandwagon and that hurts... especially from a guy you went to war with every Tuesday and Saturday.

I have said since the UNI game that we don't have a guy that DEMANDS the ball when the going gets tough... we have a bunch of guys who wil score sometimes if the ball is in their hand, but no one is ready to dig down deep, grow some balls, and take over. Craig should be that guy. He's not. Diante should have times he's that guy. He's not. Gilstrap would be a GREAT guy to be that guy. He's not either. It's frustrating.

**Clonegrad07** · 03-03-2010, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

Lucca showed against Texas what I think he could have been doing more often. I watched him create his own shot twice in that game. One a longer 2 and the other a 3 point shot.

Leaving this program seems like a wise decision for players. Brackins should have made that decision last season.

I don't know if the record changes if he would have....