Tough day for EIU hoops hopes

[Cyinthenorth]

If we lose because Iowa is more up for the game...that's on us.
That won't be the reason, if we lose, and whoever says it is should die slowly.

One team has been clearly more "up" for this game than the other. Have you seen the scores from the last 5 or 6 meetings? Maybe throw away a couple of them because they were the later Prohm years where he was a dead man walking, and the team mirrored the coach, but these games haven't been close since like 2017.

 

[Clone_12]

Just tired of the lame excuse that ISU never gets up for Cy-Hawk games like Iowa does.

Well…. if that’s the case, then I wish we’d start getting up for them…. losing is embarrassing.

Iowa has won exactly 1 game in Hilton Coliseum the last 20 years and that was against one of our down Prohm teams when they had Garza and Weiscamp in 2019…their last win in Ames before that was the 2003 postseason NIT…

What are you talking about, ‘we never get up for them’?…we’re usually just as good or better than them, and we almost always beat them at home..the one time we haven’t in the last 20+ years was one of their best teams against a very down team for us.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Iowa has looked like dung against the two teams they've played with a pulse.

I hate to say it, but so have we. Even struggled with a 1-win DePaul for a half.

 

[GoHawks]

Iowa has looked like dung against the two teams they've played with a pulse.

This is the worst Iowa team in quite awhile. No Murray or Garza will do that and then the depth is all Freshman who are inconsistent.

 

[madguy30]

One team has been clearly more "up" for this game than the other. Have you seen the scores from the last 5 or 6 meetings? Maybe throw away a couple of them because they were the later Prohm years where he was a dead man walking, and the team mirrored the coach, but these games haven't been close since like 2017.

I wouldn't say ISU was all that 'up' for them two years ago. Iowa just hadn't seen that kind of defense and couldn't do much and ISU had a pretty average night offensively and actually had a ton of turnovers late.

Last year Iowa was much more prepared and ISU went full 'forget how to dribble' mode that they tended to do all season in other games.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

It's one of my absolute favorite arguments in sports. Many on here do the same thing with Campbell and the Iowa game. The idea that any coach either over or under prioritizes any rivalry game is purely hilarious to me. You don't become a D1 coach, or even a D1 player, without having extreme competitiveness. You want to win every game and play well. The idea that some games you just kind of mail it in, and others you benefit from the magical powers of circling it on your schedule is so funny to me. Is this like discussed before the game? Like TJ comes in to talk to the team before they take the floor and he says "I want us operating at about a '6' tonight. Good effort, but not too much."

It isn't really that Iowa State is "down" for these games. It is just that Iowa might be more motivated. You can't tell me those players in Iowa City don't catch wind of the "not athletic enough" "not fast enough" "don't play defense" "too white and pasty" talk that floats around on social media and message board chatter. This is their one chance every year to try and flex on what is widely viewed as the better college basketball program in the state. The program that recruits at a higher level and uses the portal and probably didn't recruit their players in most cases, and has much more NCAA tournament success than them recently. They have had a chip on their shoulder in this game for years.

 

[GoHawks]

I hate to say it, but so have we. Even struggled with a 1-win DePaul for a half.

I don't think it's same level. Iowa State played competitive in every game. If Painter didn't show the Hawks some sympathy other night they probably lose by 40.

 

[trevn]

I see this Iowa November/December narrative quite a bit but I don't get it. Iowa's peak is typically mid January to late February in time to get excited for the postseason before rug gets pulled out. Iowa was 8-7 after January 1st last year

Iowa has weird roster construction and below average guard play. On the other hand, Iowa's roster continuity is among the best in the nation. They know who they are as a team much faster than most teams do and that equals a lot of wins earlier in the year. By the time February rolls around, other teams have figured out their rosters and roles, so the weird roster construction and poor guard play starts to really hurt Iowa.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

I don't think it's same level. Iowa State played competitive in every game. If Painter didn't show the Hawks some sympathy other night they probably lose by 40.

That is fair. LOL

 

[madguy30]

I don't think it's same level. Iowa State played competitive in every game. If Painter didn't show the Hawks some sympathy other night they probably lose by 40.

ISU seems to have possibly re-invented how they're going to play vs. DePaul and had to work some things out. DePaul also looked like they were pretty desperate to make some things work.

The Feast Week tourney looks much better if ISU pulls out the win vs. ATM or Va Tech; even for how bad they were they still had a chance with decent free throw shooting.

It wasn't like they looked all that good vs. UNC and 'Nova last year (who both ended up not being very good anyway). They just mucked things up enough and Grill had some other worldly streaky shooting.

I still think there will be some major misfires for ISU in game 2 of the new approach. Hopefully it pays off for conference season.

 

[GoHawks]

Iowa has weird roster construction and below average guard play. On the other hand, Iowa's roster continuity is among the best in the nation. They know who they are as a team much faster than most teams do and that equals a lot of wins earlier in the year. By the time February rolls around, other teams have figured out their rosters and roles, so the weird roster construction and poor guard play starts to really hurt Iowa.

I don't disagree with the weird roster construction and definitely not the guard play but Iowa isn't playing its best basketball by December 10th since Alford was the coach.

 

[madguy30]

I don't disagree with the weird roster construction and definitely not the guard play but Iowa isn't playing its best basketball by December 10th since Alford was the coach.

Alford...I don't recall anyone shedding a tear when he left and that was after he had his best team at Iowa.

 

[trevn]

I don't disagree with the weird roster construction and definitely not the guard play but Iowa isn't playing its best basketball by December 10th since Alford was the coach.

I don't think Iowa's playing it's best basketball on December 10th. I think Iowa starts off playing it's best basketball earlier in the year. They don't get much better but they don't get much worse. The high major competition catches up to them and passes them later on in the year.

Iowa's a value stock, not a growth stock.

 

[clonedude]

I look for Krikke and Freeman to get BRE and Tre in foul trouble. And if Iowa gets the open 3’s like we’ve been giving other teams this year, and they are hot like they usually are against us, this could be ugly.

I’m hoping Lipsey, Gilbert, and C Jones can get a lot of steals and breakouts.

 

[GoHawks]

ISU seems to have possibly re-invented how they're going to play vs. DePaul and had to work some things out. DePaul also looked like they were pretty desperate to make some things work.

The Feast Week tourney looks much better if ISU pulls out the win vs. ATM or Va Tech; even for how bad they were they still had a chance with decent free throw shooting.

It wasn't like they looked all that good vs. UNC and 'Nova last year (who both ended up not being very good anyway). They just mucked things up enough and Grill had some other worldly streaky shooting.

I still think there will be some major misfires for ISU in game 2 of the new approach. Hopefully it pays off for conference season.

Paveletzke was big spark off the bench from what I saw other night. I don't think I saw him play in Orlando but didn't see every minute. I have to imagine he will play a lot more Thursday which i don't like as an Iowa fan. This Iowa state team is more equipped to score but not as physically imposing as previous 2. I typically think Iowa fares better against the defensive team because they can outscore them if they play well.

I hope Iowa gets up big time for this game like people are implying because I've yet to see them get up for anyone this year defensively. Obviously Kris is missed but also Connor. I know this board will love that but we miss some of his toughness. This teams lazy defensively by even Frans standards.

 

[GoHawks]

Alford...I don't recall anyone shedding a tear when he left and that was after he had his best team at Iowa.

He actually got better at endvof his tenure when the old man retired and he hired Neal still not missed though

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

This has been the case in prior years too though and then last year they came out and shot 50% from 3 and actually played defense somewhat.

Over the last two years Iowa has been a completely different team outside of Carver. Two years ago we boat raced a much more talented Iowa team in Hilton.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I hate to say it, but so have we. Even struggled with a 1-win DePaul for a half.

Yeah I don't disagree but my post was about Iowa. Offensively they have looked like completely different teams when they aren't playing the sisters of the poor. Their "just out score the opponent" strategy is going to be their kryptonite this year.

 

[TClone99]

ISU definitely should win. Lipsey is the type of guard who gives them fits, and the Cyclones should be able to make them uncomfortable enough when they have the ball to keep from just flat getting outscored. Just cannot let them get too many good looks in transition and off of offensive rebounds.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

ISU definitely should win. Lipsey is the type of guard who gives them fits, and the Cyclones should be able to make them uncomfortable enough when they have the ball to keep from just flat getting outscored. Just cannot let them get too many good looks in transition and off of offensive rebounds.

Teams that have been remotely decent at defending have had good luck speeding them up. What killed us early in the game last year is that we were over helping and over playing passing lanes which led to wide open three's off ball reversals.