..where we are, where we are headed...
- Last week, this group demonstrated some mental toughness that, frankly, they had not shown previously. A good sign, and reason for rational optimism. Two good, and needed, wins.
- But do they have the mental stamina to realize that they have to show that kind of toughness ALL SEASON? That is an unanswered question. My concern with Wes is that he has not handled success well. His decision-making is still questionable, and frankly, fair or unfair to him, will very likely be a key difference-maker in this team's ultimate success. He needs to be better. He made some big plays down the stretch--but a couple of them, IMO, were still poor decisions, or at least debatable (that worked out). I'm not sold that will always be the case. i still think we have much room for improvement in late game situations.
- Our SOPH trio, as a group, played their best basketball of their young careers last week. It was SO fun watching them experience that success. If they can play like that consistently, this team can be really good, with even more room to grow. But consistency is, in high-major college hoops, the difference between middle-of-the-pack and truly good. This is what has confused so many K-State fans. They see flashes, and project greatness, ignoring the rest. We have very good players, but with some flaws, and that's one reason it has been so hard for them to look consistently good. If they want to play in March, they need to play at a high level, mentally, for the duration. Anything short, and we are bubble, at best, and likely on the outside looking in.
- Our defense had a lot to do with WVU turning over the ball, so credit to them. BUT...good teams will not turn it over like that, and if not for those turnovers, we never recover from the 16-1 run WVU put on us in the first half. Basketball is a game of runs, but good teams do not give up runs like that at home. That's too big a swing. Six point runs, 8 point runs...this will happen. But 16-1 is a mental (and depth) problem.
- Either the coaches are doing a terrible job of teaching our defensive principles or Ervin just has not picked them up, yet. He "helps" when no help is needed, and loses his man...he is usually free for an open three, or will be picked up by a big, who fouls. This is on Carlbe. I was glad he took and hit that three from the corner, after they left him wide open twice, and he passed on the first one. He can hit it if they give him that much time and space. He has to be better, defensively, if we are going to get to 11-7, which I fear it may take. He is long, and does a good job in passing lanes, but he cannot sacrifice on-ball defense as much as he does, IMO. He was better in the second half.
- Stokes is SO important to this team. He really has two weaknesses, IMO. He struggles to finish at the rim (size, strength), and his on-ball defense is lazy at times (and excellent, others). But this week reminded me of his best games last year, where he was (mostly) good on both ends. I realize his stat line isn't great, but he makes this team so much better, and is a legit threat as a catch-and-shoot, and off the bounce.
- We need to clear out for Barry and let him get to the rim and draw fouls. He can't dribble in traffic like, say, Jake Pullen could, but he finishes at the rim better than any player we've had since Pullen (and maybe as good as Jake). He is SO athletic, and seems to float around the rim, and given a little room to work, can take it to the rack against better defenders. He can also hit a pull-up off the bounce, so if it isn't there, he still has options and can score. If he misses, I like DJ and X, even Maurice and Wade, to clean it up.
- I like where X is right now. Sure, I'd like to see a bit more of him, but I understand what Bruce is doing here. X is playing with fire and enthusiasm, chasing loose balls, all the things that we expect of less heralded recruits trying to earn time. He is showing GREAT character, and Bruce and the staff deserve some credit for this. Although he still gets a little lost on D at times, he is long and disruptive and active.
- I believe our switching principles are hurting us, and I don't know if it is philosophical, or execution. Either way, it is the reason we are dead last in the conference in 3FG% defense. We make it TOO easy for opponents to get space, or to get whatever defensive matchup they want, with simple, poorly set screens. This frustrates the shit out of me, and I would love for someone with better understanding of the game to explain what I am missing here?
- On the flip side, we cannot seem to set a good screen to save our life. DJ gets whistled, as does Maurice. Dean seems shy. Not sure what the issue is here, but I do think we have a couple guys who could benefit if we could set good ball screens (Stokes, and Brown, at least).
- Most fans are subject to recency bias, and I fear that, here. Our schedule has been, primarily, the top and bottom of the conference. We have two games each with ISU and TCU, and one against Tech. We go to OU and Texas, not to mention ku and WVU. But most of our games are with the teams we are fighting for position, and I don't see the league getting 7 teams in (possible, but less likely than unlikely). I think 5 or 6 is more likely, and that means between ISU, TCU, TTU and K-State, one or two will not go dancing. Right now, I would argue ISU has the most favorable schedule remaining, and IMO, we may have the toughest, of that group. We will need four more weeks of the kind of mental toughness they displayed--for the first time in two+ years--in consecutive games last week. This is one of many reasons that talk of COY yesterday was absolutely ridiculous. There is a LOT of basketball to be played. I am optimistic. But there are many close games to come.
