WICHITA STATE (8-8, 0-3) at #23/RV FLORIDA ATLANTIC (13-4, 3-1) Game Thread

[Stickboy46]

So I wonder if this is the worst free throw shooting team in school history? This is about the 8th game in a row we’ve shot in the 50%-60% range. QB may be our best free throw shooter. I honestly believe our free throws may have been the main reason we lost this one.

I don't know about school history, but on the year we are the 323rd team in the country in FT%

In conference games we are the worst in conference at 56%. Next closest team is at 69%

[Kung Wu]

Defense: Pohto > Ballard. <-- True
Offense: Ballard >> Pohto. <-- Also true

[Dan]

I’d have tp go back and watch Ballard’s rebounding efforts, but in a lot of cases, the center boxes out the lane and allows another player to grab the board. Not sure how much this happened last night.

[ShockHat]

To me ignoring stats, Ballard seemed the far more effective player last night. Whenever he and Cortes were in together, we seemed to go on a pretty good run. Think Ballard was getting gassed though with the load he was carrying.

obviously we didn’t do our job rebounding as a team. Same issue with turnovers happens (bell and Beverly), I’m just coming to accept them now. It’s a talent issue at this point.

[asiseeit]

We shot the ball well enough to win most games. They had seven more offensive rebounds and six fewer turnovers. That's thirteen more possessions than us and outscored us at the line by eight. It's pretty clear where we need to improve.

[Kung Wu]

Maybe one of the things that confuses the Ballard vs Pohto debate is that it has always felt like Pohto had a higher ceiling, but also seems to have a lower floor? So his variance just causes us fits. Ballard is coming on stronger and stronger and staying consistent. Pohto played well last night. Ballard a lot better.

Ballard's BPM last night was 10.2 (excellent).
Pohto's BPM was -1.0 (bad).

Ballard's Ortg: 147 (great)
Pohto's Ortg: 118 (good)

Saying that Ballard is gassed doesn't appear correct. The first sign that a big is truly gassed is that they start FOULING (when the legs go, you start using physicality instead of good defensive posture and positioning). Ballard has not been in foul trouble at all this season. His highest number of PF's in a single game is only 3! He has more gas in the tank at the end of every match, for sure.

Pohto is just consuming too many of Ballard's minutes at this point.

[kcshocker11]

I can honestly say.. I think they are getting better.. there was a good chance we could have won the last 2 games against ranked teams...time will tell though.

[Maizerunner08]

Checked the box score throughout. Looks like more piss poor defense led to our demise.

[Singeril]

Maybe one of the things that confuses the Ballard vs Pohto debate is that it has always felt like Pohto had a higher ceiling, but also seems to have a lower floor? So his variance just causes us fits. Ballard is coming on stronger and stronger and staying consistent. Pohto played well last night. Ballard a lot better.

Ballard's BPM last night was 10.2 (excellent).
Pohto's BPM was -1.0 (bad).

Ballard's Ortg: 147 (great)
Pohto's Ortg: 118 (good)

Saying that Ballard is gassed doesn't appear correct. The first sign that a big is truly gassed is that they start FOULING (when the legs go, you start using physicality instead of good defensive posture and positioning). Ballard has not been in foul trouble at all this season. His highest number of PF's in a single game is only 3! He has more gas in the tank at the end of every match, for sure.

Pohto is just consuming too many of Ballard's minutes at this point.

I made the statement about QB being gassed at the time I said it. He was. Understand, I am fully supporting him being on the floor as KP has been so disappointing this year. I think QB has been playing very well and is one of our truly bright spots. However, when I said it, he was having issues getting up and down the floor and looked like he’d barely cross center court on one trip. He was up against a tough adversary in Vlad. I’d totally agree that KP is getting too many of QB’s minutes….the offense was clicking the first 5-8 minarets of the game last night…largely because of QB and ;BC. When they went off the floor, things weren’t good while the “other guys” were in. I just don’t know, however, that QB can play a lot more minutes…unless he gets shorter breaks. I hope he can build up more strength and endurance…he needs to be on the floor.

[shocker43]

There are a lot of people on this board who are going to complain regardless of the game.

"I didn't see any progress!" Really? the 1.17 PPP in the pick in roll wasn't progress? We haven't had a pg that could hit the roller all season, or find the open perimeter player.

"Coach has no personality!" turned into "oh man, I can't believe he didn't shake his hand!" pearl clutching, meanwhile you would have been strokin' it when GM would do the same thing.

BC is getting better. QB is the bright spot on the team. The coaches can yell at the players for dribbling into turnovers, but sometimes they don't have the brains to get it. A lot of the guys on this team don't have the brains to get it. CR doesn't play good enough offense to be a defensive liability, but we have no one to take his spot in the lineup when he's not able to play defense. Sometimes the other team has the dudes to take over in the second half, FAU has the dudes, we don't.

[ShockHat]

I’ve been super critical of Bijan, and honestly, last night I was impressed. Couldn’t believe I was saying bring him back out. Suppose that’s the difference between having a real PG and not having one. Made everything click.

If I’m picking who gets to stay next year (hoping we shave big time), Ballard is my first pick to stay, followed by Rogers (if he works on defense in off season) and Cortes. Everyone else… they’re expendable imo.

Bell has improved, but lots of deficiencies and appears to be a one trick poney. DeGray just kind of seems.. there. I’d be open to keeping Abidde, lots of upside and flashes of potential. I’m really disappointed in Pohto (WHY is he shooting 3s?), but if he fixes his game he’s a decent alternative to Ballard, if Ballard gets the most minutes. Beverly gets smoked on defense and is a walking turnover (though I love his slashing), Germany is just not even a player for us right now lol.

It’s tough because there are aspects I like about each individual player but honestly, we’re nowhere near the talent level we need to be and players gotta go.

[Kung Wu]

I just don’t know, however, that QB can play a lot more minutes…unless he gets shorter breaks. I hope he can build up more strength and endurance…he needs to be on the floor.

Yeah, shorter breaks makes sense to me.

[asiseeit]

The center position is NOT our problem unless it is rebounding.

[Topshock]

Martin was tailkin and chirping when he got hot And backed it up when it counted most.

Love that guy! Reminded me of Mr. Cotton.

[Stickboy46]

I can honestly say.. I think they are getting better.. there was a good chance we could have won the last 2 games against ranked teams...time will tell though.

I think they have gotten better on the offensive end .. but have gotten worse by a larger margin on the defensive end .. which is why we got outscored by 20+ in the second half of two straight games.