West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[IUPHawks24]

I get concerned when we stand on the perimeter with little movement. Allows other team to rest and makes us easy to guard for an opponent with solid defensive players. Gonzaga always has several guys moving with purpose. If opponent is late on a switch, back door cut for a layup. They made USC look like a 5 star aau playgtound NBA wanna-be team. Wait, they ARE a 5 star aau playground NBA wanna-be team! :-)

Gonzaga and wlu both have positionless players and run spread type offenses. Their 6-8 guys are just ahead in their skill development compared to our bigs, which is to be expected,

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I get concerned when we stand on the perimeter with little movement. Allows other team to rest and makes us easy to guard for an opponent with solid defensive players. Gonzaga always has several guys moving with purpose. If opponent is late on a switch, back door cut for a layup. They made USC look like a 5 star aau playgtound NBA wanna-be team. Wait, they ARE a 5 star aau playground NBA wanna-be team! :-)

Gonzaga and wlu both have positionless players and run spread type offenses. Their 6-8 guys are just ahead in their skill development compared to our bigs, which is to be expected,

Their guards are just a little better, too. Lol.

[IUP24]

Lol There's now officially too many posters with "24" in their account name... Might have to file for a trademark on the name. 10 years was a good run.

[IUPalum]

Lol There's now officially too many posters with "24" in their account name... Might have to file for a trademark on the name. 10 years was a good run.

You are the original 24!

[IUPalum]

It's amazing what these West Virginia people see in their team.

[Columbuseer]

I should have been more clear. Obviously whole different level of size, strength, etc. The comparison was about fundamental skills, such as player movement without the ball, 3 point shooting and interior passing. These are important fundamental skills in positionless basketball, which can be developed to a comparable level of expertise, but that does not make them comparable players at d1 level.

imho many of Gonzaga's passes were not flashy when they were slicing and dicing USC defense. High school players could have made the pass, had they the situational awareness.
for example, D3 Yeshiva displays these skills but would not be competitive with wlu at d2.

Similarly, I see nwmsu as Gonzaga's little brother.

[boatcapt]

It's amazing what these West Virginia people see in their team.

Almost as amazing as what "Indiana" people see in their's. Can't wait for the many message board assessments of IUP being "loaded" this year!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Almost as amazing as what "Indiana" people see in their's. Can't wait for the many message board assessments of IUP being "loaded" this year!

Joe did go 58-5 the past two seasons with two conference titles. I'd call that pretty loaded.

[IUP24]

You are the original 24!

There's only one IUP24. I promise this new account isn't like the old aforementioned PSACHomer. Guy just kept forgetting his password and adding digits at the end of Homer lol.

[boatcapt]

Joe did go 58-5 the past two seasons with two conference titles. I'd call that pretty loaded.

Last two, yea. But the IUP faithful posts about being "loaded" are about as common as WLU fans posts about the "WLU style!" Seems like every year we hear about how loaded IUP is and what makes WLU's style so effective!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Last two, yea. But the IUP faithful posts about being "loaded" are about as common as WLU fans posts about the "WLU style!" Seems like every year we hear about how loaded IUP is and what makes WLU's style so effective!

They are both loaded just about every year -- IUP dating back decades.

[boatcapt]

They are both loaded just about every year -- IUP dating back decades.

Both loaded just about every year...as in the team and the faithful??!! THAT would explain a LOT!!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Last two, yea. But the IUP faithful posts about being "loaded" are about as common as WLU fans posts about the "WLU style!" Seems like every year we hear about how loaded IUP is and what makes WLU's style so effective!

We have two programs that are measured very differently than just about every other team in the region. IUP went 30-3 two years ago, won the conference title but went out in Round 2. People thought that season was a disaster based on the ending. LOL. True story. Other schools would have thrown a parade. So, with winning comes very high expectations. Joe likely had a Final Four team (or more) in the Covid-shortened season.

He will be pretty 'loaded' next year although I think they need one more piece -- which they'll add any day now.

The region as a whole has seen a whole lot of talent leave town in the past few weeks. We'll see how it gets replaced.

[Columbuseer]

We have two programs that are measured very differently than just about every other team in the region. IUP went 30-3 two years ago, won the conference title but went out in Round 2. People thought that season was a disaster based on the ending. LOL. True story. Other schools would have thrown a parade. So, with winning comes very high expectations. Joe likely had a Final Four team (or more) in the Covid-shortened season.

He will be pretty 'loaded' next year although I think they need one more piece -- which they'll add any day now.

The region as a whole has seen a whole lot of talent leave town in the past few weeks. We'll see how it gets replaced.

So true. I would say to complaining, spoiled fans:

"Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone
They paved paradise, put up a parking lot."

hey maybe that could be a song :-)

[boatcapt]

We have two programs that are measured very differently than just about every other team in the region. IUP went 30-3 two years ago, won the conference title but went out in Round 2. People thought that season was a disaster based on the ending. LOL. True story. Other schools would have thrown a parade. So, with winning comes very high expectations. Joe likely had a Final Four team (or more) in the Covid-shortened season.

He will be pretty 'loaded' next year although I think they need one more piece -- which they'll add any day now.

The region as a whole has seen a whole lot of talent leave town in the past few weeks. We'll see how it gets replaced.

Winning breads higher expectations. Before Crutch (BC), WLU fans would have been over the moon happy to win even one conf title. Now, after so much sustained success, anything less than a Regional Chip and E8 appearance is seen as an "off" season. But I dont see fan expectations as a bad thing. In fact, while coaches and players would probably never say this, I bet privately if they didn't win their conf title and were beat early in the NCAA Tourney, they probably feel that they didn't live up to their own expectations.