OSU Game thread

[Stickboy46]

Temple still hasn't played a game.

Fair challenge ... Still think tossing the multi month long abuse investigation and losing your head coach a week before your first game might top that.

[CBB_Fan]

The team was thrown into the fire and I think they've played up to expectations. They are still rough around the edges, but remember that both Mizzou and OkSU are better than Cincinnati, Memphis, or SMU. If we can play with them, there is no reason we can't play with the those teams at the top of our conference. Houston may be another story.

A lot of our difficulties are mistakes. Backcuts, offensive boards, and transition baskets. The bad news is that these pile on points in a hurry and make it difficult to win versus talented teams. But the good news? They are easy to fix. A lot easier than just lacking size or free throw shooting. These are exactly the things a few months of practice should help reduce in a very young team.

We are still probably a #80-120 program with the chance to improve to a #40-80 program, but 80 might be good for 5th in this conference and 40 competing for 2nd. The conference is down this year. Clean up our act, win the games we should and some we shouldn't, and there is a lot this group can accomplish.

I am very impressed with our young talent.

[SB Shock]

1. Seem like Marshall and now HCIB can't draw up a good play to get good last second shots. OSU had their best player get their last-second shot, WSU draws up a play that ends up getting somebody who is 1-7. Of course, I don't know what play was drawn up, but it just doesn't seem right the Tyson E. wouldn't get the last shot and why put it in Dennis's hands?

2. Very little support from the bench except for Bilau and Council rebounding effort.

3, I wonder what our FG% is for WSU hero-ball shots? Or maybe it is just bad basketball IQ

4. WSU shot their FT good. Udeze much improved.

5. Shockers outrebounded 44 to 33. That is not what you expect from a shocker team.

6. Why can't WSU get makers? 20% from 3pt, 28% for the season.

7. WSU is not a very good defending team. When you have an eFG% of 42% (271 in the nation) you can't let the other team have easy baskets.

8. Gilbert and Trevin Wade have to take care of the ball better. Trevin with 2 TO in 6 minutes...brutal.

9. Udeze, nice offensive game. But why not rebound also?

10. I think OSU will finish in the B12 as WSU will in the AAC - which is lower middle.

11. Entertaining game...so I guess for the year of Covid that is win

[ShockTalk]

Only 2 players today that had not played previously were Bilau and Porter. Porter played in the 1st half, Bilau the 2nd. Bilau played 6 minutes, Porter 5. It would appear COVID protocol was used.

Bilau: 6 min / 2 points / 5 rebounds (3O, 2D) / 1 steal / 0 TOs / 0 PF

Porter: 5 min / 2 assists / 2 rebounds / 0 TOs / O PF

By the way. As a team, we had 8 offensive rebounds and Bilau had 3 of them in 6 minutes.

[molly jabali]

I’m frankly tired of this internet coaching...we have played three games...2 against pretty good teams ... with a new coach... with COVID restrictions...with inner turmoil.... are they perfect? Goodness no... nor were any of you probably... if the record is 5-10 at dome point, fire away... I think they are going to be ok and am willing to give them growing pains time

[Stickboy46]

Bilau with 5 rebounds in 6 minutes. That's a good sign.

So the two players we have yet to see is Seymour and Jenkins. Wonder if they had extra restrictions or are just behind the others. Hopefully that Emporia State game happens next week so we can get some tune up work going

[Stickboy46]

I also think we win that game with 2500 fans or more ...

[1972Shocker]

2. Very little support from the bench except for Bilau and Council rebounding effort.

The difference in bench production was a big factor in this game. Bench points were OSU 35 - WSU 5.

[pie n eye]

I’m encouraged by a lot of things. I’ll post about them when I get more time.

Transition defense is still really concerning. As someone said earlier it is something that absolutely can be fixed but I haven’t really seen as much improvement as I would have liked so far.

Then again we are three games in to the season (it’s mid December). Two of those three games have been against Mizzou and OSU instead of closed scrimmage, exhibition, and Emporia State or the like.

We’ve had the full squad available to practice all of three or four days.

Given all the circumstances I am way more optimistic about this team than pessimistic.

HAVE to fix the transition D and rebounding though or it’s going to be a continuous struggle.

[pie n eye]

Play better transition D (broken record) or do a better job on the defensive glass and this game is probably a win.

Despite those two things, both of which are well within our control every game, if Trey Wade does anything, anything at all, we probably win. As a senior I hoped he would help carry the load while our other guys work their way back. So far he hasn’t done that.

[asiseeit]

We were 23-8 last year so don't keep telling me you all think we have better personnel this year. We don't.

We are a team in the 80-120 D1 range which is worse than we have been for at least 6-7 years.

We don't block out or board well. Recipe for mediocrity. AM didn't get a lot of rebounds but he really blocked
out well for others to get them, he was our best high post screener, and a big deterrent to perimeter players
driving into the paint and the lack of that deterrent killed us today as they freely attacked the rim.

Better groom Bilau quickly. He is raw but so are the other two guys who have been here 2 yrs. I liked MU's effort
but he is just short on talent and forces things when they just are not there.

Only ten assists following six the last game. Wings have to shoot better. Only thing I am happy with is being able
to watch BB again at whatever level. Could be a losing season.

Probably going to start this season 2-8 in first ten games

[shock-it-to-me]

We were 23-8 last year so don't keep telling me you all think we have better personnel this year. We don't.

We are a team in the 80-120 D1 range which is worse than we have been for at least 6-7 years.

We don't block out or board well. Recipe for mediocrity. AM didn't get a lot of rebounds but he really blocked
out well for others to get them, he was our best high post screener, and a big deterrent to perimeter players
driving into the paint and the lack of that deterrent killed us today as they freely attacked the rim.

Better groom Bilau quickly. He is raw but so are the other two guys who have been here 2 yrs. I liked MU's effort
but he is just short on talent and forces things when they just are not there.

Only ten assists following six the last game. Wings have to shoot better. Only thing I am happy with is being able
to watch BB again at whatever level. Could be a losing season.

Probably going to start this season 2-8 in first ten games

Disagree immensely with your 80-120 evaluation. We will be top 50 at least be years end.

[Stickboy46]

We were 23-8 last year so don't keep telling me you all think we have better personnel this year. We don't.

We are a team in the 80-120 D1 range which is worse than we have been for at least 6-7 years.

We don't block out or board well. Recipe for mediocrity. AM didn't get a lot of rebounds but he really blocked
out well for others to get them, he was our best high post screener, and a big deterrent to perimeter players
driving into the paint and the lack of that deterrent killed us today as they freely attacked the rim.

Better groom Bilau quickly. He is raw but so are the other two guys who have been here 2 yrs. I liked MU's effort
but he is just short on talent and forces things when they just are not there.

Only ten assists following six the last game. Wings have to shoot better. Only thing I am happy with is being able
to watch BB again at whatever level. Could be a losing season.

Probably going to start this season 2-8 in first ten games

We have better personnel at every spot except the 5.

[WeWillShockU]

Disappointed in the loss but not discouraged. We have talent but they need to get experience playing together. Missing all those early games really hurts. I like our chances next week at Tulsa. Sure wish I could go see them play but they aren’t allowing fans at the game. We took some quick shots in the last two minutes and didn’t make them. We need to hit the boards harder and get back on defense. We also had some sloppy passes in the first half.

[TheShocktocles]

Go ahead and flame me for saying this (and maybe I deserve it because there are no moral victories)......

but this has been an insane 9-10 months for this team

- a demented father and his son trying to rip the team apart

- a crazy amount of transfers (see above)

- coach abuse scandal, national headlines, and a dark cloud hanging overhead

- this team did not even know who their head coach was going to be till a few weeks ago

- COVID crap (although, that has hurt many teams)


I am already sick of giving up offensive rebounds, but that said, I see quite a lot to be hopeful about. With a decent Dexter we would only have the loss to Mizzou

Totally agree. You hit the nail on the head. I am not giving up on these players and coaches.