Kansas St.

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ST_Lawson
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wiu2013 wrote:I can't believe we have already started ripping the team apart after the FIRST Game! Did you expect them to look like the team that beat Wisconsin? This is essentially a brand new team. Outside of Garrett and Jabari none of these players played significant minutes or made significant contributions before this year! Yes, Brandon played significant minutes but he was just trying to find his way. I also beg to differ, CJ is going to be a hell of a player and Jeremiah is a great shooter that will also contribute at some point. Again, it was there first game!
They have pieces and potential to be a good team and show great improvement, so can we wait at least a month before "we" begin to bash them as a team?
This is truth. We played against a Big 12 team...some areas were good, some areas need work, but it was one game, and it was a non-conference game. Personally, I'd much rather go something like 4-7 in non-conference and then do well in the Summit than do like last year where we go 7-4 in non-conference with a HUGE win over Wisconsin but go 3-13 in the Summit and not even make the conference tournament. With a 1-bid league like the Summit is currently (maybe that'll change in the future, but at this point, it's the truth), really the important part is doing well in conference and winning the conference tournament. Doing well OOC will help whoever does win the conference tournament and makes the NCAA in terms of their seed going into it (a 10-14 seed has a much better chance at a first round upset than a 15-16 seed), but I think at this point, we want to do whatever we need to do to get ready for the conference. Play some good teams...K-State, Purdue, etc. probably lose the games, but find our weaknesses and figure out how to fix them. That isn't to say that I wouldn't love to see us knock off another Big 10 team, but I don't think that it should be the ultimate goal for the season.
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wiu2017
Posts: 96
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2016 10:34 pm

i'm not ripping the players.. The freshman do look good, but they are freshman. We have a good team regardless, There is no such thing as a rebuilding year, dont write off any game as non winnable. I expected to compete with K st better. Gilbeck played so much better than last year.. Ancrum really hasn't played much in the last 2 years so he is going to get even better. Playing the freshman to give them experience is good, but throwing them to the wolves opening night against a big 12 team kinda looked like giving up on winning the game. There were many mistakes that will be corrected. I'm positive on our prospects this yr, When Miklusak comes back it will give the team more depth and experience. In the second half you saw you dont need Covington to make difficult shots all the time. If Ancrum can get better at attacking the rim we will have a high scoring offense. Small ball with Delo Sandifer and CJ could work, but you have to run that type of offense, and push the tempo,and use their speed. I think offense is stagnant because no one feels the greenlight to score except Covington. Coach can fix these things, and I believe he will. So not ripping, just monday morning quarterbacking..lol.. and believing we have the talent to be ranked higher than last in the summit league
Rocky Swishterson
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 12:20 am

Covington 2 points in second half once they started doubling him.
That big second string center of ours showed a little something. Snyder.
Otherwise...just the expected beat down.
Very discouraging.
wiu2013
Posts: 165
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 8:16 pm

There is most definitely such a thing as a rebuilding year. After Ceola, Terrell, Jack, etc. graduated we were most definitely in a rebuilding year!

As I have briefly watched a few practices this year I have heard Coach Wright (not exact words) tell different players that they have the freedom to shoot as long as it is "their" shot. I heard him tell one of the new players that their game was from the free-throw line and driving/slashing, so if those are the shots he is taking he has the green light, if not he will most likely be sitting on the bench.
wiu2017
Posts: 96
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2016 10:34 pm

OK, Thats basketball 101, take good shots.. The bottom line is ,, as good as Covinton can be, there has to be a team offense to win. I could go on and on,, it doesnt matter ,, just opinions anyway.. Its gonna work itself out.
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