Season ends

[7ICoug]

Well that one is in the books. Not nearly as good as it could have been. IMHO there are some major areas that the team could work on in the spring. Ball handling and elimination of turnovers and shooting come to mind. Looks like to me it would have been pretty much worthless to go to the CBI. If you can't win enough to make the NIT you should stay home.

 

[Rich Lewis]

Agreed. Turnovers have to be a point of emphasis. They cost us close games this year (both ASU games come immediately to mind). I think shooting is an individual thing. The kids have to put the work in on their own. I can't count how many kids have come through here touted as great shooters but then can't hit the ocean. AJ and Rapp are two current examples. All that said I think the future looks bright if Smith can keep them together.

 

[jourdand]

For selfish reasons I would have liked WSU to accept the CBI invite but I get it really didn’t pencil out to be worth it.

 

[moxeecoug]

I understand why they declined the invite but I still would have liked to see them accept the invitation. Tournament play would have been a great experience for such a young team going into next year.

 

[FnuLnu]

For selfish reasons I would have liked WSU to accept the CBI invite but I get it really didn’t pencil out to be worth it.

10th place team

Fewer conference wins in 1st two years than in Dick Bennett's first two years.

3 point win over Idaho who finished 1-21

Loss at home to the worst UW team in 29 years and 2nd worst all time (and if not for the gift choke job worst team ever)

 

[Glad Cougar]

I'm sure every team can say the same thing....but the Cougars were very close to winning 4 more games. Better ball handling & even a bit better shooting would've beaten ASU twice. Hitting a couple of free throws would've beaten Arizona. Ball handling & shooting again just barely cost them a win vs. UW. That's 2 OT losses and 2 games that were lost in the last few seconds or regulation. So close to 18 wins!

Plenty to work on for next year but I like the future.

Glad Cougar

 

[Glad Cougar]

10th place team

Fewer conference wins in 1st two years than in Dick Bennett's first two years.

3 point win over Idaho who finished 1-21

Loss at home to the worst UW team in 19 years and 2nd worst all time (and if not gift choke job worst team ever)

...all true statements. But also consider:

First winning season at WSU since 2011-12

Victories over 3 of the 5 Pac-12 teams headed for the NCAA tournament

One of the youngest teams in the nation

I guess I'm a glass half-full guy and you aren't.

*By the way, nice cherry picking on the Dick Bennet factoid. Dick won 14 conference games his first 2 years, Smith won 13. Not sure how meaningful all that is....George Raveling won 5 conference games his first 2 years, Kelvin Sampson won 11 and they ended up having pretty good runs at WSU. If you are determined to find something to minimize Smith & the team and to be negative, it's pretty easy to dig something up.

Glad Cougar

 

[FnuLnu]

...all true statements. But also consider:

First winning season at WSU since 2011-12

Victories over 3 of the 5 Pac-12 teams headed for the NCAA tournament

One of the youngest teams in the nation

I guess I'm a glass half-full guy and you aren't.

*By the way, nice cherry picking on the Dick Bennet factoid. Dick won 14 conference games his first 2 years, Smith won 13. Not sure how meaningful all that is....George Raveling won 5 conference games his first 2 years, Kelvin Sampson won 11 and they ended up having pretty good runs at WSU. If you are determined to find something to minimize Smith & the team and to be negative, it's pretty easy to dig something up.

Glad Cougar

At a certain point you are what your W-L says you are.

One game over .500 with a non-conference schedule that would have made Kelvin blush

 

[jourdand]

Not sure how anybody can’t see the positive changes taking place with in the basketball program but to each his own!