This Team's Expectations

If this team doesn't cure cancer, find flight MH370, and successfully put a man on Mars, I'm done with Iowa State basketball forever.
 
I have people on here questioning why I didn't mention the incoming transfers. While I have heard good things about them, I am not going to pretend (like most people on here) I know a lot about these players without watching any film on them. I actually think people on here just blindly assume these transfers are going to fill in just because we have had recent success with these guys.

My advice to these fans, just stick with what you know, then people will respect you for you for your knowledge.

If you aren't counting on the transfers for anything, your prediction of "a final four or bust" is ridiculous. The core we have returning is very important, the incoming freshmen are building ISU for the future but it is the transfer class (those on the scout team last year and also the newcomer) that combined with the established core will push this team over the top.

Also, every year there are teams that "should" be in the final four but aren't. There is a good deal of luck involved in making the final four and ultimately winning the NC. Last year's team is an example of how a little ill timed bad luck can quickly dash hopes of reaching a team's full potential.
 
I think you always want to get one more round than you did the previous year....so id love to see an Elite 8 run this coming year.

Having said that.....that tournament is so screwy you certainly cant call it a disappointment if it doesnt happen.

Sweet 16 and ill be happy.
 
I don't have expectations for a team, ever. I learned that lesson the hard way in 2000-2001. I think you'll find it much more enjoyable to just watch the games and appreciate the two hours of entertainment. And if there's a few more games to play after the season is over...bonus.
Agreed. I never expect a certain result; only a level of play. ISU will be a nasty handful next year and with their added size and quality depth they should be very competitive against anyone they play. Anything can happen in the tourney but ISU has the parts needed to be able to handle a lot of different types of match ups.
 
Blindly is a pretty strong word. We have plenty of video and a strong coaching track record to look at. That's not blindly assuming, but carry on.
Just a reminder that most of that video is EDITED highlights. No one posts videos of ill advised shots and bad turnovers. It doesn't matter how much video you have if it isn't full games.
 
It's amazing that the year is 2014 and people can still fall for such obvious troll jobs so easily.

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just one (sobering) statistic to consider. how many teams currently have a sweet sixteen streak of two years or more?

5.

michigan (2), arizona (2), mich st. (3), louisville (3), and Florida (4).

it is really, really hard to make the sweet 16 back to back.
 
Just a reminder that most of that video is EDITED highlights. No one posts videos of ill advised shots and bad turnovers. It doesn't matter how much video you have if it isn't full games.

This is true, but from a talent standpoint against D1 competition, you can take away from highlights that a guy like BDJ has quickness and the ability to make/create some tough shots. Translate that into Fred's ability to create mismatches against opponents and you have a recipe for excitement.

You could say the same for Kane last year. The talent was there based on his video. We could see he was a slasher and he definitely showed that last year. Add that he also improved his 3 point shot under Fred. But I get your point. Either way, they are fun to watch.
 
just one (sobering) statistic to consider. how many teams currently have a sweet sixteen streak of two years or more?

5.

michigan (2), arizona (2), mich st. (3), louisville (3), and Florida (4).

it is really, really hard to make the sweet 16 back to back.

Another way to look at it is that 32% of teams that made the Sweet 16 in 2013 made it back in 2014. I'll take those odds.
 
This is true, but from a talent standpoint against D1 competition, you can take away from highlights that a guy like BDJ has quickness and the ability to make/create some tough shots. Translate that into Fred's ability to create mismatches against opponents and you have a recipe for excitement. You could say the same for Kane last year. The talent was there based on his video. We could see he was a slasher and he definitely showed that last year. Add that he also improved his 3 point shot under Fred. But I get your point. Either way, they are fun to watch.
Like stats, film doesn't lie but you can chop it up and organize it to tell any story you want. There's a ton of kids that are athletic enough to make plays but only a portion of them have the skills between their ears that take them from "players with the skill to be great" to "great players." There are a bunch of new players all over the Big 12 next year that I am excited to watch to see if they can live up to their film hype.
 
Like stats, film doesn't lie but you can chop it up and organize it to tell any story you want. There's a ton of kids that are athletic enough to make plays but only a portion of them have the skills between their ears that take them from "players with the skill to be great" to "great players." There are a bunch of new players all over the Big 12 next year that I am excited to watch to see if they can live up to their film hype.

All recruits are gambles in some sense, but heavily-edited film (and statistics) of an experienced player from several seasons of D-1 basketball is still probably more useful of an evaluation tool than film of a young high-school player.
 
Final four or bust for me. We return a healthy Georges, Naz, Hogue on the glass, Matty Buckets, and MM. The bench bigs will also be very deep with Edozie's experience and leadership as well as the big time 7 footer we brought in from Greece. Also from what I've heard about Clay Custer, he is the next Kirk Hinrich and John Havlicek. Plus Gibson was sub-par in my opinion, so not a big loss.

So with Georges as a Big 12 player of the year candidate, the cold blooded killer in the clutch (Naz), and Clay's playmaking ability replacing Kane. Unless hit with a freak injury like last postseason, there is no excuse we don't win the Big 12 and at least advance to the final 4. Is it winter yet?

Im drinking the kool-aid too but u might have mixed to much vodka with it. Final four or bust is some tough expectations
 
If I had to make a prediction, I'd say we'll be streakier than last year. A few more dominating wins and few more crushing losses -- and less of the come-from-behind victories. Kind of like UNC from last year.

I wouldn't bet on going undefeated in non-conference again.

In fact I think Iowa will get revenge at home.

But I'd bet on beating Kansas at home.

NCAA tournament seed anywhere between 10 - 2.
 
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My expectations for the next 2-3 years:

1. Be in contention for both regular season and tournament conference championships and hopefully win at least one or the other.

2. Keep Bill Self, Lon Kruger, and Rick Barnes awake at night.

3. Make NCAA every year (Sweet 16 or better)

Since program is exceeding expectations, is on the rise, and has not plateaued yet I find it hard to say what realistic expectations are.
 
If I had to make a prediction, I'd say we'll be streakier than last year. A few more dominating wins and few more crushing losses -- and less of the come-from-behind victories. Kind of like UNC from last year.

I wouldn't bet on going undefeated in non-conference again.

In fact I think Iowa will get revenge at home.

But I'd bet on beating Kansas at home.

NCAA tournament seed anywhere between 10 - 2.

Seed between 2-5. No lower seeds now.
 
My expectations for next year:
be ranked all year
lose only 1 or 2 non-conference games (zero if McKay's waiver is approved)
win at Iowa
lose 0-1 home games (Kansas or Texas)
miss out on winning the regular season conference championship by 1-2 games
make it to final four of conference tournament minimum
3-5 seed in the NCAA tournament
win the second round against a solid mid-major (such as NCCU)
have a tough third round match up to go to the Sweet 16
ISU player will win Newcomer of the Year (guaranteed)

Anything past the Sweet 16 is unpredictable because of match-ups, game locations, injuries, etc.
 
Based on the scheduling that we've seen so far, I do realistically believe that we enter conference play undefeated.
Then a run in the top 3 of the conference with a shot at 1st place, a nice run in KC, and then we can fire away with the madness.
 
Final four or bust for me. We return a healthy Georges, Naz, Hogue on the glass, Matty Buckets, and MM. The bench bigs will also be very deep with Edozie's experience and leadership as well as the big time 7 footer we brought in from Greece. Also from what I've heard about Clay Custer, he is the next Kirk Hinrich and John Havlicek. Plus Gibson was sub-par in my opinion, so not a big loss.

So with Georges as a Big 12 player of the year candidate, the cold blooded killer in the clutch (Naz), and Clay's playmaking ability replacing Kane. Unless hit with a freak injury like last postseason, there is no excuse we don't win the Big 12 and at least advance to the final 4. Is it winter yet?

Why do people always throw these things out there? It's one thing to say "I think..." but to say it this way makes it sound like anything short of your predictions are a disappointment.

No excuse? How about the fact that Texas returns pretty much their entire team (a team that placed ahead of us this past year) and adds a top-5 stud recruit in Miles Turner. I would say that is a pretty good excuse. Not to mention that Oklahoma and Kansas (both teams that placed higher than us this past year) both return key players and top recruits.

And predicting the tournament is difficult. It is about matchups. We played UConn toe-to-toe at MSG (their home away from home). Imagine we got them in Omaha or Kansas City. The outcome may not have been different but we never know. My point is the tournament is filled with unpredictability. Why attach such a this-or-bust expectation to it?
 
I have people on here questioning why I didn't mention the incoming transfers. While I have heard good things about them, I am not going to pretend (like most people on here) I know a lot about these players without watching any film on them. I actually think people on here just blindly assume these transfers are going to fill in just because we have had recent success with these guys.

My advice to these fans, just stick with what you know, then people will respect you for you for your knowledge.



Good advice. I will stick with what I know ... AND ADD YOU TO MY IGNORE LIST WITH TUCO AND 110!
 

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