West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Scrub]

Areas for improvement after fsu
- too much dribbling and not enough passing. Individuals must not get caught up in mano a mano attitudes, where they want to dominate their opponent and lose sight of the objective, which is a team victory. Frankly I thought both teams fell into this trap. Results were out of control, difficult, contested shots, turnovers, and offensive fouls. Points per possession was 40% lower at 1.09 than at AB (1.48). Can't make a deep ncaa run with that stat.
- gave fsu too many open looks, which they would have normally hit.
- terrible close out of game, giving up and ones with under a minute to play.

As to your second point, I kept saying aloud to my computer screen, "You can't keep giving VonHandorf open looks; he won't stay cold all night." Thankfully, VonHandorf DID stay cold all night (missing all of his 3's--a usual specialty of his--and even missing some layups after drives). I know it's weird to say that a guy who finished with 17 (thanks in part to a 7-for-7 night at the free throw line) had a bad night, but VonHandorf had a BAD night. If he's his normal self and is getting the looks WLU was giving him, FSU blows WLU out last night.

Thankfully, FSU's "shooting was atrocious" (to quote their own color commentator from last night) and WLU survived.

[Columbuseer]

Areas for improvement after fsu
- too much dribbling and not enough passing. Individuals must not get caught up in mano a mano attitudes, where they want to dominate their opponent and lose sight of the objective, which is a team victory. Frankly I thought both teams fell into this trap. Results were out of control, difficult, contested shots, turnovers, and offensive fouls. Points per possession was 30% lower at 1.09 than at AB (1.48). Can't make a deep ncaa run with that stat.
- gave fsu too many open looks, which they would have normally hit.
- terrible close out of game, giving up and ones with under a minute to play.

[Columbuseer]

What impressed me is that they did not shoot well, some had subpar games and they still imposed their will. Subpar performance for both teams. Pressure reducing fsu fg % and steals and offensive rebounds were keys to our victory imho.

[boatcapt]

Well...WLU went into Fairmont and did what critics said they couldn't do...win on the road against a ranked team. Toppers claim a 96-84 W ro go 3-0 on the season and have the inside track to another MEC crown.

[Columbuseer]

FYI west lib team national d2 stats after two games

# 1 in
Scoring 110.5
Scoring margin 35
Turnover margin 11
Assist to turnover ratio 2.00

#2
Rebound margin 16
Offensive rebounds per game 21

#3
Assists per game 19

#4
Turnovers per game 9.5
#7
Fg %. 52.17
Turnovers forced per game 20.5

#11
Blocked shots per game 4.5
#12
Free throw % 80.43

#15
Steals per game 9.5

[Columbuseer]

Musings on some improvements observed in wlu ab game:

- Patrick is avoiding the offensive foul by changing direction in the lane and easily making a layup that would be impossible for the typical player. This will be needed at FSU Wednesday against the " fainting Polish guy" who is adept at drawing charges lol.

-Dalton is not forcing shot or losing ball inside against numbers... he kicked it to corner for open 3 from patrick
- Bryce has improved 1on 1 defense... cut off baseline on dribble drive with lower defensive stance.
- Marlon is reducing turnovers and avoiding charge calls in lane... better decisions on when to foul.
- luke taking advantage of defensive lapses for layups
- zach looked more relaxed in 2nd college game with great shot mechanics
- Elijah is rapidly adjusting to college game.

Wlu essentially has 10 starters who played between 16 and 23 minutes.

Any other improvements folks want to share?

[Columbuseer]

Some wl stats from ab game
1.48 points per possession much above wl elite average of 1.26
29% of possessions had assists - good, but would have been higher if we had refrained more from one on one in second half
Only 13% of possessions resulted in turnovers is outstanding
2.18 assist to turnover ratio is very good as a team, but again could have been higher.

game
team	wl	ab
to	11	23
fga	84	65
off rebs	23	20
num possession	83	80
points	123	73
points per possession	1.48	0.91
factor	0.44	0.44
fta	25	27
points	123	73
assists	24	15
assists per possession	0.289	0.187
assists to turnover ratio	2.18	0.65
turnovers per possession (lower is better)	0.13	0.287

[Layton]

[boatcapt]

Well that was more like it! WLU goes on the road and stomps a mud hole in AB. Yoakum is back...12 players played.

2-0...14 more to go.

[Columbuseer]

Wl plays AB at 4 pm on mountaineast.tv.
AB has some 40% three point shooters so wl will have to rotate on defense.
open question is their depth and do they have enough defenders to stop wl finishers at the rim.

[Columbuseer]

https://wvmetronews.com/podcast/sportsline/

[boatcapt]

I also spotted someone in a cast, but the camera panned away too quickly to get a good look. Bad news if it was Yoakum. (I kinda thought it was Hiles, but again, the camera shot was quick).

I also saw Conley in "streets" last night. He already used a redshirt year last year. So, are we to assume that Conley is nursing an injury as well?

on Conley, I'd say maybe. Can't imagine the plan is to play the season with nine bodies so the other available players (minus the true freshmen) must be nursing injuries.

[Columbuseer]

[Scrub]

I also spotted someone in a cast, but the camera panned away too quickly to get a good look. Bad news if it was Yoakum. (I kinda thought it was Hiles, but again, the camera shot was quick).

I also saw Conley in "streets" last night. He already used a redshirt year last year. So, are we to assume that Conley is nursing an injury as well?

[boatcapt]

Although rusty, the offensive firepower of wlu is amazing. No will yoakum and they still win by 21. Butler now joins bolon, robinson iii, and yoakum as players who can fill up the stat sheet.

Who were players that surprised or impressed you?

Two player surprised me, Watson and Rasile. Only one game but their preformance showed that they are NOT intimidated playing college ball. While Rasile is your "typical" WLU player (6'/6'2" guard who can shoot and handle the ball), Watson is a sort of different animal...WLU's version of a big means that he will probably be used a bit differently. He is part of a tandem of "bigs" that WLU hasn't had in a while which gives them some options. Both are active and capable of running the floor and playing D. Against teams with one big, you can either play both and get a size mismatch OR if the other teams big is dominent, you can rotate them and keep a fresh big on them.

Anyone know what is going on with Yoakum? I THINK the guy I saw with the cast on his right leg on crutches was Yoakum but I'm not 100% sure. I can't imagine the long term plan is to play the season with 9 players so that kind of implies Yoakum's injury is short term. I think if it was a season ender, Coach would have at least dressed Conley or Hyles for the game. Not a big deal last night but we did have two players with 4 fouls and two with 3. Couple of bad calls down the streatch and we could have ended the game with five players.