Conner Frankamp is a Shocker

[Stickboy46]

Defense was adequate, two nice steals. Ball handling was very nervous and loose. Seemed to be in thr right places 95% of the time.

He did exactly what we needed. Give Fred/Ron rest and be solid while he's in there. Play D, Disrupt on D, Don't turn the ball over and run the offense. That is something we have not gotten out of our backups (JRS does well but is not the same.)

[SB Shock]

Ya and the funny thing is she left with 5 minutes left in the game

maybe she was one of the KU fans that comes to WSU games to be seen?

[im4wsu]

He did exactly what we needed. Give Fred/Ron rest and be solid while he's in there. Play D, Disrupt on D, Don't turn the ball over and run the offense. That is something we have not gotten out of our backups (JRS does well but is not the same.)

I agree that he did spell Ron and Fred, played respectable D, 1 assist, zero turnovers and 2 steals in 14 minutes is good. Comparatively speaking, I thought Shamet played better in his first D-1 game EVER than Connor did in this one. The shots Connor shot were pretty wide open, not with hand in face. Hope it's just nerves, but he did the same thing in the scrimmage. Of course, then he had Ron actually guarding him. I think he will be shooting in the 40%-plus range by season's end and am not down on him at all. Just hasn't yet performed well enough, IMHO, to justify all the plaudits.

[Stickboy46]

I agree that he did spell Ron and Fred, played respectable D, 1 assist, zero turnovers and 2 steals in 14 minutes is good. Comparatively speaking, I thought Shamet played better in his first D-1 game EVER than Connor did in this one. The shots Connor shot were pretty wide open, not with hand in face. Hope it's just nerves, but he did the same thing in the scrimmage. Of course, then he had Ron actually guarding him. I think he will be shooting in the 40%-plus range by season's end and am not down on him at all. Just hasn't yet performed well enough, IMHO, to justify all the plaudits.

Shamet also didn't come in with expectations from everyone of being an instant huge impact. The applause that Conner got just for getting up off the bench to go to the scorers table had to tighten him up a bit. Shamet's first games were also against Hawaii Pacific and Charleston Southern, not a must win game vs UNLV. Shamet didn't look great against Tulsa.

[Dan]

you could tell UNLV was fully aware of Conner's reputation. They guarded him very tightly and it helped spread out the defense having him on the floor even if he didn't make any shots. He'll get going, I can't imagine the jitters he had going into that game.

[Stickboy46]

you could tell UNLV was fully aware of Conner's reputation. They guarded him very tightly and it helped spread out the defense having him on the floor even if he didn't make any shots. He'll get going, I can't imagine the jitters he had going into that game.

If I read right, the last game he played in was March 2014 .. That's a year and a half of no live gametime. This was a huge must win game. I would have probably peed a little myself.

[Shockthemonkey]

Lady in front of me says after Conner missed his 30th shoot "personally I think Frankamp is overrated" smh

I've sat on this for a while because I just couldn't bring myself to show how ugly some of our fanbase can be, but I guess this is as good of time as any to bring this up. We were in Orlando and during the Alabama game Grady was struggling and he was very uptight that they weren't feeding him the ball down low, coming back to the huddle during time out he was pissed and a coach or two tried to calm him down. So the fans were noticing his struggles and starting to grumble because Ron needed help badly. Before he was injured he had just missed a easy layup and things were getting worse.

How does this relate to Conner? Well when Anton goes down the arena was absolutely still, a few fans shouted out positive comments to him but mostly it was just mumbles. There were a few fans in the row behind us that made a point in conversations with each other that Conner was not showing enough emotion for his teammate and that he should just go over to the other bench and join Alabama because he's not really a Shocker. To say something like this at this time when no one knew what was going on with Grady just showed me that some people in our fan base can never pull their head out of their ass long enough to think about reality. Conner went to KU, Conner made a mistake and got a DUI but Conner never did anything to deserve the level of skepticism or criticism that he gets now. I wish the best for him and was on my feet every time he put up a shot last night hoping that the roof of the arena was about to come off when he connected. There are always a few bad apples and that is what these ladies (using the term loosely) are but I hope weather he's wildly successful or not people wake up and realize what jackasses they are making out of themselves when they say crap like this.

[KraRam]

This may have been said earlier...but all I needed to see was when he played. And if coach has you in the game at the end, he trusts you. Conner will be OK and do what he is asked to do. Plus I agree, those free throws were clutch.

[im4wsu]

If I read right, the last game he played in was March 2014 .. That's a year and a half of no live gametime. This was a huge must win game. I would have probably peed a little myself.

Thank you brother Frankamp. His shots were not contested, except for the layup. Shamet was perhaps playing on a fractured foot against Tulsa and maybe all season. Even on a fractured foot, I'd take Shamet's performance in the first four games over what CF has shown thus far. Again, I'm excited for what CF can do, might do,maybe will do, but he hasn't done it yet! Yet! Either at KU or WSU. Yet. He is used to big games and only Billy Walker of Kjsu fame actually pees during a game!

[Stickboy46]

This may have been said earlier...but all I needed to see was when he played. And if coach has you in the game at the end, he trusts you. Conner will be OK and do what he is asked to do. Plus I agree, those free throws were clutch.

Coach was doing a Conner for Offense for Zach for Defense substitution the entire last minute or two of the game. Which is excellent coaching.

[im4wsu]

Coach was doing a Conner for Offense for Zach for Defense substitution the entire last minute or two of the game. Which is excellent coaching.

But you said CF's defense was GREAT. Doesn't 3G know that? Coach was doing that because he couldn't count on Zach for FTs or ball control.

I like CF. I expect him to do well. He just hasn't yet, anywhere at the D-1 level.

[WuDrWu]

Tons of great points here.

1. Big time rust game. Every shot was true, most were long. He was amped up even though he shows a cool exterior.

2. Conner, Ron and Fred are on the same page out there. 'Nough said.

3. Not even worried about missing shots. The makes are going to come in DROVES or Fred and Ron are going to get to the hole pretty much every any freaking time they want.

4. His defense was good, better than expected, especially at keeping guys in front of him. When he's guarding a guy that's 4 inches taller and can quick jump over you, you have to keep them in front. That's why Brown came in and out late. Brown's D was excellent.

5. Conner is trusted because he knows what is going on and is in and gets others in the right spot.

6. We don't win that game without him.

7. Fred wants him to be more aggressive than he was last night. Too tentative. Again, 'Nough said.

[Stickboy46]

But you said CF's defense was GREAT. Doesn't 3G know that? Coach was doing that because he couldn't count on Zach for FTs or ball control.

I like CF. I expect him to do well. He just hasn't yet, anywhere at the D-1 level.

I said that? If I did I'm sure it was in a contextual setting. For how much people talked about Conner not playing defense well, he did do great in comparison to those expectations.

Conner will be a key player. No idea what his ceiling is though. Could be a good role player, could be a star. Either way, his ball handling abilities alone are key to this team in order to keep Fred fresh. If it starts lighting it up too, that's a bonus.

Zach is defintely a better defender. He's bigger and longer and quicker.

[proshox]

Thank you brother Frankamp. His shots were not contested, except for the layup. Shamet was perhaps playing on a fractured foot against Tulsa and maybe all season. Even on a fractured foot, I'd take Shamet's performance in the first four games over what CF has shown thus far. Again, I'm excited for what CF can do, might do,maybe will do, but he hasn't done it yet! Yet! Either at KU or WSU. Yet. He is used to big games and only Billy Walker of Kjsu fame actually pees during a game!

You must have missed KU's tournament game where he carried them during a comeback. Prior to his game changing plays it looked like Stanford was going to stomp KU.

[Ol skool]

So you don't expect him to go oh-for-the-season?

Oh heck no. When he gets comfortable I think the shots will fall.