Fact about our MBB team.......
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That's probably true, but sort of like Iowa in football, just because they deserved to be ranked #4, didn't really mean they were the 4th best team in the country. Rankings don't matter quite as much in MBB anyway, because unlike the FB playoffs, there will be roughly 48 P5 schools that make the tournament.
I think this season will be really fun, and we'll have ups and downs. I'm ok with that, but I just hope we have a great tournament.
I've been saying all year that we weren't a top 5 team. I've always thought we looked like a 12-15th ranked team or so.
As far as the Big 12, I see a 3rd place finish about the highest we can get, but I'd love to be proven wrong by these guys.
The NCAA tourney is a total crapshoot. It's all about matchups and some luck. We could lose in round one again, or make the Final Four with everything going our way. Too hard to predict the NCAA IMO.
Fact is... we lost Hogue, BDJ, Edozie, and now Naz Long off of last year's team.... and basically all we've added is Cooke and Burton. So, this year's team is worse than last year's. I believe it was even when we still had Naz, but it was closer at least.
A key going forward is what kind of player Burton wants to be? Is he going to stand out at the 3 point line and launch 3's all night, or is he going to post up down low and dominate down there with all his physical gifts? If he does the latter, we can be pretty darn good and he can more than make up for he loss of Hogue. If not, we'll be worse off than last year for sure.
As far as the Big 12, I see a 3rd place finish about the highest we can get, but I'd love to be proven wrong by these guys.
The NCAA tourney is a total crapshoot. It's all about matchups and some luck. We could lose in round one again, or make the Final Four with everything going our way. Too hard to predict the NCAA IMO.
Fact is... we lost Hogue, BDJ, Edozie, and now Naz Long off of last year's team.... and basically all we've added is Cooke and Burton. So, this year's team is worse than last year's. I believe it was even when we still had Naz, but it was closer at least.
A key going forward is what kind of player Burton wants to be? Is he going to stand out at the 3 point line and launch 3's all night, or is he going to post up down low and dominate down there with all his physical gifts? If he does the latter, we can be pretty darn good and he can more than make up for he loss of Hogue. If not, we'll be worse off than last year for sure.
Considering no one besides Kansas has solely won the Big 12 conference in the last 11 years, I wouldn't get too worked up over them not winning the Big 12 especially when KU and OU both look to be legitimate Top 5 teams.
Our best runs in the NCAA came from being right about 4th in the Big 12.
Our best runs in the NCAA came from being right about 4th in the Big 12.
At this point in the season, I don't care if we're ranked 5th or 50th. It just doesn't matter.
What does matter is that this team is talented, and it has the potential to make a big run in March. In the grand scheme of things, those are the only "facts" that matter.
What does matter is that this team is talented, and it has the potential to make a big run in March. In the grand scheme of things, those are the only "facts" that matter.
Oklahoma is going to be tested here very soon. They play this Tuesday, and then have 11 days off before hosting ISU on Saturday the 2nd, and then turning around and playing at KU on Big Monday (the 4th). Im never a fan of big layoffs because I think it kills momentum, and if they lose both of those games, they could be playing from behind the entire conference season.
I think sometimes we forget that improvement over the season is the important thing. We are tweaking our rotation with the loss of one of our most solid players and also trying to blend a talented new player into this mix. Things are bright. BTW, I think it was in 1977 that Indiana went undefeated for the season. We now have that weight off our backs.
I'm not claiming they are facts, but my expectations have been lowered. I expect us to make the tournament, but it's a crap shoot after that. Wouldn't be surprised to see us lose first round or make the Sweet 16.
This team believes they can shoot 45% behind the arc, yet every time you look at the boxscore it's 3 of 17, 6 of 30, 5 of 25. If shots aren't falling from outside, take the ball inside and get to the FT line. This team just continues to chuck 3's hoping to catch fire.
This team believes they can shoot 45% behind the arc, yet every time you look at the boxscore it's 3 of 17, 6 of 30, 5 of 25. If shots aren't falling from outside, take the ball inside and get to the FT line. This team just continues to chuck 3's hoping to catch fire.
For whatever reason, this year's team is not a good shooting team IMO. Naz was never 100%, and now he's gone. Morris has gotten worse as a shooter this year for whatever reason. Thomas is Thomas, some nights decent, some nights not. Nader isn't a good shooter IMO. Cooke is supposed to be, but hasn't shown it yet. Niang is probably our best one right now, but he's not great either.
Look at UNI... they have WAY better outside shooters than we do. Our only hope of winning last night was to pound it inside all night. When have we last said that about an ISU team? Our shooting has gone way downhill it seems.
