West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[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

[Layton]

Just something missing with Cooper lot of talent on that team

[Layton]

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

[Layton]

Seems like we always have that mid season struggle spurt

[Columbuseer]

You brought up the flop rule. I'm just not sure I get what they're going for there. It puts WAY too much pressure on officials to call things they don't want to call. In the A-B game there were multiple occasions when a guy went flying and there was no whistle. So if a guy goes flying across the floor either a) he was pushed and you need to call the foul, or b) he's flopping and you need to call the flop. There's no such thing as a no-call in that situation. This leaves no wiggle room for the officials. But on Saturday, the officials just decided to ignore flops and swallow the whistle if they didn't see a foul despite guys flying all over the place. The issue was really evident in that WLU - A-B game.

I agree it is a difficult call to make correctly on a consistent basis. I think they have to lean toward a no call if in doubt.
I like the intent to improve the integrity of the game. Flopping is dramatic acting with intent to deceive, and not a basketball skill.
Similarly, a player standing out of bounds and throwing the ball off the defender on an inbounds play is not an acceptable response to good defense and bad offense.

[Scrub]

You brought up the flop rule. I'm just not sure I get what they're going for there. It puts WAY too much pressure on officials to call things they don't want to call. In the A-B game there were multiple occasions when a guy went flying and there was no whistle. So if a guy goes flying across the floor either a) he was pushed and you need to call the foul, or b) he's flopping and you need to call the flop. There's no such thing as a no-call in that situation. This leaves no wiggle room for the officials. But on Saturday, the officials just decided to ignore flops and swallow the whistle if they didn't see a foul despite guys flying all over the place. The issue was really evident in that WLU - A-B game.