Is this sustainable?

[ZuriCyclone]

I am just Enjoying this turnaround. Feels like when Fred took over and turned around the program, TJ is doing it way faster.

If you play defense like this , you are going to be in most games. Applies for both football and Basketball.

One thing I was surprised was TJ leaving the starters out, with such a huge lead, wonder if it is part of the conditioning he expects out of them.

 

[madguy30]

I am just Enjoying this turnaround. Feels like when Fred took over and turned around the program, TJ is doing it way faster.

If you play defense like this , you are going to be in most games. Applies for both football and Basketball.

One thing I was surprised was TJ leaving the starters out, with such a huge lead, wonder if it is part of the conditioning he expects out of them.

Your boy Fran kept pressing so why take the starters out?

 

[ZuriCyclone]

The defense does not feel like the rabid/messy WVU defense. Feels much smother and in control.

It will be interesting to see WVU and ISU face off.

 

[cyfanatic13]

Our guards are absolutely sweet sixteen caliber guards. One more big guy and I would say we're a legitimate threat to do some damage. Bobby Jones plays hard but just so limited offensively

 

[Bader]

The effort and defense is absolutely. Teams with athletic wings will push the limited front line.

It’s very encouraging to see Kalscheur showing poor shooting doesn’t mean you can’t impact the game. That will rub off on guys like Jackson and Grill. Having a gunner like Hawkins would sure be nice

 

[Didley]

We do have weaknesses. As we’ve found out both Kalscheur and Brockington can get cold and basically disappear sometimes. And we have trouble against the press. And occasionally get into foul trouble.

I think the reason it is sustainable is because we aren’t solely dependent on our top guys. We’ve seen Grill, Jaz, and Enaruna be able to step in as a major scorer when needed. We haven’t seen the best out of Hunter yet. Our defense is really tough. We just wear people down. I don't see much quit on this team. Im a believer.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

For those concerned about fatigue due to lack of bodies and style of play, I think where we might run into some trouble down the road is back to back road games. The first such occurence is:

Jan
8 (Sat) @ OU
11 (Tues) @ KU

That game in Lawrence could get out of hand on just a couple days rest and a lot of travel in between

 

[Gunnerclone]

Undefeated is most likely unsustainable.

 

[codybb]

For those concerned about fatigue due to lack of bodies and style of play, I think where we might run into some trouble down the road is back to back road games. The first such occurence is:

Jan
8 (Sat) @ OU
11 (Tues) @ KU

That game in Lawrence could get out of hand on just a couple days rest and a lot of travel in between

I agree that will be a tough stretch but this team just screams “it’s just another gym”

 

[BCClone]

For those concerned about fatigue due to lack of bodies and style of play, I think where we might run into some trouble down the road is back to back road games. The first such occurence is:

Jan
8 (Sat) @ OU
11 (Tues) @ KU

That game in Lawrence could get out of hand on just a couple days rest and a lot of travel in between

If a game blows up, it may make sense for TJ to run out the walk ons and rest the big guns at that point. Not a take games off type person, but at this point I would rather get bent by a Kansas than lose to a lower team.

 

[CycloneErik]

At this point I’m not talking about just making the tournament, are we a legitimate top 15 team?

Yes. Yes we are.

 

[isutrevman]

Best part about tonight. Early on, Iowa was getting decent looks against our D. They were moving well, cutting hard, moving the ball around etc...then THEY wore out. Our defense never let up, but their intensity did on offense. We wore them down in the first half and they never recovered.

We've had the same intensity 9 games in a row. It's absolutely sustainable.

 

[cycfan1]

Kunc can play both and then Enaruna can slide around.

Jones isn't great but he competes and will keep a defense moving.

There's been ISU teams with way less depth there for sure.

There certainly is some flexibility like you said - and we have had teams with less depth.
Only issues are George Conditt has four fouls when he wakes up in the morning.
And the other teams at ISU that had less depth gameplanned around that depth. Took plays off on defense as to not pick up cheap fouls. This team is not doing that. (nor should they with this defense ... but its how teams with less depth in past were able to stay out of foul trouble).

Big 12 is a meat grinder of a schedule. It will certainly take a wear on guys. I certainly didn't expect this to be a top 25 team, but I feel like one more post that could score would be the piece to take to the next level (which sucks because we had two of them over the offseason).

 

[madguy30]

There certainly is some flexibility like you said - and we have had teams with less depth.
Only issues are George Conditt has four fouls when he wakes up in the morning.
And the other teams at ISU that had less depth gameplanned around that depth. Took plays off on defense as to not pick up cheap fouls. This team is not doing that.

Big 12 is a meat grinder of a schedule. It will certainly take a wear on guys. I certainly didn't expect this to be a top 25 team, but I feel like one more post that could score would be the piece to take to the next level (which sucks because we had two of them over the offseason).

Eh, do well enough to get in the tournament and this will have been a hell of a season.

 

[twincyties]

Undefeated, obviously no. But the way we play is sustainable.

This is not a fluke at this point. We take teams off their game and do little things that don’t take talent. We’ve done it to 3 solid P5 teams now. Same story each time.

Second, we’ve had 4 different guys lead us to wins and often time their next game ia a bad one. Someone else just steps up. And not sure we’ve seen that breakout game from Hunter yet (although he quietly filled the stat line tonight).

Third, when we take a double digit lead with this defense and the way we run offense deep into the clock, it’s a uphill battle. 12 point halftime lead under Steve could have disappeared by first media time out. With Fred, our offense was likely to keep us in it but we go cold and it could evaporate quickly. This team you’re talking at least 12 possessions and 8 minutes even if we go scoreless which is unlikely. We saw this tonight and saw it against Memphis, Creighton, and Xavier.

 

[AirWalke]

Really worry the lack of bodies going to catch up at some point. Playing too hard, too aggressive - fatigue and injuries going to take a toll in Big 12. But cross that bridge when we get there.

I think this is an absolutely valid point. The suffocating defense reminds me a bit of how Huggins runs his WVU teams, but he’s able to get away with it because there’s so much depth that he usually puts out there. We have the depth for a team that can be successful with a a good offense but defensively I worry that this is going to run our guys into the ground.

Obviously I could be completely wrong and these are the most well-conditioned guys in the country, but I too worry that the depth required to run a defensive team like this just isn’t there.

 

[CycloneErik]

Undefeated, obviously no. But the way we play is sustainable.

This is not a fluke at this point. We take teams off their game and do little things that don’t take talent. We’ve done it to 3 solid P5 teams now. Same story each time.

Second, we’ve had 4 different guys lead us to wins and often time their next game ia a bad one. Someone else just steps up.

Third, when we take a double digit lead with this defense snd the way we run offense deep into the clock, it’s a uphill battle. 12 point halftime lead under Steve could have disappeared by first media time out. With Fred, our offense was likely to keep us in it but we go cold and it could evaporate quickly. This team you’re talking at least 12 possessions and 8 minutes even if we go scoreless which is unlikely.

Also, we come out of halftime and add 12-16 points to our lead right away, Kansas style. You need to be in a strong position before the half, or we will gring you down (which we likely will do anyway).

 

[madguy30]

I think this is an absolutely valid point. The suffocating defense reminds me a bit of how Huggins runs his WVU teams, but he’s able to get away with it because there’s so much depth that he usually puts out there. We have the depth for a team that can be successful with a a good offense but defensively I worry that this is going to run our guys into the ground.

Obviously I could be completely wrong and these are the most well-conditioned guys in the country, but I too worry that the depth required to run a defensive team like this just isn’t there.

Huggy's teams are full court press all game though.

ISU defends hard but they're not literally physically on players and pick it up at the perimeter.

Also the rotations are seemless for subbing. Iowa can score A LOT and never got going.

 

[twincyties]

Was thinking that tonight. Recent years we let them go on a run and it’s a tight one. We pulled away and kept it that way. Totally different team this year.

 

[BCClone]

Also, we come out of halftime and add 12-16 points to our lead right away, Kansas style. You need to be in a strong position before the half, or we will gring you down (which we likely will do anyway).

Not right away though. Those first 2-3 minutes were some ugly offensive basketball.