*** Official #7 Kansas vs #23 IOWA STATE Game(Day) Thread ***

[NorthCyd]

While winning 2 games next week would be amazing, the goal is to go 1-1 and be 6-3 next time the team plays in Hilton.

I'm not sure we even need to do that. I think we can win out at home and get two more road wins and we'll be right there with 12 wins. Should put us in the top 4 at the least, which is really important for the Big XII tournament. We've got UCF on the road, which we need to win if we really want to contend for first, and then find another one somewhere else and we have a shot.

 

[ForeverIowan]

Get through @Baylor @texas 2-0 and the schedule lightens up a bit with a lot of games down the stretch in Hilton. Get through the next two and Iowa State will be favored in all remaining games sans @Houston.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Get through @Baylor @texas 2-0 and the schedule lightens up a bit with a lot of games down the stretch in Hilton. Get through the next two and Iowa State will be favored in all remaining games sans @Houston.

I still think the "lighten up a bit" is the toughest part of the schedule mentally because it's natural for young people to take a breath after that gauntlet.

 

[ForeverIowan]

I still think the "lighten up a bit" is the toughest part of the schedule mentally because it's natural for young people to take a breath after that gauntlet.

If this team is 7-2 at the halfway point of the conference season and in 1st place in the Big 12 I dont foresee any letting down. Hilton will be electric down the stretch as well if a conference title is within grasp. Win the Big 12 and you are looking at at worst a #2 seed in Omaha. Go.Freaking.Get.It!

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

 

[CascadeClone]

I'll consider allowing it.

I'll allow you to consider it.

 

[NorthCyd]

Bill Self reacting to our latest celebrity. He seems to genuinely enjoy just being a part of college basketball.

 

[alarson]

Bill Self reacting to our latest celebrity. He seems to genuinely enjoy just being a part of college basketball.

Bill Self has really grown on me over the years. You hate him as a fan, but hard not to respect him. And he gives Hilton the respect it is due.

 

[NWICY]

Self loves playing in Hilton, it's a big game for them.

Agree, he appreciates another school that loves BB as much as they do. Big teams and coaches love big environments. And TJ and company are making Hilton that in spades.

 

[NWICY]

Strong words for someone you don’t know, but if it makes you feel good about it congrats.

He’s been on my ignore for a while. I’m not one of those people that just hands out ignores like it’s candy, so whenever he got ignored he had to be pretty bad. Maybe he has gotten better, but I honestly don’t care enough to find out. Crap, guess I am lazy.

He hasn't

 

[alarson]

Bill Self reacting to our latest celebrity. He seems to genuinely enjoy just being a part of college basketball.

It would never happen, but can you imagine if Self suddenly joined in? The house would have come down.

 

[simply1]

 

[Cyclonepride]

Poor man's replay anyway

 

[RagingCloner]

Dayton, Baylor, Auburn, and Oklahoma ranked higher than ISU and all catch losses.

What’s this teams realistic ranking come Monday?

Anywhere between 12-15 I would think

 

[rosshm16]

Splitting these next two games would be a great result. Obviously Texas is the easier game. After that, I think we can still win one more on the road either @ Cincy, @ UCF, or @ KlownState, then we can drop one at home and finish 11-7 in the league. Drop two at home and you're still 10-8 which is still a really good season in this Big 12.

I miss the old home-and-away roundrobin. ISU and KU have much tougher schedules this year than TTU, for example.

 

[ZRF]

i am so tired of your rants about BRE. Why don't you go talk to TJ and tell him how he does not know how to coach.

Reading is fundamental.

It wasn't a rant on Bob, more of a rant that Ward should be playing more (which should come at Bob's expense). Bob still had his limitations, which is in no way a "rant" on Bob.

Simply put, Otz's decision to take Ward, who might actually be our best defender this year, out in those last 2 minutes was insanely stupid. Being up 9 we needed our best defensive unit on the floor, particularly our best shot altererer and Dickinson defender. That's not Bob's fault, thats Otz's fault.

Thankfully TJ WAS smart enough not to play Pavs and Omaha. Had Pavs played 5 minutes yesterday we likely lose. KU would have ran circles around him and likely netted a +10 point differential (or more) in that time span. Easily his best coaching mive and something that should continue the rest of the year.

 

[ZRF]

Anywhere between 12-15 I would think

My guess is 13 but given the losses of other ranked teams (the paper tiger Auburn team lost twice) and a 3 game win streak against quality comp, it could be as high as 10.

 

[ebState]

Baylor has dropped its last 3 in a total of 4 OTs and no game was decided by more than a single possession.

I think we match up great against their style, but I trust their talent and Drew and find the groove again.

They play at UCF Wednesday before we play in Waco Saturday. I can see a world where Drew is righting the ship by next weekend and has the Bears playing high level basketball when the Cyclones show up.

Or maybe they just kinda suck this year ‍:shrug:

 

[ZRF]

Splitting these next two games would be a great result. Obviously Texas is the easier game. After that, I think we can still win one more on the road either @ Cincy, @ UCF, or @ KlownState, then we can drop one at home and finish 11-7 in the league. Drop two at home and you're still 10-8 which is still a really good season in this Big 12.

I miss the old home-and-away roundrobin. ISU and KU have much tougher schedules this year than TTU, for example.

10-8 would be a major disappointment, while 11-7 would be a little disappointing as well.

We have an extremely favorable schedule the rest of the way. It's not easy, but most of our tougher games are at home and we will be favored to win all of them. At Houston is likely a loss, next week is tough, but our remaining road games are winnable. UCF is proving to be a tough trip even of the team isn't good, but that's winnable. At Cinci is winnable as is thr KSU game, which should be interesting to say the least.

The key is splitting one of the 2 road games next week. A daunting task but not impossible. TJ has performed well against Baylor, losing 2 competitive games against a superior team 2 years ago, while winning both last year. We match up well with them and have the entire week off to prepare. Given thr circumstances I will be disappointed if we lose. It's not often you have a week to prepare for a road opponent.

On paper the toughest part of our schedule was the first half. If we go 6-3, with 2 road wins, I'd be disappointed going 5-4 against a weaker(on paper) schedule.

 

[ZRF]

Baylor has dropped its last 3 in 4 a total of 4 OTs and no game was decided by more than a single possession.

I think we match up great against their style, but I trust their talent and Drew and find the groove again.

They play at UCF Wednesday before we play in Waco Saturday. I can see a world where Drew is righting the ship by next weekend and has the Bears playing high level basketball when the Cyclones show up.

Or maybe they just kinda suck this year ‍:shrug:

We matchup well with a WEEK to prepare. Playing in Austin 2 days later will be rough and I expect a loss there. We "need" that Baylor game. It's extremely winnable.