The best way to explain the high number of close games and so-called upsets is there's not a huge difference in overall talent among the vast majority of teams in this tournament. If you don't fight for rebounds, don't get your hands on the majority of the loose balls or take care of the Basketball, you'll have a very good chance at losing to any team that's good enough to qualify for an NCAA bid.
The bottom line from yesterday:
UAB outcoached, outplayed, and outworked Iowa State which was enough for them to win. We could never change the tempo of the game after UAB ground it down and adjusting to changing tempo and slugging it out in the half court is not among Monte's strengths as a lead guard and it's certainly not Georges's strength when he's bringing the ball up court.
The truth about this team throughout this entire season was Iowa State was a decent to above average offensive-oriented team that fed off great crowd support at home and Sprint Center, but never good enough to overcome weaker defensive play than what any opponent brought against them this season. UAB guarded and rebounded better than the Cyclones and they won. It's really no more complicated than that. Their two best players are good enough and athletic enough to get significant playing time if they were on our roster. Those two guys Brown and Lee produced and our best guys simply did not.
Not sure what went into our preparation for UAB, but it seemed pretty obvious to this viewer we were not prepared for the length and overall defensive presence they brought to the table. We didn't do a very good job, if at all, adjusting to what they were doing in terms of cutting off passing lanes and forcing the issue during the first half. We didn't try full court pressure, which has been very effective at times against other far more talented backcourts, to try and take advantage of their weaker ball handlers and getting some separation before half-time while Georges was on the bench. We missed out on an opportunity to change the dynamic before we got to halftime.
The Big 12 was a conference where the bottom feeders were better than the bottom feeders of the other power leagues but it's higher finishing teams are not great teams and none as good as the best of the other power conferences and even some of the lesser conferences. The Big 12, including Iowa State were overvalued by ratings and we're seeing that proved out in this tournament.
This post was edited on 3/20 10:38 AM by Cytalk
The bottom line from yesterday:
UAB outcoached, outplayed, and outworked Iowa State which was enough for them to win. We could never change the tempo of the game after UAB ground it down and adjusting to changing tempo and slugging it out in the half court is not among Monte's strengths as a lead guard and it's certainly not Georges's strength when he's bringing the ball up court.
The truth about this team throughout this entire season was Iowa State was a decent to above average offensive-oriented team that fed off great crowd support at home and Sprint Center, but never good enough to overcome weaker defensive play than what any opponent brought against them this season. UAB guarded and rebounded better than the Cyclones and they won. It's really no more complicated than that. Their two best players are good enough and athletic enough to get significant playing time if they were on our roster. Those two guys Brown and Lee produced and our best guys simply did not.
Not sure what went into our preparation for UAB, but it seemed pretty obvious to this viewer we were not prepared for the length and overall defensive presence they brought to the table. We didn't do a very good job, if at all, adjusting to what they were doing in terms of cutting off passing lanes and forcing the issue during the first half. We didn't try full court pressure, which has been very effective at times against other far more talented backcourts, to try and take advantage of their weaker ball handlers and getting some separation before half-time while Georges was on the bench. We missed out on an opportunity to change the dynamic before we got to halftime.
The Big 12 was a conference where the bottom feeders were better than the bottom feeders of the other power leagues but it's higher finishing teams are not great teams and none as good as the best of the other power conferences and even some of the lesser conferences. The Big 12, including Iowa State were overvalued by ratings and we're seeing that proved out in this tournament.
This post was edited on 3/20 10:38 AM by Cytalk
