WSU leads 32-20 at half

It’s easy to see the fruits of a defensive effort like WSU had in the first half today. When the opposition is shooting 38 percent and has scored just 20 points, it’s pretty obvious the Cougars are doing pretty darn well on the defensive end. But what is harder to measure is offensive efficiency, though there are stats for that. The true test is not in points scored (32 in the first 20 minutes) or points per possession (WSU only came up empty on 12 in the first half) but in how a team is attacking the opposition, and what the defense does to react to the attack. In this, the Cougars have been quite efficient. When OSU uses its 1-3-1 trap, they’ve attacked through the elbows and corners, getting open looks. When it has been the 2-3 matchup, the attack has been through ball screens on the wings. The looks have been good against that as well. The Cougars are shooting 56.5 percent, have turned the ball over just five times – including one on Aron Baynes as time ran out – and have 11 points off the bench. They lead by 12 despite just three points from Baynes and none from Taylor Rochestie, who has taken just one shot. We’ll be back when it’s over. Till then …