West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Honestly, IUPbig, I'm just not sure it would have mattered who it was. Watching it, it just felt like one of those nights where the stars (well, maybe the stars and stripes if you looked at the free throw numbers in the box score) were aligned in favor of the Jackets. Here are two examples:

In addition to running a zone for much of the night to rest legs, Jackets were also attempting to slow down offensive possession by holding the ball at midcourt for large chunks of the shot clock. On two occasions, once they decided to go (with about 12 left on the shot clock), the WLU defender bottled up the ball-handler without allowing any progress. So the guy chucks up a 3-pointer from the logo just past half court at the shot clock buzzer . . . and it went in. Twice that happened.

Another example: on two different occasions I saw Yellow Jacket ball-handlers dribble the ball wildly off their knee as they enter the lane . . . only to have it land in the hands of their forward under the basket for a layup. Twice that happened.

It just felt like there were so many of those freakish bounces happening, that it was just "one of those nights."

Granted, as Boat pointed out above, WLU didn't shoot well from deep (and against a zone defense, that's a death sentence). In addition, they didn't take care of the ball like they usually do. A memorable example: on the final WLU possession (before the desperation half-court heave that is), WLU had a chance to tie with a 2 or take the lead with a 3. Luke Dyer--who has some ridiculous number like 12 turnovers ALL YEAR--passes it right to a Yellow Jacket defender. If WLU takes care of its business--make open shots, take care of the ball, etc.--they get out of there with a win despite the twilight zone atmosphere. They didn't. So, in the end, Jackets did what they had to do and WLU didn't. But man, it just felt like some weird full-moon werewolf stuff was going on in that gym tonight.

That's exactly how you 'should' play against West Liberty. Nobody is going to beat them playing their own game. Use Glenville State as the yearly example of how NOT to play against WL. LOL.

When West Virginia State -- with a full squad -- tried to run-n-gun with WL earlier this year ... they got blown out.

One of the real turning points in the game was Yoakum's technical foul (after a regular foul). WVSU hit all four foul shots. That was a huge moment in the outcome. The feed was pretty lousy. I couldn't see what triggered the T and the announcers didn't say.

[Scrub]

WV State's box score looks like Joe Lombardi was the coach. FOUR guys played all 40 minutes. The fifth guy played 34 minutes. The 'sixth man' played 6 minutes. Glen Abram went for 38 large -- and missed 9 FTs.

How in the world does a team with four starters out beat West Liberty? Who the hell are these guys on the bench?

Honestly, IUPbig, I'm just not sure it would have mattered who it was. Watching it, it just felt like one of those nights where the stars (well, maybe the stars and stripes if you looked at the free throw numbers in the box score) were aligned in favor of the Jackets. Here are two examples:

In addition to running a zone for much of the night to rest legs, Jackets were also attempting to slow down offensive possession by holding the ball at midcourt for large chunks of the shot clock. On two occasions, once they decided to go (with about 12 left on the shot clock), the WLU defender bottled up the ball-handler without allowing any progress. So the guy chucks up a 3-pointer from the logo just past half court at the shot clock buzzer . . . and it went in. Twice that happened.

Another example: on two different occasions I saw Yellow Jacket ball-handlers dribble the ball wildly off their knee as they enter the lane . . . only to have it land in the hands of their forward under the basket for a layup. Twice that happened.

It just felt like there were so many of those freakish bounces happening, that it was just "one of those nights."

Granted, as Boat pointed out above, WLU didn't shoot well from deep (and against a zone defense, that's a death sentence). In addition, they didn't take care of the ball like they usually do. A memorable example: on the final WLU possession (before the desperation half-court heave that is), WLU had a chance to tie with a 2 or take the lead with a 3. Luke Dyer--who has some ridiculous number like 12 turnovers ALL YEAR--passes it right to a Yellow Jacket defender. If WLU takes care of its business--make open shots, take care of the ball, etc.--they get out of there with a win despite the twilight zone atmosphere. They didn't. So, in the end, Jackets did what they had to do and WLU didn't. But man, it just felt like some weird full-moon werewolf stuff was going on in that gym tonight.

[boatcapt]

18-3 would look a whole lot better than 17-4...Particularly with UC coming up Sunday followed by suddenly hot Glenville. Real chance of being 17-6 at this time next week.

Bottom line, WLU is not shooting the 3 well at the moment. For us to win against quality opponents, we have to be able to do that because we basically have no other style. If we are not taking at least 35 three point shots AND sinking at least 40% of them to go along with sinking at least 60% "inside", we are going to struggle against good teams.

Think it's time to shuffle the first and second teams with Robinson moving up to the starting rotation in place of Boswell and Hazelbaker pushing Allesandro to the second unit. Or maybe yo upset the apple cart with Robinson and Butler starting over Boswell and Allesandro and shorten the bench to eight players with your primary reserves being Boswell, McKinney and Allesandro splitting reserve minutes with Hazelbaker. Starting 5 of Bolon, Yoakum, Dyer, Robinson and Butler each around 30 minutes per game, Boswell and McKinney in the mid teens and Allesandro and Hazelbaker at nine or ten.

Need to do somthing to upset the apple cart because they aren't playing that well right now.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Final free throw numbers from the box score:

WVSU shot 29/41 at the line.

WLU shot 7/8 from the line.

Granted WVSU spent a lot of time in a zone (to rest the legs of the only 6 guys they had available), but that's still a pretty inexplicable split in a game played that aggressively and frenetically. Can't help but feel like the zebras stole one in Institute tonight. Hats off to the Jackets for a gutty effort. But it's still pretty hard to swallow a 41-8 free throw disparity.

I hope Columbus got his computer fixed--I'm gonna need a novelette on this one! ; )

WV State's box score looks like Joe Lombardi was the coach. FOUR guys played all 40 minutes. The fifth guy played 34 minutes. The 'sixth man' played 6 minutes. Glen Abram went for 38 large -- and missed 9 FTs.

How in the world does a team with four starters out beat West Liberty? Who the hell are these guys on the bench?

[Scrub]

Final free throw numbers from the box score:

WVSU shot 29/41 at the line.

WLU shot 7/8 from the line.

Granted WVSU spent a lot of time in a zone (to rest the legs of the only 6 guys they had available), but that's still a pretty inexplicable split in a game played that aggressively and frenetically. Can't help but feel like the zebras stole one in Institute tonight. Hats off to the Jackets for a gutty effort. But it's still pretty hard to swallow a 41-8 free throw disparity.

I hope Columbus got his computer fixed--I'm gonna need a novelette on this one! ; )

[Scrub]

96-93 Yellow Jackets. A great effort by the Jackets tonight. Ridiculous shooting percentage (the WVWC story all over again). Scored a TON on the line due to questionable foul total disparity. Perfect storm for a big upset by the Next Men Up.

[Scrub]

Toppers down 2 with 30 seconds to go and two straight of the most unbelievable charge calls I've ever seen. Refs are doing everything they can down in Institute.

[Scrub]

And I believe the foul totals are 11-2 going against the Toppers in the 2nd half. Some very questionable whistles.

[Scrub]

Toppers in trouble late. Abram can't miss tonight--throwing up some serious junk and it just keeps on going in.

[Scrub]

And wouldn't you know it--Glen Abram and the Next Men Up go into half with a 5-point lead. Hopefully the band's second album doesn't produce quite as many hits as their first!

[Scrub]

Just tuned in to Toppers game. It appears that the flu has hit WVSU hard. According to the broadcasters, 4/5 of the starting lineup are in bed right now. Tonight's show will feature Glen Abram and the Next Men Up.

Hopefully WLU can get out of here with a win AND without the flu!

[boatcapt]

Well, when you start the game going 2 for 11 over the first 6 minutes, and only score 19 points over the first 12 minutes of the game,your going to have trouble winning on many nights! Fact that WLU was able to write the ship somewhat and claim even a 1 point first half lead is surprising. Conversley, starting at the 12:30 mark of the 2nd half, WLU scored 50 points to close out the game...not going to lose many games when you can score that many points in that short a time frame.

WVW is a well coached and experienced team but they suffer from a lack of depth. When WLU started clicking, WVW just couldn't hang and that turned a close game into a route.

[Columbuseer]

[boatcapt]

I was out of the house and unable to watch today's game. Anyone who watched, was there a particular reason that Alessandro only played 9 minutes? Injury? Lack of hustle? Match-up problem? It's just odd to see one of WLU's guys (at least one of the ones in the rotation--so everyone minus Hiles at this point) not play double digit minutes.

Does seem a bit odd but I note he only played 8 min the first time we played WVW. Kind of makes me wonder if it's a matchup thing???

[Scrub]

I was out of the house and unable to watch today's game. Anyone who watched, was there a particular reason that Alessandro only played 9 minutes? Injury? Lack of hustle? Match-up problem? It's just odd to see one of WLU's guys (at least one of the ones in the rotation--so everyone minus Hiles at this point) not play double digit minutes.