WSU vs UCF GAME THREAD

[12eagle]

When we went with two five men in Willis and Shaq it was 11-10, when we went back to one 5 man it was 22-11 UCF. Willis twice gave up open 3's once his man walked into an open transition 3 and the 2nd time he overhelps on a ball screen (see attachment). This is where playing small can really help If that was Mcduffie at the 4 and Reaves at the 3 they could have just switched especially with just 6 on the shot clock. Time and time again we insist on playing two five men together and it rarely works. The 3 guard lineup of reaves shamet and frankamp was +10 in the first half. For the game we were +17 when Frankamp, Reaves, and Shamet shared the floor together and -8 when there was two 5 men on the floor. This includes a few minutes in overtime with a lineup of Shaq, Willis, Reaves, Frankamp, Shamet which was +3 this was the only time in this game where a lineup of two five men were positive.

[Aargh]

The timing of the end of the UCF run, switching to zone, going to the smaller lineup, etc. also pretty much coincided with when Brown (UCF's post, not our Brown) went to the bench with 2 fouls. That made a HUGE difference in the first half. UCF's Brown was back on the court when UCF made its run early in the second half.. When UCF's Brown went out in the second half with his third foul, WSU started pulling away.

When the other guys have 2 post players on the court and one of them demands a double, it's probably best not running a 4-perimiter-guys defense. Willis struggles guarding the perimeter. McDuffie isn't a post-up defender. Pick your poison. Against UCF, and their offensive history, I'd go with preventing the easy baskets in close and take my chances on the 3's not dropping. When they drop, you look like an idiot.

[12eagle]

Very few teams have two post players and very few times have we been forced to double team the post. Last night AJ davis played 43 min as the UCF four man, on the season has only taken 16 shots from post ups where most of his shot attempts come on spot ups, transition, and isolations. listed at 6-9 215 he is only 12 pounds and one inch heavier than Mcduffie. UCF Made their first half run with Chad Brown on the bench and also we made our run with him on the bench. UCF was -3 with bown in the game and -4 with him on the bench in the first half.

[AZ Shocker]

Only lost 2 conference games on the road. New conference and all the arenas jacked up for us...and we still only lost 2. Very impressive!!! That's the mark of a WINNER!!! Great job Shocks!!!

[12eagle]

Interesting stat I found today on synergy, we give up 1.35 points per possession on unguarded catch and shoot jump shots which is ranked 348th in the country. For comparison Uconn gives up .82 Point per possession and is ranked 4th in the country against many of the same teams . So there are some numbers that back up the feeling that we have been entirely unlucky on defense this year.

[DUShock]

I just threw up in my mouth.

[Shockm]

Well swallow it again, and get back up and work your ass off. Don't give up.

[proshox]

When we went with two five men in Willis and Shaq it was 11-10, when we went back to one 5 man it was 22-11 UCF. Willis twice gave up open 3's once his man walked into an open transition 3 and the 2nd time he overhelps on a ball screen (see attachment). This is where playing small can really help If that was Mcduffie at the 4 and Reaves at the 3 they could have just switched especially with just 6 on the shot clock. Time and time again we insist on playing two five men together and it rarely works. The 3 guard lineup of reaves shamet and frankamp was +10 in the first half. For the game we were +17 when Frankamp, Reaves, and Shamet shared the floor together and -8 when there was two 5 men on the floor. This includes a few minutes in overtime with a lineup of Shaq, Willis, Reaves, Frankamp, Shamet which was +3 this was the only time in this game where a lineup of two five men were positive.

Bravo sir. I was too lazy to get the stats.

I assume you will see similar stats for both SMU games and all of the home non-con games that were close.

How is the coaching staff hasn’t identified and utilized this trend is puzzling.

If we can maximize the minutes of LS, CF and AR good things happen. I would experiment with ZB at the four just to allow more of this.

[another shocker]

Interesting stat I found today on synergy, we give up 1.35 points per possession on unguarded catch and shoot jump shots which is ranked 348th in the country. For comparison Uconn gives up .82 Point per possession and is ranked 4th in the country against many of the same teams . So there are some numbers that back up the feeling that we have been entirely unlucky on defense this year.

well that's a nice way to put that our defense is slow.. shamet/slow frankamp/slow reaves/slow wilklis/slow.. on and on. ncaa tournament should be a blast.

[12eagle]

Not necessarily as we have given up the 48th fewest unguarded catch and shoot jumpers. Opponents have just made the most of them. I think water has a way of finding its level and this will even out hopefully at the perfect time. All you can do as a defence is limit open shots once the ball is in the air it basically luck.

[shoxlax]

....and yet we are somehow 24-5. Miraculous.

[proshox]

I think it is a recognition that this team has some weird quirks that may be explained by line-up combinations.

I think it is also a team that causes fans to think WTF happened? Was losing D. Smith that big of a defensive loss? This team basically has all the same guys and has gone from lockdown to mediocre in one year.

On offense we are a final four team. On defense we are two and BBQ team. It seems like we should be able to flip a switch and fix the defense since it was dominant a year ago.

[shocksrbest]

Same team...different league explains the perplexing defense. We knew the Valley teams, coaches, players and schemes--all are new this year. Some adjustment needed. We also played better teams in the Non-con. The good thing is our offensive execution works better against teams who don't know us --as was the case with the new league as well.

[12eagle]

Shamet, Framkamp, Reeves, Morris and Nurger are all in the 90th percentile or better in overall offence. This team can flat out score and score efficiently in multiple ways.

[ShockTalk]

Add to what shocksrbest commented, that during the non-con, LS was getting his feet under him from an injury and that MM was out with an injury and just getting his feet under him for the conference.

[proshox]

Add to what shocksrbest commented, that during the non-con, LS was getting his feet under him from an injury and that MM was out with an injury and just getting his feet under him for the conference.

We plummeted since non-con and Cincinnati is about to have one of the best defensive ratings in Kenpom history.

[proshox]

The real issue is that Zach and MM are good, but not elite on ball defenders. Which is fine, but the team’s defense setup in many of the lineups requires them to be elite at guarding smaller players.

[wuhog]

We plummeted since non-con and Cincinnati is about to have one of the best defensive ratings in Kenpom history.

Yet somehow we beat them at their place.

[proshox]

You guys are dense. You can be good and still have flaws.

[another shocker]

actually, cbs sports website commented that wsu got the type of win that would not move them up in the rankings. 'made ucf look like the '76 boston celtics.

[ShockTalk]

We plummeted since non-con and Cincinnati is about to have one of the best defensive ratings in Kenpom history.

While our Kenpom may have plummeted, the eye test says we weren't that good in the non-con either. We've given up 80+ points twice in 17 conference games, 4 times in 12 non-con. 50 points in a half twice in conference and 3 times in non-con. We were more Jekyll and Hyde in the non-con; good one half, terrible the other. Also, SOS in conference much better than non-con.

[proshox]

Fair points, but i was primarily responding to the blame being assigned to conference.

[12eagle]

Not sure on the actual date but Kenpom factors in stats from the previous year until sometime in Jan.