I think with regard to the 2019 season, it is about so much more than just looking at the raw numbers. That year, while from a raw record stand point, may have been better than the net average for ISU, was much more about emotions, both high and low, and perceived ability in my opinion.
While there were surely some fun moments that year like beating KU by 17, winning the B12 tourney (seemingly out of nowhere), and making it to the NCAAs, they were offset with lows like losing to the TOE by 14, WVU by 15, losing 6 of 8 leading up to the B12 tourney, and that pathetic loss to tOSU in the NCAAs.
I think a few other VERY important things occurred that year too. This was the year Prohm showed that even with his “good” teams, the home court advantage in Hilton that fans had come to know and love, was not going to be what it used to be. Additionally, Prohm absolutely lost control of the locker room situation, and it became toxic for the players. There were fights, Mike J injured his foot from kicking a door.
I was fully on board with Prohm’s coaching until that season. He showed he simply could not put players in the right positions to succeed, and couldn’t deal with the fallout of those on-court failures in the locker room.
This was a team that had the talent to do so much, if they were provided with the proper coaching and leadership. We ended up with a mediocre record and I believe the damage done in the locker room still haunts our team today
