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McDermott thinks ISU is “right there”
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2009-12-14
Iowa State men’s basketball coach Greg McDermott knows Cyclone Nation has some questions about his basketball team.
But the film tells McDermott that after 10 games his team is headed down the right path.
“I don’t feel we are as far away as some people on the outside think,” said McDermott on the Big 12 coaches teleconference Monday. “We are right there.”
The Cyclones, who are off this week for finals, enter their break 7-3, and McDermott likes where his team is at, especially after an 81-71 win over Iowa on Friday.
McDermott admits ISU hasn’t reached its potential and said losses to Northwestern and Northern Iowa show the Cyclones still have room to grow.
But the Iowa game showed the team is making strides.
After a 90-minute team meeting on Dec. 7, ISU rebounded with what McDermott called a great week of practice before beating the Hawkeyes in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated.
The Cyclones were up as much as 19 in the second half. They shot 58.3 percent from the floor and used their up-tempo style to run away from Iowa.
“We are a couple of possessions away from being a 9-1 team and everyone is talking about what a great start we are off to,” McDermott said. “But we had a couple of games that didn’t go our way down the stretch and part of that is Northwestern and Northern Iowa made plays. Part of it is on us that we failed to make plays when we had opportunities to do so.”
Forward Craig Brackins believes ISU also needs to work on closing out games. The Cyclones held second half leads on both the Wildcats and the Panthers. Also, the Hawkeyes cut a 16-point lead with 3 minutes left to eight in the final minute by hitting a barrage of 3-pointers.
“No matter what the score is or how much time is left, the game is not over,” Brackins said. “Anyone can get back in it so it’s our job to just keep playing the whole time.”
McDermott has repeatedly said ISU can still grow defensively and Monday talked about the need for better defensive rebounding.
Offensively, the Cyclones have taken a liking to the new high-paced offense. They are averaging 76.4 points and shooting 44.6 percent from three.
Point guard Diante Garrett has 60 assists and a 3-to-1 assist to turnover ratio.
Brackins is averaging 18.2 points and shooting 62.5 percent from beyond the arc. Guard Lucca Staiger said Brackins’ inside-outside game makes it easier for everyone else to get open looks.
“I love playing with Craig because all the attention is on him,” Staiger said. I’m just open because of trapping. That’s what makes it fun.”
And McDermott expects ISU to have more fun, and win more games, if it can impose their style of play on opponents in the future.
“We are going to be a better team if we can play fast,” McDermott said. “That is the way these guys prefer to play, and we’ve been most efficient when we’ve been able to play that way.”
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929 or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2009-12-14
Iowa State men's basketball coach Greg McDermott thinks that after 10 games the Cyclones are moving in the right direction.
Tribune photo by Ronnie Miller
Tribune photo by Ronnie Miller
Iowa State men’s basketball coach Greg McDermott knows Cyclone Nation has some questions about his basketball team.
But the film tells McDermott that after 10 games his team is headed down the right path.
“I don’t feel we are as far away as some people on the outside think,” said McDermott on the Big 12 coaches teleconference Monday. “We are right there.”
The Cyclones, who are off this week for finals, enter their break 7-3, and McDermott likes where his team is at, especially after an 81-71 win over Iowa on Friday.
McDermott admits ISU hasn’t reached its potential and said losses to Northwestern and Northern Iowa show the Cyclones still have room to grow.
But the Iowa game showed the team is making strides.
After a 90-minute team meeting on Dec. 7, ISU rebounded with what McDermott called a great week of practice before beating the Hawkeyes in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated.
The Cyclones were up as much as 19 in the second half. They shot 58.3 percent from the floor and used their up-tempo style to run away from Iowa.
“We are a couple of possessions away from being a 9-1 team and everyone is talking about what a great start we are off to,” McDermott said. “But we had a couple of games that didn’t go our way down the stretch and part of that is Northwestern and Northern Iowa made plays. Part of it is on us that we failed to make plays when we had opportunities to do so.”
Forward Craig Brackins believes ISU also needs to work on closing out games. The Cyclones held second half leads on both the Wildcats and the Panthers. Also, the Hawkeyes cut a 16-point lead with 3 minutes left to eight in the final minute by hitting a barrage of 3-pointers.
“No matter what the score is or how much time is left, the game is not over,” Brackins said. “Anyone can get back in it so it’s our job to just keep playing the whole time.”
McDermott has repeatedly said ISU can still grow defensively and Monday talked about the need for better defensive rebounding.
Offensively, the Cyclones have taken a liking to the new high-paced offense. They are averaging 76.4 points and shooting 44.6 percent from three.
Point guard Diante Garrett has 60 assists and a 3-to-1 assist to turnover ratio.
Brackins is averaging 18.2 points and shooting 62.5 percent from beyond the arc. Guard Lucca Staiger said Brackins’ inside-outside game makes it easier for everyone else to get open looks.
“I love playing with Craig because all the attention is on him,” Staiger said. I’m just open because of trapping. That’s what makes it fun.”
And McDermott expects ISU to have more fun, and win more games, if it can impose their style of play on opponents in the future.
“We are going to be a better team if we can play fast,” McDermott said. “That is the way these guys prefer to play, and we’ve been most efficient when we’ve been able to play that way.”
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929 or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
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