Bradley Game Thread

[1979Shocker]

I see LS and CF starting in the back court with both sharing the ball handling responsibilities
and kind of rotating from the point to the wing. Both can operate as a PG from the top of
the key when needed. ZB and PA at small forward. I see MM becoming a stretch four like Cle with
RK his back up. SM, Willis and RN the three headed center. If someone roots out any of those
guys he will be a very nice addition.

I think McDuffie stays at the 3. If he has to play 4 part of the time, then it means we still have problems at the 4 and 5.

[Cdizzle]

Still contend McDuffie is more likely to play at the 2 than the 4.

[jdshock]

Still contend McDuffie is more likely to play at the 2 than the 4.

ZB has 30 pounds on MM and is two inches shorter than MM. MM is a rail. I also don't think he's playing the 4, but he's going to be a seriously incredible 3 while he's here (and it might not be four years).

[Stickboy46]

ZB has 30 pounds on MM and is two inches shorter than MM. MM is a rail. I also don't think he's playing the 4, but he's going to be a seriously incredible 3 while he's here (and it might not be four years).

Next year I see:
1- Smith/Frankamp/Shamet/Taylor
2- Shamet/Frankamp/Keyser
3- ZB/MM
4- Kelly/Willis
5- Morris/Nurger

That's a good enough team to win what will be a very down year for the Valley. The best part about that lineup? No Seniors ... so all of them will be back and more experienced the year after.

[shocka khan]

I think McDuffie stays at the 3. If he has to play 4 part of the time, then it means we still have problems at the 4 and 5.

We don't have a problem at the 4 in MVC play until we play someone good at their place (Evansville and UNI). At that point we will have a problem at the 4 unless Wessel can improve his shooting percentage. Wessel went 0-6 against Drake and IIRC 1 for 3 against Bradley. We can hide him on the court against the Drakes and Bradleys of the world. Not so much against a good team.

I'd rather see the best PF and C on the floor at the same time. I'm skeptical as to whether we're doing that now, but we will have to see if that is correct when we get against some good competition. I'd rather see Shaq and Anton on the floor at the 4 and 5 in those situations. It's coach's decision as to who he wants to play, but if Wessel is out there in crunch time against a really good team we will probably get beat.

Note I get that Coach likes Wessel (and I like him as well as he is a hard worker and sets a good example), I'm just not sure he's our best athlete and his scoring is a liability.

[ShockTalk]

Next year I see:
1- Smith/Frankamp/Shamet/Taylor
2- Shamet/Frankamp/Keyser
3- ZB/MM
4- Kelly/Willis
5- Morris/Nurger

That's a good enough team to win what will be a very down year for the Valley. The best part about that lineup? No Seniors ... so all of them will be back and more experienced the year after.

I think a lot of us are short changing Peyton Allen. He was good enough for a 21-12 Texas A&M to be in all but one game, start 8 games, play 14.1 mpg, and average 4.5 ppg.

I'll add that if Wessel could play the 4, Brown can. He's taller, just as big, and more athletic.

Again, I'm hoping Hamilton is in the mix at 4/5.

[Stickboy46]

I think a lot of us are short changing Peyton Allen. He was good enough for a 21-12 Texas A&M to be in all but one game, start 8 games, play 14.1 mpg, and average 4.5 ppg.

Again, I'm hoping Hamilton is in the mix at 4/5.

I wasn't trying to short change him ... just competely forgot about him (sorry Peyton). I think he is a key contributor at the 2 and maybe 3. That's a loaded guard lineup. Just need one or two to shine.

I agree on Hamilton. I don't think we will NEED him, but if he can slow his game down a bit, he's going to be a beast. Best I've seen it described so far is "bull in a china shop".

[ShockdaWorld]

We don't have a problem at the 4 in MVC play until we play someone good at their place (Evansville and UNI). At that point we will have a problem at the 4 unless Wessel can improve his shooting percentage. Wessel went 0-6 against Drake and IIRC 1 for 3 against Bradley. We can hide him on the court against the Drakes and Bradleys of the world. Not so much against a good team.

I'd rather see the best PF and C on the floor at the same time. I'm skeptical as to whether we're doing that now, but we will have to see if that is correct when we get against some good competition. I'd rather see Shaq and Anton on the floor at the 4 and 5 in those situations. It's coach's decision as to who he wants to play, but if Wessel is out there in crunch time against a really good team we will probably get beat.

Note I get that Coach likes Wessel (and I like him as well as he is a hard worker and sets a good example), I'm just not sure he's our best athlete and his scoring is a liability.

I was very much in this same camp when EW was playing the 3. He was not quick enough to cover athletic 3 men, and it pulled him away from the basket/paint where his junkyard mentality is most effective. In that situation, he was trying hard, but getting beat defensively, getting very few rebounds, very few loose balls, very little offensive production. Since he has moved back to the 4, all of the things he's good at have come back into play. He probably is an offensive liability, although I have enjoyed seeing him put the ball on the floor a bit lately. Do I think he's our best 4? Maybe not. But, I also do not consider him an overall liability. As far as him being out there in crunch time, that's EXACTLY when I want him out there. No one else is going to get us more extra possessions via loose balls/tipped balls/offensive rebounds than he is.

[asiseeit]

If anyone beats out CF or LS at guard he will have to be one heck of an all
around high BBIQ / low turnover player. While that would be a good thing I just
don't see it.

[proshox]

I would like to see MM at the four this year. If we get stuck in a half court game we need to force the other to guard all five spots.

EW is getting amazing opportunities and still shooting a poor percentage. He gets those looks because defenses are cheating off of him and thus making it harder on everyone else. He can still start & play lots of minutes, but there will be times where we need better floor spacing.

The other option is for RK to GE past his mental hurdles. He does everything well except finish.

[ShockTalk]

Tidbits:

Minutes played: Grady 175, Morris 174, Hamilton 75

Per 40 minute Stats:

Fouls per 40: Hamilton 4.3, Grady 5.7, Morris 6.2

TO per 40: Morris 2.3, Hamilton 3.2, Grady 3.2

Points per 40: Hamilton 22.4, Morris 16.7, Grady 16.0

Reb per 40: Grady 11.2, Hamilton 8.5, Morris 8.0

FG%: Morris .588, Hamilton .522, Grady .444

3p %: Hamilton .286, Grady .143, Morris none shot

FT%: Grady .700, Hamilton .696, Morris .619

FT attempts per 40: Hamilton 12.3, Grady 6.9, Morris 4.8

Hamilton has the skills and can get things done. He just hasn't got the plays all sorted out in his head and, with most freshmen, needs work on D.

[ShockdaWorld]

My biggest problem with next year is trying to figure out the MM/ZB duo. I think they will both be top 5 players on the team, but will one of them be able to move off of the 3 in order for both to be on the court? With ZB size and strength, I could see him playing a little bit of 4 if we wanted he and Duff both on the floor for extra scoring options.

[shocka khan]

I would like to see MM at the four this year. If we get stuck in a half court game we need to force the other to guard all five spots.

EW is getting amazing opportunities and still shooting a poor percentage. He gets those looks because defenses are cheating off of him and thus making it harder on everyone else. He can still start & play lots of minutes, but there will be times where we need better floor spacing.

The other option is for RK to GE past his mental hurdles. He does everything well except finish.

It's no secret that opposing teams have picked up on this and dare EW to shoot. This allows one of their men to cheat off EW and beat up on FVV, RB or any other Shocker who can actually score.

Most 5th year seniors can at least hit a jump shot. He's had 5 years and he still has trouble doing it. His stats have not improved significantly based on the experience and floor time he's had. Most other 4 year starters would be hitting at least 40 to 50% from the field and scoring at least in high single digits. Also, you would also think that he would at least be smart enough to try to drive the ball to the basket so he can at least get to the line, but he hasn't done that in 5 years, either. IIRC, he's 1 for 3 from the line for the ENTIRE year.

[Cdizzle]

On the bright side, at least we figured out who keeps calling in to the pregame shows and asking Kennedy why Wessel still plays.

If people don't get it at this point, I suppose it's late enough to just wait it out.

[shocka khan]

On the bright side, at least we figured out who keeps calling in to the pregame shows and asking Kennedy why Wessel still plays.

If people don't get it at this point, I suppose it's late enough to just wait it out.

Most certainly not me. I don't live in Wichita and have never called into radio talk shows. I knew someone at work who did long, long ago and they made fun of him for doing it (in Topeka). I'm too busy to waste my time waiting on the phone for the excitement of (not) hearing myself on the radio. I get the point that HCGM is coaching with his heart and not his head when it comes to EW. Waiting it out, as you say, could (probably will) cause two things:

a) Possible MVC losses to Evansville and Northern Iowa at their places.
b) Early exit from the NCAA tourney because everyone else has figured out that EW can't score. My only caveat is if we catch KU early in the tourney. EW reminds me of my 94 year-old father who was offered a hamburger by his coach for every point he could score in a key game in 1939. In those days, there was a tip-off after each made basket. My dad scored 20 points in that game, which was quite an astounding number. EW doesn't play well unless he's playing a team with the initials of KU.

Maybe the coach should offer him a hamburger for each point he scores (or a hamburger for each game he doesn't go 0-fer) for the rest of the year.