The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

[imerson259]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

That was an awesome write-up, had me holding my breath that's for sure.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Nice win - I have a feeling the Wildcats are gonna be a force once all the young pieces have more time to gel with one another.

I can only hope. They're already playing above their age. Still trying to work out the best rotation but I think I'm starting to settle on who plugs into what role best.

C.J. Worthington looks Shaq-esque.

Just a little slimmer and a littler shorter, but I hope I can get similar results from him. Maybe not 5 blocks per game...but one can dream.

Good win against Connecticut!

And I know I'm really late on this, but congrats on the NIT Title and the outstanding recruiting class.

Thanks! Glad you're still following. It's going to be an interesting year.

That was an awesome write-up, had me holding my breath that's for sure.

Thanks for the positive feedback. The game was nerve wracking to play up through the end. I'm just glad I was able to keep my **** together at the free throw line. But when they hit that three to bring my lead back down I thought "oh no here we go again."

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Something Simple

vs.

Sometimes a power conference team will host a scrappy mid-major and get a run for their money. Sometimes the mid-major gets the SportsCenter headline by grabbing the win on the road against their BCS opponent.

Not tonight.

The Wildcats did not come out dominating the Ball State Cardinals as one might expect, but the game was decidedly in Kansas State's favor. At first, the contest was an ugly thing to watch, as each team bruised in the middle and constantly missed jumpers. Hendrick Brickens was especially dominant on the glass, finishing with 17 rebounds (8 offensive). And for awhile, the Cardinals stuck around just by their motor and gritting their teeth.

L.L. Burns races down the court on the fast break, makes the reverse, and draws the foul.

But eventually their starters ran out of gas, and Ball State's depth was matched against Kansas State's depth. It was no contest. Freshman L.L. Burns took it upon himself to do what none of his teammates had bothered to do: show the visitor who's boss. Burns rattled off 8 straight points in a dizzying display during the first half, including a three, a jumper after crossing over his defender, and a sweet reverse layup that drew a foul. With Kansas State's small lead expanded to double digits, there was no looking back.

Coach West had the opportunity to play his bench for most of the second half, and the rest should be a luxury the starting 5 savors. The remaining slate of games in KSU's non conference schedule is as follows: at Duke, home against #5 Drexel, at Georgia Tech, and a final home game against Rutgers. Some nights keeping things simple and toned down is the right move prepare for what is to come.

Ball State Cardinals at Kansas State Wildcats
Dec 12, 2018	1ST	2ND	SCORE
Ball State (4-4)	23	33	56
Kansas State (7-3)	41	29	70

Ball State Cardinals
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
L. Miggins	23	4-14	2-7	0-0	0	5	2	0	0	10
J. Bradley	21	1-2	0-1	0-0	2	2	0	0	1	2
P. Atchinson	20	5-12	1-5	3-3	2	0	0	0	0	14
A. Hobbs	21	1-2	0-0	0-0	4	2	0	1	0	2
H. Brickens	21	5-10	0-1	0-0	17	0	0	1	0	10
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Tucker	9	2-2	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	1	0	4
K. Koundjia	12	4-8	0-1	0-0	0	1	1	0	3	8
A. Stivers	9	0-1	0-0	0-2	1	0	0	0	1	0
S. Domercant	7	3-6	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	6
G. Johnston	6	0-1	0-0	0-0	1	2	2	0	0	0
F. Fisher	-- DID NOT PLAY --
K. Paul	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		25-58	3-16	3-5	28	12	5	3	6	56

Kansas State Wildcats
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
B. Conroy	12	1-2	1-2	0-0	2	4	2	0	0	3
D. Bird	15	3-9	3-6	0-0	2	3	0	1	1	9
B. Gatling	15	6-11	0-4	0-0	3	1	1	0	0	12
D. Walls	15	3-5	0-0	1-1	2	0	0	0	1	7
D. Ross	13	2-4	0-0	2-3	5	1	0	1	0	6
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Worthington	8	2-5	0-0	0-0	1	1	1	0	0	4
E. Kummer	11	2-5	1-3	0-0	3	1	1	0	0	5
L. Burns	14	6-9	1-4	1-1	2	3	0	0	2	14
C. Weaver	15	0-3	0-0	0-0	4	3	0	1	0	0
R. Guzman	14	3-5	0-0	0-0	3	2	0	0	0	6
M. Mathis	10	2-5	0-0	0-0	5	1	1	0	1	4
M. Martin	7	0-2	0-2	0-0	3	1	0	0	0	0
TEAM TOTALS		30-65	6-21	4-5	35	21	6	3	5	70

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Immovable Object
vs.

In a game that was billed as a potential barn burner, it was defense that ruled the day in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Duke Blue Devils would combine for seven team steals, but that paled in comparison to Kansas State's astonishing 16 blocks on the night. In other words, it was not a good night to hold the ball on the perimeter, and a worse one to attack the hoop.

Walls set the defensive tone early with a vicious rejection

The two stalwart's of Kansas State's defense, DaMarcus Ross and Dandorriss Walls swatted shot after shot after shot early. The home crowd went from their usual obnoxious attacks on the road team to roaring vicious boos on their home squad. The Wildcats were able to convert in the half court, and whenever they got a block they would immediately push the fast break. Duke look over matched and unable to answer, and halfway through the first half found themselves down 15.

Of course, a huge lead that early in the first half can be overcome, and Coach Mike Krzyzewski was unphased. The Blue Devils are in a similar position to Kansas State in that they are still trying to break in a number of new recruits, and Duke looked at adversity as an opportunity to grow.

Well, they grew. Two adjustments had Coach Guy West totally flummoxed. First, Duke completely backed off of rebounding and instead ran everybody back on transition defense and clog the middle of the floor. Kansas State could not take advantage of the outside lanes, and instead had to move to half court and attempt to maintain their lead with jump shots. Barney Conroy, Esteban Kummer, Clarence Weaver, and L.L. Burns all had awful shooting nights at the same time. In total, Kansas State's bench only accounted for 9 points, far below their season average and a huge reason Duke was able to work their way back into the game despite being down so early.

Of course, there was another reason. At the end of the half Duke had attempted 16 more free throws than the Wildcats. But complaining about Duke getting more free throws (or dare I say, favorable treatment from the refs) is like complaining about cold in the winter. It sucks, but what can you do about it.

The unfortunate part of the foul disparity was that Kansas State's most dominant player was DaMarcus Ross. He controlled the court with 9 blocks on the night, and it is very possible he would have had 10 and a triple-double if not for having to sit due to fouls. But instead, any time he had to sit Duke would go on a run. And just like the Wildcats were up 15 points early, Duke found themselves up 17 points in the middle of the second half. The 32 point swing had to have driven Coach West crazy, especially when he entered the second half with a small lead.

But surrendering the middle portion of the game did not mean the Wildcats would not fight to the finish. Just when things were looking most bleak for Kansas State, they turned to Branduinn Gatling to try and bring them back into the fray. Gatling had a quiet night early due to not being able to shake Duke's high pressure defense, but West gave him the green light to shoot and he responded with 5 threes. Add in Duncan Bird finally hitting some shots from beyond the arc, and Duke went from a commanding lead to only being up 2 in the closing 30 seconds. Kansas State was forced to foul, and Santiago Skipworth responded by hitting only one of two free throws.

The Wildcats had life, and because of a key rebound by Gatling, they had the ball with a chance at the last shot to tie and force over time. Barney Conroy brought up the ball, the Cameron Crazies were on their feet, and everyone in the building knew Kansas State would try and get the ball to their second half sharp shooter.

The Wildcats took a time out to try and set up a play, with Coach West encouraging the team and reminding them they had all of the momentum. Conroy brought the ball up from back court and after winding down the clock watched as Gatling tried to work his way through a double screen. However, Gatling got hung up in traffic in the paint, and he could not get in position in time. Duncan Bird also could not free himself for a shot, and with the clock down to 4 seconds it was up to Conroy to once again find a way to get Kansas State the necessary points.

Duke's Martin Salazar was draped all over KSU's Junior College stud, but Conroy managed to get some separation and rise up for the last shot. Conroy had been cold all night, but he only needed to make one shot to send the game to overtime.

The ball flew high in the air, and for a moment it looked like it would sail through the net.

But it didn't. The clang of the rim was drowned out by Duke's fans taunting Kansas State off of the court. Kansas State's four game winning streak ends at the hands of Duke, final score 74-71.

Kansas State Wildcats at Duke Blue Devils
Dec 15, 2018	1ST	2ND	SCORE
Kansas State (8-3)	37	34	71
Duke (6-2)	32	42	74

Kansas State Wildcats
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
B. Conroy	18	1-8	1-5	0-0	3	4	0	0	2	3
D. Bird	19	4-8	3-7	0-0	0	3	0	1	1	11
B. Gatling	17	8-14	5-9	0-0	2	4	0	1	0	21
D. Walls	21	4-9	0-0	1-2	5	0	0	3	0	9
D. Ross	17	8-14	0-0	0-0	10	3	0	9	3	16
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Worthington	11	2-5	0-0	1-1	5	0	0	1	0	5
E. Kummer	10	0-3	0-3	0-0	3	3	0	0	0	0
L. Burns	12	0-6	0-4	0-0	0	3	0	0	1	0
C. Weaver	11	2-4	0-0	0-0	0	2	0	0	0	4
R. Guzman	9	0-0	0-0	2-2	3	0	0	1	0	2
M. Mathis	6	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	0
M. Martin	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		29-71	9-28	4-5	32	22	0	16	7	71

Duke Blue Devils
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
M. Salazar	24	5-13	3-5	5-9	5	8	1	0	0	18
S. Skipworth	25	7-17	0-2	4-6	7	4	1	0	0	18
L. Halcomb	24	2-11	0-2	2-2	9	1	2	1	0	6
V. Kavaliaskas	25	3-6	0-0	5-5	7	1	0	0	0	11
T. Ager	24	2-7	0-0	2-2	7	0	3	0	0	6
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Bigelow	5	1-2	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	0
D. Romero	12	2-8	0-1	2-2	2	1	0	0	1	6
J. Luna	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
J. Walters	1	0-1	0--	0-0	0	1	0	0	0	0
A. Millar	8	3-4	1-2	0-1	2	0	0	1	0	7
D. Carney	-- DID NOT PLAY --
B. Rios	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		25-69	4-12	20-27	40	16	7	2	1	74

[HarkTheSound]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Woah, they only turned it over one time? That's gotta be some kind of record, right? Hah.

And one last note: **** the dookies.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Woah, they only turned it over one time? That's gotta be some kind of record, right? Hah.

And one last note: **** the dookies.

Yeah, there was a lot in that game that I didn't like. The one replay from the game is a sign that I kind of raged afterwards and just backed out of the game instead of going through the play summary for replays.

Of course, free throw replays are not that exciting.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Men's College Basketball: Dec 22, 2018

This week's Top 25 cannot be characterized as a shake up so much as a restoration of order. While there has been plenty of movement up and down the rankings, most of it is back towards where pollsters placed the teams to begin with.

NCAA Hoops Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Dec 22, 2018
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	RECORD	RPI
1	2	West Virginia	12-1	3
2	3	Louisville	10-1	21
3	5	NC State	10-1	8
4	4	Drexel	12-0	68
5	1	Charlotte	10-1	10
6	7	Marquette	10-1	17
7	6	Oregon State	9-1	42
8	8	UCLA	11-1	77
9	11	Ohio State	10-2	6
10	15	Villanova	10-3	19
11	20	Connecticut	10-2	48
12	10	UTEP	6-1	57
13	16	St. John's	7-1	207
14	13	Illinois	10-2	50
15	14	Alabama	12-1	46
16	12	Temple	12-2	25
17	NR	Memphis	6-1	2
18	18	Florida	10-3	156
19	17	USC	11-1	12
20	19	Washington	12-0	34
21	21	La Salle	9-1	30
22	9	Clemson	8-2	5
23	24	Marshall	8-1	40
24	22	Utah State	8-4	107
25	NR	Dayton	8-2	43

Charlotte drops out of its one week stint in the top spot after its first loss, leaving West Virginia to slide back up to the top spot. Connecticut continues to rage through its non-conference schedule after a few early losses. Clemson, on the other hand, is sliding down the polls quickly despite playing tougher competition. As for new teams in the top 25? Memphis leaps back into the Top 25 while Dayton cracks the rankings for the first time in decades.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Grudge Match? Depends on Where You're Sitting

Is two years a long time in college basketball? Yes, these programs have recent history and there were administrative reasons that last year's game between the two was cancelled. But that lapse in time may have killed off what could have been a budding rivalry before it started. These are two quality programs heading in similar directions, and if all things go as they should there will be one heck of a match-up in Bramlage Coliseum between the #4 Dragons and the un-ranked Wildcats.

But that doesn't guarantee there will be the edge or intensity from two schools hating each other.

"I have a lot of respect for Coach West and how he built up the program at Drexel," is a phrase Nile Miller has used repeatedly this week. Coach Miller, formerly of Mississippi Valley State, has carried the torch at Drexel since Coach West left, guiding the Dragons to CAA Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances. The two time CAA Coach of the Year is not one for nonsense or pretenses though, adding, "We wanted Kansas State on our schedule because they're a quality team and tough at home, not because someone is their head coach. That's a terrible reason to schedule a game."

But not everyone is so willing to ignore the Guy West angle. The Dragons feature a number of players who were brought in and recruited by West. And although some of them play very different roles under Nile Miller, the connection is still there. One player in particular to watch is Kentrell Dean, a top recruit who fell into West's dog house early due to poor defensive effort but has thrived under Miller's stewardship. Although Dean did not want to add bulletin board material for this game, it was clear that any game against his old coach would be one he had circled on his calendar. Other players, such as Dez Braxton and Shannon Legans, were more inclined to treat this like another game and stay focused on adding to Drexel's undefeated record.

Still, talking to the Dragons it is clear there is not a sense of immediacy that there was two years before. Nowhere was the kind of animosity that would lead to an incident like Coach West leaving the bench and getting ejected.

So that leaves maybe the most relevant question of all: where does Kansas State University fit in to this tango between ex-coach and ex-team? Only two players are still on the active roster from the Kansas State squad that got steamrolled in Philadelphia in 2016. Neither is a key player. And it goes without saying that the Bramlage crowd will not be nearly as hostile or fired up as the DAC Pack.

Instead, this is a classic match-up of defending "our guy." Of course, whether Coach West has won over Manhattan, KS is still an open question. But after tip-off, you can bet the crowd in Bramlage will use any extra motivation it can get to help the Wildcats overcome a Top 5 program.

When asked whether his coach had any extra motivation going into this game, Team Captain Dandorriss Walls shed a little bit of light. "Coach is not going to hide the ball. This game means a lot to him. But he doesn't emphasize it in practice or meetings either. He's got no reason. It's obvious. We've just gotta work our butts off to not let him down."

Other members of the team shared a similar sentiment. There's nothing personal, just a high ranked team coming to town and an opportunity exercise ghosts of their head coach's past.

If there are ghosts left worth exorcising. Coach West did not mince words when asked about his looming rematch with the team he helped guide to a historic National Championship, "Drexel is too good of an opponent to get caught up in the pageantry and drama instead of focusing on the Xs and Os. I'm proud of what I helped accomplish there, but getting stuck in the past is going to wind up hitting us in the loss column. I don't want to lose this game." The edge in West's voice in that last statement was unmistakeable.

So how long is two years in college basketball? Apparently long enough to simmer some of the tension, but not long enough to bury the hatchet.

Kansas State vs #4 Drexel Team Comparison

Spoiler

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Work has been pretty hectic these past few days. My hope is to get back to continuing updates tonight or tomorrow.

Hope you all enjoyed the real NCAA tournament. Louisville was about the only thing I got right in my bracket .

[southernmetalhead]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Work has been pretty hectic these past few days. My hope is to get back to continuing updates tonight or tomorrow.

Hope you all enjoyed the real NCAA tournament. Louisville was about the only thing I got right in my bracket .

I work over 50 hours a week. So believe me, I understand.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Exhale and Let Go
vs. #5

There are some victories that are ultimately satisfying. Despite deflecting attention from all of the pre-game build up, the kathartic moment of looking up at the score board and seeing a 23 point lead against a Top 5 had to be satisfying to Coach Guy West. Especially with the way Drexel obliterated both his team and his composure when these two teams last danced in Philadelphia.

Future NBA prospects Dez Braxton & DaMarcus Ross meet in the paint early.

Bramlage Coliseum was alive for this one, and both Kansas State and Drexel came out slugging. Each team was intimately familiar with what the other was trying to do despite the roster turnover, and more often than not the game broke on who was able to make the hustle plays. There were constant collisions on defense. There was aggression in attacking the basket. No one was going to back down.

But it became apparent pretty quickly who was in charge of the home court. Coach West prepared his players defensively for the Dragons, and it showed most clearly when Drexel's spark plug, sixth man and the team's leading scorer Shannon Legans, entered the game. Legans normally eviscerates defenses with his shooting, speed, and passing, but the second leading scorer in the nation was held to just 4 points in the first half. In fact, Drexel's primary weapons, Kentrell Dean, Dez Braxton, and Legans were all held in check in the first half combining for a paltry 10 points.

The Wildcats piled up a huge advantage off of second chance points

With Drexel's offense staggering, it was up to the Wildcats to go for the throat and execute on the other end. The home team did so by using their clear side advantage to attack the basket and attack the glass. Kansas State was not having a great shooting night, but it did not matter when their trees were able to snatch up shot attempt after shot attempt. Add in a healthy dose of the fast break and some quality shooting by Branduinn Gatling and Barney Conroy, and the rout was on.

The Wildcats entered the half with a 21 point advantage. Drexel was playing such an abysmal game that it almost looked like they could be knocked out of the Top 25 entirely. They weren't just laying an egg -- it was something worse. When their leading scorer at the half was Kyle Walters, who usually only averages 2 points per game, that's a sign of a problem. A big problem.

But by midway through the second half, the tables would turn entirely.

Normally Coach West is known for his halftime adjustments and cool, calculated maneuvers. However, this week in practice he tried to preach focus and follow through to his players instead. There were numerous mental break downs that contributed to the Wildcats dropping a huge half time lead to Duke. West wanted to ensure there would not be a similar breakdown.

But, for want of a better phrase, the sleeping Dragons awoke after DaMarcus Ross put the Wildcats up by 23 in the opening minutes of the half. And it was not with a graceful wing flap or song, but with a fiery roar. The Dragons started competing for rebounds and soon Kansas State was not getting multiple opportunities. Instead, the shot would miss the first time and Drexel would be running the ball back down the court. Then the points started pouring in.

Drexel used a career night from Kyle Walters to stay afloat and get back into the game

It started with Walters continuing to be able to attack the base line. It did not matter what defense Kansas State ran, no one was able to keep up with the Junior Small Forward. Next, Kentrell Dean and Dez Braxton decided to take control of the perimeter for themselves. The Drexel back court duo used a two man game to fluster Kansas State's young guards to the effect of scoring 16 straight points. The Wildcats' lead went from comfortable to manageable to questionable in a hurry, and no amount of time outs or substitutions by West were able to get his team to calm down.

All Kansas State had to do was slow down the game and hold onto the lead. They managed to slow down the game, but in the process went scoreless for over 5 minutes. With 7 minutes remaining, Drexel had vaporized a 23 point deficit to take their first lead since the opening minutes of the game.

West once again called time out to try and get his team to pull itself together. The Wildcats had tightened up, and the Bramlage crowd with them. What had turned into a sure rout of a Top 5 program and flipped into a disaster in the making.

Kentrell Dean gets two of his 17 second half points off of great defense

But no amount of Coaching could save West from a player scorned. Kentrell Dean was all over the place, hitting shots and disrupting the Wildcats' offense. Drexel's Coach Miller urged his players to lay off of the pressure in order to play the passing lanes instead, but Dean was fast enough to do both. He schooled KSU's PG Conroy on multiple occasions, and his leadership and ability to tip passes helped Drexel force 7 second half turnovers of the Wildcats. Soon, Drexel's lead grew to 5 points, then 10 points. Coach West's squad was sinking fast.

At least so far this season, this would be the point where someone would come in, step up, and make a shot. But Gatling was 0 for the second half from beyond the arc despite getting wide open looks, and Esteban Kummer was equally ineffective. Instead, it would take Clarence Weaver, and later DaMarcus Ross, who ran into foul trouble in the second half, getting to the hoop to help Kansas State chip away at Drexel's lead. But for every shot Kansas State made, Drexel had an answer. Whether it was another jam by Walters or a timely long range jumper from Legans, Drexel continued to maintain its lead.

Now it was Drexel's turn to slow down the clock and try and bleed out the game. Kansas State had whittled the Dragons' lead to 4 with just over a minute left. Dean brought the ball down the court and shrugged off Barney Conroy. As the shot clock ticked, Tim Caldwell went to the top of the key to set a pick for Conroy, but the KSU guard sensed it and was able to work his way around it quickly. Dean went by the pick, and there was just enough of a window to get off a clean shot. Conroy was able to get a hand near Dean's face, but it was too late. The three hit the bottom of the net and extended Drexel's lead back to 7. There was little to do but foul, and fouling was futile. Drexel thoroughly embarrassed Guy West Kansas State on their home floor by coming all the way back from 23 down in the second half to secure an 88-82 victory.

With time winding down, Dean ices the game with his fifth three pointer of the second half

For Kentrell Dean, who's sharp shooting and stellar second half play put the Dragons over the top, a win over the coach who benched him again and again had to be especially satisfying. Tonight Dean showed why he is a projected first round pick, and he gave NBA teams plenty of good tape to review.

As for the Wildcats, things are looking bleaker. With their four game winning streak a distant memory, Kansas State is going to have to dig deep and do a lot of soul searching. So much went wrong in this game. The Wildcats shot the ball 21 more times than their opponent but only made 3 more field goals. They shot 9 more three pointers but only made 1 more than the Dragons. Kansas State committed numerous turnovers in the second half while Drexel only committed two. And far too often, Kansas State settled for jump shots while Drexel attacked the basket, as is evidenced by the free throw disparity -- and one need not throw in KSU's appalling 2-9 performance from the line.

And those are just the numbers -- there are numerous intangible qualities that must be taken into account with a loss like this as well. Coach West has a young team, and he has said multiple times that he is willing to ride out the lows in pursuit of a bright future. But being young is no excuse. The Wildcats are too talented to lose like they did tonight especially after their Duke implosion.

This loss falls entirely on one man's shoulders. And well into the night, the rallying cry of "Fire West" could once again be heard on radio chatter and message boards in some circles of Manhattan.

Drexel Dragons at Kansas State Wildcats
Dec 27, 2018	1ST	2ND	SCORE
#4 Drexel (12-0)	30	58	88
Kansas State (8-4)	51	31	82

Drexel Dragons
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
K. Dean	23	7-12	5-8	2-2	0	9	0	0	2	21
D. Braxton	23	7-19	0-4	2-4	3	7	4	2	3	16
K. Walters	24	10-14	1-3	5-5	6	1	1	0	1	26
H. Nardi	22	3-6	1-1	2-2	10	1	1	0	0	9
T. Caldwell	24	3-5	0-0	2-2	6	2	0	1	1	8
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
S. Legans	10	2-5	0-3	2-2	1	2	1	0	3	6
K. Diakhate	5	0-2	0-0	0-0	1	1	0	0	0	0
J. Fellows	4	0-2	0-0	0-0	2	0	0	0	0	0
J. Love	10	1-1	0-0	0-0	4	0	1	2	1	2
M. Gamble	4	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	1	0	0
P. Sayman	-- DID NOT PLAY --
K. Jensen	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		33-66	7-19	15-17	34	23	8	6	11	88

Kansas State Wildcats
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
B. Conroy	19	4-11	3-6	0-0	2	8	2	0	2	11
D. Bird	16	3-10	1-3	1-3	2	5	1	0	1	8
B. Gatling	23	7-20	2-11	0-0	7	5	0	0	0	16
D. Walls	20	8-12	0-0	0-3	9	2	3	4	1	16
D. Ross	15	4-9	0-0	0-0	6	3	1	1	2	8
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Worthington	12	1-1	0-0	1-2	4	1	0	2	1	3
E. Kummer	7	0-4	0-4	0-0	4	0	0	0	0	0
L. Burns	10	1-3	1-2	0-0	0	1	1	0	2	3
C. Weaver	16	5-11	1-2	0-1	2	3	0	0	0	11
R. Guzman	7	2-5	0-0	0-0	3	1	1	0	0	4
M. Mathis	5	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	2
M. Martin	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		36-87	8-28	2-9	39	29	9	7	9	82

[HarkTheSound]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Wow after reading the start of this post I thought for sure you pulled off the upset...tough, tough loss. Young team still going through some growing pains.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Wow after reading the start of this post I thought for sure you pulled off the upset...tough, tough loss. Young team still going through some growing pains.

Definitely one of the more rage inducing losses I've suffered in this game. Taking the stakes of the game out of the equation, since this was non-conference regular season, this was the worst loss I have ever suffered in this game. Not so much by margin as by how it happened.

The funny/sad part is that my front court is so much larger and so much higher rated than Drexel, yet they were able to go toe to toe in the paint and on the boards. Oh well, so it goes.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Working as a Team
vs.

The Yellow Jackets may not be the same since their loss in the NCAA finals a few years ago, but don't tell that to Guy West and the Wildcats. Kansas State is on a downward spiral of their own, and the last thing they needed was to slip up and lose three in a row on the road.

But a funny thing happened between the film room and the court. Georgia Tech has been known all year for crushing defense and a slow-down grind it out play. However, Coach Paul Hewitt had plenty of tape to break down Kansas State's vulnerabilities, and tonight he decided to change his tune. The Yellow Jackets pushed the pace and ran the fast break from start to finish. It went completely against their style, and it caught Guy West totally off guard.

But even if Hewitt was able to outmaneuver West on the chalk board, the game would still boil down to whose players could execute better on the hardwood.

The Yellow Jackets get a double strike at the end of the half.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, the turnover bug struck again. Georgia Tech swarmed passing lanes and attempted to strip the ball any time it went into the paint or any time a Kansas State player would hold onto it for too long. The result was not only KSU getting knocked out of rhythm, but Georgia Tech also getting easy points in transition. Any time it looked like Kansas State was starting to take control, Georgia tech would get free points. No sequence was more damaging to the Wildcats than at the end of the half, where they surrendered a lay-up to their 2-3 zone with 5 seconds, then immediately surrendered another layup off the inbound pass. Their 9 point lead was slashed to 5. The Yellow Jackets had to like their chances going into the second half.

Kansas State's turnover woes continue in the second half.

As has been the case in their last 2 games, the Wildcats managed to get a double digit lead on their opponent than squander it all. Georgia Tech was able to push out in front early in the second period by continuing to run the ball and work their high pressure defense. Coach West was constantly flummoxed, with his adjustments having little to no effect. Eventually, he decided to throw the brakes and yank his entire starting line up.

L.L. Burns doesn't stop to think but instead buries the three

The switch paid off. With fresh bodies on the floor, Coach West decided to go back to his strategy in the first half and pack the defense in the paint. He dared the Yellow Jackets to hit anything from beyond the arc. This time, there was nothing Georgia Tech could do. Johnny Price, who had been so effective in the first half, constantly passed out of shots with marginal results. Meanwhile, L.L. Burns and Esteban Kummer put on a shooting clinic for the fans in Atlanta, and eventually the Wildcats were able to restore their lead and preserve a win by a 69-58 margin.

While the final score may show that Kansas State was effective at closing down on defense, there is another line from the box score that is more impressive. The Wildcats managed to win on the road without a single starter hitting double figures. Instead, the entire team shared the load. As a result, Kansas State avoided a third ugly loss in a row and can now look to hitting 10 wins to close out their non-conference schedule.

Kansas State Wildcats at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Jan 2, 2019	1ST	2ND	SCORE
Kansas State (8-5)	40	29	69
Georgia Tech (8-5)	35	23	58

Kansas State Wildcats
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
B. Conroy	21	2-7	1-5	0-0	3	5	1	1	1	5
D. Bird	10	1-6	0-1	0-0	3	3	0	0	1	2
B. Gatling	20	2-6	2-5	1-2	3	1	0	1	3	7
D. Walls	14	3-6	0-0	0-1	6	0	1	0	2	6
D. Ross	18	4-9	0-0	0-0	5	0	1	1	0	8
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Worthington	11	4-4	0-0	0-0	4	1	0	0	0	8
E. Kummer	13	2-4	2-4	0-0	3	1	0	0	1	6
L. Burns	9	3-4	3-3	0-0	4	3	0	0	2	9
C. Weaver	17	4-4	0-0	0-0	3	6	0	2	1	8
R. Guzman	4	1-2	0-0	0-0	1	1	0	0	0	2
M. Mathis	4	1-2	0-0	0-0	1	1	0	0	0	2
M. Martin	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		30-58	8-18	1-3	37	22	3	6	12	69

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
J. Price	24	5-9	2-3	0-0	1	10	1	0	1	12
S. Watts	20	5-18	1-12	0-0	2	1	1	0	2	11
E. Finley	23	5-13	0-4	0-0	4	0	1	0	0	10
C. Hatten	24	3-8	0-0	0-0	7	1	3	2	0	6
D> Sargent	20	3-8	0-0	0-2	7	1	1	2	1	6
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
R. Popoola	11	2-8	1-6	0-0	1	1	0	0	0	5
M. Spong	8	2-4	0-0	2-2	1	1	0	0	0	6
A. Nardi	11	0-1	0-0	0-0	5	1	2	0	0	0
C. Rogers	1	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
C. Blevins	5	1-2	0-1	0-0	0	0	1	0	0	2
V. ZImmerman	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
M. Reaser	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
TEAM TOTALS		26-72	4-27	2-4	28	16	10	4	4	58

[cgalligan]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is SIMPLY AMAZING!!!

I'd be honored if you checked out my Cavaliers Association Blog (see sig) and gave me thoughts

Keep up the amazing work!