NW v. WL

[Columbuseer]

To beat West Liberty ... you have to deal with the annoyance factor. They play like a bunch of gnats. I don't mean that in a bad way. But, that's what I see. They pester and pester with that press. It swallows up average to good teams. On top of that, they have 10 guys who can all shoot from deep. If you let that 'gnat effect' get to you ... you already lost. If you fall in to the trap of trying to play run-n-gun, you already lost. They WANT you to take that first shot after breaking the press. Fall in to that trap ... and you already lost.

Obviously, they don't lose very often. When they do, there's often a common theme. I'm sure NWMS will figure that out in film study this week.

You absolutely have to have strong guards -- in particular a PG. WL's 'bigs' really aren't 'bigs' per se. They are effective in that high-speed tempo. They become much less effective in a slow-down game. Question is if you can actually slow down the game.

I don't know what Hillsdale's plan was in that game. After watching it ... not sure they even had one. They looked like lost puppies by the first media timeout.

If you look back at WL's tournament losses to IUP, Ship and Mercyhurst ... none of them were track meets. Control the tempo ... or get run out of the gym. That's the only two options.

LOL. Well put IUPbig.
Just like gnats distract you from your work and come from many different angles so you can't swat them. The king gnat is Luke Dyer. He takes balls from big men and heads up court before they know it. Just ask Hillsdale - their coach called it "active hands". Another pesky gnat is Malik McKinney. Guards get frustrated and shove him to get open on in bounds plays and get called for a foul. It is a unique style, to be sure. But NWMSU has a week to get ready for it. Hillsdale had one day.

[boatcapt]

NW will take the layup but if it's not there I'm fairly certain they will bring the ball out and run the offense.

The last team to score 90 or more points against NW was Duke. The last D2 team to do it was in 2011-12. I would be shocked if WL gets close to their Scoring Offense average for the year.

Taking the quick 2 speeds up the game and allows WLU with an opportunity to trade 3 for 2. It's somthing WLU is very comfortable doing.

[Columbuseer]

[IUPHawks24]

To beat West Liberty ... you have to deal with the annoyance factor. They play like a bunch of gnats. I don't mean that in a bad way. But, that's what I see. They pester and pester with that press. It swallows up average to good teams. On top of that, they have 10 guys who can all shoot from deep. If you let that 'gnat effect' get to you ... you already lost. If you fall in to the trap of trying to play run-n-gun, you already lost. They WANT you to take that first shot after breaking the press. Fall in to that trap ... and you already lost.

Obviously, they don't lose very often. When they do, there's often a common theme. I'm sure NWMS will figure that out in film study this week.

You absolutely have to have strong guards -- in particular a PG. WL's 'bigs' really aren't 'bigs' per se. They are effective in that high-speed tempo. They become much less effective in a slow-down game. Question is if you can actually slow down the game.

I don't know what Hillsdale's plan was in that game. After watching it ... not sure they even had one. They looked like lost puppies by the first media timeout.

If you look back at WL's tournament losses to IUP, Ship and Mercyhurst ... none of them were track meets. Control the tempo ... or get run out of the gym. That's the only two options.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It's the old theory of why NBA teams don't press. The other guards are too strong and it's ineffective. For all the times I've seen WL smother people with it, I have also seen teams pick their press apart.

I've watched next to no D2 this year with no dog in the race. Here and there. But, I am looking forward to this one. Nobody is unbeatable.

[NWHoops]

Taking the quick 2 speeds up the game and allows WLU with an opportunity to trade 3 for 2. It's somthing WLU is very comfortable doing.

You take an open layup every time you have it, regardless of the other teams style. Forcing a shot is a different story.

[NWHoops]

Haha, we say the same thing at NW. We imagine other teams see us walk in the gym and think "this is the team that's supposed to be so good?". I'll admit, when I saw Fairmont St a few years ago I thought we had no chance but we completely controlled the tempo and imposed our will. Hope we can do the same next week!

[Layton]

The gnat effect definitely got to Hillsdale, they were exhausted and frustrated

[Columbuseer]

Love it! If we can have the Law of Verticality, we can certainly have the Gnat Effect!

[Columbuseer]

It's the old theory of why NBA teams don't press. The other guards are too strong and it's ineffective. For all the times I've seen WL smother people with it, I have also seen teams pick their press apart.

I've watched next to no D2 this year with no dog in the race. Here and there. But, I am looking forward to this one. Nobody is unbeatable.

Other nba factors have a greater impact imho
82 game schedule
players don't like it
Too much effort for older players
Players much more power than coaches

the video below describes use of press in nba. Surprisingly the guards did not dissect it and some teams had success with it, the degree of success obscured by other factors.

https://youtu.be/qCJnUqpJXwY

[Columbuseer]

FYI Comparitive Stats

• NWMSU is elite. One of very few teams with better shooters and better Points per Possession (PPP). Both teams have higher PPP than top D1 teams. Only Gonzaga is close, as far as I know.
• NWMSU has incredible offensive efficiency of 63%.
• WLU has advantage on turnovers, steals, and number of possessions, due to style of play.
• WLU has significant rebounding advantage

To win, WLU has to control the boards, shoot well and somehow lower the shooting % of NWMSU, for I don't expect NWMSU to commit turnovers. Big, big challenge.

Tale of the tape - Season to Date - green shows areas of advantage
	West liberty Season to date	NWMSU Season to date
Games	22	27
Points per game	102	82.6
POINTS	2245	2230
FGM	812	769
FGA	1641	1441
FGPCT	49.50%	53.40%
3FGM	242	288
3FGA	654	676
3FGPCT	37.00%	42.60%
FTM	379	404
FTA	504	505
FTPCT	75.20%	80.00%
REBOUND OFFENSIVE	334	214
REBOUND DEFENSIVE	639	645
REBOUND TOTAL	973	859
ASSISTS	409	383
TURNOVERS	257	295
BLOCKS	77	50
STEALS	204	192
Num Possessions	1786	1744
Points per Possession	1.26	1.28
Assists per 100 Possessions	22.9	22
Assists to FG Made ratio	50.40%	49.80%
Assist to Turnover Ratio	1.59	1.3
Turnovers per 100 Possessions	14.4	16.9
(< better)
Opoonent Defensive Rebounds	547	671
Offensive Rebound Efficiency %	37.90%	24.20%
Effective FG %	56.90%	63.40%
Effective FG% Difference (team-Opp)	7.10%	10.50%
FGA % Diff ((team-Opp.)/Opp)	19.10%	2.90%
Possessions per game	81	65

[NWFanatic]

Is playing 5 more games an advantage?

[boatcapt]

You take an open layup every time you have it, regardless of the other teams style. Forcing a shot is a different story.

I encourage NW to take the quick 2's when they are there...WLU will give you that opportunity. Maybe NW will be the team that can beat us doing that.

[NWHoops]

I encourage NW to take the quick 2's when they are there...WLU will give you that opportunity. Maybe NW will be the team that can beat us doing that.

We shoot the 3 better than WL on the year as well. If the plan from WL is to give us wide open layups and then beat us by making enough 3's at the other end then NW will win in a blowout with our defense.

FWIW, I think it will be a close game and don't see that scenario playing out. Mainly because I feel like NW will be able to slow down pace of the game.

[Thunder]

Haha, we say the same thing at NW. We imagine other teams see us walk in the gym and think "this is the team that's supposed to be so good?". I'll admit, when I saw Fairmont St a few years ago I thought we had no chance but we completely controlled the tempo and imposed our will. Hope we can do the same next week!