Who Guards Royce White?

[tzznandrew]

Color me somewhat unimpressed. Last 10 games:

11.1 ppg on 47.8% (not a great percentage for someone who doesn't shoot 3s, doesn't shoot much)
8.5 rpg (good)
6.5 apg (good)
4.2 tpg (bad)

He's had some monster games:
11/12 v. Lehigh - 25 p (9-15), 2 a, 11, r, 6 to
11/15 v. Drake - 21 p (9-19) 4 a, 14 r, 5 to
12/3 v. Michigan - 22 p (10-15), 3 a, 13 r, 2 to
1/7 v. T A&M - 10 p (4-10), 10 a, 18 r, 3 to
1/14 v. Kansas - 18 p (7-14), 4 a, 17 r, 5 to

But most of these are a while back. (although he had 17-4-10 v. Texas and 15-7-12 v. OSU in the last month and a half) I wonder why? Familiarity?

 

[ford82]

47.8% is good even if you are not shooting threes. 18 and 17 against Kansas is not impressive to you? 6.5 assists for a big guy is impressive.

 

[caw]

47.8% is good even if you are not shooting threes. 18 and 17 against Kansas is not impressive to you? 6.5 assists for a big guy is impressive.

Oriakhi is 50% on the season, just saying and he gets bulldozed by people for his scoring.

For all the passing prowess ISU fans are giving Royce, dude is also a turnover machine. 3.9 per game is not good.

 

[tzznandrew]

47.8% is good even if you are not shooting threes. 18 and 17 against Kansas is not impressive to you? 6.5 assists for a big guy is impressive.

Did you read my full post?

First, I gave a list of great games he had, and Kansas was one. But it was a while ago.

Also, he's a TO machine, especially as the season has wound down.

He's good. His game is different, and that makes him a challenge definitionally. But I'm only concerned if he gets our guys in foul trouble. Let him go off, just don't cheat off of the shooters.

47%, almost all on 3, is not impressive. Lamb shoots 60.4% on only 2s, Oriakhi shoots 50%, Drummond shoots 54%. Hell, Roscoe shoots 47.8% on 2s only (Napier and Boat shoot lower than White, though, on 2s alone).

 

[ford82]

Yes, I read your whole post. You said you were unimpressed. I interpreted that as you were not impressed with him period. (not just the last 10 games.) I am impressed with his game, even with the turnovers.

 

[tzznandrew]

Yes, I read your whole post. You said you were unimpressed. I interpreted that as you were not impressed with him period. (not just the last 10 games.) I am impressed with his game, even with the turnovers.

He seems like a very nice player. One that I would like to have on our team. But nothing, except some eccentricities in his game, scream unstoppable in the way ISU fans make him seem.

 

[ford82]

I agree. He is stoppable, for sure. UConn will have a harder time if Iowa St. has multiple contributors and is raining threes.

 

[JohnUnitas]

Did you read my full post?

First, I gave a list of great games he had, and Kansas was one. But it was a while ago.

Also, he's a TO machine, especially as the season has wound down.

He's good. His game is different, and that makes him a challenge definitionally. But I'm only concerned if he gets our guys in foul trouble. Let him go off, just don't cheat off of the shooters.

47%, almost all on 3, is not impressive. Lamb shoots 60.4% on only 2s, Oriakhi shoots 50%, Drummond shoots 54%. Hell, Roscoe shoots 47.8% on 2s only (Napier and Boat shoot lower than White, though, on 2s alone).

His turnovers are due to getting a little too fancy with the ball. Due to the ridiculous size of his hands, he can whip the ball like a softball and no one on the court ever sees it coming. Half the time it results in a turnover, half the time it results in an incredible pass.

The thing about ISU is that Royce White isn't the guy that has to be stopped. When White takes 11 FGA or less, ISU is 20-0, when he has more than 11 FGA, they are 2-10. He's a rebounder and facilitator that makes opposing D's play much different then they are used to. ISU lives and dies by the 3. If they are hot, they can out shoot anyone in the country, if they are cold, well, I think the scientific term is "fuc*ed".

 

[Rico444]

Obviously the kid is very good, but I have to think these ISU fans are overstating his abilities a bit. If he can't be guarded one on one by anybody in college basketball, and is 6'8" 270, then wouldn't he be a lottery pick? He sounds like Lebron with a slightly worse jump shot they way he's being talked about.

 

[AK]

Royce White isn't "unstoppable" as many are saying. I don't know if that is the case for any player. However, Royce is a pass first player. He won't look to score unless he feels forced to do so, or the defense is giving it to him. Royce's assist numbers may be misleading a bit because I bet for every assist he gets he would have another for a "hockey assist" with the shooter giving an extra pass. White is the most valuable player on the ISU team for the fact that he opens up their shooters. Whether it be inside-out, or the handoff play look for every offensive possession to go through him.

With that being said, many of his turnovers come from his teammates not being ready for a pass, mainly Ejim. Not to say that he doesn't make some dumb passes, because he does. Like stated before, ISU thrives on the 3 ball with many that can shoot it. White is just the guy that opens them up.

 

[Husky1964]

Too lazy to look stats up but I would bet that his good games espec conference games ocurred in Ames Iowa. I'm sure he is a fine player but if we do our job we will win--no doubt about it.

 

[CyclonePower]

Obviously the kid is very good, but I have to think these ISU fans are overstating his abilities a bit. If he can't be guarded one on one by anybody in college basketball, and is 6'8" 270, then wouldn't he be a lottery pick? He sounds like Lebron with a slightly worse jump shot they way he's being talked about.

He can be guarded and I expect Drummond will do fine. If he develops a mid-range jumper and a better FT next year he very well could be a lottery pick.

 

[Rico444]

I'm sure he's a very good player and will cause us some problems. It's all going to come down to whether or not we try to help on screens, and obvious if Drummond is able to get through the screens set on him.

 

[willie99]

Caron Butler is going to eat him alive

after that, Roscoe Smith or AD or AO

Roscoe protects the perimeter, AD cleans up any mistakes

 

[Jaker]

I would put Boat on him all day

 

[willie99]

we have played many a good big men over the years with a great deal of success

Shaq, K Thomas, D Williams, the Landlord (LOL), T Jones, E Brand and probably many more I've forgotten about

from 1992 through 2011, the only common denominator is Jimmy Calhoun, the maker of men

 

[CVCA05]

From what people are saying he's a distributor too... so if you can put Drummond on him in the post and the German Sensation or Roscoe helping on the outlet pass, there will be no problems.

 

[Jaker]

good point, put Das German on him

 

[ISU92]

Obviously the kid is very good, but I have to think these ISU fans are overstating his abilities a bit. If he can't be guarded one on one by anybody in college basketball, and is 6'8" 270, then wouldn't he be a lottery pick? He sounds like Lebron with a slightly worse jump shot they way he's being talked about.

He's not a lottery pick because his jump shot is horrible, he tries to force a lot of passes, and he's lazy on defense.

A good amount of his turnovers are unforced, he just tries to make a play that's not there. He also has some turnovers because others aren't ready for his passes, but that has gone down as the season has progressed.

 

[HuskyHawk]

He's not a lottery pick because his jump shot is horrible, he tries to force a lot of passes, and he's lazy on defense.

A good amount of his turnovers are unforced, he just tries to make a play that's not there. He also has some turnovers because others aren't ready for his passes, but that has gone down as the season has progressed.

From the UConn standpoint, this is critical. Drummond has a significant size advantage and is plenty strong. He's also faster than...well faster than any of our guards if you can believe that. So yes, faster than any 6'8" 270 guy alive. And he can jump. So AD can handle him if he focuses on his D, but I question whether Royce can guard a 6'11" guy who will run him up and down the court. UConn needs to speed this game up, as I think the Huskies have big advantages in transition.

I'm much more worried about the 3 point shooters, and our tendency to over-rotate and leave the corner shooter wide open. We cannot afford to collapse on White when he gets the ball, we need to leave the bigs to handle him and the guards and wings need to stay with their man at all times.

 

[jsb]

Look, UConn is a very good team who happens to be peaking at the wrong time for Iowa State. I could see a close game either way and I could see a blow out either way. It's an 8/9 game. Anything could happen.

But give Iowa State a tiny bit of credit. Iowa State is 4-5 against the Sargarin top 25 this year. You are 1-6.

It's not like this will be Iowa State's first good team they've played. They went toe to toe with Kansas and Missouri twice. They beat Baylor.

Will Royce be successful on Thursday? Who knows? But he has been successful all year long.

 

[tzznandrew]

Look, UConn is a very good team who happens to be peaking at the wrong time for Iowa State. I could see a close game either way and I could see a blow out either way. It's an 8/9 game. Anything could happen.

But give Iowa State a tiny bit of credit. Iowa State is 4-5 against the Sargarin top 25 this year. You are 1-6.

It's not like this will be Iowa State's first good team they've played. They went toe to toe with Kansas and Missouri twice. They beat Baylor.

Will Royce be successful on Thursday? Who knows? But he has been successful all year long.

Two things:

1. I think most of us are scared tless of your shooters. Part of this is the process of understanding Iowa State and microdissecting them (White's strengths and weaknesses, where ISU's good wins come from).
2. As much as you may be sure we are looking past Iowa State, a coach does not reach the HOF by overlooking teams. By which I mean, if Iowa State wins the game they will have earned it because UConn will not look past them.

 

[Rico444]

Look, UConn is a very good team who happens to be peaking at the wrong time for Iowa State. I could see a close game either way and I could see a blow out either way. It's an 8/9 game. Anything could happen.

But give Iowa State a tiny bit of credit. Iowa State is 4-5 against the Sargarin top 25 this year. You are 1-6.

It's not like this will be Iowa State's first good team they've played. They went toe to toe with Kansas and Missouri twice. They beat Baylor.

Will Royce be successful on Thursday? Who knows? But he has been successful all year long.

There are certainly some here who aren't giving you guys credit, just like there are some on your board who aren't giving Uconn credit. But I think for the most part, both fanbases realize that it will be a tough game on both sides. Any fan, Iowa State or Uconn, who looks past this game to Kentucky is being foolish and not giving their opponent the credit they deserve.

 

[caw]

Well I know who won't be guarding White: Fab Melo.

 

[arnie3]

It's probably going to start with Roscoe. Like other posters, I believe AD has to be under the basket, not guarding a guy bringing the ball up. Maybe it will be by committee. I'm sure that the coaches have it figured out.