Can Cyclones knock off Kansas?

[CycloneBBFan]

Last nights "epic battle" between Oklahoma and Kansas will be talked about for years. We saw both teams strengths and weakness. Cyclones are just beginning to play a good "forty minutes" and from what I saw we can take both of them at least at home.


Update: I predicted ISU would take OU by 11 at home. If not for the insane Buddy 3's at end of game it would have been a closer call. Coming off the OU victory, the desire to make a "boys are back" statement, and tough defensive stand, I pick ISU TO DROP KANSAS BY "9" no matter what Vegas says. ISU wins 85 to 76. Sports media on fire. "Hilton Magic Strikes Again"

O.K. TCU behind us with victory as expected. Next - KU

 

[CyTwins]

We should beat them both at home. We'll have to play well to win at Kansas but what will really determine the Big 12 race is how we do on the road against the middle of the pack teams

 

[Cardinal2001]

Gonna need outside shooting to beat KU at Kansas.

 

[Cydkar]

We've beaten great teams at home with far worse teams.

 

[jay moe]

Yes..

 

[WastedTalent]

At Hilton? Yes.

In the conference standings? Doubtful.

In the conference tournament? Yes

 

[CysRage]

Absolutely. We were a missed Monte Morris 3 pointer away from beating OU on their home court and OU was a missed free throw in regulation from beating KU on their home court. We have been extremely close to beating KU in Lawrence several of the last few seasons. Why not this year?

 

[Cyclonepride]

OU could have blown them out of the water with better shot selection and less turnovers, so I still think OU is the better team. Both will be tough to beat, and will require our best games (wherever they are played). I see the 3 teams as pretty equal, within the margins for error in any game. Whoever plays the best in any given game should win.

 

[klamath632]

Wrong question. It should be "Will Cyclones knock off Kansas?"

 

[cycloneworld]

We should beat them both at home. We'll have to play well to win at Kansas but what will really determine the Big 12 race is how we do on the road against the middle of the pack teams

I do think we win at home but both of those teams could easily beat us in Hilton. Both shoot well, especially from 3, and are deep. That gives us problems.

We had chances to win at OU which is great but we also played almost flawlessly offensively against them while Hield had an off shooting night. And we still lost.

Both of those teams are legit top 5 teams. And I think we are in the next category behind them.

 

[Clonefan94]

Can we? Sure. Will we? I personally doubt it. I'm not speaking from a referee standpoint at all, but just watching Kansas at home, probably similar to ISU in Hilton, it's amazing how many breaks that team gets. One free throw. Make that and the game is over. And the player of the game having two turnovers in a row at the end? I guess that's the benefit of playing on your home court, those kinds of breaks seem to go your way more often than not. It literally took OU everything they had to take it to three over times and they still came up short.

I certainly think we have the talent to do it, but if the game plays out anything like it did last night between OU and KU, our depth will be a major issue late.

What really blows me away are all the minutes they showed the OU main 4 have been playing lately. Even more so than us, I have a feeling OU could be really worn out by the time the Big 12 tournament rolls around. There is just no way you can play 40 minutes every night, against what the Big 12 has to offer and not get exhausted.

 

[TheHelgo]

I'm more curious to see how we play this week against middle/lower-tier teams in the conference. I'm stating the obvious, but we have struggled to 'put away' teams in recent years (and have really played down to competition in many cases), but I am ever hopeful that we will turn the corner and handily beat the teams we are supposed to.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

At AFH or in the standings? No.

Man, Diallo sitting on KU's bench is such a waste. Hopefully he is not Cliffed.

 

[djcubby]

We can beat them at Hilton. I doubt the refs will allow us to beat them at AFH.

 

[UraMallas]

Honestly, Diallo was sitting on the bench because Self had better more veteran players to play the end of the 2nd half and OT. He probably wouldn't have sat as much on our team but he is rough right now.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I'm more curious to see how we play this week against middle/lower-tier teams in the conference. I'm stating the obvious, but we have struggled to 'put away' teams in recent years (and have really played down to competition in many cases), but I am ever hopeful that we will turn the corner and handily beat the teams we are supposed to.

Yeah, I am guessing that taking care of business (or not) against the lower 6 teams will be more important than the head to heads against KU and OU (which I think we will at least need to split).

 

[CycloneBBFan]

IMO Coach Prohm is definitely showing his coaching acumen.....but I think it's going to come down to how well Burton performs and fits into rotation. The real "sixth man" is really going to be turnovers or lack thereof. Teams are so close.

 

[UraMallas]

Yeah, I am guessing that taking care of business (or not) against the lower 6 teams will be more important than the head to heads against KU and OU (which I think we will at least need to split).

Agreed. TTU needs to be a decisive win for me to feel good about that happening.

 

[Gunnerclone]

If we can sweep Baylor and WVU and just get one win vs. KU or OU at home then my prediction is we will win the conference.

 

[allfourcy]

I know I shouldn't put KU on such a high pedestal, but they have SO many stinkin' weapons/options. Like playing Lucas down the stretch, when they still had Traylor, Mutchinson, Bragg, and Diallo. Seldon, Graham, Mason, Ellis, Greene, and foreign guy (insert name) ....at any time can make 3's. I think they'll devise a plan and do the best defense on Niang he's seen yet. And with two point guards on the floor, Monte can't defend both Mason and Graham. Graham awful quick for Matt although he'll give it a great shot. I'm probably the only poster that doesn't see us beating them, but hopefully I'm wrong. Any win is 'possible'. Hilton Magic might do the trick.