WICHITA STATE (8-6, 0-1) at TEMPLE (7-7, 0-1) Game Thread

[SubGod22]

Big-time recruits want to play against big-time recruits on a national stage. Put a home-n-home schedule together with the names you mentioned, and the recruits start landing. When the Jimmies and the Joes start calling ICT their home, our stock will rise. Mills could be Jesus Christ with a clipboard and all that's gonna get you with slugs on the bench, is a random Cinderella run replete with backhanded compliments from the media. Kind of like NIU and Faroookmanish. Then Mills bounces for NC State.

All hypothetical masturbation as none of those "terrible" schools you listed would schedule home 'n homes with us. I wonder why?

Back to our regularly scheduled MoneyBall program of trying to game our way into a 12 seed by playing FAUk, Grand Canyon State Casino University, and Northern Texas Galleria Mall (a Simon property).

Of course we lose to all those plucky wannabees with their mid-major swagger. How do you think they got their current ranking? Rolling around on the floor and skinning their knees. Nothing wrong with hard, blue collar effort, but it rarely lasts the entire season. And who wants to become the latest version of SIU-C?

Gotta have a couple LEGIT thoroughbreds.

Big time recruits also want to play in March. That schedule against Q4 teams isn't going to make that happen. But hey, they have names you recognize on the front of their jersey.

[Topshock]

And K-State nowhere to be found with their vaunted engineering program. Interesting.

[WuDrWu]

Everybody cares about name recognition except those without any. The "Name Recognition" schools are currently seceding from the NCAA we used to know.

I would categorize us as an occasional name recognition school. We REALLY **** the bed with Marshall. I'd say there's a less than 30% chance we ever get back to that level.

Please don't try to get me excited about a shopping district in Texas. I don't care what they are currently ranked. They are NOT a top 75 team. They probably aren't even a top 250 team.

I am not defending Cold or otherwise, Lord knows he's more than capable of that job. But he's not wrong....Temple is a program with big time potential in the heart of basketball. North Texas, for as good as they've been lately, and that's damned good, plays in a gym that Collegiate would be embarrassed to play in. They don't care about anything other than football. They shouldn't be allowed to field a volleyball team with the gym they use (the AAC should MAKE them play in the basketball arena, which is only marginally better).

And I know where both programs are today, fully, and I'd take Temple 100 times out of 100 for basketball.

[Topshock]

I am not defending Cold or otherwise, Lord knows he's more than capable of that job. But he's not wrong....Temple is a program with big time potential in the heart of basketball. North Texas, for as good as they've been lately, and that's damned good, plays in a gym that Collegiate would be embarrassed to play in. They don't care about anything other than football. They shouldn't be allowed to field a volleyball team with the gym they use (the AAC should MAKE them play in the basketball arena, which is only marginally better).

And I know where both programs are today, fully, and I'd take Temple 100 times out of 100 for basketball.

What? Doesn't North Texas play here?

[C0|dB|00ded]

I am not defending Cold or otherwise, Lord knows he's more than capable of that job. But he's not wrong....Temple is a program with big time potential in the heart of basketball. North Texas, for as good as they've been lately, and that's damned good, plays in a gym that Collegiate would be embarrassed to play in. They don't care about anything other than football. They shouldn't be allowed to field a volleyball team with the gym they use (the AAC should MAKE them play in the basketball arena, which is only marginally better).

And I know where both programs are today, fully, and I'd take Temple 100 times out of 100 for basketball.

Be careful sir. You don't know the power of the dark side.

[WuDrWu]

I will wear that...my impression and memory obviously failing me (but those pictures seem augmented to me). My general comment on how the programs differ does not change.

[Kung Wu]

Cortes is the most effective PG we have. HC3GM, being a defense first coach, would start and play Cortes until his ankles fell off. And Bell would be playing at the two.

Pros
1) Cortes buys our team enough time to get in position by not turning the ball over off the dribble every other possession (compare with Bell, Rogers, and Beverly)
2) He draws the pesky PG, giving Bell an opportunity to drive/shoot against a slower #2 guard. (Bell got 4 of his 9 points with Cortes on the court)
3) He brings speed and energy on the defensive side of the ball. (Cortes had the highest Defensive Rating in the game yesterday, including both teams)
4) Defensively a PG is typically calling out switches and marks off the ball (head on a swivel, eyes in the back of the head). Not sure if Cortes facilitates like that, but that is exactly what did us in yesterday and it happened when he left the court. It was problematic the entire second half and Cortes got limited minutes in the second half.

Cons
1) He has one or two dumb turnovers per game. That's a point of growth for him for certain, but if he cuts it to two turnovers a game, we're good.
2) He's not a good shooter. But he knows it and he doesn't shoot us out of games. Clearly and area where he needs to put in the work.


Starting lineup ..
20:00 BELL,ROGERS,BEVERLY,RIDGNAL,BALLARD

When Cortes subbed on we were +5 in the match...
Score: 13-8 (+5)
14:31 CORTES,ROGERS,BEVERLY,DEGRAY III,POHTO <-- Cortes subbed in

When Cortes was subbed out we were +6...
Score: 23-17 (+6)
06:14 BEVERLY,ROGERS,BELL,RIDGNAL,BALLARD <-- Cortes subbed off

Score: 23-20 (+3)
05:27 BEVERLY,ROGERS,BELL,RIDGNAL,POHTO <-- Ballard subbed off (with no personal fouls in the entire game, maybe needed a blow)

By the time Cortes was subbed back on we were -8 ... a -14 point swing in 4 minutes and 21 seconds while Cortes was off the court. Also, when Ballard came off it was an -11 point swing.
Score: 25-33 (-8)
01:53 DEGRAY III,CORTES,BELL,RIDGNAL,POHTO

Taking both our stopper and sweeper, Cortes and Ballard, off at the same time was the death knell for our first half and momentum yesterday.

[Topshock]

Cortes is the most effective PG we have. HC3GM, being a defense first coach, would start and play Cortes until his ankles fell off. And Bell would be playing at the two.

Pros
1) Cortes buys our team enough time to get in position by not turning the ball over off the dribble every other possession (compare with Bell, Rogers, and Beverly)
2) He draws the pesky PG, giving Bell an opportunity to drive/shoot against a slower #2 guard. (Bell got 4 of his 9 points with Cortes on the court)
3) He brings speed and energy on the defensive side of the ball. (Cortes had the highest Defensive Rating in the game yesterday, including both teams)
4) Defensively a PG is typically calling out switches and marks off the ball (head on a swivel, eyes in the back of the head). Not sure if Cortes facilitates like that, but that is exactly what did us in yesterday and it happened when he left the court. It was problematic the entire second half and Cortes got limited minutes in the second half.

Cons
1) He has one or two dumb turnovers per game. That's a point of growth for him for certain, but if he cuts it to two turnovers a game, we're good.
2) He's not a good shooter. But he knows it and he doesn't shoot us out of games. Clearly and area where he needs to put in the work.


Starting lineup ..
20:00 BELL,ROGERS,BEVERLY,RIDGNAL,BALLARD

When Cortes subbed on we were +5 in the match...
Score: 13-8 (+5)
14:31 CORTES,ROGERS,BEVERLY,DEGRAY III,POHTO

When Cortes was subbed out we were +6...
Score: 23-17 (+6)
06:14 BEVERLY,ROGERS,BELL,RIDGNAL,BALLARD <-- Cortes subbed off

Score: 23-20 (+3)
05:27 BEVERLY,ROGERS,BELL,RIDGNAL,POHTO <-- Ballard subbed off (with no personal fouls in the entire game, maybe needed a blow)

By the time Cortes was subbed back on we were -8 ... a -14 point swing in 4 minutes and 21 seconds while Cortes was off the court. Also, when Ballard came off it was an -11 point swing.
Score: 25-33 (-8)
01:53 DEGRAY III,CORTES,BELL,RIDGNAL,POHTO

Taking both our stopper and sweeper, Cortes and Ballard, off at the same time was the death knell for our first half and momentum yesterday.

I don't necessarily disagree, but to point out how poor our choices are:

Cortes offensive rating on Ken Pom is 44 which is the lowest number for a scholarship player at WSU since Ken Pom started in 2000.
His turnover rate is 41. Average for a point guard is 20-25. Fred was under 15 his last 3 years.

[C0|dB|00ded]

What? Doesn't North Texas play here?

We're not seeking gymnasiums, we're seeking tradition. Mean "below-average" Green has zero.

[Kung Wu]

I don't necessarily disagree, but to point out how poor our choices are:

Cortes offensive rating on Ken Pom is 44 which is the lowest number for a scholarship player at WSU since Ken Pom started in 2000.
His turnover rate is 41. Average for a point guard is 20-25. Fred was under 15 his last 3 years.

No doubt fire power will have to come from somewhere else. I hope starting midway in the season accentuated the turnover problem, and it will improve. Regardless, he's the best option we have.

[Topshock]

We're not seeking gymnasiums, we're seeking tradition. Mean "below-average" Green has zero.

LOL, you are entertaining!

[Stickboy46]

It's totally rational to believe 17-year old Zion Pipkin will solve all of these problems next season, right?

Transfer Portal PG should be our 100% priority for both Coach Mills and Armchair.

[Stickboy46]

I will wear that...my impression and memory obviously failing me (but those pictures seem augmented to me). My general comment on how the programs differ does not change.

FAU, UTSA might be the ones you are thinking of. They both play in basically High School gyms.

[SubGod22]

FAU, UTSA might be the ones you are thinking of. They both play in basically High School gyms.

UTSA is preparing to build a larger arena. FAU still has very little money from my understanding and focuses what they do have on football.

[Stickboy46]

UTSA is preparing to build a larger arena. FAU still has very little money from my understanding and focuses what they do have on football.

Yea and unforunately, theirs is probably the worse in the conference. I think it holds like 2000 people