WSU vs. Rambler Game Thread

[im4wsu]

Anybody see the KUnkel tweet where Nurger got called for an offensive fall while the guy had a forearm in his back and Rauno was moving away from him? I didn't see the play live, as I was watching someone else at the time, but that was pretty damn bad. I can kind of understand missing a call here and there, or making the wrong call, but making up calls is trash.

That and the foul on McDuffie were very imaginative.

[ShockdaWorld]

His hand was on the defender and he may have used it a bit. It wasn't an obvious push off (if he did at all), and its a common move that is rarely called unless a player hooks the defender to hold him off. Like I said, very ticky tack.

Overall I thought Nurg played well last night, he defended, passed well, and got the rebounds he should get (including 1 bullcrap foul call late).

I think we may be talking about two different plays. The one I'm talking about, he was standing in front of the defender with his back to him.

[ShockerFever]

Rashard Kelly is really helping us win right now. Best guy at pursuing the basketball we have right now. And his defense on Doyle there with a minute left was just perfect.

Frankamp had a great first half. Probably his best half since the Seton Hall game.

Reaves sure seems to have a Baker/Wessel-esque ability to end up around the ball.

I love the 1-1-3, and contrary to popular opinion on this thread it has helped us out tremendously during Marshall's tenure. But there's little doubt we stayed in it too long last night. On the other hand, it did stop the FT-parade that happened the last 8 minutes of the first half. And it helped hide Shaq's apparent lack of desire to play any defense at all last night.

Smith will need to be much, much better on Saturday. He has shown that he can be.

Nurger seems very adept at passing out of double teams for someone who just started drawing double teams.

That could have been a big shot not only for the Shockers season, but for Zach Brown's season as well.

There were 3 times I cringed last night: RK's two 3-pt attempts and ZB's late back-breaking 3. All 3 of them went in. RK is definitely improving certain aspects of his game and hopefully is better understanding his role to the team. He's still not an offensive threat and shouldn't think like one, but his shots none the less we're huge. ZB also needs to understand his role as an elite defender. He takes some really bad shots and makes some really dumb turnovers. Again, he needs to understand his role. It was nice to see his 3 go down because of it was anything like his other previous bricks, we were gonna be in trouble.

Also agree about the zone. You HAVE to adjust quicker than that. When they were throwing everything in and our in the Top 5 at FG %, you can't let shooters shoot practice shots. Very frustrating that it took so long to realize that and it nearly cost us.

Oh and Nurger's foul, like many of the ones last night, was phantom GARBAGE.

[pogo]

It was either a timeout or a foul on Loyola. They weren't even close to tieing it up. Austin had the ball with 100% possession and was a calling a timeout for about 3 seconds before the Loyola player reached in.

If it had been the same crew as Sunday it would have been a travel by AR:)

[WuDrWu]

Custer and Richardson have played together for like 12 years. With a lot of success. Richardson would have loved to have been offered here.

The 2 have played something like 20+ games on Devlin Court. Those 2 are winners.

I get their non-con, it was soft but they played well and they do what average teams need to do to be not average. They play to their strengths.

Jackson shoots layups. Doyle drives. Custer and Richardson shoot 3s. Play to your strengths. Double the post. They do an excellent job at that.

Maybe they were just in a funk for 3 games vs Toledo, the Drake and ISU. I don't know, but the team I watched last night is going to win a bunch of their last 13 games.

[WheatShock]

I think we may be talking about two different plays. The one I'm talking about, he was standing in front of the defender with his back to him.

No, same play. He was called for using his right arm to keep the defender behind him so he could receive the pass. Bull$h!t call as he didn't hook or restrain the defender at all, but that's the way the ref saw it.

[SHOCKvalue]

I think we may be talking about two different plays. The one I'm talking about, he was standing in front of the defender with his back to him.

Kunkle's got a short video of the play on his Twitter feed. Nurger did grab the defender if you watch closely, but it was very slight. Silly call.

[Ricardo del Rio]

Custer and Richardson have played together for like 12 years. With a lot of success. Richardson would have loved to have been offered here.

The 2 have played something like 20+ games on Devlin Court. Those 2 are winners.

I get their non-con, it was soft but they played well and they do what average teams need to do to be not average. They play to their strengths.

Jackson shoots layups. Doyle drives. Custer and Richardson shoot 3s. Play to your strengths. Double the post. They do an excellent job at that.

Maybe they were just in a funk for 3 games vs Toledo, the Drake and ISU. I don't know, but the team I watched last night is going to win a bunch of their last 13 games.

It is not often that the Shocks get pushed around, when defending the paint, but they were last night. I thought the back cuts would never end. I imagine Coach Marshall will have a lot to say today around dribble drive defense.

I am starting to fall in love with this team. They play a lot of smart basketball. Not perfect, but a lot.

There was a possession, where Kelly impressed me with his ball skills. Ball skills that I did not think he had.

Relative to an earlier question and comment about Shaq's play, I think the answer is attitude, not injury.

Where would this team be without Darral and Rauno? Darral, the fierce. Rauno, the late bloomer.

Landry's injury last year just might be bitter sweet. He is playing with a lot of confidence and at a very high level.

I am not a big fan of Conner, but I thought he played well last night. I thought he showed more energy and aggression that he normally does.

Why was C.J. in street clothes last night?

d

[SHOCKvalue]

There were 3 times I cringed last night: RK's two 3-pt attempts and ZB's late back-breaking 3. All 3 of them went in.

Me too.

[SHOCKvalue]

Why was C.J. in street clothes last night?

Illness.

First thing I asked last night as well, after I got home from the game.

[Cdizzle]

Landry's injury last year just might be bitter sweet. He is playing with a lot of confidence and at a very high level.

He really could have helped last year. Bitter sweet indeed.

I am not big fan of Conner, but I thought he played well last night. I thought he showed more energy and aggression that he normally does.

He had a great first half. It helped that he came in at the same time as Nurger. Good combo.

Why was C.J. in street clothes last night?

d

Illness per Suellentrop.

[RoyalShock]

I also wanted to give props out to the several fans who left with 2 minutes left in a 6 point game. We've been getting drubbings all year at home. We finally have a close, exciting game and there's people heading to the exits during a game that started an hour earlier than normal. What am I missing? Can somebody explain to me what's the point of these people even attending WSU basketball games?

I don't know, but I'm going to guess they finish prematurely in other areas of their lives, as well.

Gotta get home for that quickie before their nightie-night time.

[Stickboy46]

He really could have helped last year. Bitter sweet indeed.

We aren't in the play in game, and make it to the Sweet 16 if Landry doesn't get hurt last year ...

[RoyalShock]

Loyola is good, but WSU's zone defense made that a game. You can't give wide open looks to an efficient offense. HCGM kept changing personnel as if they were the problem instead of changing back to man to man....until it was almost too late.

We go back to man and the lead stretches. There is no mystery here.

Going to a zone against a very good perimeter shooting team was a Hinson-esque move.

Marshall wants his COY award back, apparently.

[Cdizzle]

We aren't in the play in game, and make it to the Sweet 16 if Landry doesn't get hurt last year ...

Always tough to tell the future. Not sure we lose very many games in 2013 if Baker doesn't get hurt. But not sure we make the F4 either.