Sleeping on ISU as a Sleeper?

[IP Guy]

Here's a new ESPN article ranking potential sleeper teams for each league. Basically, they said a true sleeper would be a team that didn't make the tournament last year but could this year. Notably, that left us a 1 in 3 chance to be that team. K-State was selected.

Coaches ID college basketball's top sleeper teams for 2021-22 season

Jeff Borzello surveyed anonymous coaches from each of the top conferences to ID the teams from their leagues that have flown beneath the offseason radar.

www.espn.com

 

[Prone2Clone]

I have the thumb tacks for you to put this on the bulletin board, TJ.

 

[NoCreativity]

Some magazine I was reading at Barnes and Noble predicted us for dead last.

 

[jsb]

Any improvement will be great.

 

[brokenloginagain]

optimistic for TJ long term, but this year is going to be rough. we are not a sleeper.

 

[Cyientist]

optimistic for TJ long term, but this year is going to be rough. we are not a sleeper.

Agreed. This fanbase does not need to start putting unrealistic expectations on this thing year 1.

 

[cyclonepower]

I would be surprised if u could find any preseason predictions that don’t have us last, if we finish above 10th TJ should be COY in the Big 12

 

[Clonefan32]

Give me a Year 1 Fred type team and I am happy. Lacking the talent to compete at a high level but they play hard and compete and maybe pull a few upsets.

 

[Cyclonepride]

optimistic for TJ long term, but this year is going to be rough. we are not a sleeper.

Sleeper for the tournament, almost certainly not. Sleeper to be a lot better than people expect? Absolutely.

This year should be fun. I think we have a lot of talent, and will be energetic and aggressive. But yeah, it would be an absolutely amazing achievement if they were even on the bubble come March.

 

[Rural]

I stick by the prediction that if Hunter is a plus player we'll get back to a five hunderish team for the overall season record. (still not good)

 

[CycloneErik]

Get 10 wins and have a fun style of play hinting towards better things. That's a good year one.

 

[Bestaluckcy]

This sounds different than our football team. Will be fun. Be at the home games win or lose. Of course I will also go to the football games.

 

[AuH2O]

On one hand, it's never been easier to rebuild a team, between massive transfers and the typical freshman being more ready to compete than ever before.

With that said, TJs starting from absolute scratch. Even though I expect things to be rough to start especially, there are probably 7 games in the non-con that should be wins for even a really bad power conference team. I think ISU gets 7 non-con wins, maybe dropping one Florida A&M type game and getting a win against somebody like Oregon St. I expect them to have a really rough first half of the Big 12 season, and things start to come together and a we're seeing a much improved ISU team by the second half of the conference season, to finish with 5 wins in the conference.

Then maybe we can be in the sleeper discussion a year from now.

 

[JM4CY]

Agreed. This fanbase does not need to start putting unrealistic expectations on this thing year 1.

You mean we can struggle as a fanbase with placing unrealistic expectations on Cyclone teams?!?!?!?!

 

[cyfan92]

Get 10 wins and have a fun style of play hinting towards better things. That's a good year one.

^^THIS!! Being 7-5 going into Big 12 play should be the goal. Fred's first year is a perfect comp. You could really see things changing and the game were competitive. Being very competitive at home, improving the rebounding, shooting better from 3 and getting Hunter, Foster and Enurana primed for 2022-23

Seeing a tin of progress from Hunter, Foster and Enaruna really is all I personally want to see. If you can get those 3 to play at an honorable mention All-Big-12 level.. You then market that to a couple immediate grad transfers or Anthony Black and you are back in contention for an NCAA appearance in year 2

 

[IP Guy]

For the record, I personally am not putting any expectations on the team, but here are the keys to us maxing out this year:

(1) Hunter has to be at least as good as advertised (which is pretty darn good);

(2) Gabe has to be a stud both locking down the best guards in the conference and shooting 3Ps at a clip much closer to his freshman year;

(3) Hinson has to play with a chip on his shoulder (think Vital with a better 3P shot) and bring a toughness the team has lacked for a long time;

(4) at least one of Brockington or Enaruna has to play at a Big 12 All Conference level (even 2nd team would do); and

(5) at least one (or maybe a combination) of Foster or Conditt has to be a consistently legit Big 12 post presence (viable scorer, good rebounding and blocking shots).

Can all 5 of those things happen? Yes.

Do I expect all 5 of those things to happen? No.

 

[Cyched]

I’m expecting a typical first year coach season, and nothing more. Just want to see that the guys are responding well to the new staff.

 

[CYEATHAWK]

I think with the talent he kept, what he brought in......the only thing that will keep them from being a bubble team is that they don't gel which is entirely possible. I don't think everyone understands how good Foster, Enaruna and Hunter are/will be, let alone the vet transfers from the Big 10. I'm looking for 18-19 wins.

 

[KnappShack]

September has reminded me to manage my expectations

 

[DSMCy]

Get 10 wins and have a fun style of play hinting towards better things. That's a good year one.

Exactly right.
People are forgetting how long it takes transfers to get up to speed and gel as a team.
Hopefully they are all starting to click by the time conference games roll around. Finish anywhere near .500 in the Big 12 and TJ probably gets a contract extension (jimlad)