Riley
- Thread starter longtimecoug
- Start date
Surely you haven't forgotten the Paul Graham years. It seems like any coach at WSU has at least a 4 year leash.
I predict, project, extrapolate, that WSU will probably finish about 19-12, and goto NIT, and probably do decently in NIT, if, assuming WSU gets Healthy, both physically healthy, and mentally, psychologically healthy, competition wise.
Riley having to replace 12 players from last years team, combined with losing College superstar Cedric Coward for whole season, and losing Wilson, Isiah Watts, created a ULTIMATE BIG FAT UGLY HOLE AT 2, SG, guard spot, and losing Vavers, and just recently getting Vavers back, and the team having only 8 players available, and lack of depth, and dealing with tied legs whole season long, the grind with only 7,8 players available, 5 starters having to play 33+ minutes per game, with no adequate back ups, causing them to stay in game all game long, causing them to get tired legs, about midway thru 2nd halves, and all that affecting shooting, freethrows, turnovers, rebounding, etc, that has caused losses, that has caused 4 game losing streak, which has effected them mentally, psychologically, which has caused them to press, try too hard, take bad shots, make bad passes, turn ball over, lose more games, because their heads not in right place, because it's getting into their heads, because their heads getting to them, causing them to lose more confidence, lose more games, etc.
Because of all that. The team needs to get monkey off back, end losing streak, gain confidence back, learn how to deal with trials, adversity, and how to overcome, win, despite all that, which take time.
While the Buck technically stops at Riley, the HC, the HC is only a little tiny bit to blame, and it is only maybe a little tiny but bad coaching, etc.
Assuming WSU, Riley can beat the teams they should beat down the stretch, and end losing streak, gain confidence back, get physically and mentally healthy again, and get Isiah Watts back from injury, and knock off some of the rust Vavers, Isiah Watts have from being injured long time, etc, then WSU should go 19-12, goto NIT, do decent in NIT, and assuming Cedric Coward gets a medical Redshirt, and rest of team comes back, WSU, Riley should make the NCAA tournament next year, season.
Likely going to NIT, and likely doing OK in NIT this season, because of lots of key injuries, and because of having to replace 12 players from last year's team, and then likely going to NCAA tourny next season, is NOT BAD COACHING, IS NOT RILEY BEING A BAD COACH, AND IS RILEY BEING A GOOD COACH.
For comparison, Kyle Smith went 16-16 his first season. That likely will not be as Good as Riley likely going 19-12 his 1st season, and going to NIT.
Yes Kyle Smith took over for dumpster fire Ernie Kent, and had to rebuild.
But Riley's situation is semi similar to that because Riley had to replace 12 players from last years team with 12 new players.
In the past, if a WSU coach had to replace 12 players from last season's team with 12 new players, then we would have expected WSU to finish 6-25 in that coach 1st season, and that that coach would have to rebuild.
In the past if a WSU coach lost a superstar for whole season, and 3,4,5 key injuries to 3,4,5 key back ups, starters, etc, we would expect that coach to go 6-25.
Heck Dick Bennet had just 1 injury to Derek Low, and it caused a horribly bad season for Dick Bennet.
And if a past coach had to replace 12 players with 12 new players AND had 3,4,5 key injuries to a superstar, starters, key back ups, etc, we would expect that coach to go 4-27 ultimate extremely bad record.
That WSU, Riley haven't ended up about 9-15 the last 24 games, is epically good coaching on Riley's part as coach.
Riley having to replace 12 players from last years team, combined with losing College superstar Cedric Coward for whole season, and losing Wilson, Isiah Watts, created a ULTIMATE BIG FAT UGLY HOLE AT 2, SG, guard spot, and losing Vavers, and just recently getting Vavers back, and the team having only 8 players available, and lack of depth, and dealing with tied legs whole season long, the grind with only 7,8 players available, 5 starters having to play 33+ minutes per game, with no adequate back ups, causing them to stay in game all game long, causing them to get tired legs, about midway thru 2nd halves, and all that affecting shooting, freethrows, turnovers, rebounding, etc, that has caused losses, that has caused 4 game losing streak, which has effected them mentally, psychologically, which has caused them to press, try too hard, take bad shots, make bad passes, turn ball over, lose more games, because their heads not in right place, because it's getting into their heads, because their heads getting to them, causing them to lose more confidence, lose more games, etc.
Because of all that. The team needs to get monkey off back, end losing streak, gain confidence back, learn how to deal with trials, adversity, and how to overcome, win, despite all that, which take time.
While the Buck technically stops at Riley, the HC, the HC is only a little tiny bit to blame, and it is only maybe a little tiny but bad coaching, etc.
Assuming WSU, Riley can beat the teams they should beat down the stretch, and end losing streak, gain confidence back, get physically and mentally healthy again, and get Isiah Watts back from injury, and knock off some of the rust Vavers, Isiah Watts have from being injured long time, etc, then WSU should go 19-12, goto NIT, do decent in NIT, and assuming Cedric Coward gets a medical Redshirt, and rest of team comes back, WSU, Riley should make the NCAA tournament next year, season.
Likely going to NIT, and likely doing OK in NIT this season, because of lots of key injuries, and because of having to replace 12 players from last year's team, and then likely going to NCAA tourny next season, is NOT BAD COACHING, IS NOT RILEY BEING A BAD COACH, AND IS RILEY BEING A GOOD COACH.
For comparison, Kyle Smith went 16-16 his first season. That likely will not be as Good as Riley likely going 19-12 his 1st season, and going to NIT.
Yes Kyle Smith took over for dumpster fire Ernie Kent, and had to rebuild.
But Riley's situation is semi similar to that because Riley had to replace 12 players from last years team with 12 new players.
In the past, if a WSU coach had to replace 12 players from last season's team with 12 new players, then we would have expected WSU to finish 6-25 in that coach 1st season, and that that coach would have to rebuild.
In the past if a WSU coach lost a superstar for whole season, and 3,4,5 key injuries to 3,4,5 key back ups, starters, etc, we would expect that coach to go 6-25.
Heck Dick Bennet had just 1 injury to Derek Low, and it caused a horribly bad season for Dick Bennet.
And if a past coach had to replace 12 players with 12 new players AND had 3,4,5 key injuries to a superstar, starters, key back ups, etc, we would expect that coach to go 4-27 ultimate extremely bad record.
That WSU, Riley haven't ended up about 9-15 the last 24 games, is epically good coaching on Riley's part as coach.
Riley didn't replacede 12 with 12. He brought nearly his entire EWU roster along with all of his assistants. He got 1 good player and did manaage to snag 2 good replacements.
His Coaching is the problem along with his inability to know that turnovers are to basketball the sin that is avoidable. Defense is what wins not so much offense. His brand of 4 to 5 out is nice, but the inability to stop careless turnovers, the STUPID Tech fouls on HIS bench not so much himself.
Hopefully this is a learning experience. Else he will be down the road in a couple of years. Going from Coaching in the BigSky to facing top notch WCC coaches has no doubt been an experience. It won't get easier in a year or so when he faces the "new" Pac12. He needs to grow. Can he do this....probably.
This is the most painful WSU squad I have watched in years.
His Coaching is the problem along with his inability to know that turnovers are to basketball the sin that is avoidable. Defense is what wins not so much offense. His brand of 4 to 5 out is nice, but the inability to stop careless turnovers, the STUPID Tech fouls on HIS bench not so much himself.
Hopefully this is a learning experience. Else he will be down the road in a couple of years. Going from Coaching in the BigSky to facing top notch WCC coaches has no doubt been an experience. It won't get easier in a year or so when he faces the "new" Pac12. He needs to grow. Can he do this....probably.
This is the most painful WSU squad I have watched in years.
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