Can Cyclones knock off Kansas?

[NickTheGreat]

I figured we'd split KU and OU this season. We still might, but I'm less sure after last night

 

[rholtgraves]

One thing that hurts is ISUs 3 pt shooting is not that good compared to OU and KU. I don't think KY drops more than 3 games. At OU, at ISU and one other road game.

 

[TedKumsher]

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.

Every team could beat every other team if they play enough better to win.

Baylor could have blown Kansas out of the water with 100% shooting from the field.
St. Mary's sisters of the poor 4 person team could have blown Kentucky out of the water if they blocked every Kentucky shot, didn't foul, and scored at least 1 point.

 

[TedKumsher]

I have similar thoughts. Even before watching last night, I've had us pegged for 4th, maybe even 5th, since Naz's injury. Last night just confirmed to me how much better KU and OU backcourts are compared to ours, and WVU isn't far off. Baylor will be up there challenging us as well, but for different personnel reasons.

As we all know, losing Naz hurts in terms of stretching the floor, taking/making big shots, serving as secondary ballhandler and actually giving Monte some breathers, ability to also attack the hoop, leadership and toughness....So much will now be riding on Monte to deliver against very good guards on both ends of the floor. Mason/Graham will make it very tough on him.

To say we should win every game at Hilton, even over KU and OU, is pretty clueless. Right now I'd lean the other way and say we lose the 3 remaining games against those teams. Doesn't mean that we're bad, they're just better.

We really need Nader, Cooke, and McKay to step up if we want to be as good as everyone is saying. Jameel hasn't been that elite difference-maker. He struggles to finish against any sort of contest or contact around the rim. His defensive rim protection has dropped, maybe by design to help cover the boards? And he hasn't been great defending ball-screens. Again he hasn't been bad, but we need him to be better to compete against the big boys.

How does this jive with a missed 3-pointer for the win AT OK?

 

[TedKumsher]

Those were two really good teams going at it last night. I think our starting 5(7) can beat anyone, but our lack of depth will show down the stretch in big 12 play. I think we finish 3rd. Not sure who we lose to but I bet we can win all of our home games.

Uhh -- Oklahoma probably worse than ISU. Might be the only reason I think Kansas is frontrunner for the regular season (and expecting Diallo to get better).

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/66/iowa-state-cyclones
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/201/oklahoma-sooners

 

[isuno1fan]

KU will lose 3 or less games in conference. Will we?

 

[CyTwins]

KU will lose 3 or less games in conference. Will we?

I'll bet anything KU loses at least 4 games.

 

[isuno1fan]

I'll bet anything KU loses at least 4 games.

I will go $20 with you if you want a fun little wager.

 

[WastedTalent]

I'll bet anything KU loses at least 4 games.

I will go $20 with you if you want a fun little wager.

Careful, it very well may come down to the last game of the season, Iowa St at ku. Although if it were me, I'd gladly fork over $20 if it meant Iowa St beats ku at AFH.

 

[ISU42]

KU will lose 3 or less games in conference. Will we?

I thought after last basketball season you would back off doing predictions.

 

[CyTwins]

I will go $20 with you if you want a fun little wager.

KU's losses the last 3 years in the Big 12:

2014-15: 5
2013-14: 4
2012-13: 4

Plus I'm not sold on them right now, still think OU is the best team in the conference. KU has a glaring hole at their post position opposite of Perry

 

[BigBake]

No, I think we split with OU and KU this year but lose 2 or 3 others to give us 5/6 losses in Conf. OU and KU will be both be under 4 losses.

1. KU
2. OU
3. ISU

Either ISU or OU needed to beat KU at Allen to have a realistic chance of knocking them off their perch this season. I truly hope I'm wrong but I don't think we can win (at Phog) and OU just blew their chance.

 

[isuno1fan]

KU's losses the last 3 years in the Big 12:

2014-15: 5
2013-14: 4
2012-13: 4

Plus I'm not sold on them right now, still think OU is the best team in the conference. KU has a glaring hole at their post position opposite of Perry

so no on the friendly wager? I agree with Jeremy that this is their best team in some time and I just don't see anyone besides OU or us beating them. Maybe one more which is where I get 3 or less..,assumes we split and they lose at OU.

 

[allfourcy]

KU will lose 3 or less games in conference. Will we?

Agree. And, I doubt it.

 

[Cyclonepride]

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

I don't need to see decisive wins. Just wins. 14 to be exact.

 

[allfourcy]

I'll bet anything KU loses at least 4 games.

In conference? Disagree, only because I think they're too talented and deep this year.

 

[Cycsk]

After watching that game last night I have us no better than 3rd in the conference right now until this team learns to play with more consistency and plays better defense. We don't have depth obviously but we do have the talent in our top 7 to compete with those 2 teams and we already showed it against OU coming up just short but this team is only going to be as good as the effort they put in on defense because offense is not a problem. KU could be scary good by March if their young guys start to develop and find a way to crack the rotation of expirienced guys they have. Diallo, Bragg, and Mykailuk could be starting or at least logging significant minutes off the bench on most teams in the country probably and they can barely get more than a handful of minutes right now with Traylor, Lucas, and Greene already coming off that bench.

Back to what I said the other day in another thread, I could care less about where we are in the rankings because this team seems to play it's best basketball when they aren't getting all the high accolades and have their backs up against the wall as if they are playing with a chip on their shoulder. No one is going to hand them a conference title or a final 4 berth without earning it. Hopefully our guys were watching the game last night and took note how both teams never took a possesion off and played with all out effort on both ends of the floor because that is what it takes to be a champion in the Big 12.

I watched the OU/ISU game and concluded that we can play with anybody, even on the road. I thought that was our step forward in consistency in terms of playing well for an entire game.

 

[Cycsk]

OU front court is below average? Huh? I'd take Spangler on my team any day, that dude gets every rebound. Lattin/Buford made some decent and big plays at times. Now, of course I wouldn't trade them for ours, but I think you're underestimating OU's front court just because they're not the go-to type player that Thomas was last year. Besides, didn't McKay/Nader have trouble finishing underneath at Norman? I assume OU's front court was part of the reason for that.

What gets me is Spangler's limited ability last night . . . because of his injury from banging knees with Thomas. We played a part in OU losing!

 

[CyTwins]

In conference? Disagree, only because I think they're too talented and deep this year.

They start Hunter Mickelson. They play Traylor and Lucas big minutes. You think they're a lot more talented than the team that lost 5 games in the Big 12 last season?

 

[ISUcyclones11]

We can beat them at both Hilton's. As always, Phog is highly unlikely, but we ran with OU for the entire game and no one gave us a chance. Anything could happen.