Yes....it's too early....but respect for the program is nice

Now that Gonzaga is down, Villanova has moved to #1. Why not Baylor? If we do get Butler & Teague back, we probably should be #1.

Then again, preseason rankings don't mean ANYTHING! If we're high, they sound great (& being #2 is awesome!) but far more important are the rankings in February & March.

Even if we get them back the success of the team will hinge on Clark or one of the bigs becoming a legit scoring option. The guards can carry us far. But to win it all will have to have an impact Big

IowaBear - who was the Big last season that filled the bucket we couldn't have won without?

Last season, more than 70% of our average scoring came from the guard position. At many times during a large number of games, there would be 4 guards on the floor at a time.

Don't get me wrong. I love me some Freddie Gillespie, but he averaged 9.6 points per game.

We did it last year without a huge front court scoring presence.

I kept hearing that our wins last season were primarily due to defense. Is that true?

Chamberman said:

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IowaBear - who was the Big last season that filled the bucket we couldn't have won without?

Last season, more than 70% of our average scoring came from the guard position. At many times during a large number of games, there would be 4 guards on the floor at a time.

Don't get me wrong. I love me some Freddie Gillespie, but he averaged 9.6 points per game.

We did it last year without a huge front court scoring presence.

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Freddie! Take him off the team they lose another 3-5 games that's just facts. Clark stunk last year. Yes he was coming off a major injury. He was still a full 12 months removed from injury and he looked like he belonged on Siena's roster not a Big 12 team. You cannot win a title without a post threat. We lost to Washington and KZu because we got absolutely mauled inside.

historian said:

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I kept hearing that our wins last season were primarily due to defense. Is that true?

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YES. Our offense some games was flat out embarrassing. And that's going to offend some on here. But it's the truth.

IowaBear said:

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historian said:

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I kept hearing that our wins last season were primarily due to defense. Is that true?

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YES. Our offense some games was flat out embarrassing. And that's going to offend some on here. But it's the truth.

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When the team went cold...it got reaaaaaaaal cold

Offense should be significantly improved--assuming we have a basketball season.

historian said:

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Offense should be significantly improved--assuming we have a basketball season.

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Exactly!! But part of the issue was the lack of a post who can create his own. If Clark returns to form and Butler / Teague are back Baylor's winning it all. Assuming there's a season

IowaBear said:

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historian said:

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Offense should be significantly improved--assuming we have a basketball season.

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Exactly!! But part of the issue was the lack of a post who can create his own. If Clark returns to form and Butler / Teague are back Baylor's winning it all. Assuming there's a season

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Welp, then it sounds about time for Drew to be caught up in a major mask shaming incident that requires everyone be fired.

Swart Dra said:

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IowaBear said:

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historian said:

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Offense should be significantly improved--assuming we have a basketball season.

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Exactly!! But part of the issue was the lack of a post who can create his own. If Clark returns to form and Butler / Teague are back Baylor's winning it all. Assuming there's a season

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Let's hope not

Welp, then it sounds about time for Drew to be caught up in a major mask shaming incident that requires everyone be fired.

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IowaBear said:

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historian said:

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Offense should be significantly improved--assuming we have a basketball season.

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Exactly!! But part of the issue was the lack of a post who can create his own. If Clark returns to form and Butler / Teague are back Baylor's winning it all. Assuming there's a season

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Your passion in above posts is well received. My point of view. Freddie did an admirable job in the middle. Clark never really showed up. Showed some promise in a few games but no better than a 6 minute player. I'm of the firm opinion our defensive board play was excellent and saved our bacon. Not allowing second shots prevented big runs by our opponents and allowed our offense to slowly build a lead. I was really impressed by last years team and their nose for the ball. If we can continue our board play and get 1st team All Big 12 from the #5 we're going to Sic'em Big Time.

Crazy me. I found our offense incredibly efficient...great defense..and almost as perfect a season as you could have...

If we can repeat the level of performance from 2019-20 this coming season, I would think that we would have a few more dominate wins. I know a win is a win, but it's more impressive if it's by double digits and we did not have very many of those--especially in conference play. I especially would like to see that against Texas, TCU, OSU, and WVU.

Stefano DiMera said:

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Crazy me. I found our offense incredibly efficient...great defense..and almost as perfect a season as you could have...

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Homerism
They were good for at least 1 lonnnnnnng scoring drought every game sometimes multiple droughts.
They only lost 4 games because of the defense and rebounding
Having talented offensive players doesn't always translate to great team offense. That was the case with Baylor. Whether you like it or not the offense was painfully average this year. We just had a legit top 5 nationally ranked defense to counter

Johnny Bear said:

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IowaBear said:

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Swart Dra said:

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IowaBear said:

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historian said:

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Offense should be significantly improved--assuming we have a basketball season.

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Exactly!! But part of the issue was the lack of a post who can create his own. If Clark returns to form and Butler / Teague are back Baylor's winning it all. Assuming there's a season

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Let's hope not

Welp, then it sounds about time for Drew to be caught up in a major mask shaming incident that requires everyone be fired.

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If we beat KU too many times in the coming seasons, don't be surprised if something about that goofy happens and our BOR falls all over themselves to nuke the men's bball program.

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So sometime in roughly January or February when we beat them in Lawrence again ?

No way should Gonzaga or Villanova be rated #1 over us.

DanaDane said:

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No way should Gonzaga or Villanova be rated #1 over us.

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Ehhh have you looked at what Nova has back and coming in?
Also you're assuming Butler/Teague are back.
If they aren't back we're not even a top 20 team

Stefano DiMera said:

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Crazy me. I found our offense incredibly efficient...great defense..and almost as perfect a season as you could have...

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Correct

KENPOM EFFICIENCY RANKINGS (Of 353 D1 teams)

ADJUSTED EFFICIENCY MARGIN
1. Kansas +30.23
3. Baylor +25.49
10. West Virginia +21.26
21. Texas Tech +19.28
36. Oklahoma +15.70
53. Oklahoma State +12.73
61. Texas +11.46
86. TCU +9.31
89. Iowa State +8.35
90. Kansas State +8.25

OFFENSE (Points scored per 100 possessions - adjusted for opponent)
8. Kansas - 115.8
17. Baylor - 113.5
47. Texas Tech - 109.8
48. Iowa State - 109.6
58. Oklahoma - 108.8
67. West Virginia - 108.3
84. Oklahoma State - 107.2
119. TCU - 105.5
153. Texas - 104.1
177. Kansas State - 102.5

DEFENSE (Points allowed per 100 possessions - adjusted for opponent)
2. Kansas - 85.5
3. West Virginia - 87.1
4. Baylor - 88.1
9. Texas Tech - 90.5
24. Texas - 92.6
29. Oklahoma - 93.1
40. Kansas State - 94.2
46. Oklahoma State - 94.5
66. TCU - 96.1
147. Iowa State - 101.2

Does this make our offense some sort of Juggernaut ? ^
Sure when we were on fire we lit it up. We also have scoring droughts consistently in conference play no matter the team. Can't remember who against but we had two 5 minute scoring droughts... in the first half. The offense but this team in the few loses. Had we not had a too 5 defense you can add about 4 L's

True, but the preseason rankings don't mean much anyway. The rankings in February are the important ones. Baylor MBB will have another shot it getting to #1. Maybe this time we'll stay there for 6-7 weeks or more.

IowaBear said:

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Does this make our offense some sort of Juggernaut ? ^
Sure when we were on fire we lit it up. We also have scoring droughts consistently in conference play no matter the team. Can't remember who against but we had two 5 minute scoring droughts... in the first half. The offense but this team in the few loses. Had we not had a too 5 defense you can add about 4 L's

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Couldn't that be said about lost any team that didn't have a top 5 defense?

Baylor3216 said:

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IowaBear said:

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Does this make our offense some sort of Juggernaut ? ^
Sure when we were on fire we lit it up. We also have scoring droughts consistently in conference play no matter the team. Can't remember who against but we had two 5 minute scoring droughts... in the first half. The offense but this team in the few loses. Had we not had a too 5 defense you can add about 4 L's

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Couldn't that be said about lost any team that didn't have a top 5 defense?

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Perhaps, all I'm saying is our offense did stall. You cannot go huge stretch's without a single point which this offense did every game. Maybe because we didn't have a big who could get his own anytime he wanted. Not sure what the case was but there's way too much offensive talent to struggle for to get a single basket for 5 minutes stretch's game to game

Basketball is a game of runs...at every level..so hence one team will be ice cold while the other hot..
You were probably someone i screamed at in game thread when we were up 10 early and lost a lead...or started slow and were down 10

If you watch other games its the same..theres no script or guarantee were supposed to dominate from opening tip

Stefano DiMera said:

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Basketball is a game of runs...at every level..so hence one team will be ice cold while the other hot..
You were probably someone i screamed at in game thread when we were up 10 early and lost a lead...or started slow and were down 10

If you watch other games its the same..theres no script or guarantee were supposed to dominate from opening tip

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Someone I screamed at ? Highly unlikely. Of course basketball is a game of runs. Whatever makes you feel better about this teams insane ability to be cold every single game against decent competition for stretches.

IowaBear said:

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Baylor3216 said:

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IowaBear said:

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Does this make our offense some sort of Juggernaut ? ^
Sure when we were on fire we lit it up. We also have scoring droughts consistently in conference play no matter the team. Can't remember who against but we had two 5 minute scoring droughts... in the first half. The offense but this team in the few loses. Had we not had a too 5 defense you can add about 4 L's

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Couldn't that be said about lost any team that didn't have a top 5 defense?

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Perhaps, all I'm saying is our offense did stall. You cannot go huge stretch's without a single point which this offense did every game. Maybe because we didn't have a big who could get his own anytime he wanted. Not sure what the case was but there's way too much offensive talent to struggle for to get a single basket for 5 minutes stretch's game to game

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This is pretty much truth

IowaBear said:

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Perhaps, all I'm saying is our offense did stall. You cannot go huge stretch's without a single point which this offense did every game. Maybe because we didn't have a big who could get his own anytime he wanted. Not sure what the case was but there's way too much offensive talent to struggle for to get a single basket for 5 minutes stretch's game to game

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Maybe. But if during those scoring droughts, our defense is also keeping the other team from scoring while we already have a sizable lead--which did happen on occasion--then we still win. IIRC, that's what happened in many games. If I had a complaint about the 2019 season (silly idea, for our best season ever), it would be how most wins were by a low margin. I would much prefer to have a sizable lead so that if the opposing manages to make a late run, it will be too little, too late. That's what Mulkey does with WBB most of the time, even clearing the bench during the last minutes of tournament games.

historian said:

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IowaBear said:

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Perhaps, all I'm saying is our offense did stall. You cannot go huge stretch's without a single point which this offense did every game. Maybe because we didn't have a big who could get his own anytime he wanted. Not sure what the case was but there's way too much offensive talent to struggle for to get a single basket for 5 minutes stretch's game to game

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Maybe. But if during those scoring droughts, our defense is also keeping the other team from scoring while we already have a sizable lead--which did happen on occasion--then we still win. IIRC, that's what happened in many games. If I had a complaint about the 2019 season (silly idea, for our best season ever), it would be how most wins were by a low margin. I would much prefer to have a sizable lead so that if the opposing manages to make a late run, it will be too little, too late. That's what Mulkey does with WBB most of the time, even clearing the bench during the last minutes of tournament games.

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The contra example is that game in Alaska we shant speak of

Even in that game in Anchorage, Baylor dominated throughout--until the last few minutes.

Having talented offensive players doesn't always translate to great team offense. That was the case with Baylor. Whether you like it or not the offense was painfully average this year. We just had a legit top 5 nationally ranked defense to counter hellodear.in thoptv