Game thread. WSU. vs. WSU
- Thread starter kougkurt
- Start date
Appears he hurt his hand, as it is bandaged up. Koulibaly is also out, not sure the reason.
Wow! Where Start? 34 point win vs the 8-0 best team in big sky, and one of best in FCS(About only South Dakotah(cougs next opponent), ranked higher), and ranked higher in Ken Pom(accord to broadcast crew), then cougs.
A +19 rebound advantage. ALMOST CANT MISS FROM 3. 2 COMPLETE HALVES. only about 9 turnovers vs about 22 assist. Breakout games by Gueye(14 and 10 reb), and Bamba, all without DJ, Koulibaly(injuries), and Tyrell Roberts playing thru a injury recovery. Lockdown defense.
THE MOST COMPLETE game of the season, against a 8-0 awesome opponent, better then the 48 point win vs weaker opponent in Idaho.
This game, ASU, USC, etc, prove that EWU was a FLUKE.
At worst WSU might lose 1 more non con, go 8-3 at absolute worst, to 9-2, to 10-1 at best. That combined with 11-7, 10-8,9-9, 8-10, tied for 3rd in conference at best, 4,5,6 in conference, 19-12, 20-11,21-10, 22-9 season record, 1,2 pac 12 tourny wins, NIT semi deep tourny run at worst, NIT/NCAA bubble into NCAA, 8th to 13th seed, 1st, 2nd round elimination at average, NCAA Tourny, 6th, 7th, 8th seed, 2nd round, sweet 16 at best.
Next up South Dakotah, 3rd best in FCS in nation, high Ken Pom ranking.
WSU not going to overlook them like EWU.
A +19 rebound advantage. ALMOST CANT MISS FROM 3. 2 COMPLETE HALVES. only about 9 turnovers vs about 22 assist. Breakout games by Gueye(14 and 10 reb), and Bamba, all without DJ, Koulibaly(injuries), and Tyrell Roberts playing thru a injury recovery. Lockdown defense.
THE MOST COMPLETE game of the season, against a 8-0 awesome opponent, better then the 48 point win vs weaker opponent in Idaho.
This game, ASU, USC, etc, prove that EWU was a FLUKE.
At worst WSU might lose 1 more non con, go 8-3 at absolute worst, to 9-2, to 10-1 at best. That combined with 11-7, 10-8,9-9, 8-10, tied for 3rd in conference at best, 4,5,6 in conference, 19-12, 20-11,21-10, 22-9 season record, 1,2 pac 12 tourny wins, NIT semi deep tourny run at worst, NIT/NCAA bubble into NCAA, 8th to 13th seed, 1st, 2nd round elimination at average, NCAA Tourny, 6th, 7th, 8th seed, 2nd round, sweet 16 at best.
Next up South Dakotah, 3rd best in FCS in nation, high Ken Pom ranking.
WSU not going to overlook them like EWU.
It is South Dakota STATE who just lost to Idaho and Washington but may have infected fully vaxed UW with COVID (along with Nevada who they defeated) in a tourney they hosted.
Also this type of game and the EWU game, shows that no matter how extremely highly ranked, extremely highly talented, athletic, etc, you are that you can't just show up, relax, and that you still have to WORK, and do your best, and have CHEMISTRY, JELL as a TEAM.
It doesn't matter if your the NCAA tourney Champion, if your guys don't show up, don't work, relax, don't jell, don't have chemistry, don't play as a team, turn the ball over, don't play defense, don't shoot ok, are all discombobulated, tired, asleep, etc, then you can lose, suffer a FLUKE loss to even a EWU, Idaho type.
It doesn't matter if your the NCAA tourney Champion, if your guys don't show up, don't work, relax, don't jell, don't have chemistry, don't play as a team, turn the ball over, don't play defense, don't shoot ok, are all discombobulated, tired, asleep, etc, then you can lose, suffer a FLUKE loss to even a EWU, Idaho type.
Also with all the NEW talent on team, that hadn't played together, etc, and didn't have CHEMISTRY, there was probably going to be a FLUKE loss semi early in season, and that the team would have to learn to jell, have chemistry, play as a team, etc.
Solid win and it does suggest that WSU learned something from that EWU loss. Finally played well on both ends of the court and in both halves. Now it's about attaining some consistency each game. Cougs are still pretty young but they hopefully are growing up fast.
Point of clarification, Mik. There is no FCS in college basketball. South Dakota State & Weber State & EWU, etc....are all Division 1 schools, just like WSU.
Glad Cougar
Proof or speculation? UW and Nevada played each other, too.....and they are the 2 teams that have had Covid problems. SDSU hasn't had any issues, neither has George Mason who was part of that tourney. Is it possible that UW and Nevada brought the virus with them and infected each other when they played?
So who's responsible? Must have been remnants of July's Sturgis rally on the other side of the state.
Glad Cougar
My point is that the loss to EWU might have convinced the Cougars that they need to focus and play hard for 40 minutes no matter the opponent. In that sense, the loss could be considered a big deal.
The reality is a quad 4 loss (which was the case vs. EWU) hurts if and when WSU is considered for the NCAA tournament. The committee uses the quadrant system to help make determinations, particularly for teams on the bubble. So again, it might end up being a big deal.
Glad Cougar
Absolutely. Need more size and strength and both were fresh all game long.
It was absolutly a big deal. It was a horrible loss and coupled with us not playing UCLA twice it will make a huge difference at the end of the year. Puts huge pressure on NCAA hopes. Unless of course you win the conference Tourny.
I don't agree with that at all. I mean, every loss matters, but this isn't football. Losing non-conference games in December is nothing more than a blip on the radar.
There are too many examples to list, but just this week, #20 Florida lost at home to 0-7 Texas Southern....by 14 points. Tony Bennett's Virginia Cavs lost to James Madison.
Conference record is going to determine whether or not we make the NCAA tourney. Finish in the top-4 in the P12, and we're a lock.
21,22 wins gets WSU into NCAA tourney, and the loss to EWU won't change that because of wins, and probably future wins to come vs a lot of big time teams.
The non con is way tougher then past non con schedules, and the because of what the Pac 12 did in the NCAA tourney last year, the Pac 12 schedule will probably be considered a tough schedule.
Only way the EWU loss comes into play is if WSU wins 20. The EWU loss might probably have WSU on the outside of the bubble, looking in, but not making NCAA if get 20 wins.
19 wins won't make NCAA, EWU loss or no EWU loss.
A lot of teams that make the NCAA, whip a lot of tough teams while losing 1 game to a EWU. It happens, an altho sometimes keeps bubble teams out of NCAA, it doesn't always, and some of the time the NCAA is still made.
It does make it harder tho, and there is less wriggle room vs tougher teams, as have to beat those tougher teams to get into the NCAA, because of the EWU loss.
Basically, you have to show, prove to the selection committee that the EWU loss was,is a FLUKE, and that you beat tougher teams.
It used to be true that a non-conference loss in December didn't mean that much. But now, the NCAA selection committee has weighed all games differently using the quadrant system. A home loss to a low ranked team (which EWU was at the time) hurts a lot more than it did before the new metric was introduced to the formula of how the committee chooses one team for the tournament over another.
You are correct that a top 4 finish in the Pac-12 should get WSU into the tournament, as it would probably mean some nice wins over good conference teams. But if they finish 5th or 6th...and are competing with similar teams on the bubble...the EWU loss will be a factor. Essentially, the Cougars have a little less margin for error the rest of the season because of that quad 4 loss. The same is true for Florida and Virginia because of their losses to Texas Southern & James Madison respectively.
Glad Cougar
I guess if we finish 6th in the conference, you might be right. On the other hand, if we finish 6th in the conference you can argue that we don't deserve a bid anyway. The P12 was the best conference in the tournament last season, and I expect some carryover on selection day this year.
As it stands today, KemPom has us ranked #39. UCLA, Arizona, and USC are the only P12 ranked ahead of us. That tells me that everything we want is in front of us. The only way the EWU comes into play is if we collapse in P12 play, and if we do that, then we don't deserve an NCAA bid anyway.
That's the way I'm looking at it.
As it stands today, KemPom has us ranked #39. UCLA, Arizona, and USC are the only P12 ranked ahead of us. That tells me that everything we want is in front of us. The only way the EWU comes into play is if we collapse in P12 play, and if we do that, then we don't deserve an NCAA bid anyway.
That's the way I'm looking at it.
That's the way I see it as well. If WSU owns 5th place in Pac 12, alone, and not tied with another for 5th, and if WSU has at least 21 wins, then WSU gets into NCAA.
If WSU is tied for 5th, with only 19,20 wins, WSU probably doesn't get in, because of the EWU loss.
If WSU finishes 6th, with 18,19,20 wins, then it doesn't deserve to get in, and won't get in, and the EWU loss won't matter.
But anything as good or better the alone in 5th, to go with 21+ wins, and WSU gets in, and the EWU loss wouldn't matter.
I completely agree that we are better when Roberts and Flowers aren't on the court at the same time. I'm not sure it is a function of size. I thought we looked best last night when we had Noah, Bamba, Rodman, Flowers or Roberts (not both) and Gueye or EFA (not both) on the court. This is actually a smaller line up than what we have usually had on the court. We probably can't get away with this against a big team like USC but we can get away with it against a lot of teams. If Rodman and Bamba are hitting their 3's this is a very fast and good shooting line up.
empty seats everywhere...
MBB needs some marketing done too. Its not even snowy out and the spokanites can't be bothered for a $15 dollar ticket and a few hours of their time. Tri-cities is a reach, but still doable with an early tip.
Just pathetic that this team is going completely unnoticed by most of Coug nation and the AD doesn't seem to give a sh!t.
Spokanites - do you see MBB commercials on TV up there?
MBB needs some marketing done too. Its not even snowy out and the spokanites can't be bothered for a $15 dollar ticket and a few hours of their time. Tri-cities is a reach, but still doable with an early tip.
Just pathetic that this team is going completely unnoticed by most of Coug nation and the AD doesn't seem to give a sh!t.
Spokanites - do you see MBB commercials on TV up there?
No commercials that I’ve seen and no radio that I’ve heard but I don’t listen to much local radio with all the streaming options. A little coverage on the local news but it’s 90%zags.
Week nights from Spokane is rough for most but weekends are doable for sure. Dece t crowd for the USC game but there should be more.
Week nights from Spokane is rough for most but weekends are doable for sure. Dece t crowd for the USC game but there should be more.
No to commercials
I had a group from the Tri-Cities go to the USC game. Bought 15 tickets for $150. Not much you can do anymore for $10. Were are planning another trip over soon. Decent crowd for that game, but yeah...havent seen any advertisement in TC, but like other said I stream and havent read the paper for years.
Looks like $12 for the cheap seat in Spokane for both SDSU and BSU. Both quality opponents playing a very good WSU team. Hope they can fill it up, but no excuse to not have good attendance (6k) with or without marketing.
I'm not surprised. We'll start getting good crowds if we keep winning. This should pick up considerably by next month.
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