Final: WSU 72, Siena 70. Big win over a good team that most expect to see back in the NCAA Tournament. Is there a better win – neutral court over a team returning five starters – by an MVC team? One does not readily come to mind.
WSU plays either Michigan State or Oklahoma State at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday for fifth place. WSU coach Gregg Marshall describes it as a no-lose scenario. WSU’s weekend – with a win and a good performance against Georgetown – is a success barring injury or a total disaster in the final.
If it is Oklahoma State, Marshall requested Shocker baseball player Clinton McKeever fly down and suit up. McKeever, for those with short memories, hit the game-winning grand slam against the Cowboys in last spring’s regional game. That’s an impressive awareness of other sports by Marshall. Many coaches rarely know or care what goes on outside of their world.
5.0 seconds remaining: WSU 71, Siena 69. Hasbrouck is at the line after making one. WSU with a timeout to get set up after the shot.
11.6 seconds remaining: WSU 69, Siena 68. Hannah made one of two free throws to keep Siena in the game. WSU will need to make some here – and handle the ball.
31.6 seconds remaining: WSU 68, Siena 66. Durley scores for the lead and blocks a shot to preserve it. WSU has the ball out of bounds after a timeout. Murry has 18 points, 14 in the second half.
3:12 remaining: Siena 64, WSU 62. Murry is at the line with a one-and-one when play resumes. Clevin Hannah’s three brought WSU to within two. WSU’s press is shaking up the Saints. WSU is up to 48.1 percent from the field.
6:06 remaining: Siena 60, WSU 55. WSU catches Siena with a press and causes a turnover. Baskets by Clemente and Murry get the Shockers to within five. Defense?
7:10 remaining: Siena 60, WSU 51. Twenty turnovers for WSU, which continues to be befuddled by the Siena pressure. Clevin Hannah is giving WSU a good second half.He has 13 points, 11 in the second half. He seems a little better against the press, although his turnover count is rising.
10:57 remaining: Siena 50, WSU 42. Defense has become WSU’s biggest problem. The Saints are getting way too many layups and easy shots. Siena is shooting 52.4 percent. Siena’s press continues to take WSU out of its comfort zone – 18 turnovers, four this half.
15:47 remaining second half: Siena 39, WSU 36. WSU is showing life on offense. Siena, however, is picking up the pace and getting its break going. Three fouls each on Ellis and Stutz. WSU has yet to shoot a free throw. The refs are letting both teams play.
Halftime: Siena 33, WSU 26. Aaron Ellis rescued the Shockers with seven straight points. Hey, another buzzer-beater by the opposition. WSU is shooting 38.7 percent, raised by a late stretch of good shooting. Fourteen turnovers is a big problem. Siena’s Edwin Ubiles has 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Franklin has nine. Hasbrouck has not been a huge problem so far, but the Shockers can’t find a way to stop Ubiles or Franklin. Ubiles is tall enough to shoot over Shockers on the perimeter. Franklin is driving to the basket and drawing fouls.
3:21 remaining: Siena 27, WSU 17. The shooting problems persist. WSU has nobody it can go to get a bucket – 8 of 25 with 12 turnovers.
7:03 remaining: Siena 20, WSU 15. WSU has no clue how to attack the press. The Shockers go to fast when they should be patient and too slow when they should attack. Of course, you don’t look good against any defense with 10 turnovers and 7-of-20 shooting.
11:53 remaining: Siena 11, WSU 9. WSU went up 9-6, then gave up five straight. Siena’s presses and traps took WSU out of its offense. The Shockers need to figure out how to break it and score.
15:05 remaining: Siena 6, WSU 4. Ugh. Eight turnovers between the two teams. WSU is 2 for 7, including a missed layup by Hawkins.
Siena staters - Rossiter, Ubiles, Moore, Hasbrouck, Franklin. WSU – Hannah, Clemente, Murry, Hawkins, Stutz.
This game should be a good look into how WSU might do against the top of MVC (whatever that turns out to be). Siena is experienced and, from what I saw Thursday, has two very good guards (Kenny Hasbrouck and Ronald Moore) and two very good small forwards (Alex Franklin and Edwin Ubiles. Center Ryan Rossiter, who didn’t appear to do much against Tennessee, only had a double-double. Franklin, in particular, really sparked the Saints in the second half when they made a run. He is very good at scoring inside. WSU will focus a lot of defense on Hasbrouck. I would guess Toure Murry will start on him and that is a big test for a freshman. David Kyles will also get a shot.
The Saints will not overmatch WSU with height or athletic ability, so it is a fair test from that point. WSU’s shooting problem need to get fixed soon. I would expect WSU to try to get Garrett Stutz going immediately. He will have a size advantage. WSU is shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 28.8 percent from three (not to mention 66.7 percent from the line). Those numbers need to come up soon. Guard Clevin Hannah must navigate Siena’s pressure defense and keep WSU under control.
2 Comments
Does Marshall’s ” impressive awareness ” recall the last meeting with Mich State at The Palace of Auburn Hills ? A WSU drubbing at the hands of MSU.
Most of us rather recall – WSU’s Dave ‘the Rave’ Stallworth vrs MSU’s Cazzie Russel – WSU lost on last second jumpers by Cazzie from top of the key.
Kudos to WSU faithfull at the Old Classic here in Florida. No contingent is larger.
Memo to marshall – Sienna had player with 1000 pionts – you have some with 1000 turnovers – sit Stutz down – he can’t catch, grip the ball, or shoot – being tall doesn’t mean anything –
some of your guards can’t pass either – a five foot guard can’t drive to the baseline to shoot when 3 trees are towering over him blocking every shot –
Most of all PUSH THE BALL UP THE COURT – Don’t catch a pass – stop & wonder what to do with it – get it accross the timeline ASAP so the defenses will retract -
And Marshall – either squat down like Turgeon did, or sit down – you block the view –
Just put in the last five players who were on court against Sienna , and sit back – quit pulling them out as soon as they make one little mistake – let them learn on the court not from your intimidations of being pulled out to then endure rants.
With better recruiting, less emphasis would be perceived needed toward sideline teaching.
I’m not sure if Marshall knows much about the previous meeting. He probably does know that Cazzie Russell played for Michigan, not Michigan State.
I would disagree on the crowds. Michigan State and Tennessee have more fans at The Milk House.