GAME THREAD-MBB vs Wichita State

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

This team is very frustrating.

[mustangxc]

This team is a reflection of the incompetence on the sideline. We need a coach and don't have one.

[Hop Sing]

Sloppy uninspired and undisciplined play today. Our expectations have been too high for this team. Much better than last year, but still not there.

[mustangxc]

I'd settle for a team that matched Jankovich's teams. This team is not good on offfense or defense.

[Hop Sing]

I'd settle for a team that matched Jankovich's teams. This team is not good on offfense or defense.

Don’t pine for Jank, he never could beat the Shockers either.

[mustangxc]

You must be new here. Wichita State fans are still shocked by the clinic Shake Milton put on them his last season at SMU. Also, this is the worst Wichita State team of the last 10 years.

[Charleston Pony]

And of course we will get the usual predictable meltdown from those who think we have a championship contender maybe because you've been listening to the ESPN announcers too much? Bottom line is that his team doesn't have enough consistent scorers to win close games at crunch time (see FAU as an example of a team that does). We will bash Lanier, Williamson and Phelps following this loss like we have after virtually every loss this season but the truth is Lanier has done a pretty good job with the talent he has because he preaches defense 1st and that's the only reason this team has been as competitive as it has this season.

We all know Williamson and Phelps are not good shooters and that showed again today at crunch time but they are among our best players and team leaders. Give Wichita State credit. That's a team from a historically good program that has been down on their luck this year and they won this game because they outhustled us in that 2nd half, out rebounding us by 8 in the 2nd half and our guys turned it over 16 times today. It's disappointing when everyone in the arena knows we are going to Phelps or Harris at crunch time.

Yes, we can kiss any hopes of an at-large bid good-bye (unless this team was able to run the table from here and we know the odds of that are slim to none). I'm not sure this team will have a realistic chance of winning the AAC Tournament, especially without a 1st round bye which appears unlikely now but I do think this team could make the NIT is they continue to play as well as their talent will allow. After last year, I'm just hoping for a post season opportunity at this point.

[mustangxc]

And of course we will get the usual predictable meltdown from those who think we have a championship contender maybe because you've been listening to the ESPN announcers too much? Bottom line is that his team doesn't have enough consistent scorers to win close games at crunch time (see FAU as an example of a team that does). We will bash Lanier, Williamson and Phelps following this loss like we have after virtually every loss this season but the truth is Lanier has done a pretty good job with the talent he has because he preaches defense 1st and that's the only reason this team has been as competitive as it has this season.

We all know Williamson and Phelps are not good shooters and that showed again today at crunch time but they are among our best players and team leaders. Give Wichita State credit. That's a team from a historically good program that has been down on their luck this year and they won this game because they outhustled us in that 2nd half, out rebounding us by 8 in the 2nd half and our guys turned it over 16 times today. It's disappointing when everyone in the arena knows we are going to Phelps or Harris at crunch time.

Yes, we can kiss any hopes of an at-large bid good-bye (unless this team was able to run the table from here and we know the odds of that are slim to none). I'm not sure this team will have a realistic chance of winning the AAC Tournament, especially without a 1st round bye which appears unlikely now but I do think this team could make the NIT is they continue to play as well as their talent will allow. After last year, I'm just hoping for a post season opportunity at this point.

Wichita State was winless in conference play. We have not won a single close game the entire season. It's not too much to ask. We don't have enough talent to be serious NCAA tournament contenders, but losing every close game is definitely a coaching issue. Lanier is a good Sunbelt level coach but not the answer at SMU.

[PonyPride]

Up next:
Tulane at Moody Coliseum
Thursday AT 6 PM

[Hop Sing]

You must be new here. Wichita State fans are still shocked by the clinic Shake Milton put on them his last season at SMU. Also, this is the worst Wichita State team of the last 10 years.

lol Jank was 1-3 against Wichita at SMU, and that one win was single-handedly won by a great Larry Brown recruit.

[tristatecoog]

The losses at Memphis and UNT weren’t bad but this one was.
Strong defense is fun to watch. Jank’s teams had some better scorers but defense was always frustrating relative to Lanier’s team.

[mustangxc]

We lost this game because we were out of control on offense with turnover after turnover on every offensive possession as well as our inability to secure rebounds on the defensive end giving Wichita State tons of second chance points and son several occasions an open lane to just dunk the ball with not defender in site.

[Hop Sing]

We lost this game because we were out of control on offense with turnover after turnover on every offensive possession as well as our inability to secure rebounds on the defensive end giving Wichita State tons of second chance points and son several occasions an open lane to just dunk the ball with not defender in site.

Perfect summary

[Pony ^]

Bad bad bad. Move on. We are wasting time here….

[Charleston Pony]

Up next:
Tulane at Moody Coliseum
Thursday AT 6 PM

These guys have to defend Moody this week and really need to go undefeated at home this year in AAC play if they want to be a lock for post-season play. All the teams at the top of the AAC are unbeaten on their home courts in conference play. UNT is the only team undefeated at home for the entire season. We really need a 6 game win streak before going to FAU. Will they finish strong or begin to fold and demonstrate the early season success was just a mirage?