I've now watched the game twice and read almost every single post about the UAB loss. I'm a longtime ISU fan going back to Barry Stevens. I don't live in Iowa anymore but a major metro city, so here is a little detached perspective. I love Fred and think he is a really good coach and could be great one day. I watched every single minute of every all but three games early in the season. However, this loss falls on him. I think the following points need to get made:
1. The team wasn't ready to play. This is on the coach. He has to make sure they are ready to go for the biggest stage of their careers.
2. Their problem was defense the entire year, especially the inability to get over screens. This never got fixed and cost them on the last UAB OB play. This is a coaching deficiency if it occurs over and over. Defense matters especially in the tournament.
3. Fred did nothing to adjust the tempo. You can press for steals and/or tempo. Fred never tried to push the pace with a deeper bench against a 19 win team.
4. They were getting killed on the boards and Edozie never got off the bench. 5-10 minutes of him knocking some people around might have helped. It's not enough to stay close against a UAB, he should have been upset they weren't destroying them making a statement.
5. At no time during the year did Fred ever really get on anyone. Last year he had Ejim and a 25 year old Kane to do it on the floor but not this year. He needs to know when to fill that hole. Calipari has multiple coddled McD AA and he said in an interview before halftime when they weren't playing well that either you perform or you sit. Players want to be challenged. Calm is great but everyone once in while you need to get in someone's grill.
6. Matt Thomas was playing well and sat in the 2nd half. If Long isn't hitting shots then he is liability on the floor because he can't cover anyone. Why not make a substitution? It's one and done. If your Thomas and you play when you aren't performing but sit when you are: what is the message?
7. It was a good season, but the tournament is what matters. If we want a nationally prominent program then you have to perform in the tourney.
If were an 8 seed and this happened, fine. We were a four against a team that had to win its conference tourney to even get into the dance. Fred had nearly a week to prepare. Jared Haase seemed to figure out. He called timeouts before TV timeouts, so ISU could never get into a rhythm. Nice coaching and I'm not saying he is better.
Go ahead lose your minds.
1. The team wasn't ready to play. This is on the coach. He has to make sure they are ready to go for the biggest stage of their careers.
2. Their problem was defense the entire year, especially the inability to get over screens. This never got fixed and cost them on the last UAB OB play. This is a coaching deficiency if it occurs over and over. Defense matters especially in the tournament.
3. Fred did nothing to adjust the tempo. You can press for steals and/or tempo. Fred never tried to push the pace with a deeper bench against a 19 win team.
4. They were getting killed on the boards and Edozie never got off the bench. 5-10 minutes of him knocking some people around might have helped. It's not enough to stay close against a UAB, he should have been upset they weren't destroying them making a statement.
5. At no time during the year did Fred ever really get on anyone. Last year he had Ejim and a 25 year old Kane to do it on the floor but not this year. He needs to know when to fill that hole. Calipari has multiple coddled McD AA and he said in an interview before halftime when they weren't playing well that either you perform or you sit. Players want to be challenged. Calm is great but everyone once in while you need to get in someone's grill.
6. Matt Thomas was playing well and sat in the 2nd half. If Long isn't hitting shots then he is liability on the floor because he can't cover anyone. Why not make a substitution? It's one and done. If your Thomas and you play when you aren't performing but sit when you are: what is the message?
7. It was a good season, but the tournament is what matters. If we want a nationally prominent program then you have to perform in the tourney.
If were an 8 seed and this happened, fine. We were a four against a team that had to win its conference tourney to even get into the dance. Fred had nearly a week to prepare. Jared Haase seemed to figure out. He called timeouts before TV timeouts, so ISU could never get into a rhythm. Nice coaching and I'm not saying he is better.
Go ahead lose your minds.
