WSU vs Houston Game Thread.

[pogo]

If we can find and sign a better player who is less of a project AM will be gone. And it looks like we are looking. We have one player transfer out almost every year this year I'm betting on him.

I thought the full moon was days ago. Must be some residual stuff going on here.

[WheatShock]

3G seemed pleased with his play tonight, mentioned that big guys take longer.

[12eagle]

In Gregg Marshall's tenure there have been 13 freshman who averaged less than 10 min per game, only 2 of those made it to their senior year (Evan Wessel, Rauno Nurger) with one TBD (CJ Keyser). He has not shown a track record of being patient with players who can not crack the rotation as freshman. We over sign almost every year which means someone will transfer and this year the most likely candidate is AM. Today's game seemed to reinforce that notion in that Keyser got off the bench way before he did. If AM is still here it means we missed on a lot of recruiting targets, Shamet and or Mcduffie went pro, or someone we really don't want to leave is leaving unexpectedly. I think we will be very active in the 5th year transfer market this year.

[proshox]

Once again - there are three senior centers.

Unless we blow teams out the fourth guy isn’t playing.

[Rlh04d]

So you are or are not willing to bet on this?

$100 to any charity of the winner's choice, donated in AM's name. Or you can just keep repeating your argument in a different way.

[ShockTalk]

In Gregg Marshall's tenure there have been 13 freshman who averaged less than 10 min per game, only 2 of those made it to their senior year (Evan Wessel, Rauno Nurger) with one TBD (CJ Keyser). He has not shown a track record of being patient with players who can not crack the rotation as freshman. We over sign almost every year which means someone will transfer and this year the most likely candidate is AM. Today's game seemed to reinforce that notion in that Keyser got off the bench way before he did. If AM is still here it means we missed on a lot of recruiting targets, Shamet and or Mcduffie went pro, or someone we really don't want to leave is leaving unexpectedly. I think we will be very active in the 5th year transfer market this year.

CJ got in early because CF wasn't playing. We had a tougher than normal OOC and this will be our toughest by far conference season. I wouldn't put a lot of stock into how many minutes #11 and #12 get. That also goes for some of the second 5.

[Slykryck]

I don’t see AM transferring. You see some guys that are 7’0 in college, but they are usually rail thin. You don’t see many of his stature. The potential of what could be keeps him around. He looked active today on offense and defense, regardless of how many minutes he played. He’ll come along just fine.

[AndShock]

In Gregg Marshall's tenure there have been 13 freshman who averaged less than 10 min per game, only 2 of those made it to their senior year (Evan Wessel, Rauno Nurger) with one TBD (CJ Keyser). He has not shown a track record of being patient with players who can not crack the rotation as freshman. We over sign almost every year which means someone will transfer and this year the most likely candidate is AM. Today's game seemed to reinforce that notion in that Keyser got off the bench way before he did. If AM is still here it means we missed on a lot of recruiting targets, Shamet and or Mcduffie went pro, or someone we really don't want to leave is leaving unexpectedly. I think we will be very active in the 5th year transfer market this year.

And one of the two you mentioned was 6’10”. You cannot compare guards and 7 footers when it comes to transfers. There are hundreds (thousands?) of one and dozens of the other.

[pogo]

I have a feeling AM will be around longer than the two haters

[Topshock]

I have a feeling AM will be around longer than the two haters

Wow, you would thing AM was many of you posters first born. It is hilarious that so many of you become so emotional when people that have a very good history of talent evaluation, simply state the opinion that he doesn't have the god given ability to play at this level.

It's not personal, he seems like a great kid, and it's nothing to be ashamed of if you can't contribute to this program. Just look at how successful several of the players that couldn't make it here have been at programs that are not as talented as WSU's is right now.

[Walker]

I think it's just how it's all worked out this year so far with our difficult schedule, unexpected close calls, and crazy amount of depth and veteran experience that are preventing AM from breaking into the rotation on a normal basis. Any other year, I think he would have been thrown into the fire a bit more. I think he's going to be a big part of the future.

[Windiwu]

Coach specifically stated that he didn't red shirt AM because he was going to have to be ready to play right away next year. He wouldn't have time to get used to div 1 play next year.

[ShockCrazy]

Or you can say he wasn't redshirted because if AM at 7'0 lived up to the expectations of the coaching staff he wouldn't be here 5 years anyways. Which is true.

[Topshock]

If AM is around for 3 more years it is likely he will play in some situations. It will come down to if the staff feels like someone else can be brought in that pontentially would play much more in the future .

[ShockCrazy]

Regarding AM, here are stats of 4 freshman big men in WSU history, three ended up 1st team all conference, the other is AM. The three of them certainly played more minutes(mostly due to need). Guess what none of them looked particularly good. Any guesses?

O-Rating	EFG	O Reb %	D Reb %	Blk %	Stl %	Ast %	TO %
90.4	49.2	8.8	17.4	6.1	0.8	3.8	25
88.9	57.1	9.2	29.4	2.9	1.5	0	34.6
98.7	48.3	7.3	20.2	2.5	1.3	6.6	15.9
92.3	50.8	11.0	19.2	4.5	0.4	6.7	24.2

[AndShock]

JT Durley

[ShockCrazy]

Yup that's the 3. In order down the list of players Stutz, AM, Miller, Durley. TO pct is really the only category where AM is struggling comparatively.

[proshox]

True centers look terrible until they get consistent minutes and are allowed to play without the fear of being yanked for each little mistake.

Unlike guards, Centers don't get to hang out on the perimeter and swing the ball around until they are comfortable in a D1 environment... Instead, Centers are stuck in the lane where it is physical, messy, fast paced and every uneducated fan groans when they don't rush their moves...

So you have to look for other areas to evaluate Centers... mainly effort, attitude, general movement, and touch. AM is doing just fine.

[ShockerPhi]

I think a disappointing trajectory of AM's career would be similar to Stutz. I think he'll have a better career than Stutz.

And for those of you who think AM sucks so much he won't be on the team next year, you easily forget we have THREE SENIORS that in front of him at his position. And with no one else to help out next year, we basically have no choice but to stick with him for at least one more year. The rest at his position will be newcomers.

Gah, the stupidity is off the charts right now.

[BOBB]

Wow, you would thing AM was many of you posters first born. It is hilarious that so many of you become so emotional when people that have a very good history of talent evaluation, simply state the opinion that he doesn't have the god given ability to play at this level.

It's not personal, he seems like a great kid, and it's nothing to be ashamed of if you can't contribute to this program. Just look at how successful several of the players that couldn't make it here have been at programs that are not as talented as WSU's is right now.

I must have missed your talent evaluation bona fides...wait, are you Danny Ainge?

No way this kid is shown the door. Three seniors ahead of him, only playing this year because we will need him next year and if there is an injury this year he will be getting more minutes than he is ready for.

[Topshock]

Apparently led by you that doesn't realize WSU has a Junior College 5 and two other 5's that are now at prep school coming in. Do you not realize that in programs like WSU has now, players are brought in that can contribute immediately. That is why WSU is staying relevant year after year. This is not Northern Iowa.

[wufan]

Topshock, you are incorrect.

[CBB_Fan]

I've said this before but I think it bears repeating. This is Mitgaard's redshirt season. The coaching staff was fully aware that he was not going to see major time this year, and when he did it wasn't going to be great. In any other year, he would have redshirted. The only reason Mitgaard isn't redshirting is the unique situation we are in with our senior bigs.

Marshall valued cohesiveness over Mitgaard's potential to have a 5th year, and he has said as much. He's not playing this year to impress us, he's playing to learn the system and teach it to newcomers next year. The alternative is replacing the whole Ship of Theseus in one go and starting 2018-2019 with a roster of bigs that have never played a minute of D1 ball.

So yes, Mitgaard loses the ball a lot. He looks slow. His hook shot is ugly. He doesn't have a go-to offensive move, and outside of tooth-shattering screens doesn't do much on offense at all. Marshall knew all of that going in, and it is nothing he hasn't seen before. I can recall a certain center that came in unable to run a mile, and had Marshall saying “He’s not a count-on-me guy. Some guys have count-on-me written all over them. He’s not one of those guys.”

I wonder what this forum what have thought of Shaq Morris if he didn't redshirt and instead played 2-4 minutes in blowouts behind the 3-headed giant of Lufile, Coleby, and Carter. Probably something like "It's not personal, he seems like a great kid, and it's nothing to be ashamed of if you can't contribute to this program" in between "he'll never be healthy, he can't run a mile, he's just not a Marshall guy."

[pie n eye]

Topshock you’ve gone off the deep end on this one.

[Topshock]

I hope he is All-American but I guess time will tell what end i jumped into.

[pie n eye]

Is that what this is all about, somebody projected him as a future All American?

[Shockm]

Yesterday, CM said that we know that Big guys take longer to develop. He said it like he was patient and willing to wait. He further said that he didn't want to lose a game to get him that extra attention.

[WstateU]

"The Puppy Who Lost His Way."