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Important Road Trip

S

Skippy

Active member
Don't look now but the Bengals are in third place and if the Big Sky tournament was held today, they'd get one of four first round byes. The schedule gets tougher starting tonight at North Dakota, where the Bengals have not won since the Hawks joined the Big Sky. UND beat the Bengals in Holt earlier this year behind a career night by Corey Baldwin, and nine threes from one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league. Oh and Quinton Hooker, who had 24 points, 4 steals and who made a huge play whenever the Hawks needed one.

Ethan Telfair started his amazing run with 37 points for the Bengals, but the ISU offense was way too one dimensional, especially down the stretch when it consisted largely of ET going one on one. Luzcando was the only other Bengal in double figures with 13. ISU needs to get a lot more folks involved early, and it is uncertain if Ben Wilson and Ali Faruq-Bey will be available.

Then it will be on to Greeley to face a team ISU beat 83-78 at home. The Bears got a huge game from transfer Dallas Anglin (31 points), but ISU had four players in double figures, led by Luzcando's first 10 for 10 performance. The Bears have won four in a row and are always tough at home.

The Bengals have four teams a half game behind them at 5-4, so a road split would a huge thing. Go Bengals!
 
It looks like we got the loss of the split out of the way in North Dakota tonight. On to Northern Colorado to beat B.J Hill and the Bears. Always fun to see him lose.
He just seems like such a whiner . :pissed:



 
Freshman Adam McDermott, the cousin of the Bulls' Doug McDermott, dropped 28 on the Bengals off the becnch. The Bengals struggled mightily on offense. We just don't seem to ever match up well with UND -- men or women. The women lost 60-57 tonight. The Hawks are 6-2 against the women since joining the Big Sky.

On to Greeley for the men, need a momentum turner. The women take on UNC in Reed Saturday and really need a confidence booster.
 
Of those six losses by the women to UND five of those games were decided by five points or less. Given how well ISU has done in close games over the past seven and a half years the fact that UND has been able to win so many close games is mind-blowing.

They always seem to make the play they need with the game on the line and the fact that they have such big physical players is amazing.

By the way seven out of the last eight games the women has played have been decided by four points or less including five in a row.

I have never seen a streak like that in all the years I've been covering college basketball.

PBP
 
PBP said:
Of those six losses by the women to UND five of those games were decided by five points or less. Given how well ISU has done in close games over the past seven and a half years the fact that UND has been able to win so many close games is mind-blowing.

They always seem to make the play they need with the game on the line and the fact that they have such big physical players is amazing.

By the way seven out of the last eight games the women has played have been decided by four points or less including five in a row.

I have never seen a streak like that in all the years I've been covering college basketball.

PBP
Click to expand...
The good news in this tough streak for the women is... everyone goes to the tournament. Last year we barely made it in as the 8th seed. We almost up set the number one seed Montana, and they went on to win the tournament and play in the NCAA dance. We have the ability to go into the tournament as a weaker seed and upset anyone! (Although it would be nice for the ladies to enjoy more of these close games with a win.)
Go Bengals!
 
By the numbers...

* ISU has played nine games this year decided by four points or less (ISU 5-4 in said games)
* ISU has played eight games this year decided by three points or less (ISU 4-4)
* ISU has played five games decided by a single point (school record for a season) (ISU 3-2)
* Seven of the last eight games played have been decided by four points or less (ISU 3-4)
* The last five straight games have been decided by four points or less (ISU 3-2)
* Four of ISU's six conference losses have been by a total of EIGHT POINTS. Eight.

When you play so many close games it's always the little things that loom big...can you protect the basketball and not turn it over? Can you hit free throws? Can you get the rebound at crunch time? Can you defend everyone, not just the star players since often it's bench players or players with small scoring averages that loom big? And finally how lucky are you since luck ALWAYS plays a role in close games.

If nothing else however the rest of the year winds up I have to think playing in so many close games will prove beneficial to the players returning next season (although hopefully they won't have to play as many of them! :D )

PBP
 
By the numbers...updated after Saturday's two point loss

* ISU has played 10 games this year decided by four points or less (ISU 5-5 in said games)
* ISU has played nine games this year decided by three points or less (ISU 4-5)
* ISU has played five games decided by a single point (school record for a season) (ISU 3-2)
* Eight of the last nine games played have been decided by four points or less (ISU 3-5)
* The last six straight games have been decided by four points or less (ISU 3-3)
* Five of ISU's seven conference losses have been by a total of 10 POINTS. 10.
* ISU has now lost three straight games by a combined total of SIX POINTS!

I honestly don't know what to say. Completely dumbfounded, I have never seen this before at least that I can remember. Players are trying but the inconsistent shooting, particularly from the three point line (only three made today) and in general free throw shooting has been costing them a lot.

More and more as the season goes along the loss of Kenyon and Hochstein have become more and more of a factor.

What can you do? Lady Luck dumped on the football team with injuries and she decided to do it again this time to women's basketball.

PBP
 
PBP said:
By the numbers...updated after Saturday's two point loss

* ISU has played 10 games this year decided by four points or less (ISU 5-5 in said games)
* ISU has played nine games this year decided by three points or less (ISU 4-5)
* ISU has played five games decided by a single point (school record for a season) (ISU 3-2)
* Eight of the last nine games played have been decided by four points or less (ISU 3-5)
* The last six straight games have been decided by four points or less (ISU 3-3)
* Five of ISU's seven conference losses have been by a total of 10 POINTS. 10.
* ISU has now lost three straight games by a combined total of SIX POINTS!

I honestly don't know what to say. Completely dumbfounded, I have never seen this before at least that I can remember. Players are trying but the inconsistent shooting, particularly from the three point line (only three made today) and in general free throw shooting has been costing them a lot.

More and more as the season goes along the loss of Kenyon and Hochstein have become more and more of a factor.

What can you do? Lady Luck dumped on the football team with injuries and she decided to do it again this time to women's basketball.

PBP
Click to expand...

I don't see it as lady luck dumping on the Lady Bengals. (Kinda. Lol.) They are fighting hard, and in almost every game. The fun thing that is happening this year, is that EVERYONE goes to the tournament. With ISU losing SO MANY games by 1 or 2 points, it makes us the sleeper team in the tournament. It really makes no difference if we're 6th place or 12th place. The first 4 teams have a bye, so even if we enter the tournament 12th place, we KNOW we can beat the 5th seed....chances are we only lost to them by one in the regular season. :thumb:
 
BengalBannMan said:
PBP said:
I don't see it as lady luck dumping on the Lady Bengals. (Kinda. Lol.) They are fighting hard, and in almost every game. The fun thing that is happening this year, is that EVERYONE goes to the tournament. With ISU losing SO MANY games by 1 or 2 points, it makes us the sleeper team in the tournament. It really makes no difference if we're 6th place or 12th place. The first 4 teams have a bye, so even if we enter the tournament 12th place, we KNOW we can beat the 5th seed....chances are we only lost to them by one in the regular season. :thumb:
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Bengal:

Your points are valid but the question is if they keep playing close games and losing their share, mentally where will this team be in a month? This is taking its toll I'm sure. You want to go into the tournament on a positive note, mentally sharp and prepared especially I think if you are an underdog. Right now it's hard to imagine what is going on in their heads.

PBP
 
PBP said:
BengalBannMan said:
PBP said:
I don't see it as lady luck dumping on the Lady Bengals. (Kinda. Lol.) They are fighting hard, and in almost every game. The fun thing that is happening this year, is that EVERYONE goes to the tournament. With ISU losing SO MANY games by 1 or 2 points, it makes us the sleeper team in the tournament. It really makes no difference if we're 6th place or 12th place. The first 4 teams have a bye, so even if we enter the tournament 12th place, we KNOW we can beat the 5th seed....chances are we only lost to them by one in the regular season. :thumb:
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Bengal:

Your points are valid but the question is if they keep playing close games and losing their share, mentally where will this team be in a month? This is taking its toll I'm sure. You want to go into the tournament on a positive note, mentally sharp and prepared especially I think if you are an underdog. Right now it's hard to imagine what is going on in their heads.

PBP
Click to expand...
PBP,
You are absolutely correct about that. My comment was of the assumption that we start splitting a few of these close games and get some more confidence. I think they REALLY wanted this win today after coming back from being down 19... I think it was 19. Either way, after Anna Lee Polchichio missed what could have been the winning (some what contested) lay-up, she was VERY upset. She is a great athlete and usually very solid emotionally. But after that shot she lost it. She was crying hard and very distraught. That's NOT common for her. I'm not saying that to paint the picture that the wheels are coming off, I'm saying the opposite. They are VERY hungry for the wins. Anna really really expected success today, and that's why it shook her more than normal. Just like the men losing in North Dakota on Thursday, then destroyed UNC; look for the women to do the same. I feel sorry for Portland State playing the Lady Bengals next week; we are hungry!

GO BENGALS!
 
Bengal:

I also read in the ISU post game release that they quoted Apiphany as saying she was "very frustrated" right now.

And I know what you were talking about with Anna Lee I saw it during the post game handshake line.

Just a reminder to everyone, the game at Portland State Thursday is now a 1PM start Pocatello time. A 'kids day' school promotion.

ISU has to travel all day Wednesday and that early start is not going to give them a whole lot of time to rest.

PBP
 
PBP,
...and by the time Anna Lee had reached the line to shake hands, she had somewhat calmed down. (After the time out, free throws, and last 3 point shot bt ISU) Watching from across the floor was tough to see her like that. She's a fantastic woman and competitor.
I think the drive and want to win will overcome the travel time problem.
Thanks for the heads up on the time change. I'll have it on at work.
Go Bengals!
 
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