Top 25?

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Top 25?

Here's the good news... When our biggest argument is who's going to be the best team in the state after us, that's a good thing!

Answer: Drake, and they'll struggle to get to .500.

[Kyle]

Re: Top 25?

Answer: Drake, and they'll struggle to get to .500.

This is true. Drake has the best recruiting class coming in out of all four schools.

[06panther10]

Re: Top 25?

This is true. Drake has the best recruiting class coming in out of all four schools.

For what, the english department?

[Kyle]

Re: Top 25?

Drake has seven commits for this class, so they automatically have a leg up on most schools.

Two of their four forwards coming in will make an immediate impact. One had an offer from Creighton and the other had an offer from Providence as well as a preferred walk on spot (rumored to be a four for five) at Xavier.

They also have two guards who will be required to sit out next year. One is a transfer from Arkansas State and another is Euro-Pro quality player from Luxembourg.

The true quality of this recruiting class probably won't be realized until the 2010-2011 season, but make no mistake about it, Phelps grabbed some good players.

[Cat80]

Re: Top 25?

This is true. Drake has the best recruiting class coming in out of all four schools.

And by far the worst coach of all four schools.

[9YRPLAN]

Re: Top 25?

drake really effed up by not hiring gary close

[Kyle]

Re: Top 25?

I'd be careful judging a coach based on a single season. It wasn't long ago before a handful of posters and fans were ready to crucify coach Jake.

[06panther10]

Re: Top 25?

The difference with our hiring though was that it was the same system/regime in hiring Jake. Drake had its best season in 50 years and then hired a coach with a completely different style.

[Panthers to the Bone]

Re: Top 25?

I also think that Drake's fans had some extremely high expectations following that year. They lost 3 starters (all 27+ min/game). They lost their most athletic guard, their top point guard that came out of nowhere to become MVC MVP, and Klayton Korver who was a '4' who could spread the defense and knock down 3's in transition and 5 feet behind the line in the offensive flow.

2 years later, there is only one player who played more than mop up minutes from that team (Josh Young). It's really too bad, but I think that the high expectations of Drake fans coming off that great run, the loss of some serious key contributors, and the hiring of a guy who was in Herb Sendek's motion offense (slowest in the ACC at NC State, and about the same at Arizona State) after Drake fans were used to the press and gun style of the Davis family spelled a letdown last year. I honestly don't know where they go from here either. They have some intriguing guys, especially Josh Young and Craig Stanley, but beyond that, I'm not sure what their cupboard holds.

I just hope that after next year when Ali, Jordan, Koch, Rodenberg, and Haak all graduate, that there is enough depth and skill to not drop off too far from the top. I would like to think that UNI could reload, but that's a tough transition. UNI should have solid starting guards that following year, but the posts (at this point) will be inexperienced, but that could change depending on the year that J.Koch and Pehl have.

[cydave]

Re: Top 25?

uni is waaaaaaay better than ISU, even with brackins back. i would almost say that iowa is better than isu.

You're kidding right?? Please take off your black and gold sunglasses. Iowa better than ISU??? Does Iowa even have a basketball team this year? Last I heard, they were so short on players they couldn't even hold a full scrimmage.

Yeah, you guys beat us last year. OK. One game, and a rivalry game at Carver. I wouldn't base the entire season off of that. Brackins had a horrible game, all players have off games. That must mean Iowa is better than Kansas right, bc Brackins scored 40+ on Kansas and couldn't make squat against the almighty hawkeyes....
We basically lose nobody from last year. And we finally return our top players. The talent we have coming in is some of the best we have had in awhile. Which includes, a true top 100 point guard out of Chicago. And 2 great JUCO forwards, Dendy and Gilstrap. Gilstrap was ranked the #1 Juco player last year. Hopefully he is the missing link, in that we didn't have a consistant outside threat last year.
MAC finally has his leading scorer returning after 4 years. There are some high expectations this year for this squad.
Let me just throw this out there, but I'm predicting ISU to be the mythical state champs, mainly bc UNI and Iowa are both at Hilton. And Drake, well Drake is back to where they belong and are usually at. If ISU doesn't make any type of post season play this year, it will be a huge let down. Brackins wouldn't have came back this year if he didn't think we didn't have a good chance at making the NCAA tourny. The talent we have coming in and the people that stayed, we should be greatly improved over last year.

[Silent Earl]

Re: Top 25?

Brackins wouldn't have came back this year if he didn't think we didn't have a good chance at making the NCAA tourny. The talent we have coming in and the people that stayed, we should be greatly improved over last year.

So if I'm reading your double (or is it a triple) negative right Dave, Brackins doesn't think ISU has a chance at the NCAA?

[cydave]

Re: Top 25?

So if I'm reading your double (or is it a triple) negative right Dave, Brackins doesn't think ISU has a chance at the NCAA?

Oops, sorry. Take out a "didn't"... you choose which one.

[9YRPLAN]

Re: Top 25?

You're kidding right?? Please take off your black and gold sunglasses. Iowa better than ISU??? Does Iowa even have a basketball team this year? Last I heard, they were so short on players they couldn't even hold a full scrimmage.

Yeah, you guys beat us last year. OK. One game, and a rivalry game at Carver. I wouldn't base the entire season off of that. Brackins had a horrible game, all players have off games. That must mean Iowa is better than Kansas right, bc Brackins scored 40+ on Kansas and couldn't make squat against the almighty hawkeyes....
We basically lose nobody from last year. And we finally return our top players. The talent we have coming in is some of the best we have had in awhile. Which includes, a true top 100 point guard out of Chicago. And 2 great JUCO forwards, Dendy and Gilstrap. Gilstrap was ranked the #1 Juco player last year. Hopefully he is the missing link, in that we didn't have a consistant outside threat last year.
MAC finally has his leading scorer returning after 4 years. There are some high expectations this year for this squad.
Let me just throw this out there, but I'm predicting ISU to be the mythical state champs, mainly bc UNI and Iowa are both at Hilton. And Drake, well Drake is back to where they belong and are usually at. If ISU doesn't make any type of post season play this year, it will be a huge let down. Brackins wouldn't have came back this year if he didn't think we didn't have a good chance at making the NCAA tourny. The talent we have coming in and the people that stayed, we should be greatly improved over last year.

how can you tell me to take old the black and gold glasses LOL?

you have everyone back from a bad team, pretty much just like iowa.

[cydave]

Re: Top 25?

how can you tell me to take old the black and gold glasses LOL?

you have everyone back from a bad team, pretty much just like iowa.

Because you really think Iowa is going to be better than ISU?
You had 4 transfers: Jake Kelly, Jeff Petersen, David Palmer, and Jermaine Davis. Which gives you only 7 returning players. Jake Kelly was your leading scorer and Jeff Peterson was your 3rd leading scorer. Combined with those 4 players transferring, you lost 30.8 pts. From graduation your lost Cyrus Tate and JR Angle, which is another 7.5 pts. So, all together, Iowa lost 38.3 pts.
ISU lost Bryan Peterson, Sean Huluska, and Alex Thompson to graduation. All together, thats a loss in 11.5 pts. Players leaving include Clinton Mann, Wes Eikmeier, and Cameron Lee, which combined is a loss of 4 pts. And all together ISU loses 15.5 pts, compared to Iowa's 38.3 pts.

Now, you can't tell me that Iowa has everyone back...
They lost more than half of their points including two of their top 3 scorers. ISU returns all of their top 3 scorers. I could go on and on about the talent ISU has coming in vs the talent Iowa has coming in.
It's obvious that Iowa's basketball program may have taken a step back from last year to this year, and ISU is finally starting to move forward again. If you disagree with me, please explain to me why I am wrong. Thanks.

[Panthers to the Bone]

Re: Top 25?

cydave-

Don't be bringing stats into this message board. It's quickly dismissed as we know that stats can be twisted to make anything look pro or con in any argument.