Wichita State vs. West Virginia Game Thread

[Topshock]

Watching this team over the summer and before the season started, there was experimentation with 2 bigs on the floor at times, along with Trey learning the 3 spot. I've been hoping to see more time for 2 bigs, but it's a tough balancing act between experimenting and winning.

The fact of the matter is you are less likely to be successful if you're the smaller team in D1 basketball. Doesn't mean you can't be successful, just that it's more difficult. If we intend to be successful in March, it's probably not going to be with a lot of 6'5" type 4s.

Something WVU rubbed our collective noses in on Wednesday.

I don't think that is a fact at all. That was the prevailing opinion years ago but in my and many others opinion has been proven wrong. I'll take more talented and skilled, smaller, better shooting players playing as a team every time over players that are on the floor just because they are taller despite being less talented.

[shoxlax]

I’m of the opinion that we are looking for a 4/5 right now for next year. It’s gotta be someone ready to play, so the staff will be picky. If it’s not there, it’s not there.

[ShockingButTrue]

So, we had one player that allowed the other team to go up, down and around us while all of his team mates were
flawlessly handling their assignments, rebounding, assisting, guarding, and shooting it well ? Oh, and this one guy
only played 7% of the teams total minutes but somehow allowed all the rebounds and points by their two big guys.
Why in the heck did the coach let him play so much? Had the zero rebounder not played made a difference in the outcome?

Why would you say flawlessly? Your credibility was lost right there, but I'll play along.

How many team TO's did the Shocks have vs.rebounding rebounding team totals? The front-line got beat down on the glass. It was the deciding factor of the game. No?

Jaime can't do it by himself. But, it was just one game against a team with a vastly superior front-line which will have 2 players in the NBA very soon. We won't see many more like that all year.

7%? Are you referring to Wade?

[Dan]

We all know Marshall likes to play undersized 4s, but looking at the playing minutes Eldridge posted I was surprised JB and DD played so many minutes at the 4.

It would be nice to have a traditional-sized 4, wouldn't it?

I don’t think it’s so much that he “likes” to play undersized 4’s as much as it is he “has to” play undersized 4s. Our recruiting of power forwards over the years has been pretty weak. If we could find More Cleanthony Early’s out there, I’m sure he would prefer it. Gordon is more in that mold but he’s young and probably will have to wait till next year before he starts playing more.

[asiseeit]

Shockingbuttrue- okay, I was being facetious about the flawless play. Figured everyone would get that. It was AM that had 7% of
the total minutes. His play, while not real good, was not that much of a contributing factor in the loss. Other than JE and ES no one
played well and even JE didn't have that good of a game on either end. GM has a quick hook on centers ( and others ) who don't do
their assignments well. AM entered the game right after MO failed to get an easy rebound. He immediately contributed on the
defensive end forcing WV to miss an inside shot badly and then tied up a WV big man on the offensive with a jump ball off a missed WSU shot.
I focused AM and he really only had one bad sequence when WV got a long rebound that bounced out of his reach and then the guy hit
a well guarded fade away bank shot. Other than that AM was pretty solid. All our big men and the smaller 4's were equally to blame
for the poor board performance. Despite the glaring lack of TEAM boarding we were still in the game and would have won except for
very poor ball movement, few assists and terrible shooting by DD, JB, and TW ( 2-19 ). Bottom line, it was a TEAM loss not a single
player who was abused over and over again. Just not the case !

[1972Shocker]

I don’t think it’s so much that he “likes” to play undersized 4’s as much as it is he “has to” play undersized 4s. Our recruiting of power forwards over the years has been pretty weak. If we could find More Cleanthony Early’s out there, I’m sure he would prefer it. Gordon is more in that mold but he’s young and probably will have to wait till next year before he starts playing more.

It will be interesting to see how Deantoni develops as it will Josephat Bilau. No guarantees but those two would seem to have significant upside potential.

[12eagle]

0 rebounds, 0 points, 43 offense rating on kenpom I guess we have different definitions of “pretty solid”

[another shocker]

whew.. thank goodness we didn't have to play uni (who outrebounded wvu by 5 the night before). they would have kicked wsu tail even worse than wvu did.

[calfan]

I wasn’t watching the game some of you were. All I want for Christmas are two top 200 centers who can rebound the basketball. This was not a team loss IMO. I put the blame on the inside players who failed to rebound.

[another shocker]

I wasn’t watching the game some of you were. All I want for Christmas are two top 200 centers who can rebound the basketball. This was not a team loss IMO. I put the blame on the inside players who failed to rebound.

it seemed like west virginia wasn't even trying that hard. like when the big brother puts his hand on the forehead of the little brother who swings at air.

[pinstripers]

whew.. thank goodness we didn't have to play uni (who outrebounded wvu by 5 the night before). they would have kicked wsu tail even worse than wvu did.

When the ball goes in the hole, they do not get a chance to rebound

[another shocker]

When the ball goes in the hole, they do not get a chance to rebound

like the young shockers are an offensive juggernaut

it's pretty simple: wvu > uni > wsu

[pinstripers]

I thought I typed slowly..........guess not

[Mr. Pickle]

like the young shockers are an offensive juggernaut

it's pretty simple: wvu > uni > wsu

Uh...ok. I sure hope that is sarcasm and not your actual thoughts/analysis.

[another shocker]

Uh...ok. I sure hope that is sarcasm and not your actual thoughts/analysis.

thank goodness we didn't have to play uni. it would have been much worse around here.