WICHITA STATE (4-0) vs LIBERTY (3-0) Pregame Discussion

[asiseeit]

Another possibility would be to alternate KP and QB some in this game and go with a smaller more athletic lineup. Perhaps a little less KP and QB and a little more. Perhaps pair KP and IA together more and QB and DR more. Of course with only 7 players foul trouble and the flow of the game can limit your flexibility.

I like that too. We can't have KP and/or Q defending smaller quicker players on the perimeter. They will school us.

[ShockerExpress]

Just something to think about:


Does it matter if a new coach wins in his first year? Is winning that first year a BAD sign?


The 2 best coaches in the history of our program lost in their first season at WSU. Gregg Marshall was 11-20 and Ralph Miller was 11-20. Go 2 deeper and Gene Smithson was 15-15 and Mark Turgeon was 9-19. Does a slow start indicate future success then?

The best records for 1st year coaches belong to Gary Thompson 21-9, Eddie Fogler 21-11 and Isaac Brown 16-6. Does early success lend itself to problems later down the line? Randy was 14-13 his 1st season...Harry Miller was 16-10. Certainly that is a group that lacks much backing as to being good from most people.

This probably goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway.

It’s pretty much impossible to compare all of these because the situations they inherited, and the landscape of the sport in general, are all insanely different.

[1972Shocker]

Liberty primary plays 7 guys just like us

I might take issue with the just like us part. They do play primarily 7 players with their 2 top reserves averaging 24.0 and 19.7 mpg. However, they have 2 other players averaging around 11 minutes per game each and contributing 10 points per game combined.

As a group the Shocks' Jacob Germany, Joy Ighovodja, Trevor McBride and Henry Thengvall have played a total of 56 minutes in 4 games with 44 minutes of that in the Friends game. Excluding the Friends game this group has contributed a total of 4 points all against Lipscomb.

It looks to me like Liberty has about 20-22 mpg of rest time that the Shocks do not have.

Liberty did lose their leading scorer from last year. 5-9 R-Sr. Darius McGhee averaged 22.8 ppg last year and their top rebounder in 6-9 Blake Preston who averaged 5.1 rpg and started 22 of 36 games.. Liberty does return 3 starters and 1 part-time starter (14 games) from last year.

The Shocks return only 1 starter, Kenny Pohto, from last year although Colby Rogers probably would have started last year had he not had to sit out. Still Liberty probably has the edge in team chemistry and knowledge of their system.

As WuDrWu mentioned, Liberty is unlikely to beat themselves. In their 3 games this year they have 50 assist vs 28 turnovers in the games for an A/T ratio of 1.79. In 4 games the Shocks have 52 assists vs 46 turnovers for an A/T ratio of 1.13.

The Shocks can win but will need to dominate the boards, shoot it reasonably well and take care of the ball.

[1972Shocker]

Does anybody else have "LIBERTY LIBERTY LIIIIB-erty" playing in their brain over and over and over? I can't get that freakin commercial jingle out of my head!! DAMN YOU LIBERTY MUTUAL!!!

Thanks a lot. Maybe Liberty should change their name from the Flames to the Fighting Emus.

[SubGod22]

Thanks a lot. Maybe Liberty should change their name from the Flames to the Fighting Emus.

I think I prefer the Flaming Emus

[RoyalShock]

Thanks a lot. Maybe Liberty should change their name from the Flames to the Fighting Emus.

With an annual game against the Campbell Fighting Camels!

[RoyalShock]

I didn't see it posted yet (my apologies if it has), but KenPom has us as 5-pt underdogs (66-71) with a 33% chance to win.

[1972Shocker]

I didn't see it posted yet (my apologies if it has), but KenPom has us as 5-pt underdogs (66-71) with a 33% chance to win.

Sounds reasonable.

[RoyalShock]

I like that too. We can't have KP and/or Q defending smaller quicker players on the perimeter. They will school us.

I think coaches are less likely to go with a mismatch on defense than exploit the same mismatch on offense. So I have a feeling Mills will use Ike and Dalen more this game. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts one of those two at the 4, and there are times where Ike is playing the 5 alongside Dalen. If he does break out the zone, that would allow him to keep Ballard on the floor longer. It will be interesting to see how HCPM handles it.

[Kung Wu]

I didn't see it posted yet (my apologies if it has), but KenPom has us as 5-pt underdogs (66-71) with a 33% chance to win.

You'd think a 5 point spread prediction would have a closer percentage chance of winning?

[Bluzrover]

I think coaches are less likely to go with a mismatch on defense than exploit the same mismatch on offense. So I have a feeling Mills will use Ike and Dalen more this game. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts one of those two at the 4, and there are times where Ike is playing the 5 alongside Dalen. If he does break out the zone, that would allow him to keep Ballard on the floor longer. It will be interesting to see how HCPM handles it.

The great thing about this season thus far is that we can actually have faith that the HC is very likely thinking about how to handle an opponent and making the necessary adjustments.

The short bench is a concern but I am really interested to see how HCPM attacks this “problem.”

[RoyalShock]

This event sure has a lot of the more interesting school nicknames in college basketball:

Shockers
Flames
Chanticliers
Catamounts
Billikins
Paladins

[Rize Ballz]

Worthless yet curious hypothetical question:

Would Ricks be in rotation had he not left?

[RoyalShock]

Worthless yet curious hypothetical question:

Would Ricks be in rotation had he not left?

I think he'd get a few minutes at SG, but probably less than 10 a game outside of foul trouble. It's not a fair evaluation, but when he did get in last year he just didn't bring much to the court, especially on defense.

[Stickboy46]

Worthless yet curious hypothetical question:

Would Ricks be in rotation had he not left?

With seeing how much the other guys have improved from last year .. I'm not sure we have the data to say that. I sure didn't expect Abidde or Bell to be playing at the level they are.