GAME THREAD West Virginia basketball vs. Texas Tech
- Thread starter Keenan Cummings
- Start date
McNeil is just passing up on good looks. He either doesn't take the shot because it isn't perfect or he tries to do a fake and shoot after resetting his feet on an awkward hop.
No excuse for that. None! Reality is that our "shooter" isn't really what we think he is. We knew we had zero post offense. But we decided to make it an emphasis to start the 2nd half and ended up with back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back empty possessions.
Can we now stop saying "NCAA Tournament"? There is NO HOPE for that. My hope is at least 12 new names on the bench next year, including coaching.
Funny you say that. Season's past, you'd call anyone critical of the coaching as fair weather fans and blinded by hatred. What's changed? The coaching certainly hasn't. It's been the same **** for years. Others saw it, and you attacked them.
I wouldn't call last year "bad". But this year, we look awful on all parts of the game. We cannot score. We cannot defend. We cannot rebound. We replaced guys who left with guys who can't play. Our second half collapses show a lack of halftime adjustments. And it's not going to get better unless there are some changes. Is that Huggs? Maybe, maybe not. But the staff is definitely in need of some rejuvenation.
The team itself was obviously much better with Deuce and Derek. But I'd wager the schemes, game plans, preparation, adjustments were just as bad as they are this year. And I think it's been that way for the last five or so years. But this year, like in 2018, there is no one to cover up those deficiencies.
15 for 62 for the game. Bench was 2 for 22. Been saying this for years...and listening to homers spew venom at me...Huggs teams can't shoot...period. Love Huggs but needs to back off the floor burn crap and teach some offense.
If you have NO BIG MAN that can score underneath, rebound and protect the rim, this is what you get. Just guard our two best shooters and on the other end, dominant the offensive glass and this is what you get. Having Culver one more year would of opened up the middle, added rebounding and forced teams to play the whole floor, not just beyond the 3 point line.
That is what Cottrell was supposed to do. Not necessarily a banger like Culver, but a guy who could maybe be like Joe Alexander and score on turn around shot within 12 feet. Then still be effective on a leak out to the 18+ feet area that would have to pull an inside defender away.
Joe Alexander was more a small forward and Wellington Smith was the muscle inside on that team and when needed, Huggins would call on Cam Theroughman (sp) to bang underneath and rebound.
Exactly my point. Alexander was the only SCORER near the basket of those players you mentioned and your prior post was lamentation that WVU lacked a big man to score on the inside. Our best chance for that after Culver left was for Cottrell to develop that Joe Alexander type game since he is not built for regular post play. The other, less likely, possibility was for Carrigan or Paulicap to become a post scorer which has obviously failed.
Alexander was not a post up / back to the basket big man that scored around the basket from the low post. Dribble drives, back door cuts and the occasional offensive rebound is not the same as having a Devin Williams, Sags Kenate (sp) type big man. Players that are a force under the basket.
I understand that. Our only hope for what you described was the long shot that Paulicap or Carrigan come into a higher level of play and become solid players within 10-12 games. That was highly unlikely to happen and those guys have infact underperformed even meager expectations. Hence Cottrell having a Kevin Jones/Joe Alexander type build and skill developing into a player that can score somewhat around the rim without posting up was the better of the 2 outside chances to compensate for lack of Culver's scoring.
So your wanting the same for Cottrell to “come into a higher level of play and become a solid player(s) within 10-12 games.”
He still would not of filled the need. Playing in the conference there are too many of the schools that have shot blockers that can negate a small forward from trying to score around the rim. They also have a field day when posting up and being guarded by a guy 5-6 inches smaller that just gets rolled over. Check the points in the paint scoring in conference. Also look where WVU is ranked in assists. Dead last in all 300+ schools. That not only is a result of poor passing, but guards and small forwards trying to create offense off the dribble because that is all there is with no inside threat.
He still would not of filled the need. Playing in the conference there are too many of the schools that have shot blockers that can negate a small forward from trying to score around the rim. They also have a field day when posting up and being guarded by a guy 5-6 inches smaller that just gets rolled over. Check the points in the paint scoring in conference. Also look where WVU is ranked in assists. Dead last in all 300+ schools. That not only is a result of poor passing, but guards and small forwards trying to create offense off the dribble because that is all there is with no inside threat.