North Texas at Wichita State Game Thread 12-18-21

[Singeril]

This team just isn't good. Everyone keeps saying we have talent, but where? We have one playable player at each position excluding the center and maybe Monzy at the 4. Our "star" is hardly playable right now but then you either have Grant or Jenkins coming off the bench for him. It does not matter who the coach is when you don't have a roster that can compete.

I get what you're saying. The issue for some of us, though, is that the coaching staff, every spring, summer, and fall, tries to sell us all on how great the talent is...how great this or that recruit is...how that player is the "next__________". And, then, it doesn't pan out. It truly makes you wonder if the coaches evaluate talent well or if they are just selling soap. Or, a 3rd option...the "talent" can't be coached????

[NCAABound]

Or are we just not good anymore at developing the talent? Have we seen significant growth in the players over the past couple of years?

[Ashockalypse]

I thought Browns contract wasnt supposed to have that high of a buyout in the first 3 years?

[LoneStar48]

A couple of years back, WSU looked like one of those really good college teams, like the top tier team that they were. Now the Shockers look more and more like one of the mid major teams we tried so hard not to be. Sure they look good against the low level teams, but against K State, North Texas? Those were so hard to watch. I loved the Arizona game; it proved they could perform; why can't they do that again? Or was that comeback a combination of fatigue on Arizona's part and luck?

[ventichai]

A couple of years back, WSU looked like one of those really good college teams, like the top tier team that they were. Now the Shockers look more and more like one of the mid major teams we tried so hard not to be. Sure they look good against the low level teams, but against K State, North Texas? Those were so hard to watch. I loved the Arizona game; it proved they could perform; why can't they do that again? Or was that comeback a combination of fatigue on Arizona's part and luck?

4th game in the season (vs Arizona) as opposed to the 8th (vs K State) and 11th (vs North Texas) respectively.

I think if Arizona had the amount of tape that K State & North Texas had readily available, it wouldn’t have been as close at was.

[LoneStar48]

4th game in the season (vs Arizona) as opposed to the 8th (vs K State) and 11th (vs North Texas) respectively.

I think if Arizona had the amount of tape that K State & North Texas had readily available, it wouldn’t have been as close at was.

I think you're right. With all the giants they had, I was surprised it was even a game.

[shock-it-to-me]

I still say we have the talent to be a top 25-30 team. But there’s obviously waaaaay more to it than just talent.

[Singeril]

Or are we just not good anymore at developing the talent? Have we seen significant growth in the players over the past couple of years?

I almost added this very statement to my post above—-I figured we were all thinking this—-and that’s troubling.

[BostonWu]

I still say we have the talent to be a top 25-30 team. But there’s obviously waaaaay more to it than just talent.

Not when you have one okayish PG and no one to back him up. When you're that thin at PG you're not very talented as a whole.

[shocker43]

I get what you're saying. The issue for some of us, though, is that the coaching staff, every spring, summer, and fall, tries to sell us all on how great the talent is...how great this or that recruit is...how that player is the "next__________". And, then, it doesn't pan out. It truly makes you wonder if the coaches evaluate talent well or if they are just selling soap. Or, a 3rd option...the "talent" can't be coached????

So you want the coaches to say the team sucks before the season starts? What coach does that?

[Singeril]

So you want the coaches to say the team sucks before the season starts? What coach does that?

There are ways to talk about your recruits that doesn’t lead to overhyped expectations.

[proshox]

There are ways to talk about your recruits that doesn’t lead to overhyped expectations.

The coaches don’t overhype the players. They talk about their individual upsides… fans, media, and message boards over hype.

This team is pretty thin, generally small, and starts a few reluctant scorers. Which makes everything a little harder than we all want it to be. The guys off the bench bring offensive punch but also make a lot of mistakes… I know people think coach just lets the dawgs be dawgs, but there is a reason JP and Dexter start every game. They execute the game plan.

The effort has been there all year. I am thankful for that. I am losing hope that we will figure out how to run an efficient offense given the natural limitations of this group. Teams I’m a worse position have figured it out in the past so I will remain optimistic.

This team can be better if:

1) Porter can score a consistent 8 points a game
2) Dex has a normal spring
3) RC4 earns a starting spot

[ventichai]

Per Taylor Eldridge

[BOBB]

Or are we just not good anymore at developing the talent? Have we seen significant growth in the players over the past couple of years?

I don't think a diamond has been polished in this program for a long time.

[Dan]

I don't think a diamond has been polished in this program for a long time.

Echenique?