The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

For those of us who'd like to talk basketball.

I've watched a ton of ISU games this year. They are as advertised. The don't play with a traditional back to basket big. However, Niang can do it all including post up when needed. They almost always have 5 3 point shooters on the court. They have the best guard in the Big 12 in Morris. I believe our biggest challenge is figuring out a way to keep Mehinti on the floor defensively. I just can't figure out who he would guard in a man defense. Maybe we'll play zone? Their 2 biggest players, Niang and McKay, would run him to death in a man situation. I believe our best chance will be to throw multiple zones at them with some press mixed in. If we can shoot like we did last game, we will be in it with a chance.

I hope we score more points than they do.

If they came out in green Birmingham jerseys I'd go ape ****.

I'm not about to kid myself and think that we are going to ride up to Louisville and beat the crap out of ISU. However, I think if we can keep it close with about three left to play I like our chances of pulling off the upset. If we happen to win Thursday, who do we match up with better, UCLA or SMU? And who would have thought that SMU would ever be good again?

(03-17-2015 12:45 PM)BandGrad Wrote:  I'm not about to kid myself and think that we are going to ride up to Louisville and beat the crap out of ISU. However, I think if we can keep it close with about three left to play I like our chances of pulling off the upset. If we happen to win Thursday, who do we match up with better, UCLA or SMU? And who would have thought that SMU would ever be good again?

UCLA is much better than people give them credit for. I don't think you can take much from either team in our match up with them in the Bahamas. SMU is good. Really good. I'd take UCLA over them just b/c we've played before and could possibly use that as motivation. In either scenario, we will have just beat a top 10 team. We'd be considered pretty damn good as well.

I can't wait to watch us play UCLA on Saturday ?

I think our matchup with Kentucky will be classic.

(03-17-2015 12:59 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(03-17-2015 12:45 PM)BandGrad Wrote:  I'm not about to kid myself and think that we are going to ride up to Louisville and beat the crap out of ISU. However, I think if we can keep it close with about three left to play I like our chances of pulling off the upset. If we happen to win Thursday, who do we match up with better, UCLA or SMU? And who would have thought that SMU would ever be good again?

UCLA is much better than people give them credit for. I don't think you can take much from either team in our match up with them in the Bahamas. SMU is good. Really good. I'd take UCLA over them just b/c we've played before and could possibly use that as motivation. In either scenario, we will have just beat a top 10 team. We'd be considered pretty damn good as well.

Huh? UCLA isn't even in the Top 25. The guys on the Selection Sunday show were falling all over themselves to point out that they didn't deserve to be in the tournament, that it was a name recognition and history thing that was unjustified by this year's play.

Sure, they beat us in the Bahamas, and might again, but remember that was a very young team that didn't know how to work together yet. We're much better now.

We're much better. But we're still very young with no tournament experience.

If the guys get by Iowa State then the only way I see them losing the next game is if they get caught in that big win daze. That said, there were a lot of great posts about ISU in the other thread. They're offensively explosive, and are prone to making comebacks even when they're down big. To stay in it, they can't give up silly fouls and be forced to throw people into mismatches, and, more than anything, they have to get back in transition. Common sense stuff, I know, but once you let them get that jump on you, they capitalize, and quickly start to cement a win.

To move on, though, the guys have to force turnovers and that's tough considering the primary ball handler having a really nice assist to turnover ratio. Still, if they can manage to accomplish it somehow, they need to turn those extra possessions into points. Securing more rebound is a must, too.

I haven't seen any of the games they lost, though.

(03-17-2015 02:06 PM)Hopeful Wrote:  If the guys get by Iowa State then the only way I see them losing the next game is if they get caught in that big win daze. That said, there were a lot of great posts about ISU in the other thread. They're offensively explosive, and are prone to making comebacks even when they're down big. To stay in it, they can't give up silly fouls and be forced to throw people into mismatches, and, more than anything, they have to get back in transition. Common sense stuff, I know, but once you let them get that jump on you, they capitalize, and quickly start to cement a win.

To move on, though, the guys have to force turnovers and that's tough considering the primary ball handler having a really nice assist to turnover ratio. Still, if they can manage to accomplish it somehow, they need to turn those extra possessions into points. Securing more rebound is a must, too.

I haven't seen any of the games they lost, though.

I've seen thread after thread derailed with the typical Ray Watts crap. That's the purpose of this thread--to talk basketball.

All of your comments are spot on. If we play like we did Saturday, I'll be happy with what ever the result is.

To win, we have to keep Iowa State below its scoring average. The only times we've scored more than its average in regulation were UNC Asheville, Old Dominion, and Louisiana Tech. All of those games were at Bartow. We are not built to win that type of game yet. Instead, we need the final score in the sixties or low seventies.

Some of us are not only looking past ISU, but the game after that too?

I have no delusions about Thursday. We are young. We have not beaten anyone worth a damn and Iowa State is a Very good team. On paper, we should get destroyed. But that is what makes March fun. That the impossible happens. Our game qualifies.

I see this years trip as an introduction. Our Guys get to see first hand what it is all about. Next year when we return, they will the experience of this year to settle them down and kick some ass.

If our guys win on Thursday that is wonderful. If our guys lose on Thursday, then I applaude them for over achieving and making the tournament amid the termoil surrounding UaB athletics.

And I can't wait for Hoiberg to figure out the hard way that he has to send someone out to defend Norton out to 28 feet. I also can't wait for Mehenti to send the first 3 jump shots into the 5th row of seats.

Three big things...

— Second-chance points are going to be key for the Baby Blazers. They've been a good offensive rebounding team at times this season.

— Keeping turnovers low will limit ISU's transition three-point attempts. Big key. Norton is a true freshman. He's been great, but this is different.

— William Lee has to step up. He's our best talent. He's long defensively and he can stretch the floor for us if he starts knocking down some shots early.