WSU vs Prairie Gamethread, predictions
- Thread starter mikalalas
- Start date
True, but Prairie shooting a LOT of 3 pointers, at about a 57% make percentage doesn't help.
Because of that WSU lucky that down 13, as could be down 27 with Prairie's TORRID HOT SHOOTING.
Prairie is LIVING but not dying by the 3 point.
Hopefully 2nd half Prairie cools off dies by the 3
TERRIBLE SHOOTING, NO BALL MOVEMENT, JACKING LOTS OF MISSED 3'S EARLY IN SHOT CLOCK, TERRIBLE DEFENSE, LOTS OF TURNOVERS, TERRIBLE LACK OF OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS, NO CHEMISTRY, NO PLAYING TOGETHER, NO JELLING, RATBALL, BY WSU, AND HOT TORRID SHOOTING BY PRAIRIE
WSU NO SHOWED UP, PLAYING TERRIBLY BAD, BENEATH THEIR TALENT LEVEL.
20 point deficit. Game practically over. Time to put in WSU's scrubs, bench.
No sense in WSU's starters, rotational players staying in game, getting injured.
WSU needs Jaki back soon.
WSU NO SHOWED UP, PLAYING TERRIBLY BAD, BENEATH THEIR TALENT LEVEL.
20 point deficit. Game practically over. Time to put in WSU's scrubs, bench.
No sense in WSU's starters, rotational players staying in game, getting injured.
WSU needs Jaki back soon.
I’m beginning to think WSU might have a “Lorenzo Romar “ situation on its hands. Smith is undoubtedly a solid recruiter but I’m not sure he can coach. Year four and we still have zero Offense, stand around and watch somebody dribble is not an offense.
Gueye has a high shooting percentage but I swear if it’s not a dunk he can’t put the ball in the basket.
Gueye has a high shooting percentage but I swear if it’s not a dunk he can’t put the ball in the basket.
Not a bad early observation. However, Romar had several lottery picks on his teams and still couldn't deliver much of the time. Smith is bringing in really good recruits by WSU standards, but they don't match Lorenzo's recruits. He's not very lucky in the injury department but I agree that the offense really struggles. After watching Kent Ball, I expected a much better offensive plan & execution. That expectation has not really been met.
Glad Cougar
I agree that the offense is BENEATH the talent level and that Smith has been semi bad, below average on coaching a better offense.
BUT.
You rightly mention injuries.
Smith's offenses do better, when, if have experienced, healthy, etc, rosters, etc.
Not only has Smith been UNLUCKY in the injury department, but he is also unlucky in the "Almost the WHOLE team left and had to be replaced with almost a whole, new different team department"
The only holdovers Smith had was Gueye, Jackson, Jaki, Bamba, Rodman, as far as starters, co starters, 6th men, key rotational players, etc, and out of that Jackson is out some to much to most to almost all the season.
That's only 4 main players returning.
Then Jaki got injured. That's only 3 main players returning.
The rest of team, altho great talented players are either new, inexperienced, have been bench players, have not played with, have no chemistry, etc.
Also without Jackson and Jaki, and a POST player like Jackson, then defenses can key on, focus on, STACK ON, etc, to SHUT DOWN, STOP Gueye.
Gueye altho he can face up ball handle, drive, can sometimes shoot, make midrange 7,8,9, etc, foot shots, can sometimes shoot, make runners, floaters, tear droppers, hook shots, up and under, VERY BASIC post moves, is still SEMI RAW, primarily receives dishes, dunks, cleans up garbage, score easy inside points.
That's why Gueye needs next season as a Junior to be NBA ready, 1st or 2nd round draft.
If Gueye wasnt semi raw, better, NBA ready, etc, he could survive defenses focusing on stopping him, and not letting him beat them, and not having Jackson to draw away some of the defensive heat, focus away from him.
Even Jaki, could help draw away defense from Gueye, at 4 spot. Rodman can't do that.
So because of that, no inside post, scoring presence.
Smith needs to adjust by having Gueye at center, and either Diongue or Crespin at 4, PF spot, until Jaki gets back.
And that's the Frontcourt.
In the BACKCOURT, Bamba has so far been the only one who has CONSISTENTLY drived, penetrated, slashed to run, basket, scored inside and outside, has a consistent in and out game.
That has led to no or few points in paint, and either passing an or dribbling on perimeter and then jacking up a outside shot, rinse, wash, repeat, and no movement, etc, on offense.
It's going to take some time for the players, team, to get healthy, JELL, DEVELOP CHEMISTRY, PLAY TOGETHER, etc.
It's going to take some time for Gueye to learn how to flourish, survive, play, etc, without a Jackson, Efe, Jaki, etc.
It's going to take some time for Powell, Jabe, Rodman, the BACKCOURT to move, drive, score points in paint, pass, etc
They all have it in them, they just have to CLICK, and it will take some time to CLICK.
BUT When they do CLICK, it is, will be a thing of beauty.
The team's offense CLICKED wonderfully against TEXAS ST.
Also Smith has been more focused on defense(Except vs Prairie where defense was also bad)
Smith needs to focus more on it offense, instead of seeming to only focus on defense.
Later on this season, and next season(if Smith doesn't have to replace whole team again), is when the offense will get better and when it will be good to Judge Smith's ability to coach a offense.
Also Smith won 18 games in regular season last season, went to NIT final 4, won a Pac 12 tourny game, had a 11-9 Pac 12 record.
Smith will go 17-13, NIT/CBI AT MINIMUM this season.
You don't do that well last season, and this season with a SUCKY offense.
The offense will get better. We just have to have patience, give the offense, team, players, coaching, etc, time to adjust, get healthy, get better.
I would say Smith's Recruits come pretty damn close to almost matching, being equal to, almost as good as Romar's recruits.
Efe is in G league, and CHINYELU a 4 star is considered a TOP NBA ACADEMY AFRICA PROSPECT.
And remember the Nigerian Team that Efe didn't make, got cut from.
Well CHINYELU made that team that Efe didn't make.
I would put Gueye, Efe, Jackson, Jaki(TURNED DOWN MONEY PRO CONTRACT TO PLAY AT WSU), Diongue, Chinyelu UP THERE WITH ROMAR'S recruits.
It's better then Kent, Graham ball, but it doesn't take much to do better then Kent, Graham ball.
Completely different team Efe tried out for! Efe tried out for the team that was trying to represent Nigeria in the Olympics and got cut. Chenyelu made an appearance on a senior national team with none of the pros that Efe lost out to on it. Our NBA players don’t play on the national team on off years neither does any other countries.
It's even worse injury wise, lack of chemistry, etc, wise then I thought.
Rodman was out, sick, semi slightly semi injured, dinged up.
That means that Jackson, Jaki, Rodman, were, was out. And Diongue WAS injured, out last game, and altho was technically available for the Prairie game, was probably still recovering, not 80% to 100% ready to go.
That means that WSU, Smith only had 2, TWO MAIN STARTING, ROTATIONAL PLAYERS FROM LAST SEASON, which is, was BAMBA, GUEYE.
AND WSU HAD NO FRONTCOURT AN OR NO DEPTH AT FRONTCOURT, which again allowed, let PRAIRIE not only play their asses of, but FOCUS ON, STACK ON SHUTTING DOWN GUEYE, AND NOT LETTING GUEYE BEAT THEM, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE ON FRONTCOURT TO BEAT THEM.
AND with only 2, TWO players from last year, season, it's obvious that they have NOT JELLED, DEVELOPED CHEMISTRY YET, and that they have to do so, and that they have to learn to play together, and that it will take time, and that we have to be patient.
Houinsou the 6-5.5 FRESHMAN FRENCH player that is a PG, SG, 3 spot, player AND NOT A PF, 4 spot, HAD TO START AT THE 4 SPOT. That's HOW BAD IT WAS.
When you COMBINE TOGETHER the INJURIES + NO FRONTCOURT + ONLY 2, TWO FROM LAST YEAR + NO JELLING, NO CHEMISTRY, NO PLAYING TOGETHER + Prairie STACKING against Gueye + Prairie LIVING AND NOT DYING BY 3 POINTERS, SHOOTING 57% FROM 3 + Prairie PLAYING A ONCE IN CENTURY, PLAYING THEIR ASSES OFF, ALL THAT COMBINED TOGETHER =, EQUALS WSU LOSING.
All these non stars had to align perfectly for WSU to lose, and lose as bad as they did.
If replay the game a THOUSAND times, and TAKE AWAY all the non stars that perfectly aligned, WSU would win 999 times out of 1000, and the 1 loss would have been a close game and not a blow out.
But of course no one See's or cares about these LEGIT reasons, excuses.
Have to wonder if Crespin was available or not? Nothing was said and I haven’t heard anything but seems he would have got time if he was. Prior to this game it appeared he was ahead of the very raw Dion. Prairie View was very small and quick which might have caused problems for Crespin but down 20 why not.
I’m really starting to wonder how the recruiting services do their star rankings. Dion is obviously tall and has great wingspan but We’ve definitely had equal freshmen centers who were 2 and 3 stars coming in. Same with Rosario solid player but 4 star recruit? Seems high to me.
I’m really starting to wonder how the recruiting services do their star rankings. Dion is obviously tall and has great wingspan but We’ve definitely had equal freshmen centers who were 2 and 3 stars coming in. Same with Rosario solid player but 4 star recruit? Seems high to me.
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Down 20 was the time to put bench in and not risk injury to starters.
But Smith played the starters, main players to end to have a non quit, try to comeback and win thing.
That was DUMB. Enough injuries as is. Didn't need to risk getting more injuries.
Should have just put the whole bench in.
I think the Cougars only suited up 8 players. Rodman, Jakimovski, Mael-Crispin were sidelined for the game. Non-starters Darling (27 minutes of playing time in the game), Diongue (13 minutes), and Rosario (18 minutes) were on the floor for most of the second half when they were down 20. Who else should've been in the game at that point? At least 2 starters were going to have to be out there.
Glad Cougar
Glad Cougar
That's even worse then I thought. That means that Jackson, Jaki, Rodman, Mael Crespin, were, was out, and Diongue only got a measly 13 minutes, probably because Diongue was probably still slightly dinged up from being INJURED, LAST GAME, 1 GAME AGO.
That means that WSU's ENTIRE FRONTCOURT, was BEAT UP, INJURED, ETC, AND THAT GUEYE WAS THE ONLY FRONTCOURT PLAYER LEFT.
Houinsou the French player IS NOT, CANT, SHOULDNT BE USED AS A FRONTCOURT PLAYER.
But despite that, some PG, SG, etc, has to play at 4 spot, because can't go with only 4 players, instead of 5 players, and can't play Diongue more then 13 minutes, so only thing left is to stick a backup guard in the 4 spot.
NO EFFIN WONDER WSU LOST TO, GOT BLOWN OUT BY PRAIRIE, BECAUSE OF A DECIMATED FRONTCOURT ROSTER.
What's next? Gueye and Diongue getting injured or sick and having Gueye, Jackson, Jaki, Diongue, Mael Crespin, Rodman, ALL BE OUT TOGETHER.
SHEESH, BS, TALK ABOUT UNLUCKY SMITH.
WHATS NEXT?
SHEESH.
