State Title - Drake v UNI

[UNI MadCat]

EDIT:
As you may recall, last year the Iowa Fox affiliates started giving away a "State Championship" trophy to the winner of the unbalanced round robin between Iowa's D-I schools. But put into an apparent unforseen situation where the MVC schools dominated their BCS brothers, they were forced to choose how to determine a winner (due to the fact that they played twice a year) and determined that the winner of the game they televised was the "champ", fair or not. As it turned out Drake swept us () making it moot. However, as both games are now on the KFXA/KFXB lineup, can anyone confirm if Saturday's game "decides" it? Regardless... a loss to the 'dogs means Drake clinches so we would need to win no matter the scenario.

Personally, I think the whole "State Title" thing is kind of lame. However, that being said, I'd rather win it than see Drake walk off the court holding something we could have had.

A chance to beat a RANKED rival. A chance to poke our head above water in the MVC. A chance for a huge RPI boost. And a chance for the mythical STATE TITLE!!

SO IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS!!!

I haven't been confident in much this season but its my first game of the year in person and I have a feeling we're gonna pull off the shocker!!

[Newsbreaker]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

KFXA/KDSM are carrying both games this year.

[UNIRugger]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

As long as Coleman keeps playing well and we win the rebounding edge, we have a fighting chance. If we succumb to their style of play like everyone else has lately, we're toast.

[bendbutdontbreak]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

i think we have a good chance to win if we dont play their style as well. we need to make them match up with our bigs instead of trying to match our bigs against their versatile bigmen.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

i think we have a good chance to win if we dont play their style as well. we need to make them match up with our bigs instead of trying to match our bigs against their versatile bigmen.

It will be interesting to see our defensive gameplan for this game. I am a little more comfortable given that Jake has been willing to go zone to keep Eglseder and Viet, among others, on the floor.

The nice thing is, we could go small and use Dunham at the 4 and Koch at the 5 to match up with Drake's Korver (6'5") at the 4 and Cox (6'8" and an outside threat) at the 5. There is nothing Drake has that can match the physicality of Coleman or, a recently more aggressive, Eglseder. But neither matches well on the defensive side. I could see some box and one with Josten playing ball denial on Young, or using Montgomery on him for size.

Biggest key will be rebounding again, Drake has always been a good rebounding team despite being small. Make them take tough shots and then clear the boards. Handle the pressure (we have against Creighton and Wichita) and keep hitting our shots, we walk out of Des Moines with a W.

[jman2004]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

The nice thing is, we could go small and use Dunham at the 4 and Koch at the 5 to match up with Drake's Korver (6'5") at the 4 and Cox (6'8" and an outside threat) at the 5.

I hope this isn't the case. We're playing good ball right now. Go in and play the way we have been. Don't try to match up with them if we don't have to. If they start scorching us from the outside, then maybe we'll have to adjust our gameplan, but otherwise, start who we normally would start and play like we did the last few games. We'll be fine if we do.

[unigriff]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

No matter if we win this weekend, it does not secure the state title, we have to sweep drake to do it because we lost to Iowa.

Drake 2-0
UNI 1-1
Iowa State 1-1
Iowa 1-1

[Kyle]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

No matter if we win this weekend, it does not secure the state title, we have to sweep drake to do it because we lost to Iowa.

Drake 2-0
UNI 1-1
Iowa State 1-1
Iowa 1-1

Wrong...current In-State Standings:

Drake 2-0
UNI 1-1
Iowa State 1-2
Iowa 1-2

If we win at Drake:

UNI 2-1 (tiebreaker being our W over Drake)
Drake 2-1
Iowa State 1-2
Iowa 1-2

[unigriff]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

good call kyle i forgot drake played them too
thanks for the correction.

however, we cant lose either game because we'd have 2 losses. Drake would only have 1 if we split.

[unigriff]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

so prematurely celebrating saturday could end up being a rude awakening later on

[Marc Wigim]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

As long as Coleman keeps playing well and we win the rebounding edge, we have a fighting chance. If we succumb to their style of play like everyone else has lately, we're toast.

I agree completely... Drake being 16-1 is no friggin' accident. They are VERY good at their style of basketball, but if they play ours they could be in real trouble. That, of course, is easier said than done.

I was listening to the Drake/Creighton game with a friend Tuesday and he asked why Drake keeps winning and I said, "They don't make any mistakes. They're surprisingly disciplined." That's not verbatim, but it is my analysis.

[ubuntuCAT]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

I
I was listening to the Drake/Creighton game with a friend Tuesday and he asked why Drake keeps winning and I said, "They don't make any mistakes. They're surprisingly disciplined." That's not verbatim, but it is my analysis.

Mark, this is exactly what I thought watching that game. It just seems like Drake doesn't make many mistakes.

[Cat80]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

Mark, this is exactly what I thought watching that game. It just seems like Drake doesn't make many mistakes.

With having watched Drake basketball for over 20 years, you have no idea how funny that statement is. True this season, but very, very funny. Drake has a history of being a mistake ready to happen, losing leads late in the game, the works.

[jman2004]

Re: State Title - Drake v UNI

With having watched Drake basketball for over 20 years, you have no idea how funny that statement is. True this season, but very, very funny. Drake has a history of being a mistake ready to happen, losing leads late in the game, the works.

As happy for them that I am, I still have to wait until the end of the season to believe all this. I just keep envisioning this all blowing up in their faces. Losing 5-6 straight. Losing their crowds. They really haven't had a tough road schedule yet. That's where I thought they'd falter, but they went into Creighton the other night and took care of business.

After we beat them tomorrow night, let's hope they get back to winning. Makes us look good, and the Valley.