WSU:
The Cougs are 16-12, 6-9 in the WCC and coming off back-to-back tough game sand losses to SMC and GU. WSU was having a solid season with 10-3 non-con slate and 3-0 start to WCC play including a win of USF, but since then have struggled at 3-9 since and have sunk to 7th place a half game behind LMU and just a game ahead of Portland.
Starters:
6-2 guard Nate Calmese (15.4pts, 4.1 assists, 27% from 3)
6-6 wing LeJuan Watts (13.8pts, 6.7rebs, 4.3assists, 43% from 3)
6-11 forward Dane Erikstrup (12.2pts, 4.3rebs, 38% from 3)
6-10 forward Ethan Price (11.9pts, 5.4rebs, 36% from 3)
6-3 guard Isaiah Watts (12pt, 4rebs, 39% from 3)
Bench: 6-9 center ND Okafor (5.2pts, 1.2blocks), 6-6 wing Tomas Thrastarson (4.4pts, 44% from 3).
The Cougs lost their best player and preseason All-WCC wing Cedric Coward 6 games in to the season and then also dealt with multiple other injuries but seemed to overcome all that with a strong showing the 1st half of the season. Injured players Isaiah Watts and Rihard Vavers returned mid-January but that oddly has coincided with a turn for the worse for the Cougs. I’ve watched several of their games and it just seems that they have hit a wall and aren’t playing with consistent energy.
That said, the Cougs present some interesting match-up challenges. Wing LeJuan Watts is their best overall player, physical and athletic and does a bit of everything for them including leading them in assists. I suspect Mahi will get the start in Bal’s absence and will be matched up on LeJuan; Bryan will also be on him at times.
The Coug’s forwards Erickstrup and Price are both capable 3pt shooters, in fact their top two in league play in made 3’s. The Cougs invert their offense with those two playing on the perimeter frequently which draws opposing bigs away from the hoop. Our bigs are going to have to extend beyond the 3pt line but also drop back to crash the glass and will need help from guards/wings rebounding.
Nate Calmese is a quick and talented guard who slashes to the hoop well but has been very inconsistent from 3 and seems to disappear from some games.
As a team, WSU has rebounded poorly, last in the league in defensive rebounding in league play. Hopefully Cam and others can exploit that we some offensive rebound putbacks.
I don’t expect Bal to play ~40hours after being on crutches and Tilly still seems to be nursing a banged up knee. The Broncos bench is going to have to step up as they did vs. LMU.
Prediction: Broncos prevail in a tight game, 80-75.
This is directed at Femme more than anyone else as probably the person with inside knowledge. I don’t know if anybody tunes into a podcast called “The Unofficial WCC”. I can’t think of the host’s name aside from the fact that he is a SMC grad.
Long story short, he had Rocco Miller on this morning to discuss SMC, Gonzaga, USF, and SCU’s chances for an at large. He commented that Bal is out for the season, but didn’t elaborate.
Was seated nearish the bench. Bal didn’t have a walking boot on nor brace on his foot/ankle and he pointed to his upper calf when people approached him. Guessing it’s not an achilles….maybe calf strain or tear. Must have been moderate to severe. If it’s a calf strain, it’s not really something you can just tape up or brace and gut it out, especially for a guard where mobility is critical.
I only tuned into this one on the radio with about 6 min in the half and almost spit my drink out when I heard the score. I have no visual, so I can only assume that various bloody cougar limbs are scattered around the court or something?
What I didn’t but should have mentioned in the preview is the Cougs have struggled w/ TO’s, last in the league. 11 Coug TO’s in the 1st half led to several breakaway layups and early offense 3’s.
Most on here probably aren’t listening to the radio call, but I quite like Phil Von Buchwald’s color analysis. He’s very sober minded and balanced and knows his stuff. But he still has some fun with the commentary when appropriate. I like Caruso as well, but happy to work in more Von Buchwald going forward.
It’s kind of crazy how the ball movement hums exponentially better when Bal is inactive (not trying to insinuate that the team is better without him but an observation especially against SMC)
Yah, when there’s no defender within 10 ft and you’re a shooter then let if fly.
Broncos are getting quality looks…a by-product of good ball movement, guards driving and kicking, ball isn’t sticking and they’re making the extra pass. That wasn’t the case the first 10-15 games of the season.
We do seem to like NE Washington this year. I we could play this way all the time we would be in the tournament. Hopefully we can continue to play like this, though it’s hard to expect to keep hitting almost every three, with good ball movement and defense. I thought this could be a trap game with Gonzaga looming. We still need to win the tourney to get in but if we can string together a couple of games like this in the tournament we have a chance of reaching the promised land. GO BRONCOS! And Cams put back at the end of the half summed up our effort.
