Wichita State: vs Memphis (02/23/23)

[WuDrWu]

Losses aren't painful when that kind of effort and teamwork is there. It was exceptional tonight. We were just out-talented and out manned. We played 8 (I think) and 2 of those are walkons. You can't compete against a team of 3-5* 5th, 6th and 7th year guys with that. You just can't. Those young men gave everything they had. I will never fault that.

[ShockerFever]

My problem is the effort only seems to swell during the “big games”.

That’s not gonna cut it.

[WuDrWu]

My problem is the effort only seems to swell during the “big games”.

That’s not gonna cut it.

My comment was only regarding the game. There is no change to the long term direction. A change will be made.

[Aargh]

The players seem to have overcome the apparent lack of emotion of the coach. The crowds seem to have moved in the direction of showing the same level of emotion that IB shows.

Both players and fans are seriously affected by the example a coach sets. After wins Jerome Tang at KSU is known to get on the scorer's table or up in the stands to lead the crowd in a celebration dance. That will inspire a team and a fanbase.

IB is on the opposite end of the spectrum that got GGG and gets Tang excited by the players and fans.

[ShockingButTrue]

Porter forcing a bit

No kidding. He's a chucker too. Am I the only one who gets nervous when he's pushing the ball?

All kidding aside though, the Shocks played really good last night. The obvious difference in the game is their PG is really good and that's not a knock on CP. Consequently the Tigers' execution was a little better. Would have been a different game last Sunday if he played in Houston. Tigers are a completely different team from years past with him at the point, even with a little less talent.

I wouldn't call HCIB's TO a momentum killer because at the point neither had it. It was a well played back and forth game. The difference maker last night was Rojas getting that 4th foul. Memphis had problems with his effort in the first half. Jaykwon played good. He wasn't shooting up hasty 3's. Pohto was so/so against their 4* and 5* bigs'. He impacts games more than Stutz or Miller did as Sophomore's, so he deserves some credit for that. He'll be hard to keep around in this modern era of college basketball we're in, if you know what I mean.

[Dan]

Porter has become a really special player this year. He’s cut down his turnovers and sloppiness quite a bit and has learned the push the ball. I would dare say he’s a cusp NBA player if he had a more consistent 3 point shot. He’s a better player than Toure Murry and he had a sniff. Not sure he’ll even make 2nd team All AAC but he’s one of the top 2 players on the floor just about every game we play.

[molly jabali]

Losses aren't painful when that kind of effort and teamwork is there. It was exceptional tonight. We were just out-talented and out manned. We played 8 (I think) and 2 of those are walkons. You can't compete against a team of 3-5* 5th, 6th and 7th year guys with that. You just can't. Those young men gave everything they had. I will never fault that.

100% agree....

[Dan]

100% agree....

Yet people don’t want to support this team. If that team showed up every game and won 20 games next year would the arena start filling back up?

[Stickboy46]

Porter has become a really special player this. He’s cut down his turnovers and sloppiness quite a bit and has learned the push the ball. I would dare say he’s a cusp NBA player if he had a more consistent 3 point shot. He’s a better player than Toure Murray and he had a sniff. Not sure he’ll even make 2nd team All AAC but he’s one of the top 2 players on the floor just about every game we play.

I really hate we appear to have wasted his college career. Would have loved to have him on some of our really good teams.

[molly jabali]

I was unable to go last night, so I watched the second half...felt like there was crowd energy...could not sense crowd size, so not sure how much the allure of Memphis factored in....
Fans DO want wins, there's no doubt, with good reason, and I DO think the size of the crowds is some indictment of IB....HOWEVER, I see sizable progress over the past 10 games, so maybe fans would come back/stay on board.
We have beat the dead horse A LOT about the players who left after last season....blame IB, blame poaching, blame a bad mix...whatever...he HAS to learn THIS team on the fly....someone said a while back, coaches should not learn 'on the job'...seriously? This team, while mildly talented, was pretty new to each other and has been a major work in progress. It's not out of the realm to think we could be looking at an 18-9 team with some breaks...it is what it is, but there are enough flashes to tell me it could be better....

[shockerfan]

I was unable to go last night, so I watched the second half...felt like there was crowd energy...could not sense crowd size, so not sure how much the allure of Memphis factored in....
Fans DO want wins, there's no doubt, with good reason, and I DO think the size of the crowds is some indictment of IB....HOWEVER, I see sizable progress over the past 10 games, so maybe fans would come back/stay on board.
We have beat the dead horse A LOT about the players who left after last season....blame IB, blame poaching, blame a bad mix...whatever...he HAS to learn THIS team on the fly....someone said a while back, coaches should not learn 'on the job'...seriously? This team, while mildly talented, was pretty new to each other and has been a major work in progress. It's not out of the realm to think we could be looking at an 18-9 team with some breaks...it is what it is, but there are enough flashes to tell me it could be better....

I don't know. Crowd was OK at times. But over all we were mostly just kind of sitting on our hands.

Of course the "magic" was even starting to fade towards the end of Marshall's tenure.

Tickets were being sold sure. But I suppose the increase in corporate seats and casual fans after the Final 4 run were partly to blame.

So maybe my expectations are too high for the crowd.

It wasn't BAD last night. But definitely could/should have been better for being a tight game against a top 2 team in our conference that has owned us.

[Dan]

I don't know. Crowd was OK at times. But over all we were mostly just kind of sitting on our hands.

Of course the "magic" was even starting to fade towards the end of Marshall's tenure.

Tickets were being sold sure. But I suppose the increase in corporate seats and casual fans after the Final 4 run were partly to blame.

So maybe my expectations are too high for the crowd.

It wasn't BAD last night. But definitely could/should have been better for being a tight game against a top 2 team in our conference that has owned us.

I feel like Boatright got a little too greedy and started out pricing / moving long term ticket holders and it caused an overall bad feeling about the athletic department. Boatright sucked balls as an AD and was just lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

[Woodrow]

Looked like well over 7000 there last night. The crowd was into it most of the night. It just never felt like we were going to win the game. Most of us were just waiting for the close loss to happen.

[SubGod22]

Looked like well over 7000 there last night. The crowd was into it most of the night. It just never felt like we were going to win the game. Most of us were just waiting for the close loss to happen.

Are you sure? I had a friend there that was amazed at how empty it was. He'd been to a game or two previously this year. Also, on TV, it looked like maybe 5k at best. There was very little seen in the upper half on TV.

[wichshock65]

Yet people don’t want to support this team. If that team showed up every game and won 20 games next year would the arena start filling back up?

Speaking for myself, I would show up. I began this year going to every home game. The product on the floor just made me sick so finally stopped "wasting" my hard earned money watching the debacle that had become Shocker Basketball. Last night, I was proud of the team and their effort. Coaching still lacking but the guys gave it their all. This product will get me back to Koch. Last night I wasn't embarrassed to be a Shocker, even with the loss.