West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Columbuseer]

Wlu got good shots but went ice cold. Ahead 32-19 at under 5 media timeout, wlu went on 22-0 run to end half 54-19.
wvw cracked under the pressure.

[Columbuseer]

Wesleyan has a brit student announcer. Phrases like a english premier soccer game. Very entertaining and unique.
mountaineast tv
Wlu leading 16-4

[Columbuseer]

D&E at WLU Observations 1/18/23

D&E Game Plan

• Like other MEC teams, in an effort to be more competitive with WLU, Davis and Elkins is filling their rosters with long, lean, athletes who can finish at the rim as well as shoot the three. Even their 6-6 and 6-8 players are lean and can run the floor. They want to leverage their outstanding guard in Rolle IV and their strong 6-4 player with inside moves in Walton.
• They wanted to minimize turnovers.
• They want to crash the offensive and defensive boards to limit WLU second chances.
• They wanted to use its athletes to play strong half-court defense to make WLU work hard for each shot. They wanted to use their length to disrupt passes.
• They wanted to slow the game down once they got into the half court.

D&E had some success:

• They won the rebounding battle. They got 17 offensive rebounds to WLU’s 24 defensive rebounds for an outstanding 41%. They clearly won the defensive boards, getting 24 rebounds, while limiting to WLU to 7 offensive rebounds (23%). They did a very good job blocking out on the boards.
• Walton and Rolle IV played strong games.
• They used their length and quick hands to get second chance shots underneath and to deflect interior passes on defense.
• In the first half they shot well – 43% FG, 50% Three, but only 55% FT.

Observations:
WLU ratcheted up the effort and pressure far higher than the last 3 games. It was great to see the return of the 2^nd platoon, after its absence against Wheeling (IMHO, although there were other issues, the lack of platooning against Wheeling delayed the collapse in WU’s efficiency until the last 5 or 6 minutes of the game, and they were able to hold on for the upset).
This game was the coming out party for the second platoon. Their energy, both on offense and defense, increased the lead during their shift.
With 9 minutes left in the first half, D&E was starting to crack from the pressure and fell behind by ten. At that point, D&E decided to go to a zone, in order to conserve energy as they only playing 7. It was a good move, as they forced turnovers on some interior passes, as WLU was having some trouble attacking the zone.
WLU’s shooting in the first half was below average in the 1^st half – 43% FG, 29% threes and 67% FT. The lead was only 5 at 39-34 at the half.

A halftime break is generally not sufficient to fully recover from this pressure.
In the first 5 minutes, WLU kept the pressure on and increased the lead to 17 points. D&E managed to cut the lead to 13 when the second platoon shift started. Their pressure was intense and their shift ended with a lead of 16 points.
In the 10 minute to 5 minute mark of the 2^nd half, the first platoon increased the lead to 25 points and ended their shift with a 21 point lead. The second shift then took over, increasing the lead to 29 points in about 2.5 minutes. With a 1:11 left, the lead increased to 37 points, with a final score of 104-69.
WLU pressure was a key to disrupting D&E. They forced a 10 second call, and nearly got several more, which is incredibly hard to accomplish. The pressure wears on teams; it may not happen in the first half, but eventually it takes its toll. They forced 27 turnovers, of which 14 were steals. WLU scored 33 points off turnovers, to only 14 for D&E.
After shooting only 5 for 17 from three, WLU scorched the nets in the second half, finishing the game 21-39 or 51% from three, 73% from FT and 57% FG. Eight WLU players shot 40% or better from three.
WLU was sharing the ball and getting open looks due to the fatigue of D&E. WLU has 33 assists out of 38 made FGs, an incredible 86%. In contrast D&E, had only 11 assists on 25 made FGs (44%).
In summary, WLU played with much greater effort and situational awareness. For example, on several occasions, WLU committed a foul at half court to prevent a run-out dunk, which only resulted in the ball out of bounds. Smart plays.
Several players on the second shift really raised their game on offense and defense, actually increasing the lead during their shift. This bodes well for March.

[Scrub]

We have weathered mid season slumps before but this just feels different. There seems to be a wide variance in "what we do" from night to night. Statistically over the course of the entire season the team looks pretty good but as they say, the devil is in the details. Given the dramatic shortening of the bench, it is clear that Ben is searching for a solution but giving up over 100 to three times in the last four games (including two bad squads in Frostburg and Wheeling), it really doesn't seem he has found it.

Here's a question, with an 8 person rotation, can we consistently score 100+? Top eight scores on the roster average 93 PPG. For that to work every one of the top eight would have to score their average avery game and they would need to find seven additional points every night. May not sound like a lot but seven points is a lot to suddenly "find." The ultimate question is does the WLU style work when you are scoring 93 as opposed to 100+? This doesn't even factor in can you run a constant pressure defense and offense for a 1/2 season plus with only eight players At what point do YOU start playing yourself into a "blackout?"

Boat, I totally agree that this feels different than a normal mid-season swoon. In a few posts above, I characterized it as a kind of identity crisis (I'm not sure if that's an appropriate label, but that's just what it feels like to me).

That said, I'm not sure I buy the "self-blackout" theory you ended your post with. Let's not forget that the five-for-five substitution pattern was never an integral feature of the system built by St. Crutch. He instituted that element of the system late in his tenure here as a direct response to one of these mid-season swoons. I can't remember the exact season (I wanna say it was 2015-2016 after losing back-to-back games to the Highsmith-led Wheeling team and the Rob Reed Concord team, but it might have also been the 2014-15 season during which they also lost back-to-back January games). That year (whichever year it was), they lost back-to-back games in January and the whole place was starting to question things. Crutch instituted the two-platoon system as a way to "open up competition" among the roster and cause the second team to push the first team to work harder defensively. Crutch was very clear when he instituted the platoon system that it was about defensive intensity. If you didn't bring defensive intensity, you sat. And both platoons would play early enough in each half, so Crutch could tell who planned to bring it that day, and he would mix and match accordingly late in each half. Crutch liked the two-platoon system well enough that he kept it as a variation on his system (a variation that Howlett immediately adopted upon taking over the team). But two platoons was never meant to be an essential feature of the system. Crutch had been to multiple Elite Eights and Final Fours without a two-platoon system prior to its addition to the system.

Interesting to note that Howlett's response to this particular mid-season swoon is the reverse of Crutch's. Rather than open up playing time and force hungry bench players to push too-comfortable starters, Howlett is closing ranks. Not sure it will serve the same function as Crutch's mid-season adjustment.

Also interesting to note that--as long as my memory serves me well enough to recall the general era in which Crutch made that switch--that swoon and adjustment came during the Bonifant era. It was an era in which they had a transcendent player and perhaps the team got a bit too comfortable relying on that go-to guy. I wonder if we're seeing a mirror image to those 2014-2016 teams in which it's easy to give it Bryce and get out the way. The problem is that's not Hilltopper basketball.

I trust Howlett will have some kind of answer. I just know what that will be at this point.

[boatcapt]

Can't really disagree with you, Boat. They either have to get better at what they do (press the gas, as you say) or do something different. I am actually shocked that they didn't call of the press yesterday and just guard. One of the reasons Korte & Price got so many good looks is that they were the two situated on the back end of the press who benefitted from 2-on-1 mismatches after the press break. If the press had been called off and WLU just sat down and guarded, I firmly believe they could have gotten stops. In the half court, Wheeling was playing a "bully ball" style of just drive straight into traffic and hope to get bailed out. They did get bailed out quite a bit, but forcing more possessions like that would have likely resulted in whistles getting evened out and more offensive fouls called. Odd choice to stay in the press for that long after it was clear Wheeling had it figured out. Earlier in the year (trying to recall . . . maybe it was Notre Dame?) there was a game where the opponent had the press figured out and WLU just dropped into half-court defense and got stop after stop. As Boat is fond of saying, WLU is capable of playing differently; they just rarely choose to. Not sure if it's time to hit that level of panic button, but it certainly feels like a make-or-break moment for this season.

We have weathered mid season slumps before but this just feels different. There seems to be a wide variance in "what we do" from night to night. Statistically over the course of the entire season the team looks pretty good but as they say, the devil is in the details. Given the dramatic shortening of the bench, it is clear that Ben is searching for a solution but giving up over 100 to three times in the last four games (including two bad squads in Frostburg and Wheeling), it really doesn't seem he has found it.

Here's a question, with an 8 person rotation, can we consistently score 100+? Top eight scores on the roster average 93 PPG. For that to work every one of the top eight would have to score their average avery game and they would need to find seven additional points every night. May not sound like a lot but seven points is a lot to suddenly "find." The ultimate question is does the WLU style work when you are scoring 93 as opposed to 100+? This doesn't even factor in can you run a constant pressure defense and offense for a 1/2 season plus with only eight players At what point do YOU start playing yourself into a "blackout?"

[Scrub]

Can't really disagree with you, Boat. They either have to get better at what they do (press the gas, as you say) or do something different. I am actually shocked that they didn't call of the press yesterday and just guard. One of the reasons Korte & Price got so many good looks is that they were the two situated on the back end of the press who benefitted from 2-on-1 mismatches after the press break. If the press had been called off and WLU just sat down and guarded, I firmly believe they could have gotten stops. In the half court, Wheeling was playing a "bully ball" style of just drive straight into traffic and hope to get bailed out. They did get bailed out quite a bit, but forcing more possessions like that would have likely resulted in whistles getting evened out and more offensive fouls called. Odd choice to stay in the press for that long after it was clear Wheeling had it figured out. Earlier in the year (trying to recall . . . maybe it was Notre Dame?) there was a game where the opponent had the press figured out and WLU just dropped into half-court defense and got stop after stop. As Boat is fond of saying, WLU is capable of playing differently; they just rarely choose to. Not sure if it's time to hit that level of panic button, but it certainly feels like a make-or-break moment for this season.

[boatcapt]

Wheeling? WTF ?

Same story...different year. Wheeling ate our lunch inside with Korte and Johnson. As i've said before, during the regular season we can "out score" our inside issues most nights but as the level of competition increases in the NCAA Tourney, all too often, we come up short.

Clearly, teams believe (and recent games testify too) that they have stumbled onto how to beat WLU this year. Years past, the answer WLU has used when challenged was to do "more" of what they do. It doesn't feel like that is going to work with this years team. I guess it is possible that as a team WLU could start shooting over 40% from 3 every night and that at least a couple of bench players could suddenly figure it out and start scoring consistently in double digits, but it doesn't feel like either of those things are going to happen. So that means Ben is going to have to figure out a way to counter what teams are doing to THIS team. That may mean putting our foot on the gas and do more of what we are supposed to do best or maybe (be ready for the gasps and hand ringing!), do somthing we haven't done in the past!!!

I note that Ben has severly shortened WLU's bench. It appears the "second platoon" of Toppers is a thing of the past with the bench shortened to 3. Really, there are only six Toppers this year that are truly contributing with Resile being the sixth. The other two (rotating cast of Hinds, West, Sampson) being little more than minute eating subs that give the top 6 a few minutes of rest. Given the style we play, that doesn't bode well for the rest of the season and into the playoffs. That's assuming we make the playoffs...We have the the return game against many hot MEC teams including Fairmont, WVSU and UC coming up. Given how we are playing now, would anyone be surprised if we lost those games??

[Scrub]

Just something missing with Cooper lot of talent on that team

I wouldn't pin the women's struggles on Cooper. It's not his fault his best player has been in streets all year with a knee brace on. If Bailee Smith is running the point, that's a VERY different WLU women's squad. Lucarelli, Beckstedt, & Sarda have done yeoman's work to fill the vacuum left by Smith's absence, but they're all really green (which is likely the reason for the wonky turnover numbers--inexperienced kids running the point in a pressing, fast-paced league is a bad recipe). It's a real shame that Smith didn't get to team up Manzay one last time--that would be a combo for the ages--especially with a stronger McCutcheon to complement them. But gotta play the cards your dealt, and I give Cooper credit for keeping the ship afloat this long with such youth on the floor.

[Scrub]

As they should’ve been it was their national championship

I will say this: the Wheeling players were, um, let's just say less-than-classy in handling their win tonight. I can assure you that WLU has circled February 25 on the calendar and they will remember John Korte mugging for the crowd all night tonight. It's probably gonna get nasty on the Hilltop on Feb. 25.

I gotta hand it to Steve Cannady, though, for being classy in defeat. After getting his butt handed to him by his old mates, he went over and gave hugs to some of the guys he played with. Steve was the bigger man tonight, and I appreciate that.

Now, on to circling Feb. 25 on the calendar.

[Scrub]

Wheeling? WTF ?

As I said above. WLU isn't a good team right now. I trust they'll get it fixed. But Fairmont did something to their mojo and they haven't gotten it back since.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Wheeling? WTF ?

[Layton]

Wheeling sure was excited about the rivalry today.

West Liberty just isn't a very good team right now. No identity. Just going through the motions. They better get it figured out before they have to play WVSU & Charleston back-to-back.

As they should’ve been it was their national championship

[Scrub]

Giving up 114 to that Wheeling team is inexcusable. I get that they were red hot (shooting over 60% for the game) and that Korte was getting the Kromka treatment from officials--he could do anything he wanted. But all of that said, it's simply poor defense to give up 114 to a team with that few weapons. Even Butler--the beating heart of this team--looked lost today. Korte had his way with Butler. The hangover from giving triple digits to Frostburg continues. They really haven't looked right since Christmas break. If they keep this up, we won't need to talk about the regional tournament.

[Scrub]

I miss getting excited about the Wheeling rivalry I didn’t even know the game was today. Hope they get things figured out because those games were a blast and a slug fest when I was in school. Don’t think their current coach is the guy

Wheeling sure was excited about the rivalry today.

West Liberty just isn't a very good team right now. No identity. Just going through the motions. They better get it figured out before they have to play WVSU & Charleston back-to-back.

[Layton]

What a joke Howlett better figure this **** out quick what an embarrassing day they’re horrible