Welcome - Paul Mills

[RoyalShock]

I believe that HCPM is putting a lot into player improvements but not as much into team improvements. He relies on mostly pick and rolls to create mismatches, and drives to the hoop to create offense, which requires our guys to be better players than our opposition. Problem is that our guys are not better than our opponents in most cases. I would sure like to see a lot more ball movement with passes as opposed to the dribble dribble, screen and drive that our offense uses. Problem is we can't seem to pass to well either. XB and BC both go toward the hoop to get shots rather than to draw defenders to open up passing lanes for teammates.

I'm still good with the mills hire and think it will take about 3 years to be competitive in the AAC.

I think the emphasis on pick-and-roll and creating mismatches is because outside of Rogers we can't shoot worth a lick. How else are we going to generate points?

If Bijan can somehow learn to play under control, I'd like to see how he does having both Rogers and Ridgnal to regularly pass to. Heck, I wonder if even Bell's 3Pt % would improve if he could get chances to catch-and-shoot.

[Atxshoxfan]

I believe that HCPM is putting a lot into player improvements but not as much into team improvements. He relies on mostly pick and rolls to create mismatches, and drives to the hoop to create offense, which requires our guys to be better players than our opposition. Problem is that our guys are not better than our opponents in most cases. I would sure like to see a lot more ball movement with passes as opposed to the dribble dribble, screen and drive that our offense uses. Problem is we can't seem to pass to well either. XB and BC both go toward the hoop to get shots rather than to draw defenders to open up passing lanes for teammates.

I'm still good with the mills hire and think it will take about 3 years to be competitive in the AAC.

[Kung Wu]

I like reducing charges when a secondary defender steps over at the last minute on a driver who beat his man off the dribble. That's not defense at all. And it's dangerous.

The primary defender thing is tougher. There's a difference between an offensive player charging straight into a defender and a primary defender jumping to the spot and flopping.

One of the things that drives me up a wall watching the NBA (and it has filtered down to college and high school) is players trying to game the officiating by flopping or doing anything instead of playing straight up. It makes it harder on the officials to adjudicate the game appropriately. And players are given WAY too much leniency in complaining to officials.

True and on the flip side it was really frustrating to see Jake White standing there as rigid as the statue of David, planted before Moses freed the Israelites, getting bulldozed by Goliath ... and then getting called for a block.

[Kel Varnsen]

I like reducing charges when a secondary defender steps over at the last minute on a driver who beat his man off the dribble. That's not defense at all. And it's dangerous.

The primary defender thing is tougher. There's a difference between an offensive player charging straight into a defender and a primary defender jumping to the spot and flopping.

One of the things that drives me up a wall watching the NBA (and it has filtered down to college and high school) is players trying to game the officiating by flopping or doing anything instead of playing straight up. It makes it harder on the officials to adjudicate the game appropriately. And players are given WAY too much leniency in complaining to officials.

[ShockerFever]

What’s the point of playing defense if they’re just gonna reward players going out of control to the hoop while the defender has to be absolutely perfect and still to get a call? NCAA trying to be more and more like the NBA. Garbage.

[Shockm]

Well, we are going through some ebbs and flows of a season. Right now, we are in an ebb, and we've had more ebbs than flows. Ask Mahomes and the Chiefs about ebbs and flows. I didn't expect an ebb with N. Texas.

[ShockBand]

Serious question…perhaps this would be better for someone like Taylor E to ask. Do coaches (esp Mills), encourage our defenders to try to take offensive charges?

I can’t remember the last time we even tried let alone actually taking one. So, I figured its something Mills doesn’t care about.

Offenses sure take it strong to the basket against the Shocks, knowing there won’t be any resistance except for maybe Q blocking their shot.

The NCAA tweaked the rule on block/charge calls for this year, making it tougher to get a charge call. Instead of being in position before the offensive player went airborne. The new rule states the defender must be in position when the offensive player plants a foot to go airborne. That is quite a bit earlier in the flow of motion. Is there any data yet on what effect this rule change has had and whether officials are calling it correctly? And if a charge is genuinely tougher to get, perhaps it becomes a risk/reward calculation in the game plan.

[Stickboy46]

Serious question…perhaps this would be better for someone like Taylor E to ask. Do coaches (esp Mills), encourage our defenders to try to take offensive charges?

I can’t remember the last time we even tried let alone actually taking one. So, I figured its something Mills doesn’t care about.

Offenses sure take it strong to the basket against the Shocks, knowing there won’t be any resistance except for maybe Q blocking their shot.

I'm curious if that's a change due to the NCAA saying they were going to be more strict on Block / Charge this year (leaning more towards blocks) or if its a historical trend of Mills. I can't find anywhere that tracks "charges taken" in any of the free stats tools.

[Kung Wu]

I won't give up on HCPM because of one season. I'm hopeful that he can recruit after a full year of being at WSU. I'm hopeful that the staff can develop the players that stick around (Ballard is probably the most improved on the team). I wish PM would have got the opportunity to coach Craig Porter and Jaykwon Walton.

Yeah, expectations got set way too high when we were rolling over cupcakes. Now that we're running through the minefield of the season we are getting the results most people anticipated before the season, but it feels worse. We really won't know much about HCPM's potential until next year. Just the way it is and always was.

Gonna be the same for coach Green with all the newcomers on the baseball team too.

Meanwhile we're all ...

[BAShocker]

Serious question…perhaps this would be better for someone like Taylor E to ask. Do coaches (esp Mills), encourage our defenders to try to take offensive charges?

I can’t remember the last time we even tried let alone actually taking one. So, I figured its something Mills doesn’t care about.

Offenses sure take it strong to the basket against the Shocks, knowing there won’t be any resistance except for maybe Q blocking their shot.

[Shocktoberfest]

A strong vocal leader among the players would be helpful. Our returning veterans all appear to be really good guys. Individually just really top-notch dudes. But that ain't lighting a fire in their teammates.

[shocker43]

I won't give up on HCPM because of one season. I'm hopeful that he can recruit after a full year of being at WSU. I'm hopeful that the staff can develop the players that stick around (Ballard is probably the most improved on the team). I wish PM would have got the opportunity to coach Craig Porter and Jaykwon Walton.

That said, I don't know what he wants this program to be. He makes a lot of statements about energy and effort. I don't think we've seen a game where our energy and effort wasn't questioned. He mentions defense frequently, our defense is Kenpom #108. We seem to be a decent-to-good rebounding team depending on the game, but rebounding isn't going to win games by itself.

I've only been to the two KC games this year. One thing that drove me crazy, is how the team just lazily walks to the court for pre-game shoot-around and after half time. They don't look like they have any energy. They don't look like they're prepared to win, or believe that they can win. The body language from the team, from the time they stop on the court, makes it look like they're just....there. DR is really the only player on the team that shows any emotion while on the court.

I will say, it seems like the players give more credit to the coaches this year than they did with IB. I think the team is probably "together" and I don't think the staff has lost the locker room. I just don't know what the staff thinks the culture of the program is supposed to be.

[Shocktoberfest]

I’m still in the “wait and see” mode with Mills, but last night has me more concerned that he’s less Jerome Tang and more Scott Thompson.

Ooof. I was worried Thompson's name might start popping up.

[BAShocker]

Paul’s quotes (paraphrasing):

1. “The standard is the standard”
— If that’s the case, the standard must be pretty low.

2. “The non-conference prepares you for the conference”
— It did?

3. “This team needs to find its identity”
—Identity is determined by actions. If actions have no consequences, you won’t discover your identity.

With that, still “trying” to be a Paul believer, but it’s getting very hard to do so. No energy, little hustle, poor coaching decisions. Giving him this one year bogey, barely. After that…

[Dan]

I’m still in the “wait and see” mode with Mills, but last night has me more concerned that he’s less Jerome Tang and more Scott Thompson.