Iowa State is the new Press Virginia

[madguy30]

It's honestly like we're playing with 7 defenders out there. Reminds me of Sam Darnold's "seeing ghosts" comment a few years back. Guys will throw a pass to someone open and it gets picked off or sometimes they'll just panick and throw it right to us.

It's constant harassment even if it gets broken down.

Obviously stopping someone from getting to the hoop can be good defense but bothering someone and throwing them off in about everything they do can be practically disturbing.

Pav imo is a good example of this: he may get blown by a bit but he still keeps chasing and bothering and throws himself into the frey all the same.

 

[Cyclonepride]

When our defense is really humming and I'm not talking about getting TO's just watch our players. The movement, traps, rotations, and recoveries it's really a beautiful thing.

It's fun to watch the replay and focus on the defense off the ball. When those traps come, and when we are recovering, the guys off the ball are sitting on passing angles. You can see that they've been well taught on what to expect the other team to do when they're trapped.

 

[CascadeClone]

I have to totally disagree with the West Virginia comp.

Those Huggy teams didnt really play defense - they just fouled, hacked, pushed, and cheap shotted you to death. Huggy coached them how to do this when it was most likely the refs attention qould be elsewhere. He outright stated his strategy was LITERALLY "they cant call them all". And then he complained about every call, even if you were bleeding on the floor. It was the bball equivalent of the Hanson brothers. Hated hated hated it.

I swear someone should have filed charges against that big they had, the guy w the rec specs. Shot would go up, and he would find the closest guy and just SHOVE him in the back right off the floor. And he was coached to do that, because Huggy knew the refs eyes would go to the ball when the shot went up.

The comp here, as noted above, is Virginia. Those teams were suffocating defenses. Thats what TJ is doing. And those teams were very successful, esp when they had a couple guys that could score too.

 

[Cyclonepride]

It's constant harassment even if it gets broken down.

Obviously stopping someone from getting to the hoop can be good defense but bothering someone and throwing them off in about everything they do can be practically disturbing.

Pav imo is a good example of this: he may get blown by a bit but he still keeps chasing and bothering and throws himself into the frey all the same.

Yeah, he may be smallish, but he plays exactly the way the other guys do. Fearless. Just needs to add 10-15 lbs and he'll be extremely tough on both ends.

 

[Yellow Snow]

It's constant harassment even if it gets broken down.

Obviously stopping someone from getting to the hoop can be good defense but bothering someone and throwing them off in about everything they do can be practically disturbing.

Pav imo is a good example of this: he may get blown by a bit but he still keeps chasing and bothering and throws himself into the frey all the same.

Pav, and others I am sure look bad on defense sometimes because a different off ball defender didn't do their job.

There was a play in the Cincy game where Pav's guy had the ball on the left baseline. Pav was totally overplaying the pass back to the wing, purposefully giving up the baseline drive. Dude went past him baseline (like we want) but the second defender wasn't looking at the ball and never rotated to the block to trap the driver on the baseline and the guy gets an open layup. Looks bad on Pav, but that score wasn't his fault.

Sometimes makes the on ball defender look bad, but our whole defense is predicated on forcing people into going places we know where they are going to go. It may look like Pav got blown by, but in many cases, that is on purpose.

 

[Yellow Snow]

It's poetry in action because all five guys on the floor know their role remarkably well and that enables each player to make those next steps of anticipation and movement. They can release to the next spot knowing they are covered.
Early in the season, I can't remember who it was, but he pushed a teammate through the lane to cover a position out on the perimeter bc he either missed his job or was too slow getting there.
These guys know who and where to be at all times

I think that was BRE pushing Omaha.

 

[Malty Flannel]

I have to totally disagree with the West Virginia comp.

Those Huggy teams didnt really play defense - they just fouled, hacked, pushed, and cheap shotted you to death. Huggy coached them how to do this when it was most likely the refs attention qould be elsewhere. He outright stated his strategy was LITERALLY "they cant call them all". And then he complained about every call, even if you were bleeding on the floor. It was the bball equivalent of the Hanson brothers. Hated hated hated it.

I swear someone should have filed charges against that big they had, the guy w the rec specs. Shot would go up, and he would find the closest guy and just SHOVE him in the back right off the floor. And he was coached to do that, because Huggy knew the refs eyes would go to the ball when the shot went up.

The comp here, as noted above, is Virginia. Those teams were suffocating defenses. Thats what TJ is doing. And those teams were very successful, esp when they had a couple guys that could score too.

The comp as I mentioned was not on play style (see last sentence of my OP) but what we do to the opposing coaches, players, and fans mindset. We are the bully that everybody absolutely hates to play. That's the comp

 

[ca4cy]

I thought this was going to be about how long our games are and how much other fan bases must hate having a game on TV after us.

Games are longer in general between all things that are now reviewed but, as others have said, we play D without excessive fouling so it seems odd to me that we get into these games that are pushing 2:20+

 

[VeloClone]

When I read the title I thought we don't press like WVU did. Then I realized you more meant the frustration level our defense creates is similar to press Virginia. Total agree with that take. Teams, coaches and players get tired of fighting every possession and it shows especially late in the half.

And that frustration is about as close to a free throw defense as you will ever get. If you are able to employ it consistently and frustrate shooters it will show up in the weak minded at that FT line as well. The strong will still hit their shots but a couple of extra misses at the line from a frustrated marginal FT shooter could very well be the difference in the game.

 

[VeloClone]

I used to hate that style of basketball, but TJ has shown me the light lol. Honestly, I don't feel like we are THAT bad on contact. I'd liken us to WV's best teams. Their mediocre teams just grabbed and hacked because they weren't good enough to play straight up against you.

And Huggins went 10 or 11 deep to combat it. He had 50 or 55 fouls at his disposal a game so he was okay if the officials were letting things go - because there was a hell of a lot more to let go on the WVU side - and he was okay if they were calling it tighter - because he damned well made sure that they were evening up fouls if they did. He was counting on his #9, 10 and 11 player having more experience and being more prepared than the opponent's #9, 10 and 11.

 

[VeloClone]

Was this in his press conference after their recent game with us? I just watched it and he didn't appear to say anything snide.

Old Man Randy asked him about TJ inheriting a team that went 2-22 and what that turnaround says about TJ and his staff. Dixon commented how this isn't a 2-22 program, complemented Prohm, and said we're in a new world, you pay money and go get transfers. He was referring to the general state of the college game I think, not commenting on us. He did mention his own transfers. I thought he was really complementary of ISU and TJ in the response.

"You don't develop players these days." I think Robert Jones would beg to differ.

 

[Cyclonepride]

"You don't develop players these days." I think Robert Jones would beg to differ.

I think that might be why some programs are struggling. You have to build a solid base so that you have some carryover and some firm identity that you add pieces to. I love how TJ has been doing it by adding some freshmen and then adding transfers that fit to that mix. I think that is the recipe for consistent success.

 

[Yellow Snow]

I think that might be why some programs are struggling. You have to build a solid base so that you have some carryover and some firm identity that you add pieces to. I love how TJ has been doing it by adding some freshmen and then adding transfers that fit to that mix. I think that is the recipe for consistent success.

Agreed. I also think that this past year provided some insight into our portal philosophy. Multi year transfers are way better than one and done ones. To your point exactly.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Agreed. I also think that this past year provided some insight into our portal philosophy. Multi year transfers are way better than one and done ones. To your point exactly.

Definitely. Getting three multiple year transfers that all contribute immediately is huge

 

[Paz23]

It needs a hype video that starts with that scene from Twister around Aunt Meg's dinner table:

"Is there an F5? What would that be like?"

"...Finger of God."

Then simulate a lightning storm with our fancy lights and sound the sirens before transitioning into whatever song we want to feature (ideally one from the soundtrack).

I agree. Go full-on twister. Have 2 inflatable Holstein cows that get batted back and forth in Cyclone Alley every time our defense goes up a notch.

Take a shot at Kansas. "What are you more afraid of....a little Phog or an EF5 monster?"
Have Bill Self edited in as Jonas in the rival truck when it gets smoked by the tower. He kind of looks like that douche anyway - shouldn't be hard to morph him into Self.

One other thing - and I think this might break Hilton. I want TJ to tell the team before a home game that the first timeout an opponent takes to try and stop a run, just stay out on the court. Don't even come over toward the bench - just stand and let Cyclone Alley maintain the noise through the timeout. Basically tell the opponent that there is nothing for us to talk about. I'm not sure if it is against the rules, but I wouldn't think so. I've always wanted to see that. I get a timeout allows for rest, but I think the mindf**k you give the other team would be worth it at least once.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

I agree. Go full-on twister. Have 2 inflatable Holstein cows that get batted back and forth in Cyclone Alley every time our defense goes up a notch.

Take a shot at Kansas. "What are you more afraid of....a little Phog or an EF5 monster?"

One other thing - and I think this might break Hilton. I want TJ to tell the team before a home game that the first timeout an opponent takes to try and stop a run, just stay out on the court. Don't even come over toward the bench - just stand and let Cyclone Alley maintain the noise through the timeout. Basically tell the opponent that there is nothing for us to talk about. I'm not sure if it is against the rules, but I wouldn't think so. I've always wanted to see that. I get a timeout allows for rest, but I think the mindf**k you give the other team would be worth it at least once.

That would be fun to see once.

I always thought it would be fun to have the crowd go dead silent during an opponent's key free throw attempt later in the game except for one student that starts talking to the guy on the line. Just something like "Man it's really quiet in here. We're all watching making sure you don't screw up."

 

[Paz23]

That would be fun to see once.

I always thought it would be fun to have the crowd go dead silent during an opponent's key free throw attempt later in the game except for one student that starts talking to the guy on the line. Just something like "Man it's really quiet in here. We're all watching making sure you don't screw up."

That would be awesome.

 

[nrg4isu]

That would be fun to see once.

I always thought it would be fun to have the crowd go dead silent during an opponent's key free throw attempt later in the game except for one student that starts talking to the guy on the line. Just something like "Man it's really quiet in here. We're all watching making sure you don't screw up."

Agreed. I'm someone who would do better with the crowd noise while shooting free throws. Dead silent with 14,00 fans hoping I make it? I'd probably piss myself.

Silent with one guy doing something distracting would be the most difficult.

 

[VeloClone]

I agree. Go full-on twister. Have 2 inflatable Holstein cows that get batted back and forth in Cyclone Alley every time our defense goes up a notch.

Take a shot at Kansas. "What are you more afraid of....a little Phog or an EF5 monster?"
Have Bill Self edited in as Jonas in the rival truck when it gets smoked by the tower. He kind of looks like that douche anyway - shouldn't be hard to morph him into Self.

One other thing - and I think this might break Hilton. I want TJ to tell the team before a home game that the first timeout an opponent takes to try and stop a run, just stay out on the court. Don't even come over toward the bench - just stand and let Cyclone Alley maintain the noise through the timeout. Basically tell the opponent that there is nothing for us to talk about. I'm not sure if it is against the rules, but I wouldn't think so. I've always wanted to see that. I get a timeout allows for rest, but I think the mindf**k you give the other team would be worth it at least once.

I think Eustachy did something similar once but for different reasons. It was against Morningside, I think. The team was playing terribly and were in a dogfight with a team they should have rolled. There was a timeout and when they came over Larry stopped them and said something like, "You got yourselves into this, get yourselves out of it." and immediately sent them back out onto the court.

 

[MJ271]

That would be fun to see once.

I always thought it would be fun to have the crowd go dead silent during an opponent's key free throw attempt later in the game except for one student that starts talking to the guy on the line. Just something like "Man it's really quiet in here. We're all watching making sure you don't screw up."

This idea reminds me a bit of the Duke student section all sitting down so Speedo Guy could be a "blooming flower" (his words, not mine).