WSU Non-Conference Grade is?

[SB Shock]

How would you rate WSU non-conference season? They finished 10-2 (rankings Ken Pom, Forecast RPI are similar, only change for RPI would be Top 150 would be 2-0 and Top 200 2-0).

1-2 vs Top 50
2-0 vs Top 100
3-0 vs Top 150
1-0 vs Top 200
3-0 vs 200+

[shockerfan]

I will say A- for the record. 10-2 is pretty damn good given McDuffies absence...etc. The schedule has been a very tough on.

I say a B- for actual play on the court. Offense has been good. Defense has been lacking for what we are used to. IQ has been down for good stretches. Too many turnovers at times.

So overall grade of a solid B. Unfortunately I don't think a solid B will win the American. Probably good enough for top 3 or 4 and a bid. But not good enough to win it IMHO.

[Shaqness]

I'm not even sure. I voted C+ because I am very frustrated with this team. Maybe I have been spoiled by having great defenses every year, and having a ball handler who is an on-court coach. Our record is fine, but our team isn't.I left CKA today not even knowing what the f**** I just watched. I laughed at the beginning of the season when my buddy from Houston said WSU was going to lose on the 4th. He may be right.

[wufan]

I projected that we would be ranked about 10 and be ranked 10-15 with a 10-2 record. A-!

[Shockm]

OU is really good with maybe the best player in the country. I told everyone before that game that OU would be a problem.

Notre Dame is a little disappointing but if we steal one, we are even. Don't forget the ISUR steal that we had several years ago during our F4 season. Down 6-7 with about a minute left and we came back to win.

[asiseeit]

Solid B and just one bad pass at the end of the ND game kept us from an A-. Going forward into
conference play we need SM to start playing like a senior and a dominant inside player. He has
not done that yet. Key is shoring up our perimeter defense. If our guards can't stop the dribble
drive to the basket then our big guys need to sag in a couple steps more cause it seems they are
always a step late getting there. SJ has been a pleasant surprise lately but I'd like to see him
keep the ball moving instead of dribbling too much and play smarter D. I also want CF and AR
to fire it up whenever they have a decent look and for SM to now get the red light and start posting

[Topshock]

The ball doesn't move as well and there is more dribbling with SJ, definitely a different flow to the offense when he is playing, more like it was when a recent graduate now playing in the NBA was point guard. Not saying its bad or good just different.

[shock]

I'm not even sure. I voted C+ because I am very frustrated with this team. Maybe I have been spoiled by having great defenses every year, and having a ball handler who is an on-court coach. Our record is fine, but our team isn't.I left CKA today not even knowing what the f**** I just watched. I laughed at the beginning of the season when my buddy from Houston said WSU was going to lose on the 4th. He may be right.

[OregonShocker]

Record is an A-, only because of how it could be one less loss. Performance is C; no way some of these games should be this close.
My question: CF is the City League scoring champ, multiple 3-point contest winner, and according to HCGM the best shooter he's coached. Why, then, is he only shooting about 10 x/game? 5/6 per half? I wish there was one game/practice where he was told, "Be Trae Young and shoot every shot where you see the rim. No consequences." IMO, we gotta get him involved more offensively...somehow. Is it game plans? Confidence? Something else? I don't believe coaches have throttled him back.

[im4wsu]

Record is an A-, only because of how it could be one less loss. Performance is C; no way some of these games should be this close.
My question: CF is the City League scoring champ, multiple 3-point contest winner, and according to HCGM the best shooter he's coached. Why, then, is he only shooting about 10 x/game? 5/6 per half? I wish there was one game/practice where he was told, "Be Trae Young and shoot every shot where you see the rim. No consequences." IMO, we gotta get him involved more offensively...somehow. Is it game plans? Confidence? Something else? I don't believe coaches have throttled him back.

You might be on to something:

	10+ shots	5-9 shots	1-4 shots
Games	16	45	14
FGM	79	118	15
FGA	176	286	44
FG%	0.449	0.413	0.341
2-FGM	34	40	7
2-FGA	70	92	15
2-FG%	0.486	0.435	0.467
3-FGM	45	78	8
3-FGA	106	194	29
2-FG%	0.425	0.402	0.276

If we could get Conner's shots up to 25-30 a game, he might shoot 50%.

[1979Shocker]

While some on here are lowering there expectations of the Shockers, there is one silver lining we as fans can take from these 12 OOC games. We won 10 of them (which should have been 11) without our best player from last year, without playing up to our capability, and with our opponents going off on us for probably half of the games. There is plenty of room for improvement and with McDuffie back, we'll start seeing that improvement each game.

[ShockingButTrue]

While some on here are lowering there expectations of the Shockers, there is one silver lining we as fans can take from these 12 OOC games. We won 10 of them (which should have been 11) without our best player from last year, without playing up to our capability, and with our opponents going off on us for probably half of the games. There is plenty of room for improvement and with McDuffie back, we'll start seeing that improvement each game.

Couldn't agree more. We played at Stillwater and Waco. I respect Kruger's program, but he ain't coming to Koch any time soon.

[Shaqness]

Couldn't agree more. We played at Stillwater and Waco. I respect Kruger's program, but he ain't coming to Koch any time soon.

Trae Young would have effin rolled us in CKA.

[Stickboy46]

Trae Young would have effin rolled us in CKA.

Keep in mind we were withing 6 before a horrendous call gave them the ball back for a 3. They make that call and we could get it to within a score.

He wouldn't have done any better than he did at IBA. Could have easily been worth 3 to 5 points ...

(Note .. not saying that call was the reason we lost .. it wasn't .. just pointing out it got very close at the end.)

[im4wsu]

How does the coaching staff manipulate the lineup to get more on-ball pressure at the point guard position? Allowing their PG to make the first pass to where they want it to go or to allow penetrsation on the dribble that sucks in our permieter defense just will not cut it against stiffer competition.

Are our big-man hedges going to deep toward center court? Are the bigs staying with the guard too long? That causes Kelly/Brown to cover for their absence in the lane, leaving their responsibility wide open.

Who is our best on-ball defender? I'm not sure I can name one.

[OregonShocker]

How does the coaching staff manipulate the lineup to get more on-ball pressure at the point guard position? Allowing their PG to make the first pass to where they want it to go or to allow penetrsation on the dribble that sucks in our permieter defense just will not cut it against stiffer competition.

Are our big-man hedges going to deep toward center court? Are the bigs staying with the guard too long? That causes Kelly/Brown to cover for their absence in the lane, leaving their responsibility wide open.

Who is our best on-ball defender? I'm not sure I can name one.

One answer, not necessarily that it would work for us or that we should adapt it, is to pressure the ball handler higher in the back court, making passes come farther out or making penetration start sooner to allow better slide help. Of course, the BEST way is to (be able) stay in front of the ball handler, not allowing them to get even or worse past you.

[Singeril]

It’s been a very frustrating non-con schedule....I’m sure the most frustrated is HCGM. I’m pretty much in agreement with Oregon Shocker...A- for the record but only a C+ for the on floor execution. This team is SO talented. But, they have yet to put together 40 minutes of great basketball against the best opponents. At this point, I think I’d settle for 32 minutes of good execution, great defense, and playing angry (not to mention, MTXE).