This game was lost in the first 8 minutes

[tzznandrew]

Iowa State hit a bunch of tough shots, and gave our guys a deficit they couldn't make up.

Let's hope everyone comes back and they can keep their focus for longer periods of time.

 

[aceboon]

Agreed, its on them for falling down that big a deficit to begin with but they weren't coming back from that kind of hole when they were dependent on only a few guys for scoring who had to play pretty much the entire game.

 

[nomar]

The original post will be re-printed as the lead article in next week's Duh Aficionado Magazine.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Mind boggling how many games they came out with no energy at all.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

not to be an balloon knot, but do we really want everyone to come back? we learned the value of a team last year. I think we would be better with guys like bazz, boat, scoe, and giff rather than lamb and drummond.

 

[ASweet3781]

I love how people think Drummond and Lamb were the only problems.

 

[tzznandrew]

not to be an *******, but do we really want everyone to come back? we learned the value of a team last year. I think we would be better with guys like bazz, boat, scoe, and giff rather than lamb and drummond.

I think Drummond is a team player who needs work.

Lamb was their second leading scorer and didn't have a terrible offensive game. Babb made him work, and he got free frequently.

Frankly, I don't think either he or Drummond present chemistry issues, and are two of the better players on the team. If I had to chose one, I'd prefer to keep Drummond--Lamb is a scoring guard (a good one) and that position is more easily replaceable.

Napier stepped up (I frankly thought he waited too long in the second half and then took a terrible 3 when they were down 6, but 22 and 7 is a very good stat-line for the worst PG of the Calhoun era).

 

[ford82]

This game was lost before it even started. The team collectively had a hangover from last year. They didn't have the same passion and desire to win that other teams they have played have. It is hard to maintain that drive after you have already won the whole thing.

 

[caw]

Sadly, unless they hit a ton of shots against UK, they will be beat by about 20, though I am praying ISU can pull hit some random shots, UK can defend White with Jones/MKG or Davis and won't need help on him at all.

Royce White is not as good as ISU fans make him out to be, though he is good, if he ever develops a 18-3pt shot he will be fantastic. UConn's problem was not recognizing that Roscoe should be on him defensively. That mistake cost UConn the game. I'll be honest, I thought Drummond/Oriakhi needed to defend him, because I thought he was stronger, but Roscoe was about 200% better at it. I'm not sure if White scored more than 2 points on Roscoe and Roscoe didn't need help on him, which is why ISU didn't get many open threes after that point.

It was a huge, huge mistake by Calhoun and that cost them the game. Drummond and Oriakhi needed help and ISU hit a ton of shots when players helped. 30 minutes of good ball will not win a game.

 

[nomar]

not to be an *******, but do we really want everyone to come back? we learned the value of a team last year. I think we would be better with guys like bazz, boat, scoe, and giff rather than lamb and drummond.

I wish there was a way to explain just how absolutely ridiculous I find the notion that getting rid of Lamb and/or Drummond would be in any way a good thing.

Honestly, anyone who suggests that -- I may never respect your basketball opinion again. I'd take a minute, think about it, and retract it. Because it is absolutely dumb.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

i really think napier needs to seize control of the team in his junior year a la kemba. he may not be as good as kemba, but i think he's up for it.

the only problem is i'm not sure if he can do that with lamb on the team. i'm not saying it's either of their faults, but it's just the way it is.

 

[aceboon]

Sadly, unless they hit a ton of shots against UK, they will be beat by about 20, though I am praying ISU can pull hit some random shots, UK can defend White with Jones/MKG or Davis and won't need help on him at all.

Royce White is not as good as ISU fans make him out to be, though he is good, if he ever develops a 18-3pt shot he will be fantastic. UConn's problem was not recognizing that Roscoe should be on him defensively. That mistake cost UConn the game. I'll be honest, I thought Drummond/Oriakhi needed to defend him, because I thought he was stronger, but Roscoe was about 200% better at it. I'm not sure if White scored more than 2 points on Roscoe and Roscoe didn't need help on him, which is why ISU didn't get many open threes after that point.

It was a huge, huge mistake by Calhoun and that cost them the game. Drummond and Oriakhi needed help and ISU hit a ton of shots when players helped. 30 minutes of good ball will not win a game.

I can't quote this enough, I am going to be kicking a wall for the rest of the tourney not understanding what Calhoun was doing with some of his decisions in this game. Despite the deficit this game was winnable.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

I wish there was a way to explain just how absolutely ridiculous I find the notion that getting rid of Lamb and/or Drummond would be in any way a good thing.

Honestly, anyone who suggests that -- I may never respect your basketball opinion again. I'd take a minute, think about it, and retract it. Because it is absolutely dumb.

they're obviously great players. no doubt about that. but we need a great team. i'm not sure which combination of players that is, but the current one seems a bit out of whack.

maybe another year of maturation will solve it. or it could be that we have too many players whose roles overlap.

i'm not saying we should be asking them to leave or anything drastic. but in the end it could be addition by subtraction.

that's just my opinion, which i thought this board was for.

 

[Palatine]

There is not enough urgency in Napier's game. He's a good player but he needs to get the offense started a heck of a lot earlier. He needs to bring energy to the team. At times, he sucks the life out of the game.

 

[selles]

not to be an *******, but do we really want everyone to come back? we learned the value of a team last year. I think we would be better with guys like bazz, boat, scoe, and giff rather than lamb and drummond.

Chemistry is a strange thing. Sometimes it gels, sometimes it doesn't. This year, it didn't gel. But the more talent you have in your players, the better your chances to do something great.

I'm in favor of having as much talent as possible and then doing our best.

 

[caw]

I can't quote this enough, I am going to be kicking a wall for the rest of the tourney not understanding what Calhoun was doing with some of his decisions in this game. Despite the deficit this game was winnable.

I think he probably saw it the same way I did, big kid like White you would expect to be able to bull down players, but that isn't his game. Someone that strong you would think needs to be defended by a big, but that's actually wrong, a SF who is long, athletic and quickis probably the best. I think Saturday MKG and Jones or even Davis will show everyone that is the case.

I hope ISU wins, but I think White is going to be locked down Saturday which will allow UK to stay on shooters.

It really hurt UConn that they couldn't figure out how to defend White for the first 13 minutes.