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Post by Raiderfan on Mar 4, 2005 19:48:35 GMT -5
Well, I'm bumming out. The game was much closer then the final score. Man do I wish Zakee would have made his wide open dunk, it might have changed the whole complextion of the game.
The only thing that I found confusing was that we were getting killed on the boards but yet Jordan it didn't seem like Jordan played that many minutes. When he was in the game things happened. He was going strong to the hole and drawing fouls............
It hurt that both Zakee & Drew were off tonight. Not much you can do about that.........it sounded like they were taking good shots but they just weren't falling for them.
15-15 - I was hoping for better but...............not to shabby...............we only lose one player and return our top 3 scorers next year.
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Post by bballraider on Mar 4, 2005 19:59:23 GMT -5
I too do not understand the lack of playing time Jordan got in the second half. Jon and Chris both said, keep feeding the ball into Jordan because good things were happening when the ball went inside to Pleiman. So what do we do, we take Jordan out of the game. I do not understand that move, especially with us getting beat on the boards and Jordan was our best rebounder.
But even Jordan might not have made a difference the way we were shooting the ball from the field in the second half. When we start missing open dunks you know it is going to be long night. I think it was that three games in a row jinx.
Well as the Cubs always say, there's always next year.
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Post by Big D on Mar 4, 2005 20:25:13 GMT -5
I just hope this wasn't the last time we see Drew in a Raider uniform. Posters over on RRB have speculated for weeks that Drew isn't happy and has thought about transferring. It doesn't make sense to me since he would only have 1 year of eligibility left where ever he ends up compared to 2 years at WSU. I hope this is just a bad rumor.
If we return eveyone from this team (minus ZW), we should be pretty tough next season with our incoming recruits and reshirt players. This year had it's ups and downs, but overall I am happy with the progress we have made as a program and I am looking forward to next season.
Go Raiders!
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Post by Raiderfan on Mar 4, 2005 22:21:09 GMT -5
I was talking with a person who seemed to know what he was talking about and his take was that Drew was/is thinking about leaving WSU but not to play basketball at another college. If I understood it correctly he was contemplating getting started on his career as a dentist. He plans on going to Ohio State's dental school. I guess with his redshirt season included he is close to graduating from WSU and when he was in a slump in mid season he was frustrated and mentioned the possibility.................I just hope he realizes that he has the rest of his life to be a dentist and only a 2 years left that he can ever play D1 basketball..........most folks would kill for that opportunity.
Losing Drew would be devastating to next years team. I hope he finishes his 2 years and then goes on to be the best dentist in the midwest.
Please keep in mind that this is second hand information...........
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Post by Big D on Mar 5, 2005 6:01:02 GMT -5
Illinois-Chicago 81
Loyola (IL) 87
Final OT
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Post by Big D on Mar 5, 2005 11:11:00 GMT -5
I really hope Detroit and Loyola lose tonight. If either team wins the HL tourney, it will make the conference look like a complete joke in the NCAA tourney. Either team would be put in the play in game due to their records and RPIs. If UWM wins as expected, they will at least get a 13-14 seed. UWGB would probably get a 16 seed.
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Post by keithfromxenia on Mar 5, 2005 21:37:09 GMT -5
big d, i don't agree. i think uwm would probably get an 11-12, green bay would get a 13-14. some of the teams that won the bottom tier conferences will be pretty bad. the play in game will come from those bottom tier leagus imo. i don't think a horizon league team will be in the play in game unless the moons really align weird. as for our season, i was pretty disappointed. i thought we should have done much better. in the tournament, we could not have had a better draw, but we choked and just folded. we had several chances late in the season to win a big game that could have taken us toward the top of the league, but we lost every one and ended up 6th. to me 6th place in a weak league, an rpi of 160+ and a 15-15 record is not even close to being ok. i would like to think we will be better next year, but i am not sure at all what our new players will add immediately. coach said the middletown player will be a project, the jc player isn't statistically tearing the place up and if the big center signs, he is pretty thin and it remains to be seen if he will be a factor next year. i guess right now i am pretty down on the raiders. it has been a long time since we have been respectable, and i sometimes wonder if the wait is worth it.
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Post by Big D on Mar 5, 2005 22:48:47 GMT -5
Joe Lunardi has UWM as a 14 seed in his Bracketology on ESPN.com. sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketologyDetroit is the other HL team in the finals. I think they will be in the play in game if they win the automatic bid. They are 14-15 now and will be 15-15 if they win the tourney. They have a current RPI of 205 and they are in the 18th rated conference in the RPI. I think that is play in game material. I hope I am wrong though. Having our only representative from the HL having to play in the play in game is a joke. |
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Post by Big D on Mar 5, 2005 23:50:54 GMT -5
I am looking forward to next season and I think we will be better than this year for several reasons.
1. Continuity—if WSU doesn’t lose any players this off season, we will return 8 players that suited up for WSU this year and 2 players (Graham and Wilson) that practiced with the team while they red-shirted. Last year, WSU only had 4 players that suited up for WSU the previous year. This season, we only had 3 players (Drew, Zakee, and Dashaun) that played for WSU last year. We return 4 starters and 6 of our top 7 players.
2. Experience—WSU shouldn’t have to play a true freshman in our starting lineup next season. That is huge for us. The core of our team has been playing together for the last 2 seasons and that should start paying dividends for us next season. We don’t have to go through the highs and lows that go along with playing true freshmen major minutes.
3. Depth—WSU should have much more depth next season. The big question is will Coach B use that depth. I think everyone likes our starting 5 for next season. If WSU can get significant minutes off the bench from 3-4 guys, we should be pretty tough. I think that is a realistic goal. Coach B is already comfortable playing Taylor. I think we can get decent guard play off the bench from either Graham, Shine, or the guard we sign with our last scholarship. Personally, I really like Graham. I have seen tape of him in the Kentucky HS tournament and he was an exciting player when he was healthy. He is a very quick player that sees the court well and knows how to score and distribute the basketball. I have watched him during warm-ups all season long and he looks like he has developed a pretty good 3 point shot. I look forward to seeing him in the summer leagues. Chancellor should be a guy that can play 15-20 minutes off the bench for us next season in the post. I think Munroe will continue to develop and Craft/Wilson have potential. Even if we use these guys sparingly as specialty type players, they can help the team.
4. Off season improvement—If you look at our returning players from last season, they all made significant improvements during the off season. Statistically, they all made big strides. Wood went from averaging 8.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists as a freshman to 15.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists as a sophomore. Boyd went from averaging 5.9 points and 1.8 rebounds as a freshman to 11.6 points and 2.8 rebounds as a sophomore. Drew went from averaging 7.6 points and 4.2 rebounds as a freshman to 11.0 points and 4.1 rebounds as a sophomore. I expect them to continue to develop as players and I think Spencer and Pleiman are going to have breakout seasons for WSU next season. They will both benefit from some time in the weight room and individual workouts with the coaches like last years freshman.
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Post by TheMAN on Mar 6, 2005 13:02:57 GMT -5
I agree with you keith. UWM will get a 11-12 seed.
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Post by TheMAN on Mar 6, 2005 18:18:03 GMT -5
Joe Lunardi has UWM's record at 16-11 and has them as a 14 seed. Once someone tells him that UWM is 22-5, he will probably adjust the seeding to an 11 seed. sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology |
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Post by keithfromxenia on Mar 6, 2005 18:35:44 GMT -5
i wonder what would happen to uwm if they lose tues? i think their rpi is 30 or so, so i would think they would still be in. but their seed would suffer. frankly, i am tired of living vicariously thru some other horizon league team while the raiders sit at home.
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Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 6, 2005 19:51:17 GMT -5
If W-Mil loses they are NIT bound.
Their RPI is 58 in the rpirankings.com and 52 at kenpom.com.
If they loses Tuesday it will be against a team with a rpi of 204 in rpirankings.com or 190 rpi at kenpom.com. SO their RPI will drop.
I feel that if W-Mil wins the bid they will be the only HL team to play in the postseason. When was the last time that happened?
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Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 6, 2005 19:53:00 GMT -5
Also. I think they are looking at a 13 to 15 seed based on their RPI.
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Post by Raiderfan on Mar 6, 2005 21:37:37 GMT -5
Because the HL rpi stinks (thanks YSU) it hurt UWM's rpi. If UWM wins their RPI might drop some since Detroit rpi is around 200. I look for the Panthers to get a 13th seed. I wouldn't want to be a 4th seeded team and have to play UWM.
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