Big 12 Conference Tournament:

[southie]

I came across this article after the tournament. Is this fair or does it sound somewhat like sour grapes? I didn't think the BIG12 is more physical than conferences like the BIG10. Am I missing something?

STANZ: Freedom of movement is dead - Cyclone Fanatic

Mar 12, 2022; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Bill Fennelly looks on in the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Municipal Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Freedom of movement in college basketball is dead — and has been for...

cyclonefanatic.com

Of course it's sour grapes by the author! Why wait until the season is almost over, and after a third ISU loss to Texas in 2022, to write about this topic? The first 2 losses were by about 20 points each; at least this last loss was by 9 points in OT.

This all started by ESPN's Michele Voepel asking Fennelly a question after the loss to Texas on Saturday about "Freedom of movement". I like Voepel, but she does have a bias toward the Kansas and Iowa schools in the Big 12 (as lives in KC, I believe).

Fennnelly made it sound like he's been upset about this and talking about it for many years, but I've never seen it referenced until Saturday. Perhaps I just missed it.

The author writes: Every basketball game turning into a back alley brawl is not good for the game of basketball. It makes games harder to watch and less exciting. Offenses can’t operate properly without trying to match that physicality then if they match that physicality, they’ll watch as the official exuberantly calls an offensive foul.

Get real! "Exuberantly" ? It's pretty much always gonna be an offensive foul if the quicker defensive player beats the slower ISU player to the spot and is set outside the circle under the basket.

The author writes: Teams like the Iowa State women — which I would describe as a finesse team — are the ones that suffer the consequences, and that is incredibly unfortunate because of how fun they are to watch. Somehow, this finesse team is the one that was called for 17 fouls after halftime despite being the less physical squad — by a considerable margin.

Any game in which ISU doesn't shoot more free throws than their opponent is most likely gonna be a loss. This "finesse" team is also not very athletic. The reason they had so many fouls is they don't have the lateral quickness to keep up with Rori Harmon (shot 9-9 FT's), and the physical strength to rebound against teams with big inside post players. Pat Summitt (R.I.P.) and her physically strong rebounding Lady Vols teams of the past would chew up these finesse Fennelly teams and spit them out as if it were second nature.

 

[southie]

Iowa State coaches and media and fans spout this same talking point pretty much every time they play, and lose, to Texas or Baylor. Fennelly just clearly doesn't respect Schaefer's style.

Fennelly is now 0-6 against Schaefer in his first two seasons at Texas. Both losses in the Big 12 tourneys have come when ISU was the higher seeded team. Whether he respects the style or not, there's no question who's had the better combination of coaching and player execution after the past 2 seasons.

Somehow, ISU had 3 players on the Big 12 First Team, and Texas had zero. And, somehow, ISU's Lexi Donarski was voted Big 12 Defensive POY despite not being in the Top 25 in any defensive stats like rebounding, blocked shots, or steals. Against Texas on Saturday, she had zero rebounds, zero blocks, and 2 steals. That's the DPOY?

 

[undersized]

Fennelly is now 0-6 against Schaefer in his first two seasons at Texas. Both losses in the Big 12 tourneys have come when ISU was the higher seeded team. Whether he respects the style or not, there's no question who's had the better combination of coaching and player execution after the past 2 seasons.

Somehow, ISU had 3 players on the Big 12 First Team, and Texas had zero. And, somehow, ISU's Lexi Donarski was voted Big 12 Defensive POY despite not being in the Top 25 in any defensive stats like rebounding, blocked shots, or steals. Against Texas on Saturday, she had zero rebounds, zero blocks, and 2 steals. That's the DPOY?

I agree it's ridiculous that Texas didn't have a player on first team. Like it or not, all-conference awards tend to reward scoring more than defense, and Iowa State scores well. And then, like you said, when it comes to the DPOY and All-Defensive team, I find myself confused more often than not. I'd love to see the ballots to see who exactly voted for Donarski. It's voted on by the coaches (and not the media) which I find even more baffling. Maybe Texas as a team had so many good candidates for the award that they split the vote.

 

[southie]

I agree it's ridiculous that Texas didn't have a player on first team. Like it or not, all-conference awards tend to reward scoring more than defense, and Iowa State scores well. And then, like you said, when it comes to the DPOY and All-Defensive team, I find myself confused more often than not. I'd love to see the ballots to see who exactly voted for Donarski. It's voted on by the coaches (and not the media) which I find even more baffling. Maybe Texas as a team had so many good candidates for the award that they split the vote.

That's possible. Most Texas fans believe our announced defection to the SEC played a role in those (lack of) votes.

 

[undersized]

That's possible. Most Texas fans believe our announced defection to the SEC played a role in those (lack of) votes.

I do love a harmless conspiracy. But it's hard to get behind this one when Oklahoma is also defecting and they had two 1st team selections.

 

[southie]

I do love a harmless conspiracy. But it's hard to get behind this one when Oklahoma is also defecting and defecting and they had two 1st team selections.

Except the other Big 12 schools don't blame OU; they only blame Texas for the move to the SEC. It's always Texas' fault (don't you know?) !

 

[Bjbod]

The article most likely would not have been written if the author was a Texas fan. I like ISU, but have pointed out several times they get owned by physical and athletic teams. Unless there's a movement to restrict hand-checking Fennelly needs to recruit a different player than he's used to.

I'm old, but back when I played fouls were called when the defensive player put ONE hand on their opponent. You could still 'body up' on someone within reason without being whistled. Really wish they'd go back to that strategy...still rewarded more athletic teams but made calling fouls a more objective process.

ISU powered through this 'disadvantage' pretty well for the 1st time in Big 12 Tourney vs Texas...made it to OT instead of losing by 20. Looks like Bill is teaching his finesse team to adjust.

 

[cancontent]

The article most likely would not have been written if the author was a Texas fan. I like ISU, but have pointed out several times they get owned by physical and athletic teams. Unless there's a movement to restrict hand-checking Fennelly needs to recruit a different player than he's used to.

I'm old, but back when I played fouls were called when the defensive player put ONE hand on their opponent. You could still 'body up' on someone within reason without being whistled. Really wish they'd go back to that strategy...still rewarded more athletic teams but made calling fouls a more objective process.

ISU powered through this 'disadvantage' pretty well for the 1st time in Big 12 Tourney vs Texas...made it to OT instead of losing by 20. Looks like Bill is teaching his finesse team to adjust.

He should have been doing this a long time ago if you ask me. I don't understand how a coach thinks a team can go deep into the tournament without having some toughness.

How does he expect his team to compete against the likes of Maryland, Louisville, Stanford, South Carolina etc.? Sure, they have skilled players but they also can be physical when they need to be. He's supposed to be the "Dean" of the BIG 12. It's the reality of the game.

 

[southie]

The article most likely would not have been written if the author was a Texas fan. I like ISU, but have pointed out several times they get owned by physical and athletic teams. Unless there's a movement to restrict hand-checking Fennelly needs to recruit a different player than he's used to.

ISU powered through this 'disadvantage' pretty well for the 1st time in Big 12 Tourney vs Texas...made it to OT instead of losing by 20. Looks like Bill is teaching his finesse team to adjust.

That's not why the game last weekend was closer than the first two, IMO. Texas didn't play as well defensively as they allowed ISU to go 11-21 from 3-point range.

In Austin, Cyclones were 4-12 from 3-point range. In Ames, Cyclones were only 5-16 (without Ashley Joens).

Really, so many of the Big 12 teams play zone defense (except for Baylor, WVU, and Texas). That's what Fennelly would prefer game in and game out as his team has several good long-range shooters. When a defense (especially man-to-man) can limit the amount of 3-point shots ISU launches, that takes away their biggest offensive advantage.