toughness

[CascadeClone]

When they rebound well, they are almost unbeatable. When they don't they are good but not great.

 

[dirtyninety]

I think it starts with our coach.

In the first half this team played lights and was actually pretty good on the defensive end. Things started to go awry when Naz made a poor dech Fred (while not all thorns either).

I like most of your post....good points. I agree Fred is Fred. He has a heart condition and can't freak.....need a designated Tech getter over there or Doc Sadler back.
You did not mention free throws. I saw a close game in the second half go to a blow out in a hurry when we missed like 5 free throws. The biggest were McKays two. Worse than a turnover mentally.....and the guys played like it. Not sure what there is left to do other than hope we peak in mid-March.....but I think we have just played ourselves into a crappy seed where we will get some en fuego ACC team in the second round that will kick our ***.

 

[cyclones12321]

I've waited for a couple weeks to post this but can't wait any longer. This team lacks a real leader and has no mental toughness. They will make the tourney and maybe win a game. However, I don't see them advancing after 2nd round. Talent galore but mental midgets.

Toughness. We dont have any unless the crowd cheering behind them is going for them

 

[DRCHIRO]

When they rebound well, they are almost unbeatable. When they don't they are good but not great.

Agree. Rebounding is an attitude/effort thing, along with defense. They have the physical tools to be good at both.
Should be a interesting last 7 games.

 

[psyclone51]

It's a shame really. This roster is flawed, but I don't think Fred is managing it very well either. I'm sure I'll get flamed for not being a "Hoi Boi" but some people need to wake up around here. It's not all roses with Fred (while not all thorns either).

Yes, you'll get flamed; you are wordy and setting yourself up as a self important authority, so you deserve to be flamed. In any event, I'll call Jamie and get him to sign you up, and send Fred down the road. That would be just what this team needs.

This and other threads reminds me of the Hawk forums. The Hawk basketball team (and football for that matter) is either championship bound when they are winning, or a bunch of bums when they are losing - and the change can be in the span of a few days. Utterly ridiculous in Iowa City and just as ridiculous here.

 

[SWCy13]

That is why it is called mental toughness and leadership

I've waited for a couple weeks to post this but can't wait any longer. This team lacks a real leader and has no mental toughness. They will make the tourney and maybe win a game. However, I don't see them advancing after 2nd round. Talent galore but mental midgets.

I think it starts with our coach.

In the first half this team played lights and was actually pretty good on the defensive end. Things started to go awry when Naz made a poor decision and took a tough shot on the break instead of dishing it to Monte. The missed shot resulted in it going the other way, and OU scored two points. Insignificant, right? That poor decision led to a rash of more poor decisions. By the time Hoiberg called timeout the damage had been done, with the lead cut to 5 (or 3) and the momentum firmly on OUs side. The downfall continued into the half and as we entered a game tied when we should have had a sizable lead (TOs, rebounds, and rushed possessions really killed us).

As has been the theme throughout the entire season, Fred failed to coax effort, intensity, and control from his players in the 2nd half of a game away from Ames. We've either lost by getting pounded in the 2nd half (Maryland, South Carolina, KU and now OU) or made runs because we were ill-prepared to start the game (Baylor, Tech). Our coach has done a **** poor job of getting 30 minutes, let alone 40, of solid intensity from out players away from Hilton. Honestly, I think Fred's demeanor is a little TOO laid back, with our players taking on that personality. Lose a 10 point lead, no big deal, I'll just let my players handle it. If Fred's going to be on the bench (and he IS obviously) he needs to impact the game via wisely using TOs (which he's terrible at) and INVIGORATING our players to bring that intensity out of them. Fred absolutely sucks in this regard.

The persona of this team can be summed up by it's rebounding, which is atrocious. It's one thing to be rebounded over, but this team is consistently gone THROUGH to get boards. That's really all I need to know about our tenacity and toughness. If the crowd (Hilton) isn't providing it, we don't have anything.

Right now Fred is a good coach. People need to be honest with the positives (there are plenty) such as talent, recruiting, individual offensive progresson, etc. that he's brought to the program. With that however, he's also provided team defense that often looks lost, terrible rebounding fundamentals, poor usage of timeouts (prevention), and a problematic lack of intensity.

Where I get frustrated at Hoiberg is that I see very little progress in his weaknesses. He's made no inroads at managing games since his arrival. Our team rebounding fundamentals are poor. The team defense is a joke. We consistently have issues with intensity away from home.

It's a shame really. This roster is flawed, but I don't think Fred is managing it very well either. I'm sure I'll get flamed for not being a "Hoi Boi" but some people need to wake up around here. It's not all roses with Fred (while not all thorns either).

Good, thoughtful post. I'm sure you'll get flamed like no other from the "Fred knows more about bball than you so stfu" crowd, but you can't really argue with your points.

 

[Heilsqauvador]

I think a lot of message board posters lack mental toughness as well, especially when melting down after losing to a very good ranked team on their court after that previously mentioned ranked team played very well. But that's none of my business.

 

[fsanford]

I've waited for a couple weeks to post this but can't wait any longer. This team lacks a real leader and has no mental toughness. They will make the tourney and maybe win a game. However, I don't see them advancing after 2nd round. Talent galore but mental midgets.

That mentally tough team from last year got destroyed at WVU, and won 3 conference road games.
But somehow managed to get to the sweet 16.

This year the conference is considered the best in the country.

Let the season play out

 

[State43]

So people thought we would win the rebounding battle against OU?
Yep, possibly the most undersized team in the league is going to out rebound one of the tallest
Be realistic

 

[Cardinal2001]

Hey, got news for ya! We'll probably lose at Ok St and Texas too! Doesn't make us a crappy team, it's just a really tough league to get road wins in. Without 17 McDonalds all Americans, we have to peak at the right time. Fred has led the last 3 teams to pretty good showings, and I have no doubt this team will not quit, and will show up at the right time.

 

[chuckd4735]

Niang is an amazing leader, he just has off nights. BDJ shot selection has been pretty disappointing at times. Monte had a horrible game tonight. Jameel could have used some help down low tonight and got none. Bad loss tonight, but we can still make our mark and do some damage.

Kane was an amazing leader. Niang is not Kane in that aspect. This team sucks at dealing with adversity. ISU's road losses last year, minus WVU, were all close games. This year they get punched and never get back up.

 

[LindenCy]

That mentally tough team from last year got destroyed at WVU, and won 3 conference road games.
But somehow managed to get to the sweet 16 without one of its best players.

This year the conference is considered the best in the country.

Let the season play out

Fixed.

 

[allfourcy]

I've waited for a couple weeks to post this but can't wait any longer. This team lacks a real leader and has no mental toughness. They will make the tourney and maybe win a game. However, I don't see them advancing after 2nd round. Talent galore but mental midgets.

Disagree completely. We have good talent, but we DON"T HAVE TALENT GALORE. And thats not a knock on any of our players. Love our team. But, we don't have more talent than the other top 5 big 12 teams. I about puked when a fan posted that our second team could make the NCAA's after an early season dominating win. This is the Big12 and these players are good. Mason and Woodard nuetralized our point guard. Thomas made our post offense look avg. Disagree that these losses are all about toughness. What we do have are weaknesses, and we don't have the "depth" of players that can DEFEND "good big12 teams" for 40 minutes anyways. Effort was there, but the talent to guard everyone one- on- one is not. Versatile team, but not as much quality depth as people think, imo. If tonight didn't prove we have no choice but to double down low to stay with "good" post players, nothing else will. Obviously, OU is going to kill you on the 3's if you do however. We'll have to play darn well to get them in Hilton. Hopefully a guy avergaging 3.9 pts a game (Booker) doesn't come off the bench again and go 4-6 from three. Having said that, its no time to give up or worry. We're a good team....just not as great or as immensely talented as some have suggested.

 

[bigdaddykane]

We should press the whole game like WVU

 

[CyclOwnd]

We lose to a ranked team on the road shooting out of their mind and we lack toughness.
okay...

Okay is right and what you said goes for the last 5 away games minus the rankings which makes it worse

 

[Althetuna]

We let them blow us out in the second half....

We let them?

 

[RustShack]

Losing a close tough game is one thing... Losing like we did, again. Is another.

 

[istater7]

Last year at this time ISU had just gotten stomped by West Virginia and people were clammoring for a leader and lack of toughness. Just a reminder

 

[psyclone51]

I think a lot of message board posters lack mental toughness as well, especially when melting down after losing to a very good ranked team on their court after that previously mentioned ranked team played very well. But that's none of my business.

Thank you for the voice of reason and sanity. How refreshing.

 

[B Clone]

Agree. Rebounding is an attitude/effort thing, along with defense. They have the physical tools to be good at both.
Should be a interesting last 7 games.

Giving up 10 offensive rebounds in the first half = lack of focus and toughness