So how good is Okie State?

[acoustimac]

Are you forgetting Mellisa Youngblut, (Kicked off the team last yr), Kileah Mays, Kelsey Harris, and Jessica Schroll all three transfered from last yr's team. Attrition and attitude problems for whatever reason have really hurt our team's overall strength.

Youngblut was a cancer. Mays a project to start with and had attitude problems. Harris never panned out to be the offensive threat she was supposed to be. Schroll was the only Big 12 level talent in that group.

[twistedredbird]

I think the problem with our offense wasn't the pressure, it was the sagging. They weren't really forcing us off the 3 line other than Hallie and Brynn. Try to play triangle post or high low with pop at the key was awful because they were lvg her wide on and double teaming in the post. Brynn should have been on their PG not Donahue. Moody was being run all over the court on defense.

Personally I think our staff our great strstegists but from the horrid zone defense (to protect Pop from fouls) to continuing to run sets for the posts when it wasn't working, this game is clearly to me on them. Many of you know that I watch tons of WBB. Moody when on is the best disher and to the hole PG we have eveir ha. Her dmes are hot and her breakaways show her speed. But she cannot be great when we try to run post dominant offense. Our offense has consistently been more effective when our posts have been in foul trouble and we have Kidd or fall on out there delivering. Personally, I wouldsit pop on the bench and start 5 players who can shoot the three and open the offense up instead of forcing balls into a crowded post where we are getting 75% of our turnover, at that high post position.

Depth is an issue, but I think our recruiting classes the last two -three years and our incoming class are much more Big 12 acliber than before.

However, I will not lie. Instead of replacing Easley with Billy, I wanted to see another experienced WBB coach join staff. I think Jodi, Latoya, BF, and ven junior are all great coaches, but look what Law has been able to bring to Tennessee.

[acoustimac]

Not to argue Twisted, but ISU has never been Tennessee and may never be. Their reputation in WBB is at the pinacle. In my preview I suggested and still support putting Brynn on Donahoe. She was their best scorer and Brynn is our shut down defense person. Unfortunately, everyone and their dog wearing an OSU uniform was hitting their shots. This game offensively, IMO, was more about two things - (1) Bias taking Moody to task when we were on offense and (2) the lack of movement on offense. No one was moving to help. No passing. If you watched OSU, they were moving the ball quickly from side to side and no one on two feet can keep up with that. When you stand in one place defense becomes exponentially easier.

[swiacyfan]

even with that @$$ whooping we got yesterday, i still think they are over rated. they are currently ranked 12. WOW!! sorry don't see it

[twistedredbird]

Not to argue Twisted, but ISU has never been Tennessee and may never be. Their reputation in WBB is at the pinacle. In my preview I suggested and still support putting Brynn on Donahoe. She was their best scorer and Brynn is our shut down defense person. Unfortunately, everyone and their dog wearing an OSU uniform was hitting their shots. This game offensively, IMO, was more about two things - (1) Bias taking Moody to task when we were on offense and (2) the lack of movement on offense. No one was moving to help. No passing. If you watched OSU, they were moving the ball quickly from side to side and no one on two feet can keep up with that. When you stand in one place defense becomes exponentially easier.

TN is long from its pinnacle. ISU may have been able to beat them the last couple years. My point was that bringing in seasoned well respected coaching to staff has brought new life and new schemes and new perspectives to the team. I would like to have seen Brynn on Bias to slow up their offense especially since we went zone and let them pass the ball freely.

[Wesley]

I would disagree (nicely). The team is much better than November and better than last year. One game doesn't make a whole season. This team is 4-2 in the toughest women's league in the nation. Prins is much better with her inside game, but her 3 point shot is a no-show this year. Her rebounding is much better. Pop has been struggling off and on since her concussion (not sure there is any tie to that). Zimm is a mystery and I agree she has stagnated. Not sure the reasons. We can't dwell on the players that have left any more than we can all the players that transferred in over the years and contributed. Williams is a non-entity at TCU so I can't imagine she would do anything but get a few bench minutes for our team. Bingley and Schroll would def be of help, but again...they aren't here. Irrelevant. So I don't think the question is how bad we are. Its perhaps what kind of team we are. When this team faces someone that is physical and quick (like ATM of the past few years or OSU this year) it typically spells trouble if we don't take care of the ball. The biggest outlier of the OSU game was the miserable shooting. We had open shots. We had bunnies. We just plain missed left and right. It was an perfect storm for OSU. I doubt we'll see it again like we did Sunday.

I agree with a lot you said. I watched part of the game and thought we played the game well except we shot like pure crap. Prins shooting from outside is a loser. We need her rebounding and forget the three point lazy shots. These gals need to take a lot more practice shots during the week to get better.

Again, they need to be able to shoot the rock.

[EHdakota]

Prins shooting from outside is a loser.

Until she starts hitting them like she does in practice and in the warm ups. Coach said in a previous year that she was the best 3 shooter on the team. Probably her Freshman year when she made 46%.

[swarthmoreCY]

A better question might be "How bad is Iowa State?" 15 available scholarships, and we have 4 or maybe 5 players the the skills and athleticism needed to play at this level. Two of the 2 deep lineup are walkons. Below freezing shooting percentage and 15 + turnovers per game seems like a lack preparation, and a lack of focus. Prins and Zimm aren't much improved from their freshman year. Ashley Arens(sp) Whitney Williams, Jessica Scroll and Emiah Bingley could all be contributing, but they (along with several others) have left the program. There hasn't been any infusion of new ideas or abilities into tne coaching staff in 15 years. This team was better in Nov. Where is this program going?

This is a horribly inaccurate, agenda-ridden post.

[Royalclone]

OSU may be the second best team in the conference. Think about it. A talented,experienced PG, a long, athletic big I side, and a very good outside shooter. As long as they can all play defense, that would be a nice core to have to work with.

[acoustimac]

OSU may be the second best team in the conference. Think about it. A talented,experienced PG, a long, athletic big I side, and a very good outside shooter. As long as they can all play defense, that would be a nice core to have to work with.

You could be right, but I'll reserve judgement until after they come to Ames and hit a few other road locations. Like KU, they win at home...struggle on the road. That's a recipe for a 6 loss conference season.

[Three4Cy]

Are you forgetting Mellisa Youngblut, (Kicked off the team last yr), Kileah Mays, Kelsey Harris, and Jessica Schroll all three transfered from last yr's team. Attrition and attitude problems for whatever reason have really hurt our team's overall strength.

I forgot about Mays but let's be honest she was never going to play significant minutes. As for Youngblat she was a walk-on and was never going to see the court. These two leaving didn't hurt the program.

[twistedredbird]

I forgot about Mays but let's be honest she was never going to play significant minutes. As for Youngblat she was a walk-on and was never going to see the court. These two leaving didn't hurt the program.

Mays had a ton of upside if the attitude was right. Next year would have been the year she would have been needed most.

[Dryburn]

I think it is fine to question how this team has performed so far, and to question the preparation and coaching despite past success.

Outside of Baylor, ISU had nearly as much talent returing this year as anyone, in terms of all-conference talent. I thought Oklahoma would be close and so I was really impressed when ISU was able to handle them as well as they did in Ames. ISU had a unanimous 1st team pick and a Freshmen all-conference player returning, plus a huge, experienced front line.

Here are things I don't get. Why is Prins, 16 games into the season, still shooting 3's? She is not a threat from there. She is not going to surprise the defense or draw them out from underneath. Most other teams probably hope she does keep shooting it. To me, that is poor coaching, or at the very least, a lack of attention to detail. It drives me nuts everytime I see her shoot it. Of course, it drives me nuts too that Anna still cannot seem to jump more than about 3 inches on anything....a shot, a put-back, a rebound, defense.....anything. Honestly, I am not sure I have ever seen another female player who uses her height advantage to a lesser degree.

I don't understand what has happened to Z. She has become the Railey/Booker of the women's team. It seems like as soon as she comes in, she fouls. Her minutes have decreased every year since her freshman year. Now, she seems to come in mainly at garbage time. I always thought she brought a certain toughness and spark when she came in. Is the lack of that now all on her, or is it on the coaching?

I don't know what is wrong with Pop. I'm afraid that there may be lingering effects from the concussion. The example I still think about all the time with her is Justin Morneau. It has been over 2 years since what looked like a minor head tap on a 2nd base slide, and he still is not the player he was at the time of the injury. At OSU, Pop just looked confused out there. You would not think that would happen to a senior in her 4th year in the same system. Is that coaching, or was it just the other team's defense?

Finally, I will never understand why BF does not fill more of his scholarhips. I don't buy the nonsense about players just sitting. He has that now anyway, so what difference would it make if there were a couple more sitting on the bench? Part of a coaches job is to keep players as happy as possible, and to make them understand their current role with the team. Yes, players want playing time, but a team needs depth so you can account for recruiting misses, injuries, transfers, whatever. You need to be able to adapt when players are injured, not just take the losses and have an excuse. I don't think ISU has the ability to adapt much at all.

[mwwbbfan]

I was at the game so i listened to the osu postgame show. Jack was responsible for the scouting report, they did acknowledge that.

Which is TOTALLY illegal by NCAA rules. In a DOB type roll they are not supposed to have ANY involvement in the basketball or on court actions. They are to be strictly administrators. There is no doubt it happens all the time but to publically acknowledge it was a little tacky.

[cydney]

I think the problem with our offense wasn't the pressure, it was the sagging. They weren't really forcing us off the 3 line other than Hallie and Brynn. Try to play triangle post or high low with pop at the key was awful because they were lvg her wide on and double teaming in the post. Brynn should have been on their PG not Donahue. Moody was being run all over the court on defense.

Personally I think our staff our great strstegists but from the horrid zone defense (to protect Pop from fouls) to continuing to run sets for the posts when it wasn't working, this game is clearly to me on them. Many of you know that I watch tons of WBB. Moody when on is the best disher and to the hole PG we have eveir ha. Her dmes are hot and her breakaways show her speed. But she cannot be great when we try to run post dominant offense. Our offense has consistently been more effective when our posts have been in foul trouble and we have Kidd or fall on out there delivering. Personally, I wouldsit pop on the bench and start 5 players who can shoot the three and open the offense up instead of forcing balls into a crowded post where we are getting 75% of our turnover, at that high post position.

Depth is an issue, but I think our recruiting classes the last two -three years and our incoming class are much more Big 12 acliber than before.

Nice analysis of what likely went wrong. The good thing is, there are ways to fix it. Moody has to save her legs to run the offense. Pop has to be let free to play like Pop, regardless of fouls. Also, I don't think you can underestimate the effect of Easley involved with the scouting report. That's like insider information. It could have been very frustrating for ISU to have our next moves known, and added to OSU's confidence and shooting percentage. To be fair, if a coach leaves to join a conference opponent, they should have to sign some kind of nondisclosure.

For anyone overreacting, seems premature. Let's see how things go. Sure, it's tough to have to play Baylor as the next game. Setting that aside, look back at ISU's great teams. In almost every season, they went and got clobbered on the road when you least expected it.

Plus look at Duke at UConn the other night. Duke lost by 30! #5 vs. #4. Duke undefeated. HS All Americas vs HS All Americas. Heck, it was almost even at the half, and their 30-point deficit happened in just one half. At least it took the full game for ISU to get down by almost 30 to OSU! Stuff like that happens to even the most talented teams. Apparently Debbie Antonelli was going to address how it happens in a podcast, but I haven't heard it.