Expectations for 2018-2019
- Thread starter CloneGuy8
- Start date
My expectation is tournament... period. I think ISU has gotten to a point where missing the tournament 2 years in a row is unacceptable. I'm not going to get in to breaking down the roster or any of that. If we miss the tournament 2 years in a row then that's an issue with the coach and where the program is headed. I do believe Prohm is a good coach and we will make the tournament next year.
I hope we can win a road game next year, barring major injuries, I see NIT next year. If they can make a big surge at the end of the year they could potentially grab a spot in the dance. I feel the beginning of next year is going to be tough, but a good challenge for a young team. I would really like to see this team grow mentally, as it takes a mentally tough team to win on the road. We have gotten destroyed on the road this year and that needs to change to have shot at the dance next year, and it begins with mental toughness.
I think NCAAT should be minimum expectation, too. Maybe we shouldn't expect to challenge for league title or earn a high seed, given we don't know for sure the impact all the new additions will have, plus improvement/health of returning players. Those things will find their level.
It makes me wonder what this season's record would be if the injury bug wasn't so severe. Not even everyone 100% start to finish, but having only minimal issues and missed games.
Speculation, obviously, but it seems within realm of possibility we'd be at least on the bubble if we had a full-strength roster for a majority of the games.
Edit: In addition to players having to sit due to injury, another layer is some guys were playing "hobbled" in multiple games along the way, too.
Talley got on a teammate for making a bad mental error against TCU. Frankly, we need that. Naz is a rare case in which that can come from a complementary player imo.
On to next year...we may be an underdog in as many as six non-conference games.
We should be a tournament team. Only stipulation is that a season that has yielded a McDermott-like result on the hardwood does not lead to McDermott-like results in the offseason. We can predict next season all we want, but a slight part of me will remain calm until I know Cam Lard and Lindell Wigginton both intend to play for Iowa State next season. If one or both declare?
I think the loss of Lard would hurt worse, as we don't have nearly as much post depth.
Losing Wigginton drops us from a near-shoe-in NCAA Tourney team to a Bubble-at-best. IMO
Lose both and I think there might still be enough to scrape to the Bubble, but you're mostly likely looking at NIT.
I think the loss of Lard would hurt worse, as we don't have nearly as much post depth.
Losing Wigginton drops us from a near-shoe-in NCAA Tourney team to a Bubble-at-best. IMO
Lose both and I think there might still be enough to scrape to the Bubble, but you're mostly likely looking at NIT.
Don't think we are done adding to next years squad either. Depending on who transfers out, I definitely see Prohm making additions. Whether it be Tyler Harris, a different HSer or a grad transfer, there will be a significant part added to the mix. My home run would be Mike Daum but that's a long shot at best.
I've said this about Iowa so I think it's fair to say about ISU, it's difficult to go from being a bad team to a really good team. I think we can be good, ~.500 or better in conference, and back into the dance. I think that should be the expectation.
There will still be a LOT of new pieces getting used to playing together next year. And we come out of the gate early with some incredibly difficult games - Mizzou, Maui, etc. We could get behind the 8 ball quick if we don't come out of the gates hot.
There will still be a LOT of new pieces getting used to playing together next year. And we come out of the gate early with some incredibly difficult games - Mizzou, Maui, etc. We could get behind the 8 ball quick if we don't come out of the gates hot.
I wouldn't say we've been a 'bad team' this year, though. We've played with everybody except a few games, but just haven't had the depth to finish games out. There is a difference between lacking talent and losing, and lacking depth of talent, and losing. We lack depth of talent this year, not talent. Our starting five would play with anybody. It's the end of the bench and tired legs that gets us every time.
I agree completely. I don't feel the team was that far from being on the bubble. If they had good luck rather than bad health wise I think they would be a bubble team right now.
We've gotten straight piss pounded several times, and many of those leads were generated just after half when the legs should be somewhat rested. That's actually one of my concerns too. However, again I'm flushing this season. Nothing to be gained by harping on it. We'll see what happens next year.
Duke is a fair lock for the #1 seed with their elite talent.
Would expect Gonzaga to keep humming along. They don't lose a ton outside of Johnathan Williams and have mostly dominated the transfer market out West.
Everyone is too high on Xavier's expectations for next year. Macura and Bluiett are far and away the best two players on that team and Blueitt will be a consensus 1st/2nd team AA this year. In addition to losing those two, they lose their two main post players in Kanter (3rd leading scorer) and O'mara. No high level talent coming in as of now. Chris Mack is a really good coach but they might have a rough time next year unless they hit some home runs via transfers this spring.
Arizona and Auburn should be huge question marks right now due to the FBI investigation. Even if Miller survives this, their highly ranked 2018 recruiting class has almost completely fallen apart and the losses off this year's team will be significant regardless (Ayton, Trier?, Alkins?, Ristic, Jackson-Cartwright). They could lose their entire starting 5.
I'd also expect ISU to be ahead of SDSU next year. The Mountain West is no slouch of a conference this year with Nevada and Boise but they're in the middle of the pack right now.
this has got to be the first thread in CF history where expectations are too low.
Top 5 in the league assuming Wiggy and Lard both return. Also assuming NWB stays at point and Wiggy at the 3.
1. Talley will be a huge factor assuming continued improvement.
2. The jump at 2 guard from Jackson to Shayok will be enormous.
3. The trio of Lard, Young and Jacobson in the post really allows for physical play.
4. The team might be the longest we've ever seen in an ISU uniform. Should really help disrupting the passing lanes.
1. Talley will be a huge factor assuming continued improvement.
2. The jump at 2 guard from Jackson to Shayok will be enormous.
3. The trio of Lard, Young and Jacobson in the post really allows for physical play.
4. The team might be the longest we've ever seen in an ISU uniform. Should really help disrupting the passing lanes.
Today after enduring this season I'd say most expectations in the thread are realistic.
Wait for November though, after getting watching THT, Shayok, Griffen and Jacobson added to the NWB, LW and Lard improved games in the CCL and practice there will be talk of ending KU's streak.
While that will be overly high expectations, a 4-5 place finish and a 6-7 seed in the NCAA is realistic and where I sit at the end of February.
Just a brief overview of my opinion on where each guy can potentially play (in no particular order)
1- NWB, Wigginton, Talley, Haliburton, THT
2- NWB, Wigginton, Talley, Haliburton, THT, Shayok, Long, Lewis
3- NWB, Wigginton, Talley, Haliburton, THT, Shayok, Long, Lewis, Griffin
4- NWB, Talley, THT, Shayok, Griffin, Young, Jacobsen, Lard, Conditt
5- Young, Jacobsen, Lard, Conditt
A lot of variability there.
1- NWB, Wigginton, Talley, Haliburton, THT
2- NWB, Wigginton, Talley, Haliburton, THT, Shayok, Long, Lewis
3- NWB, Wigginton, Talley, Haliburton, THT, Shayok, Long, Lewis, Griffin
4- NWB, Talley, THT, Shayok, Griffin, Young, Jacobsen, Lard, Conditt
5- Young, Jacobsen, Lard, Conditt
A lot of variability there.
Big 12 could be relatively down next year compared to this year. Unfortunately, KU has some amazing transfers sitting out this year and a great class like always that will most likely keep them at the top for 2018-2019. A top half finish next year should be our MINIMUM expectation.
As of today:
Texas Tech loses a lot but does return Zhaire Smith (bad recruiting class for 2018)
WV loses Carter and Evans (decent recruiting class coming in)
TCU loses a lot but gets Fischer back (#31 recruiting class coming in)
K State returns a lot but has a terrible coach (worst recruiting class next year)
OU loses ESPN's chosen one plus Latten (class only has 1 signed player)
Texas is expected to lose a lot to the Draft. (Good recruiting class though - 2 Top 50 recruits)
Baylor loses their top 4 scores (Average to ok class for 2018)
OK Lite loses a lot (Bad recruiting for 2018)
I'm not sure about other schools transfers besides KU so that could change this
As of today:
Texas Tech loses a lot but does return Zhaire Smith (bad recruiting class for 2018)
WV loses Carter and Evans (decent recruiting class coming in)
TCU loses a lot but gets Fischer back (#31 recruiting class coming in)
K State returns a lot but has a terrible coach (worst recruiting class next year)
OU loses ESPN's chosen one plus Latten (class only has 1 signed player)
Texas is expected to lose a lot to the Draft. (Good recruiting class though - 2 Top 50 recruits)
Baylor loses their top 4 scores (Average to ok class for 2018)
OK Lite loses a lot (Bad recruiting for 2018)
I'm not sure about other schools transfers besides KU so that could change this