CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Well, we might as well go ahead and win this one, too.
*** Official #10 IOWA STATE vs Cincinnati Game(Day) Thread ***
- Thread starter CycloneRulzzz
- Start date
One interesting thing to keep the eye on. CJ Fredrick (yes, THAT CJ Fredrick) transferred from Iowa to Kentucky and then to Cincy this year. He was a starter and their top (really only) 3pt threat, shooting 44% in the non-conference.
but he hasn't played since before Christmas with a hamstring injury. He was medically cleared to play against Houston on Saturday, but played just 2 minutes. If he is ready to play a bigger role today, we definitely need to close out on him.
but he hasn't played since before Christmas with a hamstring injury. He was medically cleared to play against Houston on Saturday, but played just 2 minutes. If he is ready to play a bigger role today, we definitely need to close out on him.
I have watched a bit of Cincy and paid some attention to them this year. I thought they were a good add to the Big12, they have some good bball history.
To me they feel like a team that has a lot of good pieces, but hasn't quite figured out how to put them all together at the same time - esp on offense. Very athletic, love to rebound. Reminds me of TCU, but focused on defense instead of offense.
They have lost a lot of close games to very good teams because they just couldn't quite get over the hump at the end. Should be a great game, very exciting - but bad for the cardiac care of ISu & Cincy fans!
To me they feel like a team that has a lot of good pieces, but hasn't quite figured out how to put them all together at the same time - esp on offense. Very athletic, love to rebound. Reminds me of TCU, but focused on defense instead of offense.
They have lost a lot of close games to very good teams because they just couldn't quite get over the hump at the end. Should be a great game, very exciting - but bad for the cardiac care of ISu & Cincy fans!
Might as well just win the whole darn thing.
Jess Settles on the call, CJ Fredrick on the floor. 72-65 Cyclones, just to spite them.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
I won't be surprised if ISU loses this one. I also won't be surprised if they win it either. It's really a toss up. Hope the good guys sneak out of there with a win.
Lots of good stuff here. Turnovers definitely stand out as an area we need to capitalize on - Cincy is middle of the pack nationally in forcing turnovers and taking care of the ball. We need to capitalize on that.
Offensively, they struggle (as much as us) with FT shooting, but don't get to the line very much. They also aren't a great 3pt shooting team, nor do they take many. I think this is a game where we lean on our defensive strengths and defend the paint - nothing at the rim - and see if they can make multiple skip passes and then make the 3.
Their biggest strength is offensive rebounding. They start 7', 6'11, 6'6" and 6'6", at least recently, so they are long and really hit the offensive boards well. Need Milan's continued improvement in this area, plus the guards really need to crash down.
Personnel-wise, Cincy has three sizes of players.
They have 2 6'0" PGs, that don't really play at the same time, both on the all-name team. The starter is DayDay Thomas and then freshman Jizzle James comes off the bench for ~13 minutes a game. Neither stand out statistically other than useful PGs.
Then they have 4 ~6'6" "wings", with John Newman and Simas Lukosius as the starters. Newman is their best defender and wing rebounder and makes 36% from 3, but only about 1 make per game. He's a 6th year senior who played 3 years at Clemson before playing 3 at UC. Lukosius is their biggest volume shooter, but is <30% in the conference season. he shot 38% from deep at Butler last year. Then off the bench they have Dan Skillings who is their leading scorer at ~13ppg and plays starter minutes. And then there's another 6'7" bench player Josh Reed who doesn't score much but averages 10+ minutes per game.
Their bigs, both of whom usually start, are Aziz Bandaogo, a true 7' post and their leading rebounder - he averaged a double-double at Utah Valley last year after starting at Akron. And Viktor Lahkin, a 6'11" post who can shoot a bit, but has struggled in conference season. They have one other big body 6'9" post who comes off the bench and plays ~10mpg, Jamelle Reynolds, who has played at UCF and Temple, averaging 10+ with Temple last year.
Then, as I mentioned up thread, the wild card is CJ Fredrick, who has been out since December, but is healthy again and provides their only true 3pt threat.
They've struggled with turnovers in conference play but only had 8 against Houston on Saturday.
Another snooze fest of a Big 12 road game. We blow them out 67-65.
Line opened at a Pick Em and has since moved to Cincy -2. Unranked team favored at home is a tough spot.
With TTU’s win last night, unranked BXII teams are something like 11-3 at home against top 10 teams
Settles seems really random. I thought he worked for BTN. I wonder why we didn’t get the regular BXII “B team” with Spatola or McClure
Lol he's going to play and hit 6 threes tonight
He must have several doctoral degrees by now.
Hopefully not as negative as the BTN CyHawk football game in Iowa City, when Chuck Long’s entire call of the Jake Knott interception was “oh crap.”
I agree with you on pressure and creating offense through turnovers.
Probably my main concern is keeping them off the boards. Their center is huge and active, and the other guys are tough too.
Second concern would be getting off good shots, and I think that pressure is the key so that we can get enough easy buckets to supplement the offense.
I'm really not surprised at that. I take every road W as a bonus.