*** Official Viterbo vs IOWA STATE Game(day) Thread ***

[isulive2train]

Every home game to look like this...cannot wait!

 

[enisthemenace]

Edozie had 14 and 11 on 50% shooting (6-12 in 17 minutes of action).

As mentioned above...dude plays hard. Really hard.

 

[Sigmapolis]

I agree with pretty much everything you said, except I think Edozie might get in the game before the Greek kid.

If we're going that deep into the bench I think it's going to be for defense and some toughness, and I think I like Edozie better for that. Edozie is one tough SOB. People just bounce off of him. He does a great job on the glass too.

The Greek kid just gets tossed around with ease right now and is not physical at all. The only way I see him getting meaningful minutes right now is maybe if Fred wants to try to create a mismatch on offense with him standing out at the 3 pt line (because he can knock those down), so it forces the opposing team's big man to step out an guard him out there, which opens up the driving lanes to the hoop for our other guys.

One more thing...

11.) Hate to say it, but while the "top flight" starters looked scary, there's a BIG drop-off in talent and experience from what are, right now, the top five starters with sterling pedigrees and experience against the highest level of competition in college basketball (and professional prospects) and the rest of the bench.

Remember, too, we only have five of "those" guys, with McKay, Nader, and Thomas laid-up for various reasons.

The starters could have tortured the competition tonight, but while our second line guys were effective and still better, of course, there was a very big difference in the pace, efficiency, and obviousness of the difference once we had Custer/SDW/Edozie/the Greek out there with one of the walk-ons.

Granted, eight "proven" guys is plenty of depth. We were a top 10-15 team nationally last year with really only seven guys in the main rotation and little depth in the front court. Until then, however, remember that we are going to have to play this setup against Georgia State in two weeks:

Starting: Morris, Long, BDJ, Hogue, Niang --> awesome
Bench guards: Custer, SDW --> definitely a drop, but we will need Custer to spell Morris
Bench posts: Edozie, The Greek --> little shakier here, too...

I suspect those top five guys are going to have to play 30+, if not 35+ minutes that night, particularly if GSU keeps it close. Not saying we are going to lose--there is plenty in the barrel, and Hilton is a sixth man in its own right--but I did want to say there looks to be something of a drop-off after our first eight guys.

 

[isulive2train]

Hard to tell after one game. Respect your opinion though.

 

[bsaltyman]

Didn't he have 13? I know you probably mean during the regular season.

Edozie had a great game with 14 pts and 11 rebounds. It did seem like he could make improvements on finishing at the rim though. Tonight it didn't matter if he missed initially, because he would get his own rebound (or two or three) and then finish. In the future against tougher opponents he needs to score on the first attempt after he makes his move in the post.

 

[ForeverIowan]

The starting five plus edozie sdw and custer is a pretty dang solid rotation considering were missing 3 impact players. Well be just fine vs Georgia state Hilton will be rocking

 

[jsb]

One more thing...

11.) Hate to say it, but while the "top flight" starters looked scary, there's a BIG drop-off in talent and experience from what are, right now, the top five starters with sterling pedigrees and experience against the highest level of competition in college basketball (and professional prospects) and the rest of the bench.

Remember, too, we only have five of "those" guys, with McKay, Nader, and Thomas laid-up for various reasons.

The starters could have tortured the competition tonight, but while our second line guys were effective and still better, of course, there was a very big difference in the pace, efficiency, and obviousness of the difference once we had Custer/SDW/Edozie/the Greek out there with one of the walk-ons.

Granted, eight "proven" guys is plenty of depth. We were a top 10-15 team nationally last year with really only seven guys in the main rotation and little depth in the front court. Until then, however, remember that we are going to have to play this setup against Georgia State in two weeks:

Starting: Morris, Long, BDJ, Hogue, Niang --> awesome
Bench guards: Custer, SDW --> definitely a drop, but we will need Custer to spell Morris
Bench posts: Edozie, The Greek --> little shakier here, too...

I suspect those top five guys are going to have to play 30+, if not 35+ minutes that night, particularly if GSU keeps it close. Not saying we are going to lose--there is plenty in the barrel, and Hilton is a sixth man in its own right--but I did want to say there looks to be something of a drop-off after our first eight guys.

Saying there is a big drop off is kind of silly. There's a drop off, but not huge. Plus Custer missed 2 weeks of practice for god's sake. Plus, the second string will hardly all play at the same time like they did for the majority of the night. It'll be someone like Edozie coming in and giving Dustin or Georges a break. Or SDW giving Naz or Bryce one.

 

[bsaltyman]

Here is an interesting stat... Edozie, Custer, SDW, and Kourtlin Jackson combined to outscore Viterbo 49-48.

That just seems crazy to think that 4 of our bench players will outscore the entire other team!

Box Score

 

[GTO]

Edozie had a great game with 14 pts and 11 rebounds. It did seem like he could make improvements on finishing at the rim though. Tonight it didn't matter if he missed initially, because he would get his own rebound (or two or three) and then finish. In the future against tougher opponents he needs to score on the first attempt after he makes his move in the post.

He looked pretty confident on that bank shot. Maybe that could be his go-to shot? Dude is solidly built.

 

[bawbie]

He looked pretty confident on that bank shot. Maybe that could be his go-to shot? Dude is solidly built.

He needs to limit him shots to dunks and face up 10ft jumpers.

 

[CyFan61]

One more thing...

11.) Hate to say it, but while the "top flight" starters looked scary, there's a BIG drop-off in talent and experience from what are, right now, the top five starters with sterling pedigrees and experience against the highest level of competition in college basketball (and professional prospects) and the rest of the bench.

Remember, too, we only have five of "those" guys, with McKay, Nader, and Thomas laid-up for various reasons.

The starters could have tortured the competition tonight, but while our second line guys were effective and still better, of course, there was a very big difference in the pace, efficiency, and obviousness of the difference once we had Custer/SDW/Edozie/the Greek out there with one of the walk-ons.

Granted, eight "proven" guys is plenty of depth. We were a top 10-15 team nationally last year with really only seven guys in the main rotation and little depth in the front court. Until then, however, remember that we are going to have to play this setup against Georgia State in two weeks:

Starting: Morris, Long, BDJ, Hogue, Niang --> awesome
Bench guards: Custer, SDW --> definitely a drop, but we will need Custer to spell Morris
Bench posts: Edozie, The Greek --> little shakier here, too...

I suspect those top five guys are going to have to play 30+, if not 35+ minutes that night, particularly if GSU keeps it close. Not saying we are going to lose--there is plenty in the barrel, and Hilton is a sixth man in its own right--but I did want to say there looks to be something of a drop-off after our first eight guys.

Appreciate your breakdown, but trying to do this after a single exhibition game is more than a little silly. Let's wait until at least Georgia State to get a better sense of what the team looks like. Even then will be early.

 

[jsb]

My thoughts on the game.

1. I landed some parquet seats for cheap. It's been a while since I had been down there. Fun to be close.

2. Obviously impressed with Edozie. I know not a lot can be taken out of the CCL, but last year I thought Naz was really good in that league and it translated to the season. This year I thought Daniel was really good in the CCL. I'm not sure how much of it will translate to the season since we are so deep, but there are many, many teams Iowa State teams where Daniel would be a key player.

3. Naz's shooting picked up right where it ended.

4. BDJ is going to be interesting. He's super talented.

5. Georges is Georges. Monte is Monte. Dustin is Dustin. All 3 were quiet, but all 3 probably could have taken over had they wanted to.

6. I thought Custer got a lot more comfortable out there. He looked kind of lost in the first half, but a lot better later in the game. I did want to yell at him for trying to take a charge. Got to watch that spleen

7. The Greek is intriguing. Give him a year or two and I think he could be a really good player. He didn't look like a disaster out there.

7. SDW is a bit less of a ball hog. His shot looked good and he did well.

8. Not much can be taken out of a game like tonight, but it was fun to see.

 

[GTO]

Anyone know a good way to clean up a keyboard?

 

[Doc]

Edozie had 14 and 11 on 50% shooting (6-12 in 17 minutes of action).

As mentioned above...dude plays hard. Really hard.

One more bucket and he would've beaten the 15 point effort Reggie George put up in 2003 against an exhibition team.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

Saying there is a big drop off is kind of silly. There's a drop off, but not huge. Plus Custer missed 2 weeks of practice for god's sake. Plus, the second string will hardly all play at the same time like they did for the majority of the night. It'll be someone like Edozie coming in and giving Dustin or Georges a break. Or SDW giving Naz or Bryce one.

Yep. The 9th or 10th guy will look a hell of a lot better when playing next to 4 starters. If your 9-13 guys playing at the same time is not a noticeable dropoff, your starters are not likely to be as good as you need.

 

[GTO]

Somebody should mail this postcard:

 

[Mtowncyclone13]

What was interesting is that the second team was out there all at the same time. That's never going to happen in real games so I'm wondering if maybe Fred could have mixed it up more like he will during the season?

 

[Doc]

What was interesting is that the second team was out there all at the same time. That's never going to happen in real games so I'm wondering if maybe Fred could have mixed it up more like he will during the season?

I had the same thought, but I think that they learn more about their own players from practice than they do from this game, and they also don't want to give anything they don't need to up to Georgia State.

 

[CoKane]

BDJ is a stud. Everything from his passing to dribbling and dunking just looks so fluid and natural. If this game was any indication he should fill the whole left by Kane just fine. Edozie ended up with a double double, but should have had something like 30 and 6. Too many of his rebounds were off of his own shots.

 

[allfourcy]

Even Hogue was struggling getting some putbacks in, but perhaps he was just trying to go too fast. It will come.