Critical Big Monday | Big-XII Matchup in Ames
Mon Feb 4, 2013 | 7:05 PM, EST | ESPN-U
James H. Hilton Coliseum | Ames, Iowa
OKLAHOMA SOONERS 14-6 (5-3 Conf)
IOWA STATE CYCLONES 15-6 (5-3 Conf)
Joe Linardi projects Sooners & Cyc’s in 2013 Field of 68
ISU is looking like one of the Last 4 IN group
Linardi on Feb 1:
9 Oklahoma
11 Iowa State
w/OU & ISU Tied at 5-3 in the dicey Big XII
Sooners are said to have less-productive Backcourt
OU is, clearly more deliberate than many (esp ISU)
And OU has gained just 12% of their Points from their Backcourt
Oklahoma’s Lon Kruger Guards
Create more Defensive havoc than Scoring & Assist-Driven Offense
OU Fingerprint seems to specialized proficiency
Sooners 4 Guards combine to produce the BEST Assist | Turnover % in Big-XII
In fact, seeing OU Grooms at #1 with 2.5 Assist/T-Over %
Is hard to fathom, since Grooms doesn’t start
And is 7TH in Minutes Played on Sooners
While Oklahoma is somewhat undistinguished
Iowa State’s numbers make them hard to MISS
BOTH Good & Bad
ISU Lucious MOST Turnovers in Big-XII (3.52/Game), yet
ISU is the Top Scoring Team in Big-XII
ISU is the Top Tempo Team in Big-XII
ISU’s McGee is the BEST Three Point Shooter in Big XII (55-124) 44%
ISU is 12-0 at Home
ISU has a modest 3 Game Win Streak
FRONTCOURT: Advantage Cyclones
ISU Eljim & Clyburn are distinguished Boardmen (#2 & #5 Big XII)
ISU is a little streaky & erratic & they’ve played few close games
ISU last loss came at hands of inadequate Texas Tech
Cyclones have also had difficulty outscoring potent teams
Yet, the Cyclones are just very good at Home (especially in the Conference) &
Oklahoma has been equally difficult issues w/scoring droughts
Lastly, Iowa State probably MUST continue to win all their Home Games
Due to Cycs less-than-powerful S-O-S
OU is #1 in Big-XII Strength of Schedule
Normally, the pressures of NEEDING Wins to stay viable would be concerning
This may not be the case with IoSt
Iowa State is the most experienced Team in Big-XII (#23 Effective Experience in NCAA)
Really like Iowa State here
2 UNIT
OKLAHOMA
IOWA STATE -5½ (-110 | sportsbook.ag)
All the best, guys