Could this team become the best team in Cyclone MBB History?

[cayin]

The Big 12 was top heavy back then. Since about 2014 the Big 12 has been a lot deeper with less teams. This year it has 14 teams and even at the bottom, maybe only two teams that are not very good. Everyone else is good to decent, if you don't show up, you will absolutely get beat.

That 99-2000 team just kept getting better and stronger as the season progressed. By the time the NCAA tournament came around they were a juggernaut. They killed a good Auburn team by 19 points in the second round. They beat a UCLA team so bad they made them quit, I mean they freaking demolished them. We are talking about a UCLA team that was scary good coming into the game. That team that had just destroyed a very good Maryland team by 35 points. For reference Maryland had high quality wins agains Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Duke, Norte Dame, George Washington, North Carolina among others.

Its a shame that ISU team was a 2 seed, we got jobbed in Auburn Hills. Once Izzo strategically got himself T-d up, most of calls went MSU way down the stretch. The simple fact is there was no way, absolutely no way MSU could win that game if roles were reversed, if they had to play in front of 20,000 ISU fans. Heck I doubt there was any way MSU could win that game on a truly neutral floor. To sum up, I really think that 99-2000 team was the best team in the country by March. This years team will probably never be that good, but there is a lot out there for them. I just think we are a month too early to make a legitimate comparison.

 

[mj4cy]

I'm guessing the OP is younger.

That 99-00 team was a couple head scratching calls from a natty.

 

[8bitnes]

Remember, though, that the Big 12 schedule at that time was only 16 games. Iowa State played everyone in the Big 12 North home and away, and everyone in the South just once. At this point in 2000, Iowa State was only ranked 14th, because the only games against ranked opponents were losses against Cincinnati and OU, and a win against KU. Their only additional wins against eventual tournament teams at this point in the season were Colorado and Arkansas. It wasn't until the end of the season when they proved themselves against OSU and Texas, then in the Big 12 tournament against OSU and OU.

Plus, when the previous poster mentioned cupcakes, I doubt he was referring to any of the teams you mentioned; he was talking about the teams at the bottom of the conference. The 99/00 Big 12 had 5 of 12 teams finish with overall records under .500. For comparison, last season the Big 12 had 1 of 10 below .500 and right now has 2 of 14 below .500 (UCF might make it 3 by the end of the year).

I don't think we should probably make the comparison to the 1999/2000 team yet, but I think people should keep in mind the difference in schedules between the two teams. At this point in 2000, Iowa State was 21-3, but if we were just making a direct resume comparison with this year's 19-5 team without knowing the rest of the story in 2000, I doubt that anyone would say the 1999/2000 team is clearly the better one. Point being, there's a lot of season left.

The NET rankings would have surely dragged ISU for scoring 44 points in a quad 3 loss at Drake that year. Drake finished the season 11-18. But, it's how you end the season which is why they hold the crown as best cyclone team ever.

 

[cydsho]

That 2000 team was near dominant in the B12. They pretty much breezed though the conf tournament and the first 3 games in NCAA.. Fizer was a man among boys in the league. Love this current team but can't be compared yet.

 

[Bob f]

Why do you feel the need to prove a team that went 32-5 and won the Big12 regular season and conference tournament is inferior to a team that is, at the moment, is 19-5.
That team was tough as nails...not only physically but mentally too. They got to the Elite 8 and it gave the eventual champions their toughest game of the tournament...probably should have won. If this team accomplishes all that, then we can have an honest discussion.

Definitely should have won. Worst sports day (along with 98 Vinings losing to Atlanta in nfc championship) of my life

 

[swiacy]

The Big 12 was top heavy back then. Since about 2014 the Big 12 has been a lot deeper with less teams. This year it has 14 teams and even at the bottom, maybe only two teams that are not very good. Everyone else is good to decent, if you don't show up, you will absolutely get beat.

That 99-2000 team just kept getting better and stronger as the season progressed. By the time the NCAA tournament came around they were a juggernaut. They killed a good Auburn team by 19 points in the second round. They beat a UCLA team so bad they made them quit, I mean they freaking demolished them. We are talking about a UCLA team that was scary good coming into the game. That team that had just destroyed a very good Maryland team by 35 points. For reference Maryland had high quality wins agains Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Duke, Norte Dame, George Washington, North Carolina among others.

Its a shame that ISU team was a 2 seed, we got jobbed in Auburn Hills. Once Izzo strategically got himself T-d up, most of calls went MSU way down the stretch. The simple fact is there was no way, absolutely no way MSU could win that game if roles were reversed, if they had to play in front of 20,000 ISU fans. Heck I doubt there was any way MSU could win that game on a truly neutral floor. To sum up, I really think that 99-2000 team was the best team in the country by March. This years team will probably never be that good, but there is a lot out there for them. I just think we are a month too early to make a legitimate comparison.

I concur, that’s the story line I remember too. That team was not as deep thou. This team has 3 physical Bigs in BRE, King & Ward that are rotated and can stay fresh while accumulating 4 fouls and still be hard bangers. Same with 3 quick physical guards that can score and play hard for the same reasons in Lipsey, Gilbert and Jones. The outlier is Milan M a fundamentally sound 6’8” wing who hardly leaves the floor and stabilizes the other 2 groups. Throw in Watson & Pavs to give good minutes when someone gets 3 or 4 fouls and needs a breather. The 2000 team could score better than this team but 24 years later the game has become way more physical and I think in today’s environment and going 9 deep, that this team would prevail in a game where both were on their “A” team. The 2024 team has their legacy yet to prove while the 2000 team has their’s in the record book. Right now they are the best and this year’s team could eclipse them or falter, the next 3 days will be a test.

 

[madguy30]

That 2000 team was near dominant in the B12. They pretty much breezed though the conf tournament and the first 3 games in NCAA.. Fizer was a man among boys in the league. Love this current team but can't be compared yet.

It's funny, I don't remember watching a lot of their regular season games although I know I would have since they were on the old ESPN+/KCRG (CR area) a lot.

They weren't even ranked until February. As that month went on though you got a sense that they weren't just good, but a different level and the Big 12 Tournament solidified it. The semifinals vs. Okie State was a really good game as they were really good too.

 

[WISCY1895]

The 99/00 team was a national championship caliber team with Fizer and Tinsley. Love this team but it’s not on that level

 

[clonechemist]

This thread is putting too much stock overall in NCAA tournament results vs results over a season.

Like we are forgetting the 2000-2001 team even existed when they went 26-4 in the regular season. Just look at that season and tell me that isn’t the second best team in ISU history.

This years team, I think, is on pace to be top 5 all time at ISU, which is very very good - but they still have a lot to prove to climb the ladder into top 3.

Don’t forget we will probably drop another game or two we shouldn’t this year due to an off night.

 

[1100011CS]

Threads like this are setting us up for a disappointing loss.

 

[chadly82]

I still watch full game replays from 99-00 from time to time. Watched the Big 12 tournament title game against OU recently. Jamaal was just so damn crafty w/the basketball. That whole team was so unbelievably physically strong.

He dribbled through the legs of an All Big 12 guard while messing with him near mid court lol it was incredible

 

[BoxsterCy]

 

[AuH2O]

This thread is putting too much stock overall in NCAA tournament results vs results over a season.

Like we are forgetting the 2000-2001 team even existed when they went 26-4 in the regular season. Just look at that season and tell me that isn’t the second best team in ISU history.

This years team, I think, is on pace to be top 5 all time at ISU, which is very very good - but they still have a lot to prove to climb the ladder into top 3.

Don’t forget we will probably drop another game or two we shouldn’t this year due to an off night.

True - but that team had some dysfunction that came to a head late in the season, losing 3 of 5.

And frankly the rest of the league wasn't good. Only league games against ranked teams were OU at Hilton, @KU and KU at Hilton.

To me the big difference in 99-00 is that it likely would've been a favorite in the final four and NC had it gotten past MSU in Auburn Hills. The Niang busted foot season had ISU gotten past UConn they probably would've had to win as underdogs the rest of the way.

This team might get close, but unlikely they'd be favorites beyond the elite eight.

 

[NoCreativity]

Not even close yet. Its February 16th. The schedule is actually a week behind this year so there's still alot of regular season to be played.

IMO this team isn't anywhere close to the 99-00 team and is probably behind the 2001-02 and the 13-14 team as well.

Prohm's first two teams and the 18-19 team probably had more talent than this year but were so poorly coached they aren't on the same level as this year.

 

[Cloned4Life]

He dribbled through the legs of an All Big 12 guard while messing with him near mid court lol it was incredible

God that was neat.

Jon Sunvold was a color commentator on a lot of our games back in the day and he was absolutely fascinated by JT. As I think most of us were. Not a ton of Rucker Park legends can take their street game and perfectly incorporate it into high level basketball, but Jamaal did. The basketball was a yoyo to him. He is my 2nd favorite Cyclone of all time, behind Dedric.

 

[Cloned4Life]

I concur, that’s the story line I remember too. That team was not as deep thou. This team has 3 physical Bigs in BRE, King & Ward that are rotated and can stay fresh while accumulating 4 fouls and still be hard bangers. Same with 3 quick physical guards that can score and play hard for the same reasons in Lipsey, Gilbert and Jones. The outlier is Milan M a fundamentally sound 6’8” wing who hardly leaves the floor and stabilizes the other 2 groups. Throw in Watson & Pavs to give good minutes when someone gets 3 or 4 fouls and needs a breather. The 2000 team could score better than this team but 24 years later the game has become way more physical and I think in today’s environment and going 9 deep, that this team would prevail in a game where both were on their “A” team. The 2024 team has their legacy yet to prove while the 2000 team has their’s in the record book. Right now they are the best and this year’s team could eclipse them or falter, the next 3 days will be a test.

Respectfully, the 2000 team was as physical as any Iowa State team we have ever put on the floor. Fizer, Stevie Johnson, Shirley, and Rancik (even coming back from injury later in the season) would have absolutely zero issues matching up physically with our current frontcourt. I'm actually chuckling a little bit at the assertion. I recall Stevie's bench press being one of the highest on the football team.

If a hypothetical game ever took place between our current squad and the 00' squad, I would bet every single penny - including the kids 529's - on the 00' squad. It was THAT good, like top 2 in the country good. Their identity was literally toughness, rebounding, and defense. And they had the All-Americans to score and make plays, and elite shooters on the wing.

 

[swiacy]

Respectfully, the 2000 team was as physical as any Iowa State team we have ever put on the floor. Fizer, Stevie Johnson, Shirley, and Rancik (even coming back from injury later in the season) would have absolutely zero issues matching up physically with our current frontcourt. I'm actually chuckling a little bit at the assertion. I recall Stevie's bench press being one of the highest on the football team.

If a hypothetical game ever took place between our current squad and the 00' squad, I would bet every single penny - including the kids 529's - on the 00' squad. It was THAT good, like top 2 in the country good. Their identity was literally toughness, rebounding, and defense. And they had the All-Americans to score and make plays, and elite shooters on the wing.

Well said, that's why message boards exist so that opinions can get thrown out there. Hornacek, Tinsley, Morris, Haliburton are examples of the difficulty of stating who is #1. Some would say the Roland Rocket deserves mention in that group. My favorite story about Tinsley is that he never spent much time in High School let alone have graduated. ISU found a Jr. College in CA. that accepted students without a degree and were able to get him qualified for enrollment. I will stand behind my belief that D-1 BB is considerably harder today than in 2000 and that this team is more physical in the total rotation and the Big 12 is more competitive top to bottom than in 2000. Kelvin Sampson could answer that question and I'd like Randy Peterson to ask that question Monday but I doubt he does?

 

[chadly82]

God that was neat.

Jon Sunvold was a color commentator on a lot of our games back in the day and he was absolutely fascinated by JT. As I think most of us were. Not a ton of Rucker Park legends can take their street game and perfectly incorporate it into high level basketball, but Jamaal did. The basketball was a yoyo to him. He is my 2nd favorite Cyclone of all time, behind Dedric.

I’m still perplexed on my old school vs new school top 5. When you hit 40 it’s tough. Best starting lineup is easy for me. Tinsley, Willoughby, Niang, fizer and Cato rim protection

 

[CRcyclone6]

I still watch full game replays from 99-00 from time to time. Watched the Big 12 tournament title game against OU recently. Jamaal was just so damn crafty w/the basketball. That whole team was so unbelievably physically strong.

I watch the tournament game vs UCLA all the time.

 

[Cyforce]

To me ‘00 team was at worst #2 in nation. So that’s a high bar.

That said, winning this version of the big 12 would be a much tougher accomplishment compared to before Baylor got elite and when the conference had dead weight like Nebraska and Colorado.

Colorado was one of those 5 losses.