2018-19 Big 12 Basketball Thread

[spystud13 2,371]

Was 34-19 at half. 

 

OU up 3 at home against their rivals with 8+ left on FSSW. 

[Brian Fantana 6,689]

30 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Maybe K-State isn't so bad, after all.

 

Then again, the margin in the Texas game wasn't much larger at the same point in time.

It's more that Tech's offense is average, K-State's is bad, and these are two of the top 5 defenses in the country. It's about what I expected out of this game.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Brian Fantana

[Brian Fantana 6,689]

dp

Edited January 5, 2019 by Brian Fantana

[spystud13 2,371]

Crazy how similar the two unis look on TV. 

[spystud13 2,371]

OU wins by 10. 

[Guest]

IDC if there were only 2 refs, that 2nd half of Tech- KState was horribad with regard to officiating.

 

Not just towards Tech either.  It was a total shitfest.

 

This shit officiating  is terrible.

[CBT 1,282]

42 minutes ago, spystud13 said:

Crazy how similar the two unis look on TV. 

Allowing that is bullshit. They should never be that close. 

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

This is some entertaining basketball.

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

ISU leading 36-32 at half in Hilton

[Jhawk 1,075]

Ku going down. 20+ turnovers 3/4 of the way through the game is a guaranteed loss at Hilton. 

Also, I like wigginton on the ball instead of at the 2. 

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

It's 50 degrees in north Iowa in January.  Iowa State is going in dry on KU in Hilton.  It's a good day.

[Brian Fantana 6,689]

1 hour ago, Al_4_ISU said:

It's 50 degrees in north Iowa in January.  Iowa State is going in dry on KU in Hilton.  It's a good day.

I told you you guys were gonna be dangerous. I actually think ISU is a big time dark horse right now, especially with Tech's offensive woes.

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

3 minutes ago, Brian Fantana said:

I told you you guys were gonna be dangerous. I actually think ISU is a big time dark horse right now, especially with Tech's offensive woes.

I think the real wild card is Azubuike’s injury.  We can beat KU in Lawrence if he isn’t back.

Its a completely different game with him in today.

Edited January 6, 2019 by Al_4_ISU

[Pancho 44,808]

 

[spystud13 2,371]

Whoa. 

[Brian Fantana 6,689]

That really sucks. He seems like a great kid.

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

Holy fucking shit.

I feel terrible for Doke (seems like a great kid), but this is how the streak ends.

[Jhawk 1,075]

Going to take some major efforts to keep the streak. Sucks for doke. 

[El Diablo 4,232]

Tough break.

[Braff Zacklin 13,579]

Agreed, that really sucks.

Liked his game, and though it gets old seeing KU win the league every year, it'd be nice to see it end without the asterisk of missing such a key component.

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

I've felt for awhile that the difference between KU and everyone else (on the court) was elite level post play.  There have been a lot of great guards and 3-4 kinda players spread across the league, but elite big men are rare, and KU almost always has one.

[VolenteHawk 495]

1 hour ago, Al_4_ISU said:

I've felt for awhile that the difference between KU and everyone else (on the court) was elite level post play.  There have been a lot of great guards and 3-4 kinda players spread across the league, but elite big men are rare, and KU almost always has one.

I think there is a lot to that. Two years ago they won by surrounding Landen Lucan with 4 guards, but that’s the exception not the rule. Self usually has some big guys. I think McCormick will be good eventually, but not this year.

I think this is probably the year the streak ends. Tech is legit and should protect home court and that defense travels, plus. KU just has too many weaknesses to be a true top end team; poor shooting, mediocre rebounding, good but not great defense. They’re usually elite at something that carries them through the grind and that’s missing this year.

 

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

38 minutes ago, VolenteHawk said:

I think there is a lot to that. Two years ago they won by surrounding Landen Lucan with 4 guards, but that’s the exception not the rule. Self usually has some big guys. I think McCormick will be good eventually, but not this year.

I think this is probably the year the streak ends. Tech is legit and should protect home court and that defense travels, plus. KU just has too many weaknesses to be a true top end team; poor shooting, mediocre rebounding, good but not great defense. They’re usually elite at something that carries them through the grind and that’s missing this year.

 

You guys always seem to have an early conference season game where you play poorly that gets the "is this the year?" talk going, and this game had all those trappings.  But the loss of Doke and what he brings is the kind of thing that doesn't happen every year.

At this point I see it being a 3 team race between KU, Tech, and ISU.  All of these teams play pretty good defense, and have a lot of guys who can score.  If one of these teams can win a road game against any of the others, that will be a huge leg up.  In the end, they probably all split and it comes down to who avoids road losses against the bottom half of the league.

[Jhawk 1,075]

Tech is going to eat us up.  24 turnovers against ISU and we're stuck with this lineup the rest of the year.  Losing De Sousa hurts even more now as we went from the most talented and deep front line in the country to one of the thinnest fronts in the country.  We survived the 4 out 1 in years because we had top 11 three point shooting for 3 years.  We are ranked 181 right now in 3pt%.  This will be a really shitty way to lose the league if it comes to that. 

We need McCormmack to step up and dominate inside.  Vick has to come alive again and Grimes needs to button up his mental issues so he can let his nuts hang.  That's a shitload to ask of everyone.  If we get McCormmack to step up and Grimes and Vick average 10 each from here on out we might have a chance.  I don't expect much form Vick as he's done his disappearing act like he did last year, so we are going to really have to hope that this team gets some help from others in the league.  Tech and ISU are going to have to lose some head scratchers for KU to win it.

The sky isn't falling because KU has the most talent on paper and the best coach in the league.  But it is fucking overcast as hell and the winds are blowing.  Going to be a rocky season.  The most disappointing thing is that this means we are 100% out of the national title consideration.  We're playing for the conference and nothing more.  I know that's a spoiled thing to say but this was one of those once in a decade type years where we could have really dominated all but 1-2 teams in the entire country.

Edited January 7, 2019 by Jhawk

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

19 minutes ago, Jhawk said:

Tech is going to eat us up.  24 turnovers against ISU and we're stuck with this lineup the rest of the year.  Losing De Sousa hurts even more now as we went from the most talented and deep front line in the country to one of the thinnest fronts in the country.  We survived the 4 out 1 in years because we had top 11 three point shooting for 3 years.  We are ranked 181 right now in 3pt%.  This will be a really shitty way to lose the league if it comes to that. 

We need McCormmack to step up and dominate inside.  Vick has to come alive again and Grimes needs to button up his mental issues so he can let his nuts hang.  That's a shitload to ask of everyone.  If we get McCormmack to step up and Grimes and Vick average 10 each from here on out we might have a chance.  I don't expect much form Vick as he's done his disappearing act like he did last year, so we are going to really have to hope that this team gets some help from others in the league.  Tech and ISU are going to have to lose some head scratchers for KU to win it.

The sky isn't falling because KU has the most talent on paper and the best coach in the league.  But it is fucking overcast as hell and the winds are blowing.  Going to be a rocky season.  The most disappointing thing is that this means we are 100% out of the national title consideration.  We're playing for the conference and nothing more.  I know that's a spoiled thing to say but this was one of those once in a decade type years where we could have really dominated all but 1-2 teams in the entire country.

History indicates that we'll be good for 2 or 3 of those.  Tomorrow in Waco is a prime candidate.  Coming off a huge win, and going to play a mediocre squad in front of 500 people.  This game will tell a lot about whether ISU is our typical above-average-but-not-elite 4 seed contender, or capable of winning the league.

 

If anyone on your squad let their nuts hang on Saturday, it was Grimes.  Early on I was worried about Vick, but Grimes made a lot of plays that kept us from getting out to a lead earlier.

Edited January 7, 2019 by Al_4_ISU

[VolenteHawk 495]

24 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

You guys always seem to have an early conference season game where you play poorly that gets the "is this the year?" talk going, and this game had all those trappings.  But the loss of Doke and what he brings is the kind of thing that doesn't happen every year.

At this point I see it being a 3 team race between KU, Tech, and ISU.  All of these teams play pretty good defense, and have a lot of guys who can score.  If one of these teams can win a road game against any of the others, that will be a huge leg up.  In the end, they probably all split and it comes down to who avoids road losses against the bottom half of the league.

Yeah, and most years it's just crazy overreaction to one game.  Similarly, there's no harm in losing in Ames, KU has done that a shitload and still won the league.  This game probably has nothing to do with who wins the league.

This is "likely" the year, because of the way the pieces fit together.  They're not elite at anything useful and the only times KU has put together dominating performances it hinged around teams having no ability to stop Azubuike.  Oops.

Edit to add: It's not all KU that they're vulnerable this year, having two apparently legit contenders matters, too.  KU has had teams that weren't their best still win the league, because most of the competition was from a group of fringe top 25 teams that beat each other up.  I think Tech and ISU both could rise above that fray to provide two legit contenders, and that's what it will take for somebody to take it away from KU.

 

Edited January 7, 2019 by VolenteHawk

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

22 minutes ago, VolenteHawk said:

Yeah, and most years it's just crazy overreaction to one game.  Similarly, there's no harm in losing in Ames, KU has done that a shitload and still won the league.  This game probably has nothing to do with who wins the league.

This is "likely" the year, because of the way the pieces fit together.  They're not elite at anything useful and the only times KU has put together dominating performances it hinged around teams having no ability to stop Azubuike.  Oops.

Edit to add: It's not all KU that they're vulnerable this year, having two apparently legit contenders matters, too.  KU has had teams that weren't their best still win the league, because most of the competition was from a group of fringe top 25 teams that beat each other up.  I think Tech and ISU both could rise above that fray to provide two legit contenders, and that's what it will take for somebody to take it away from KU.

 

Agreed.  There have been years (Hoiberg's last two squads) where I thought we could do that, but we could never avoid the bad road losses.  Both of those squads also dropped a home game.  If we had held serve at home in '14-'15, we would have tied you guys record-wise with a split in the head to head.

[Brian Fantana 6,689]

In my opinion, ISU is going to win the league. Tech and KU have glaring weaknesses. Tech's offensive play is a lot worse than our fans seem to want to admit, we have very few players who can drive and finish at the rim, which was our bread and butter last year, we don't shoot very well, and we've been turning the ball over a lot (lack of real ball handlers/PG, though Moretti really stepped up last game). Granted, KSU has one of the best defenses in the country, but it was still ugly to watch. A couple of teams have figured out that you have to play a ball denial game with Culver and force the rest of the team to pick up his slack. It will be interesting to see if Beard pulls the trigger on letting Moore/McCullar play this year.

[Js1 85,347]

1 hour ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Agreed.  There have been years (Hoiberg's last two squads) where I thought we could do that, but we could never avoid the bad road losses.  Both of those squads also dropped a home game.  If we had held serve at home in '14-'15, we would have tied you guys record-wise with a split in the head to head.

God I hope your bad road loss is in Austin

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

15 minutes ago, Js1 said:

God I hope your bad road loss is in Austin

There, Waco, Manhattan (at this point), Morgantown would all qualify.

I expect the following losses at this point:  in Lubbock, in Lawrence, in Norman, in Ft. Worth.  We will get at least 2 more, IMO.

[Machinator 32,099]

Despite the perception of Texas right now on this board, a loss in Austin would not qualify as "bad".

[Skipper 6,135]

I'll believe the streak will end when I actually see it.  I fully expect KU to pull it off again despite the injury.

[VolenteHawk 495]

43 minutes ago, Machinator said:

Despite the perception of Texas right now on this board, a loss in Austin would not qualify as "bad".

Yeah, they're statistically tied with OU and TCU in power ratings...if Norman or Ft Worth aren't bad losses, neither is Austin.

All 3 of those will be pick 'em-ish lines when Tech, Iowa State, and Kansas come to town.

 

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

43 minutes ago, Machinator said:

Despite the perception of Texas right now on this board, a loss in Austin would not qualify as "bad".

It won't be a bad loss in the eyes of the committee, but it's a "bad" loss for us or Tech in terms of winning the regular season title.  It's the kind of game that any team looking to knock off KU needs to win.

[Machinator 32,099]

5 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

It won't be a bad loss in the eyes of the committee, but it's a "bad" loss for us or Tech in terms of winning the regular season title.  It's the kind of game that any team looking to knock off KU needs to win.

And that's fair.

[Js1 85,347]

55 minutes ago, Machinator said:

Despite the perception of Texas right now on this board, a loss in Austin would not qualify as "bad".

"Right now."  Hell, this stretch coming up scares the hell out of me.
 

By the time Iowa State comes to town, we will have played KU, WV, Baylor, KSU, OSU and OU twice.

Edited January 7, 2019 by Js1

[Jhawk 1,075]

Bill Self has apparently discussed burning a redshirt with one of our freshmen.  We don't redshirt a lot of guys but to burn one on a frosh to try and make the team better seems like a desperation move by a coach who never gets desperate.  I don't like that at all.

That being said, Grimes and Lawson both said after ISU that Doke was always the game plan and losing him meant we were unprepared.  Grimes has been knocked for his lack of confidence.  He said that his confidence isn't the issue, he hasn't known his role on the team yet.  His role got a whole lot clearer today.  Time for that guy to step on the gas and play some ball.

[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

9 minutes ago, Jhawk said:

Bill Self has apparently discussed burning a redshirt with one of our freshmen.  We don't redshirt a lot of guys but to burn one on a frosh to try and make the team better seems like a desperation move by a coach who never gets desperate.  I don't like that at all.

That being said, Grimes and Lawson both said after ISU that Doke was always the game plan and losing him meant we were unprepared.  Grimes has been knocked for his lack of confidence.  He said that his confidence isn't the issue, he hasn't known his role on the team yet.  His role got a whole lot clearer today.  Time for that guy to step on the gas and play some ball.

Yup.  It was an obvious factor in how lopsided the game ended up, and how disjointed KU seemed for a lot of it.

[Jhawk 1,075]

1 minute ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Yup.  It was an obvious factor in how lopsided the game ended up, and how disjointed KU seemed for a lot of it.

Sadly, he and Lawson haven't even been good on the court together.  When one gets theirs the other usually has a bad game.  It sucks to not have both of them but Lawson will now be the only guy down low which might actually make the team play better as a unit.  That being said, you never want to lose the guy who was #1 in shooting percentage for 1.5 years straight.  We can be fine if everyone begins to know their job and we get good help from the other big men on a defensive and rebounding front.  Our guard play is going to have to pick it up big time, especially defensively.

[Brian Fantana 6,689]

3 hours ago, Machinator said:

Despite the perception of Texas right now on this board, a loss in Austin would not qualify as "bad".

Agreed. I think Texas is a dangerous team.

[Brian Fantana 6,689]

https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2019/1/7/18172093/texas-tech-basketball-defense-final-four-chris-beard

I think this piece breaks down why I'm so worried about our offense moving forward in league play quite well. 

[Uncle Nate 2,097]

36 minutes ago, Brian Fantana said:

Agreed. I think Texas is a dangerous team.

I agree.  It's like Shaka was just tinkering with the team through non-conference and now in conference has the mix he wants.  Just my perception after two games.

[Cameltoe 114]

22 hours ago, Pancho Negro said:

 

This is great news. Fuck Kansas.

[Braff Zacklin 13,579]

The Texas basketball team is similar to the football team in that it is capable of beating anyone ... and losing to anyone. Definitely a box of chocolates with that group.

[ChiTownDoc 21,154]

How is OU a likely tourney team?  LOL,  Lon is the truth.  Picked bottom 2 in the xii by most services but looking at 4 seed right now.  Absurd. 

[Guest]

Teams have to guard more than one player this season against OU.

[aggie08 21,504]

15 hours ago, Cameltoe said:

This is great news. Fuck Kansas.

Yay injuries!

 

Go fuck yourself.

[Goo Punch 4,275]

23 hours ago, Uncle Nate said:

I agree.  It's like Shaka was just tinkering with the team through non-conference and now in conference has the mix he wants.  Just my perception after two games.

 

23 hours ago, Brian Fantana said:

Agreed. I think Texas is a dangerous team.

I'm waiting to see the run where we play TTU, KU, OU, and then TCU. Texas was *terrible* for the first half vs KSU and aside from Febres the rest of the team shot under 40% from the field and bta. we also were not great at home against a depleted wvu team, and our rotation has essentially gone down to 7 men (plus hamm). i'm not ready to say Texas is dangerous until we start competing and looking good against those upper echelon teams. we've won some games, but it hasn't been pretty. a bad shooting night and this team can lose to anybody.

Edited January 8, 2019 by Goo Punch

[Goo Punch 4,275]

look at Texas Tech's defense:




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[Al_4_ISU 12,464]

This is going about as I expected.  Games like this are why we can’t unseat KU