When you score six points in the final 10 minutes of a basketball game on an opponent’s home floor, you don’t win.
The Shockers boosted the hopes of their fans with a tough rally to tie the game with Northern Iowa 50-50, but were outscored 18-6 the rest of the way.
What does it mean?
Well, first it means Wichita State isn’t as good a basketball team as Northern Iowa. Second, I’m concerned about the team’s lack of intelligence down the stretch. The Shockers got back into the game with inside play, then went away from it and took bad three-pointers by Sean Ogirri, Karon Bradley and Nick Rogers.
WSU isn’t out of the Missouri Valley Conference race, but this one is a setback. The Shockers just aren’t quite there.
I’m not sensing it down the stretch from the team. Bruce Haertl said he senses this team is tired? I can’t believe that. You don’t get tired in February with a Missouri Valley Conference championship on the line. You become energized by adrenalin.
The problem with the Shockers in this game is too many poor decisions down the stretch, plain and simple.
The Shockers get this game tied at 50 with three consecutive baskets inside, two from Kyle Wilson and one from Paul Miller.
Then they take, and miss, three consecutive three-pointers, one of them by Nick Rogers. Nick Rogers? Bless his heart, he’s a great kid. But Nick Rogers should not be playing in the final 10 minutes in a game of this magnitude.
Sometimes I wonder.
The Shockers are making their three-pointers and that’s the only reason they’re in this game. Can it continue? Will they get something going inside? which we saw a glimpse of on the last basket by Kyle Wilson. Will WSU be able to contain Grant Stout, Ben Jacobson and Eric Coleman down the stretch?
Stay tuned.
The best of the best do what Northern Iowa has done so far in the second half. They get a guy like Grant Stout, who had done virtually nothing in the first half, going.
And what you’re seeing is the Panthers expose Paul Miller defensively. In the first half, it was Eric Coleman. Now Miller has switched to Stout, who has scored seven points already in the first half.
This does not bode well.
Wichita State could be down 10 to 15 points in this game. But, fortunately, the Shockers have done well enough defensively against Grant Stout and Ben Jacobson to keep the game close despite their offensive inteptitude.
The best shot they can get at the end of the first half is a 22-footer from P.J. Couisnard.
Sometimes _ and it’s especially true when guys like Wendell Preadom, Nick Rogers and Karon Bradley are on the floor _ the Shockers have no offensive rhythm.
I said WSU doesn’t win without Miller and Wilson. They have combined for four points.
Let’s see what Mark Turgeon does to get his team going, and to slow down Eric Coleman, in the second half.
The Shockers are guarding the perimeter very well. Ben Jacobson has not scored; give kudos to P.J. Couisnard and Sean Ogirri.
But it’s time _ past time _ to give Paul Miller some help on Eric Coleman. Miller is no match. Coleman is too quick. In a game of give and take, the Shockers have been giving Coleman and advantage for far too long in this game.
The most encouraging thing for the Shockers is that they’re getting nothing inside offensively, but are still close in the game. It seems like they should be farther behind.
Get shots for Ogirri. He’s feeling it tonight. But so far only two shots.
And think about double-teaming Northern Iowa’s Eric Coleman, making it more difficult for him to go to his left.
Can I coach or what?
My biggest concern about the Shockers is depth. I do not believe freshman Wendell Preadom is ready to contribute in games like these. And why in the world would he even think of launching a three-pointer.
As for Karon Bradley, I also believe he shoots too much.
Preadom and Bradley are not the guys who should be trying to score for Wichita State. Mark Turgeon better keep the starters in this game as much as possible.
We’re five minutes into the game and the Shockers are right there. However, they’re not going to win this game unless they get something _ a lot, in fact _ inside from Paul Miller and Kyle Wilson.
Wichita State cannot win this game from the perimeter _ well, not unless Sean Ogirri makes a ridiculous amount of three-pointers. He has made two so far and he’s a streak shooter, so anything can happen.