Bradley Game Thread

[Stickboy46]

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. 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.

Geez, its one thing to not like EW as a player, but another thing to try to get him to have a heart attack!!!

[Cdizzle]

Pretty sure Marshall coaches with whatever gives him the best chance to win. Head, heart, big toe, whatever. All those things keep telling him that putting Wessel in the game gives him a 90% chance to win.

[wu_shizzle]

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.

He's a 3 and D guy. Asking him to drive the ball doesn't play to his strengths or the strengths of the other 4 players on the floor. Even you acknowledge that defenses play off of him, so why would he put it on the deck?

Sure, I would like him to hit more shots, but hitting +30% for a career is not terrible.

[boltforge]

I get the point that HCGM is coaching with his heart and not his head when it comes to EW.

To argue against what Coach is doing is silly. He starts his best TEAM for every game. I get that HCGM is a crazy good coach who knows what he is doing. And he is starting EW. End of story.

[WSUwatcher]

Yes, bolt -- Marshall is extremely good at what he does, and he knows more and sees more than we do. So there's good reason to believe he knows what he's doing with Wessel.

[shoxlax]

Don't worry, the Evan naysayers won't haven Evan and his 100+ wins, 4 tourney appearances, at least three MVC titles, a Final Four and a Sweet 16 to kick around much longer.

[shockmonster]

Don't worry, the Evan naysayers won't haven Evan and his 100+ wins, 4 tourney appearances, at least three MVC titles, a Final Four and a Sweet 16 to kick around much longer.

Evan isn't a perfect player. But he is one of the best defensive technicians that we have on our team. He can guard players inside who are much taller and bigger than he is and he can also guard players on the perimeter who are quicker and he is as good as anyone in both cases and his help defense is as good as anyone. The only reason that he has been moved inside is because his shooting is inconsistent and Brown and McDuffie are so good on the perimeter. I think that I can safely say that Shoxlax is an Evan supporter and I count myself as a big Evan fan too.

[proshox]

He's a 3 and D guy. Asking him to drive the ball doesn't play to his strengths or the strengths of the other 4 players on the floor. Even you acknowledge that defenses play off of him, so why would he put it on the deck?

Sure, I would like him to hit more shots, but hitting +30% for a career is not terrible.

It isn't a good number when you consider he isn't guarded for most of his shots. The degree of difficulty is really low. Fred, Ron, CF, would hit greater than 50% with the shots he gets.

[shockmonster]

Actually 30% from 3 is he same as shooting 50% from two.

He also gets the other players extra possessions because of his ability to get his hand on balls to keep it alive and his other ball getting strengths. Coach Marshall believes in these skills so much, that he led off practice this afternoon with a ball getting drill where players are expected to get on the floor for loose balls. He accepts nothing less than what Evan brings to the table.

[proshox]

I guess the real point is that I would hope we could find someone at the four who can do it on both ends.

[WuDrWu]

Yeah, it's always nice to have once in a lifetime all americans at every position.

[wufan]

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.

This!

[wufan]

Yeah, it's always nice to have once in a lifetime all americans at every position.

This makes me smile.

[proshox]

This makes me smile.

Their is big space between AA's and the offense we currently get from the PF position. Our half court offensive efficiency is problematic and we need any help we can get.

[shockmonster]

Their is big space between AA's and the offense we currently get from the PF position. Our half court offensive efficiency is problematic and we need any help we can get.

As hard as our AA's and Brown play defense, (which is their most important expectation), their offense will not always be on. We will improve on our team offense, but the improvement will in my opinion, come from Grady, and Conner. I wish that Kelly(too) had more offensive potential but he is who he is as is Morris, and Nurger. But you are correct, if all five of our players could shoot it like a Burger Boy, we would have a better team. The negative obsession on Evan that some of our fans have, is difficult for me to understand.