***Official Niang Ankle Thread***
- Thread starter ISUFan22
- Start date
Ugh. Chances to win the tourney are small for every team, but now we'll always wonder what could of been.
Feel bad for Niang, but he'll have more chances in the future.
Ejim and Kane, though, this is it.
Feel bad for Niang, but he'll have more chances in the future.
Ejim and Kane, though, this is it.
Feel bad for Georges and the team. Where this hurts us most, I think, is our offensive efficiency. Niang draws a lot of defense opening things up for the rest of the team.
All this talk about growing a pair, and mine are getting confused, should they mourn the loss of Georges, or should an overwhelming surge of testosterone cause me to beat my chest and yell, "We can win anyway!!!!" I don't need any kind of hormonal surge, to believe that we can still beat any team in the country. I also understand that the odds of doing that went down some without Georges. With him, we were better, but there is a chance we will play just as well without him. (I think my pair are more or less in equilibrium.)
The good news is this - we didn't suffer a first round upset and IF we lose to UNC, nobody is going to give us **** for it. I think we can win - it'll be interesting to see what Hoiberg has drawn up here. We've also played stretches of the season without Niang while he's been in foul trouble or games where he shot really poorly and still won many of those games, so there's that. He's a vital piece to the offense, obviously, but we can still win. Just need someone to step up or have one of our guys who already does step up even more.
When this thread started, most were joking about Niang's injury, and some still are. Or downplaying the significance and saying we will just have to play harder, come together, and overcome. Let's not fool ourselves. Niang's offensive production and versatility completely changes how teams defend us. With him, we spread the floor to extremes, giving Kane, Niang himself, and anyone else, room to operate - drive, shoot, pass, everything. That spacing? It's gone now. Big that punishes inside and out? Gone too. Opposing defenses will be able to lock us down, more like the traditional teams they've played all year. The rest of our team will have a tougher time getting good looks compounded by the pressure to produce more because Niang isn't there chipping in. This is completely different than when Niang has an off night with poor production (relative to his typically very high output) and some other guy(s) step up a bit. Niang and his freakish inside/outside skills won't be on the floor at all!
With 5 minutes or so left in this game, before Niang got injured, ISU was affirming the prediction of many. That we have a legit shot at the Final Four and a significant chance to win it all. When was the last time we could say that about ISU? 2000? With the snap of Niang's fifth metatarsal, those chances vanished. Niang isn't someone you replace in two days or a week, no matter the determination, will, grit, etc. Without Niang, our high hopes are no longer reasonable. We might squeak past NC with a bit of luck, but if we get into the Sweet 16 with the other top tier teams, we're screwed.
Some of you want to make stupid band aid or vertical leap jokes. Clever. The best team we've had in the last 14 years just saw their chances to win it all for the first time in school history go from decent to none. For those trying to surmise ways in which we'd have a chance, that's fine, and respectable in a way. But you're deceiving yourselves. I am going to get acquainted with this bitter, unavoidable reality now.
With 5 minutes or so left in this game, before Niang got injured, ISU was affirming the prediction of many. That we have a legit shot at the Final Four and a significant chance to win it all. When was the last time we could say that about ISU? 2000? With the snap of Niang's fifth metatarsal, those chances vanished. Niang isn't someone you replace in two days or a week, no matter the determination, will, grit, etc. Without Niang, our high hopes are no longer reasonable. We might squeak past NC with a bit of luck, but if we get into the Sweet 16 with the other top tier teams, we're screwed.
Some of you want to make stupid band aid or vertical leap jokes. Clever. The best team we've had in the last 14 years just saw their chances to win it all for the first time in school history go from decent to none. For those trying to surmise ways in which we'd have a chance, that's fine, and respectable in a way. But you're deceiving yourselves. I am going to get acquainted with this bitter, unavoidable reality now.
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We're a better team with Niang almost every night.
There have been a few times he's been really off. We lost those games. Except like once.
There have been a few times he's been really off. We lost those games. Except like once.
Nope, we'll just get to keep posting the what ifs forever if we can't beat them.
So, we avoided any serious anxiety about the 14-3 upset. Then this.
Can't we get a win-win once in a while?
Can't we get a win-win once in a while?
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Yeah, no doubt we're better with him though there's definitely been some times where he's hindered us by missing too many shots.Not many times, a few, but yeah. Gah why does this have to happen now? We can still win though, I have no doubt in my mind. The most scared I am if we move on, is Michigan State because of Payne.
Cmon folks. sure this sucks but lets all hope,wish or pray for speedy recovery for Niang and that the team somehow finds some way to get past UNC and keep on rolling. I hope and pray those players that have mostly rode the pine most of the season take it upon themselves to step up be team player and no when it is they're time to make a play and dont give an ounce of hesitation or quit.
:spinny:
:spinny:
a real fan is scared but forges ahead with pride and hope just the same. we all know what Niang is to the team - no one is doubting that. You know the good part? We get him for 2 more years.