Have Prohm and the Cyclones figured out their issues in the locker room and what led to losing 6 of their last 8 Big 12 games? They shot the ball very well yesterday and played decent defense in handling Baylor in a fairly comfortable win. After what happened in Manhattan last time vs ISU, this should be a team K-State has no trouble finding motivation to play.
Clearly 3 point shooting is the #1 thought when you play ISU and it plays a huge factor for them in winning and losing. In their 13 wins over Top 100 kenpom teams, ISU has shot 40.3% from 3 while opponents have shot 32.3%. In their 11 losses against the same caliber opponent, they have shot 30.9% while opponents have shot 41.1% in those games. Another factor that opponents exploit against ISU is hitting the offensive glass.
The biggest flip ISU has seen from the first half to the season to their late season slide is on defense. Until mid February (and their win against us), ISU was allowing a respectable 1.02 ppp. Since then that number has increased to 1.14 ppp while allowing opponent's to rebound 37% of their misses and shoot over 40% from 3. The Cyclones did hold Baylor to 1.04 ppp yesterday while shooting 52% from 3. That said, ISU hasn't repeated shooting at that level of playing defense that well in back to back games for over a month.
ISU has lots of talent and the match ups will be interesting to watch as this game unfolds. With the expected switching on defense, K-State's guards and wings will probably end up on all of ISU's perimeter players as the game goes along. Horton-Tucker had his best shooting night since playing us yesterday and Shayok looks nearly 100% from his injury just over a week ago. Plus ISU has multiple other guys like Wigginton, Weiler-Babb, and Haliburton that can give us trouble outside, plus a solid offensive threat inside in Jacobson.
I fully expect K-State to be completely engaged and ready to play today vs this team. That game in Manhattan wasn't fun for anyone and of any opponent, defensive match ups probably improve with Carti in and Dean out against ISU. My distinct memory of ISU was Shayok taking X to the rim and drawing and "and 1" at the 4 minute mark that essentially put the game away. I'm anticipating we see "March X" once again and I wouldn't be surprised to see 25+ from him tonight.
K-State avenges the home loss to ISU and makes it to Saturday.
Cats 75 - Clones 70
Clearly 3 point shooting is the #1 thought when you play ISU and it plays a huge factor for them in winning and losing. In their 13 wins over Top 100 kenpom teams, ISU has shot 40.3% from 3 while opponents have shot 32.3%. In their 11 losses against the same caliber opponent, they have shot 30.9% while opponents have shot 41.1% in those games. Another factor that opponents exploit against ISU is hitting the offensive glass.
The biggest flip ISU has seen from the first half to the season to their late season slide is on defense. Until mid February (and their win against us), ISU was allowing a respectable 1.02 ppp. Since then that number has increased to 1.14 ppp while allowing opponent's to rebound 37% of their misses and shoot over 40% from 3. The Cyclones did hold Baylor to 1.04 ppp yesterday while shooting 52% from 3. That said, ISU hasn't repeated shooting at that level of playing defense that well in back to back games for over a month.
ISU has lots of talent and the match ups will be interesting to watch as this game unfolds. With the expected switching on defense, K-State's guards and wings will probably end up on all of ISU's perimeter players as the game goes along. Horton-Tucker had his best shooting night since playing us yesterday and Shayok looks nearly 100% from his injury just over a week ago. Plus ISU has multiple other guys like Wigginton, Weiler-Babb, and Haliburton that can give us trouble outside, plus a solid offensive threat inside in Jacobson.
I fully expect K-State to be completely engaged and ready to play today vs this team. That game in Manhattan wasn't fun for anyone and of any opponent, defensive match ups probably improve with Carti in and Dean out against ISU. My distinct memory of ISU was Shayok taking X to the rim and drawing and "and 1" at the 4 minute mark that essentially put the game away. I'm anticipating we see "March X" once again and I wouldn't be surprised to see 25+ from him tonight.
K-State avenges the home loss to ISU and makes it to Saturday.
Cats 75 - Clones 70
