The star Iowa State senior on his team's struggles. Tommy Birch/The Register
AMES, Ia. — Saturday was as bad as it gets for an Iowa State basketball team that at this time a week ago was celebrating an upset win against then-eighth-ranked Texas Tech.
It was so bad that Donovan Jackson laid it on the line after the embarrassing 68-45 loss against Tennessee at a place fans no longer use the words "Hilton" and "Magic" in the same sentence.
“Soft,” he declared about the player-leaderless team on which he plays. “One word. That’s all it is.
“Soft.”
He wasn’t finished.
“Hilton is supposed to be our safe haven,” Jackson continued. “We’re disrespecting Hilton right now, to me. It’s on us as players; it’s not on the coach.
“He always takes the blame for it, but honestly, it’s on us. We have to compete better.”
The school’s lowest point total in a home game since a 56-43 loss against Oklahoma in the old Armory in 1959 included a horrendous shooting performance — and getting smoked on the boards is putting it mildly.
Honestly, Iowa State played an ugly basketball game Saturday, and if there’s a word stronger than that, then have at it.
Yes, the Cyclones lost another bad one, and it wasn’t all because 21st-ranked Tennessee was 23 points better. Quite plainly, it’s because Iowa State couldn’t shoot. To be more precise, the Cyclones could not shoot with accuracy and when the shots don’t fall, well, you know what follows.
“When we get hit, we fold,” Steve Prohm declared. “Is that soft? That’s soft.
The Cyclones coach talks after loss to Tennessee. Tommy Birch/The Register
“Soft is just not doing what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it. Soft is feeling sorry for yourself because you’re not playing.
“Soft is a lot more than just getting your butts kicked on one-on-one defensive rebounds.
“We’re soft in a lot of areas. How you fix that? We try. Can you fix it overnight? No.”
Great Vol defense or appalling shooting?
More of the latter in Iowa State’s embarrassing 33 percent shooting night that included missing 13 of its 17 3-point attempts.
“They missed some that they would probably think they would normally make,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said.
TAKEAWAYS: Weiler-Babb hurt, Lard benched & Rick Barnes praises Iowa State fans
Rick Barnes on Iowa State's offensive struggle. Tommy Birch/The Register
The Cyclones have lost the past two games by a combined 39 points. They’ve missed 67 of their last 105 field-goal attempts, including 24 of their last 34 from 3-point distance.
They were out-rebounded Saturday by 17, and all that together adds up to one word:
Soft.
“You have to look yourself in the mirror,” Jackson said. “At the end of the day, you’re a man. You’re playing college basketball. Whether you’re playing against an SEC team or a Big 12 team, doesn’t matter.
“At the end of the day, you have to come out here and compete.”
Iowa State hasn't lost three home games by 15 points or more in a while, like it's done this season, but stay tuned if these guys continue playing soft:
Press Virginia, ranked seventh in the nation, comes to town on Wednesday.
“Hilton is a special place,” Prohm said. “I understand what (Jackson) means. I have great respect for Hilton and what it’s about."
The book says Iowa State won’t win many basketball games unless the guards play well — preferably all three, but two playing all right usually allows the Cyclones to at least hang somewhat close in games.
What happens when all three pick the same game to not shoot well?
Last Monday at Texas happens. What happened Saturday at Hilton happens.
It’s understandable when big guys like Solomon Young and Cameron Lard play inconsistently, but the guards?
When they’re not making the long shots like we’ve all seen them make, that’s not good. When they’re not swishing from 3-point range, it’s a heck of a lot easier for the opponent to put defensive emphasis in the middle.
Nick Weiler-Babb, Jackson and Lindell Wigginton were a combined 8-for-29 Saturday, including 4-for-14 from deep. Over the last two games, they’re 20 of 63 shooting from the field includes 10-for-29 from 3-point distance.
That’s horrible, regardless where the game is played, and that’s not even counting 7 of 17 from the stripe.
“Does it take the wind out of this team’s sail when we struggle offensively? No question,” Prohm said.
Why?
Because as Jackson says, the Cyclones sometimes play soft.
“We were only the tougher team for eight or nine minutes,” Prohm said. “For 31 (minutes) we weren’t. That’s about a 22-point difference — and we lost by 23.”
Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been with the Register for parts of five decades. Randy writes opinion and analysis of Iowa State football and basketball. You can reach Randy at [email protected] or on Twitter at @RandyPete.