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Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 03-28-2015, 07:49 PM:

I guess until I just saw this I didn't even think to realize this. His freshman year they went to the NIT. Last year he had an injury before we made the Elite 8!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 03-28-2015, 08:17 PM:

WCS has to be excited and ready to play a big game.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 03-28-2015, 08:21 PM:

I think he's pumped/ Hopefully not over hyped though!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 03-28-2015, 08:29 PM:

Once WCS runs down the court one time and his the nerves will calm down.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 03-28-2015, 10:03 PM:

Willie pretty much a non-factor tonight. And Towns is a turnover machine. Not a good showing by the bigs other than Lyles.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-29-2015, 07:07 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Tiptree:
Willie pretty much a non-factor tonight. And Towns is a turnover machine. Not a good showing by the bigs other than Lyles.

Tip,

Willie was not a factor on the offensive end, but I thiought he was a monster on the defensive end. I'm not sure Connaughton scored a basket all night with Willie guarding him. He also made the huge block on Grant to force the shot clock violation to get UK the ball back at the end of the game and then was step for step down the sideline with Grant on the Final Shot.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 03-29-2015, 08:10 AM:

He had Grant covered like a wet blanket on that very last play!

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 03-29-2015, 08:30 AM:

I had the same thoughts about the bigs. Lyles was the only one who played for most of the game. Even though Karl had a bunch of points on his turnaround shot he and the others had a down game as far as overall play. Does this mean they will all be ready for WI? I sure hope so.

Posted by SCWC (Member # 2464) on 03-29-2015, 08:42 AM:

No play was bigger than the blocked three point shot attempt by Willie with 35 seconds to go that caused a shot clock violation on Notre Dame and turned out to be their only turnover of the second half. The job Willie did on the Notre Dame star defensively to me was a thing of beauty. Willie can dominate games without scoring, that is a rarety in itself.

[ 03-29-2015, 10:19 AM: Message edited by: SCWC ]

Posted by CatFanInYankeeville (Member # 2025) on 03-29-2015, 09:41 AM:

Willie, for all his value on the defensive end, really doesn't have many offensive skills, or at least he didn't showcase them last night. Yes, he can dunk spectacularly, but Towns was the guy last night that could play back-to-basket and score from post play. There's no reason Willie shouldn't have an effective drop step move or cross the lane hook shot by now.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 03-29-2015, 10:30 AM:

Willie seemed totally unengaged on offense. He was floating around the elbow or even out on the arc, setting screens but not rolling to the basket afterwards. Once or twice, he moved as the play dictated, but didn't even look to get the pass when he was open. At least once that led to a turnover.

Yes, defensively, he made a difference. But even there, I was left wanting. Overall, our defense was nowhere near what I had seen all season long. Maybe I got spoiled, but I was surprised at how easily their guys would drive around our bigs for easy lay-ins. I kept hoping that we would recover and block the shot, but they succeeded at that more than we stopped them.

I think we should have put Willie on August. He is the only guy with the lateral quickness and length to have a hope of staying with him. Dakari and Townes had no shot at it once he was in motion... either he scored, or drew the foul, or both. Lyles maybe, but WCS might have made a difference there.

Posted by boomdaddy (Member # 2644) on 03-29-2015, 11:16 AM:

WCS is not that talented on the O side of the floor. He just is not. That being said, Len Elmore talked about him as if he would be lucky to play in Mexico, after his college days are over.