The 2021 NCAA WBB Tournament Discussion Thread (Go Cyclones!)

[CyclonesFan4ever]

Disclaimer: In regards to ISU game day discussion and postgame summary threads, it will still be BoxsterCy and acoustimac who do the honor.

On the eve of Selection Monday, this thread is created for general discussion of a variety of topics involving all NCAA tournament teams, focusing on our beloved Twister Sisters throughout the 2021 NCAA WBB tournament.

I'll keep this post updated for the ISU's match results, stats, highlights and press conferences, etc.

Finished fourth in the Big12 regular season standings (12-6), Iowa State (overall record 16-10) is expected to be selected as an at-large bid to participate in the 2021 NCAA tournament for the 19th time in the program history, all in Coach Fen's era. In the Big12 Conference, ISU's number of the tournament appearance is tied with Baylor (19), only behind Texas (33), Oklahoma (21) and Texas Tech (20). What an amazing accomplishment!

ISU is currently #26 in the NCAA NET rankings. It's likely they will be in the #6-8 seeding range. Previously, ISU appeared in the NCAA tournament as a #6 seed in 2007, as a #7 seed four times (2005, 2008, 2011, 2014), never as a #8 seed. I hope our team can get a higher seed and draw favorable matchups.

One of the most underrated accomplishments our WBB program has achieved in this season is that the team has had ZERO positive Covid-19 cases, never paused the athletics activities, and never missed a game in their schedule. I hope it continues until the end of this successful season. Their dedication and discipline in staying on course are greatly appreciated.

WBB fanatics, what's your tourney expectation of the Twister Sisters? Which team will win the tourney? Which team will be the Cinderella? Please comment and call your shots in this thread. Thank you very much for your support!

General Tournament Information

Link to the NCAA WBB Tournament Central

When: March 21 - April 4, 2021

Where: San Antonio, Austin (1st round only), San Marcos (1st round only)

Tournament Bracket

Printable Verison

Iowa State's Schedule and Match Results

First Round in Mercado Region (Monday, March 22)
Location: Alamodome (North Court)

Matchup	Result	Time (CT)	TV
#7 Iowa State vs #10 Michigan State​	79 - 75​	5:00 PM​	ESPN​

Second Round in Mercado Region (Wednesday, March 24)
Location: Alamodome (South Court)

Matchup	Result	Time (CT)	TV
#2 Texas A&M vs #7 Iowa State​	84 - 82 (OT)​	6:00 PM​	ESPN2​

Final Four Semi-Finals (Friday, April 2)
Location: Alamodome

Matchup	Result	Time (CT)	TV
#1 South Carolina vs #1 Stanford​	65 - 66​	5:00 PM​	ESPN​
#3 Arizona vs #1 Connecticut​	69 - 59​	8:30 PM​	ESPN​

Championship Final (Sunday, April 4)
Location: Alamodome

Matchup	Result	Time (CT)	TV
#3 Arizona vs #1 Stanford​	53 - 54​	5:00 PM​	ESPN​

Iowa State Game Highlights (to be updated)

First Round (vs Michigan State)



Second Round (vs Texas A&M)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jBcSZRZ1Y4


Iowa State Press Conferences (to be updated)

First Round Postgame

https://cyclones.com/watch/?Archive=17991&category=5&type=Archive

Other Iowa State Related Videos (to be updated)

One Shining Moment (2020 Edition)



Iowa State 2021 NCAA WBB Selection Show Second-Screen Live Reaction



Throwback: Iowa State vs Michigan State Highlights of 2009 the NCAA Sweet Sixteen Game





Ashley Joens Michigan State Game Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDJsyaVjwxo&t=9s

 

[CyclonesFan4ever]

The NCAA WBB Selection Show will be aired on ESPN at 6 PM (CT), Monday, March 15. Iowa State will hold a live reaction show on Twitter starting at 5:50 PM.



Here are the 31 Auto-Qualifiers.

 

[CyclonesFan4ever]

Thank you ISU WBB managers and media crew for your hard work this season! This team will not succeed without you.

 

[BigJCy]

 

[BoxsterCy]

Yikes, countries #1 without the most successful WBB coach ever. Guessing we haven't heard the last of Covid tossing wrenches into the works.

Since he is actually positive and not just sitting because of contact tracing, he might not be around till Final Four if UConn advances? Chris Dailey has been on staff since 1985 so guessing she can handle some gameday coaching. I keep forgetting he's been there 35 years.

 

[farm85]

Just read on ESPN he got his second dose of the vaccine last Wednesday...not enough time to fully protect him. Then again, I don't think the vaccine will 100% prevent you from getting the virus, but if you do get it the effects may not be as bad. Since he is asymptomatic, maybe the first vaccine dose has helped.

It depends on where the NCAA places UConn. If they put them in a region that plays 3/21 and 3/23, Geno will miss two games. If in a region that plays 3/22 and 3/24, he would probably be back for the second game.

 

[mred]

Yikes, countries #1 without the most successful WBB coach ever. Guessing we haven't heard the last of Covid tossing wrenches into the works.

Since he is actually positive and not just sitting because of contact tracing, he might not be around till Final Four if UConn advances? Chris Dailey has been on staff since 1985 so guessing she can handle some gameday coaching. I keep forgetting he's been there 35 years.

Articles are saying he could rejoin the team as early as March 24th, but I'm not sure how exactly that works. Is it 10 days as long as he doesn't test positive at the end of that 10 days?

Note that he had already received his first shot of the vaccine and received the second shot around the time he tested positive. Although the first shot didn't protect him from getting sick, it's likely to help keep him from becoming seriously ill.

 

[mred]

Just read on ESPN he got his second dose of the vaccine last Wednesday...not enough time to fully protect him. Then again, I don't think the vaccine will 100% prevent you from getting the virus, but if you do get it the effects may not be as bad. Since he is asymptomatic, maybe the first vaccine dose has helped.

You beat me by, like, 10 seconds.

 

[CyclonesFan4ever]

 

[CyclonesFan4ever]

Just saw on the live stream that Kristin is in a walking boot. Anybody knows what's going on?

 

[barometriclow]

Just saw on the live stream that Kristin is in a walking boot. Anybody knows what's going on?

Yikes! Hope it is for a few days at most

 

[CyclonesFan4ever]

We will face Michigan State! I still remember Alison Lacey's shot when we beat them to advance to the Elite Eight in 2009.

 

[BigJCy]

Michigan St and then IF they win then probably vs. Texas A&M

 

[Cyched]

We want Aggy

 

[mred]

Michigan State! I still remember Alison Lacey's shot when we beat them to advance to Elite Eight.

Ah, Michigan State. 2nd best women's tournament memory, single worst men's tournament memory.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

They played Maryland twice lost by 6 and by 40. I hope we get the lost by 40 msu team.

 

[CyclonesFan4ever]

MSU beat TOE by 4 pts at home back in Dec but lost to TOE in the B1G tournament semi-final by 15 pts.

I'd rather face a P6 team than a mid-major team we don't anything about in the first round.

If we advance, it'd be a gauntlet of facing two strong defensive teams in Texas A&M, Arizona, or Rutgers.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

They have two 6'3 girls in their starting lineup/regular rotation.

 

[CyclonesFan4ever]

Okie State only got an 8 seed? They should be at least a 7.

 

[acoustimac]

OK here we go. MSU. Who are they? Well they were disrupted by Covid and that had a big impact on their season. Prior to covid they beat Iowa and lost a close contest to Maryland. Since then they have been up and down. Got pounded by Maryland and Indiana. Lost a nail biter to Michigan and another close loss to Indiana to end the season. Big Ten Tourney they got their butt handed to them by Iowa. What does this tell me? They are dangerous as heck.

Who are they?
Average 75 ppg compared to ISU's 76
They like the three point shot (hit 33% out of 453 attempts) (ISU shot 36% on 730 attempts)
Not a good free throw shooting team (67%) compared to ISU (but who is?)
Shoot 12 FT per game vs ISU at 14
They typically outbound their opponents by a margin of 3 (ave 37 to our 38)
Both teams average right at 14 turnovers per game
Average nearly 9 steals per game (this is one to pay attention to) and 19 points off turnovers
They have a ten player rotation for minutes.
Nia Clouden (5'8" guard) is their leading scorer at 18 ppg. Followed by Winston at 11ppg (another small guard)
After that the points are all spread out by their 10 person rotation.
Have a couple of bigs that average about 7ppg

That's a quick look...