Sometimes Its About The O

It's a simple game: put the ball through the hoop. Many of ISU's struggles this season were from an inability to do just that.

Look at the stats from B12 conference games aren't bad from the defensive side. It's the offense that was offensive.

- Last in FG%
- Last in 3 Pt%
- 11th in offensive average
- 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio
- 10th in scoring margin (they would get blown out, but never returned the favor)
- 10th in assists
- 5th in 3's made

The high ranking in 3's made can only be attributed to making up for bad shooting in volume, hoping that the Rock & Jock rules were in effect, and getting lucky on the 10 Point Shot would erase the oppoonent's standard 12 point lead.

It is telling to flip around during the conference touneys and watch the teams that know how to score. They seem to understand what is a good shot and a bad shot, and their offenses are structured to put guys in position to shoot shots they can make. In other words, they are everything ISU's offense was not this year.

Hopefully the team locks itself into the gym in the off season and shoots the kind of shots they will get to take next winter. If they can make free throws like they do, they can shoot. Since they don't get to shoot 75 foul shots each night, they are going to have to score the hard way.

Get busy boys.

Peterclone