My Fiver on WVU's loss to yet another team with "Oklahoma" somewhere on their jersey....
1. -24 in rebound margin. Never thought I'd see the day when a Bob Huggins coached team suffered this type of beatdown on the boards. We made Moussa Cisse (18 points, 10 rebounds) look like Shaq. This is a trend, as Mike Boynton has something on us. In our last two games vs. Oklahoma St. last season, even with Derek Culver, we were -9 and -13 in our two losses to the Cowboys. Our lineups really don't help. In the first few minutes of the game, up 1, we sub out Pauly Paulicap for Isaiah Cottrell. (In Cottrell's first possession, he was charged with a TO. In his next possession, he "shot" a hook shot attempt at the rim from 6' like he was a kid trying to throw a rock through a window) You look at Cottrell's 16 minutes, which were 16 too many, and you see 2 rebounds. Gabe Osabuohien led the team with 4 rebounds over 17 minutes. Then, Dimon Carrigan plays 7 minutes and has 3 rebounds and a blocked shot. At this point, I feel like our bigs names are put into a hat, and Larry Harrison simply pulls a name out of a hat every few minutes to check in.
2. Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil. Bottom line with this team is that if these two aren't scoring, we do not, absolutely do not, have a chance in hell. With Press Virginia, we could win even if our lead scorers were off. It really didn't matter. Back in those wild & crazy days, you could watch our box score and see a trend which almost always led to a win = (1) Plus TO margin; (2) Plus rebounding margin; and (3) Plus shot attempts = WIN. Now, we don't have anything other than hoping that Taz is the Baylor game pre-knockout Taz, and that Sean McNeil overcomes his irrational fear of shooting a basketball. (I've petitioned ESPN and KenPom to include "headfakes" as a new stat so Sean McNeil can lead the country in a statistic. More to come...). Taz was ice cold Saturday afternoon at 4/16 and 1/10 from "3". Ice cold is how I prefer my Miller Lites, but it's not how I prefer Taz. I do commend him for continuing to fire away. We're going to need him to keep shooting 16+ shots a game.
3. Point guard. What in the world are we trying to do at point? We have two points - Malik Curry and Kedrian Johnson, who are incapable of producing any assists while three shooters are draped around them. 24 games in, and they are negative in assist-to-TO ratio. And, nobody fills a stat sheet when down 20 like Malik Curry. Really tired of seeing him go on a heater when the game is all but over. If Kobe Johnson is the future, then the future should be NOW. If he's good enough to start, he's good enough to play more than 9 minutes. We're really not giving anything away by putting him out there for 20+ minutes, and at least we'll be building toward next year. Our point guard should be solid, should at least be a threat to hit a shot from outside, and should have at least 4 assists per game with Taz, Sean and Jalen Bridges surrounding him. If we're not going to let Taz run point, then put Kobe out there, and let the other two spell him if need be.
4. The long term Future. West Virginians are a proud bunch. And, we have a really, really good basketball following. Hoops junkies, like me, @burgheer, @eers2014, and many others are dyed-in-the-wool. We're not going anywhere. But, we are not happy. And I do know enough to know that Shane Lyons is going to hear it from some on here, some close to the program. (I tend to stay relatively quiet, but I know some others do not) We have a unique university, a unique fanbase, a unique program. We are not Pitt, Boston College or Maryland, with their meandering fan base which care at times, and at other times, just don't care. We are vested. And, we are not going to accept this type of play. Bob Huggins isn't going anywhere, right away. But, if he produces another pile of pig vomit next year, similar to this, then chatter will begin. If a third consecutive season with this type of result occurs, then...well, you tell me.. We are going to have options. Bob Huggins did elevate our basketball program to a place where we are/were respected as a perennial top 20 type ballclub. The Coliseum has a mystique - Roy Williams wanted to see it for himself. ESPN commentators love coming to Morgantown to experience it. I'll say it again, we're going to have options. In the near term, hints are being dropped that we may have a full scale replacements of assistants. Perhaps that will help. And, we're going to get to watch our third "FIX IT" from Huggs. (sigh) A lot of this "Fix It, Part Trois" has to do with losing Quitter, Culver and Deuce McBride. I don't put that on Huggs & Co. Not at all. Their replacements in free agency - Curry, Carrigan and Pauly Paulicap, are mid-major talent, at best...with apologies to Paulicap who could be solid at this level if used properly. My sincere hope is that FIX IT, Part Trois is as successful as the last two. Our use of the free agent market this offseason will determine the outcome. (Here is my #1 target in the free agent market in the offseason, please pass along to the coaches, Baylor Scheierman of South Dakota State: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4593841/baylor-scheierman. Stat sheet filler.)
5. The short term Future. I said in my last Fiver, and I'll stick to it despite the pig vomit we put out yesterday >>> We only needed to go 1-4 in our last five road games, so long as we go 3-0 at home vs. Kansas, Texas and TCU, +1 win in the Big 12 Tournament, and we're still going to make it to the Dance. So, we're 0-1 in our road venture, and we have a good chance for a W coming up at the fighting Bruce Webers. Unless Huggs has completely lost this team, which may potentially be a viable story a la 2019, we should be able to get one W in our remaining road games. Thus, the three home games we have left are the key.
1. -24 in rebound margin. Never thought I'd see the day when a Bob Huggins coached team suffered this type of beatdown on the boards. We made Moussa Cisse (18 points, 10 rebounds) look like Shaq. This is a trend, as Mike Boynton has something on us. In our last two games vs. Oklahoma St. last season, even with Derek Culver, we were -9 and -13 in our two losses to the Cowboys. Our lineups really don't help. In the first few minutes of the game, up 1, we sub out Pauly Paulicap for Isaiah Cottrell. (In Cottrell's first possession, he was charged with a TO. In his next possession, he "shot" a hook shot attempt at the rim from 6' like he was a kid trying to throw a rock through a window) You look at Cottrell's 16 minutes, which were 16 too many, and you see 2 rebounds. Gabe Osabuohien led the team with 4 rebounds over 17 minutes. Then, Dimon Carrigan plays 7 minutes and has 3 rebounds and a blocked shot. At this point, I feel like our bigs names are put into a hat, and Larry Harrison simply pulls a name out of a hat every few minutes to check in.
2. Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil. Bottom line with this team is that if these two aren't scoring, we do not, absolutely do not, have a chance in hell. With Press Virginia, we could win even if our lead scorers were off. It really didn't matter. Back in those wild & crazy days, you could watch our box score and see a trend which almost always led to a win = (1) Plus TO margin; (2) Plus rebounding margin; and (3) Plus shot attempts = WIN. Now, we don't have anything other than hoping that Taz is the Baylor game pre-knockout Taz, and that Sean McNeil overcomes his irrational fear of shooting a basketball. (I've petitioned ESPN and KenPom to include "headfakes" as a new stat so Sean McNeil can lead the country in a statistic. More to come...). Taz was ice cold Saturday afternoon at 4/16 and 1/10 from "3". Ice cold is how I prefer my Miller Lites, but it's not how I prefer Taz. I do commend him for continuing to fire away. We're going to need him to keep shooting 16+ shots a game.
3. Point guard. What in the world are we trying to do at point? We have two points - Malik Curry and Kedrian Johnson, who are incapable of producing any assists while three shooters are draped around them. 24 games in, and they are negative in assist-to-TO ratio. And, nobody fills a stat sheet when down 20 like Malik Curry. Really tired of seeing him go on a heater when the game is all but over. If Kobe Johnson is the future, then the future should be NOW. If he's good enough to start, he's good enough to play more than 9 minutes. We're really not giving anything away by putting him out there for 20+ minutes, and at least we'll be building toward next year. Our point guard should be solid, should at least be a threat to hit a shot from outside, and should have at least 4 assists per game with Taz, Sean and Jalen Bridges surrounding him. If we're not going to let Taz run point, then put Kobe out there, and let the other two spell him if need be.
4. The long term Future. West Virginians are a proud bunch. And, we have a really, really good basketball following. Hoops junkies, like me, @burgheer, @eers2014, and many others are dyed-in-the-wool. We're not going anywhere. But, we are not happy. And I do know enough to know that Shane Lyons is going to hear it from some on here, some close to the program. (I tend to stay relatively quiet, but I know some others do not) We have a unique university, a unique fanbase, a unique program. We are not Pitt, Boston College or Maryland, with their meandering fan base which care at times, and at other times, just don't care. We are vested. And, we are not going to accept this type of play. Bob Huggins isn't going anywhere, right away. But, if he produces another pile of pig vomit next year, similar to this, then chatter will begin. If a third consecutive season with this type of result occurs, then...well, you tell me.. We are going to have options. Bob Huggins did elevate our basketball program to a place where we are/were respected as a perennial top 20 type ballclub. The Coliseum has a mystique - Roy Williams wanted to see it for himself. ESPN commentators love coming to Morgantown to experience it. I'll say it again, we're going to have options. In the near term, hints are being dropped that we may have a full scale replacements of assistants. Perhaps that will help. And, we're going to get to watch our third "FIX IT" from Huggs. (sigh) A lot of this "Fix It, Part Trois" has to do with losing Quitter, Culver and Deuce McBride. I don't put that on Huggs & Co. Not at all. Their replacements in free agency - Curry, Carrigan and Pauly Paulicap, are mid-major talent, at best...with apologies to Paulicap who could be solid at this level if used properly. My sincere hope is that FIX IT, Part Trois is as successful as the last two. Our use of the free agent market this offseason will determine the outcome. (Here is my #1 target in the free agent market in the offseason, please pass along to the coaches, Baylor Scheierman of South Dakota State: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4593841/baylor-scheierman. Stat sheet filler.)
5. The short term Future. I said in my last Fiver, and I'll stick to it despite the pig vomit we put out yesterday >>> We only needed to go 1-4 in our last five road games, so long as we go 3-0 at home vs. Kansas, Texas and TCU, +1 win in the Big 12 Tournament, and we're still going to make it to the Dance. So, we're 0-1 in our road venture, and we have a good chance for a W coming up at the fighting Bruce Webers. Unless Huggs has completely lost this team, which may potentially be a viable story a la 2019, we should be able to get one W in our remaining road games. Thus, the three home games we have left are the key.
