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WSU Pac-10 loss, the morning after

Posted by Vince

March 11, 2010 7:40 a.m. • 27 comments

COUGARS

The worst thing about overtime games, if you are on the losing side, is the sense afterward that one thing, one little thing, one block out, one shot, one pass, may have made the difference between winning and losing. Or 13 missed free throws. We have some links, so read on.

••••••••••

• Washington State: The game got done so late that we weren’t able to grab more than a couple quotes, which we used. We do have a few put together by the Pac-10 staff, so we’ll pass those on. First, the links. … We had our game story on the blog last night. … By the way, we’re going to cover the WSU women’s game tonight and will have a post or two. … Freelancer Howie Stalwick has his game story in the Kitsap Sun and other papers. … The thrust of the Oregon stories can be expected: Coach Ernie Kent is still coaching the Ducks. … Bob Clark had this game story in the Register-Guard. … And John Hunt filed this piece for the Oregonian. … Speaking of Oregon, and we were, here is an interesting piece from the Oregonian concerning the Ducks’ football developments yesterday. … We mentioned in the story postseason possibilities. Don’t be too surprised if WSU plays in the CBI, traveling either to New Mexico State, Nevada or the University of Portland in the opening round. We whould find out for sure late Sunday night. Oh, and Colorado State might be a possibility. … One last note. … It’s especially ironic freshman E.J. Singler was the one who tipped in the tying bucket. When Singler was a junior, playing with Michael Harthun in high school, there was a disagreement at WSU whether the Cougars should offer him early. WSU assistant Matt Woodley was adamant they should, hoping to lock up Singler before others figured out how good the undersized (6-foot-6) power forward was. It didn’t happen. WSU offered later but then Oregon came through with a scholarship offer and Singler accepted. It probably have happened even if WSU had made its offer early, but who knows.

•••

• Here’s the (limited) quote book …

• Coach Ken Bone on Oregon: “They have a lot of talent and they’re very difficult to stop on the defensive end, especially (Tajuan) Porter, who had a very good game.”

• Bone on the second half: “We took care of the basketball better. We still had a few turnovers, but I think we had 11 at halftime and 17 for the game. We had 11 in 20 minutes and six in the last 25 minutes. That gave us a chance even though we got down by 10 or 12 points. It gave us a chance to get back just by taking care of the ball.” … WSU was credited with 11 turnovers in the halftime box, but that was revised and in the final statistical book, the revised halftime box listed 12 turnovers. … WSU’s largest deficit was 12 with 10:47 left in the second half.

• Bone on Marcus Capers and Brock Motum: “We really needed that. Without their contributions … I’m not sure we would be sitting here now, but probably a half-hour ago.”

• Capers on losing to Oregon three times: “Anytime you lose three times in a row to someone it hurts. It’s real hard. We felt like we were cheated the first time. A matter of seconds between us winning and losing.”

• Kent on Porter: “We have raised the bar so dog-garn hard that it seems like year after year there is a guy that everyone wants to beat up and pick on, but he keeps grinding through. He is a very special and gifted player. I thought he was tremendous. … I have never seen him play tougher. I just thought he gutted us through the game and willed us to win.”

•••

• Around the Pac-10: Winning this tournament may not be Cal’s No. 1 priority right now. … Will Washington get to dance? Other conferences will have a say in that. … The Sun Devils know they have to win today to even have a shot at the NCAAs. … Reeves Nelson is back for UCLA. … And Arizona will try to break a trend.

•••

• That’s it for now. We’ll be back before the women’s game tonight from the Galen Center. Until then …

27 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

rufus on March 11 at 7:51 a.m.
every disappointing loss…every disappointing season – the last play (or lack of play ) in overtime summed up the season.
( the year for ‘hell” … not just the season …continues.
Grady on March 11 at 7:51 a.m.
That first paragraph is brilliant. Whatever they’re paying you, Vince, it’s not enough.
Beiron on March 11 at 8:01 a.m.
I could have jumped as high as singlar by planting my hand on watsons shoulder as well.
bluck on March 11 at 8:26 a.m.
For the articles defending Bone, please retrack. Why are we lucky to have Reggie again? He choose WSU because of a faster pace of play than when the Bennets were here??? The only fast breaks he led were for Oregon off of his turnovers. He would be perfect for a Bennet style of game. Am I the only one that thought X was playing better in this game and down the stretch of the season?
This team has talent, don’t tell me they don’t. No way is this a last place team. No way at all. Expectations should be incredibly high next year. Mr. Moose, your job just got a little tougher. last night pushed me over the edge.
I’ll get over it thiough.
blotto on March 11 at 8:40 a.m.
We all realize f.t. shooting was abysmal. H.S. girls shoot 60-70%.Don’t start, I’m not down-grading the girls, I’m the father of one. My last Boner of the year has to be Reggie at the line late in the game. Ernie has no timeouts left, can’t ice the shooter, can’t make adjustments. Reggie makes the front end of the one & one,Coach CALLS time-out! Bone ices his OWN shooter, misses the next f.t., Ernie gets to settle his team down, adjust & the rest is history!!!
Rando on March 11 at 9:17 a.m.
I’ll tell you one little thing that cost WSU the game…near the end of regulation, Moore chose not to pass to a WIDE OPEN, hot-handed Koprivica on the baseline and instead forced the ball to the right side. Net: 0 points vs. a likely 2 or 3 points. Granted, he’s a freshman, but that was ridiculous.
EllensburgCoug on March 11 at 9:25 a.m.
Remember that game last year in Eugene against Oregon? We didn’t miss a free throw. The Cougs went an incredible 28 for 28 at the charity stripe.
Sigh!
Beiron on March 11 at 9:35 a.m.
I remember all of the comments last year about CBI costing the teams that played in it money. At the moment with this team I am really ready to just move on rather than watch another heartwrenching loss. Way too many close games resulting in losses multiple times on last plays of the game. I can only hope that this improves with maturity.

This could also be what the football season feels like next year if they improve in talent but just can’t get over the hump.
eagleproducer on March 11 at 10:02 a.m.
First of all, some perspective:

Rufus: It’s sports, dude. Look up the word vicariously and get back to me.

Grady: Yeah, Vince is Faulkner/Fitzgerald/Steinbeck all rolled into one. I hear his next career move will be Pimpton-esque as he dons a napkin and wields a knife and fork to compete in the North Idaho Rocky Mountain Oyster Eating Contest. He hopes to summon his inner Kobyachi to take home the vaunted first prize of free entrance into next year’s tilt.

The Cougars performance at the ine last night cost them the game. In the immortal words of one Bill Walton, “Make a free throw, one time…”
OlyCoug on March 11 at 11:08 a.m.
Why let Porter have the ball at all on the tying possession? Why not blanket the little “b” and let someone else dribble the length of the court and try to score with 5 seconds left?!

It was so obvious how that was going to happen. The only surprise was that he actually missed the shot. Never fear, though, as the most important offensive board went to the Ducks.

So very painful.

Still, how many other first year coaches eke out a winning record with WSU? (Tony B doesn’t count, as his dad did all the work.)

That’s the problem with having expectations. At 12-3 you figured the Cougs would win more than four the rest of the way.

Maybe next year, Cougs…maybe next year.
RobE on March 11 at 12:11 p.m.
I’m really disappointed, but maybe some of this was my own expectations. With this team being so young, my thoughts were that they would gain confidence as they gained experience. Yet it seemed like we got more cautious and less confident as the season progressed. I think Klay and Reggie started the season looking like world beaters, but as the season progressed, they regressed.

That said Casto was the MVP of the second half of the season, he became more of a force and a more complete player through this season, he grew during the season, like I thought the team would.

My hopes for next season:
Klay needs to lose the sulking altogether, and just be confident in himself and his game.
Reggie needs to learn to focus for 40 minutes, if he eliminates the lapses, he’ll be league MVP
Casto just needs more bulk and some rest so he can come into the season fresh.
Motum also needs bulk, with a little more muscle he can be a very special inside out threat.
Capers works on a mid range jumper to compliment his defense, speed and dunking
Lodwick, more muscle so he can help free up Casto inside

Go Cougs!
MikeSequim on March 11 at 12:53 p.m.
I still don’t buy the “Young” thing. It was over 25 games into a season and I think the youth thing should’ve been let go of! Talent is the issue. The bench is VERY weak compared to the rest of the teams in the league. The starting 5 was average in comparison. Next year they will be older…………..but better? I don’t think for some on this team that will be the case. I’m still on board with Coach Bone recruiting his own. Give him 3 years and see if there is progress.
bluck on March 11 at 1:17 p.m.
Whats wrong with expectations being high with this team. I mean, I don’t think many really bought into a chance to win the conference title like some wrote articles about, but please folks, this was a total collapse. Totally embarassing. Don’t undersell our talent. We have 3 players that have been on the all frosh team. Our bench isn’t that bad either. Many other pac 10 teams were in similar situation. Bench Might have gotten better if he used them more during season. At times we actualy looked better when bench was used last night.
I actualy like Reggie Moore, but he is slow, bad ball handler, average shooter and needs to make others around him better. he is strong in the lane though. Many of the bad things we saw last night and down the season stretch are coaching. I give people time and will root for Bone, but if he can’t win with this group he isn’t going to be able to recruit better.
Looking like you have an actual plan in the half court as well as situational preperation might be a start.
EugeneCoug on March 11 at 2:17 p.m.
I was at the games in Corvallis and Eugene. Both games, just like last night and way too many others this season, were there to be won. It is absolutely INEXCUSEABLE to lose all of those games. Last night was just the cherry on top. I am sick of the “young team” excuse. We finished last in the league. We were the first team eliminated from the tournament. TO THE DUCKS!!!! Anybody out there who thinks that this team will no doubt learn for this disaster is deluding themselves. Whether the Cougs develop into a winning team next year will take hard work and lots of it. Finding new ways to lose every night does not make you a better team. Deciding to take some responsibility to get better and make plays will help. I look forward to seeing how these players (and coaches) respond. But I don’t look forward to watching a repeat of this season. Ever again.
TommyCoug on March 11 at 3:11 p.m.
Vince, I am still not sure what I saw last night in the final OT possession? I think Ken Bone needs to be asked the question…what did you call…anything? Were you hoping Klay T. would get a shot or were you using him as a decoy…the thing was a non-entity…WHY!? R. Moore takes the last shot with not enough time for a rebound…hadn’t been shooting well all night…not even playing very well…he couldn’t have been the call…a freshman!? The game was lost before this…and should have been won before this play…16.7 seconds of absolutely nothing!!

Explanation please?

P.S.—OlyCoug…How come Tony Bennett doesn’t count for a winning first season because of his father…yet Bone does for this year, with Tony and Dick’s players?

Scrap the CBI thing…I can’t stand another stomping…go to class, eat and hit the weight room and learn to shoot consistently over 45% or near 50% from the field and near 75% from the freethrow lane, along with passing, improved defense and taking care of the basketball with low turnovers…otherwise this year is going to be perpetuated forever!!
coug79 on March 11 at 3:19 p.m.
Blotto—Amen. I agree completely. When Bone called that time out after Moore made his first free throw with only seconds remaining, I almost yelled at the TV! I thought, “OMG, for the first time in NCAA history, a coach is icing his own player.” That call put the “Bone” in bonehead.
fitz on March 11 at 5:18 p.m.
The time out shouldn’t have iced Reggie, he should have enough confidence to step up and make the free throw. Coaches don’t call timeouts to ice opposing players, that’s a complete waste of timeouts. They are talking about situational things that they surely have gone over in practice. Icing players is something analysts love to talk about and is way overrated.
blotto on March 11 at 7:16 p.m.
Sorry Fitz,, but your mis-informed.This coaching ploy has gone on for decades. Also, might you think with noT.O’s., Ernie was a little grateful to chat with his kids?
coug79 on March 11 at 7:32 p.m.
Fitz—well, duh. I agree the call it “shouldn’t” have iced Reggie…but when the kid is clearly struggling from the line and then makes the first one….let him keep shooting. Plus, as Blotto said, with no timeouts remaining does it really make sense to give Ernie a chance to instruct his players on what to do next depending on what happens with Reggie’s second shot. Sorry…but I don’t get it.
OlyCoug on March 11 at 7:33 p.m.
TommyCoug,
Tony was an assistant before he became head man, so I don’t think there’s any comparison. Some other interesting coach stats:

Raveling was 6-20 his first year (and 24-57 in his first three years); Sampson was 13-16 (30-57 in his first three years); Harshman didn’t get his first winning season until eight years into his tenure. Yet, Kevin Eastman was 18-12 (48-40 his first three years).

So was Eastman the best coach? I doubt anyone here would argue that. I’m not going to claim that I’m happy about this season. It was a bitter disappointment and there were lots of things that drove me crazy, like all the rest of you.

Fact is, Cougarville is a place where stuff almost never works out the first year, no matter what. More often than not, it doesn’t *ever* work out (sorry, Paul Graham and Len Stevens—and good riddance!).

Despite the horrific finish, this was still one of the best first seasons ever in Coug basketball history. Sad, but true.
TommyCoug on March 11 at 9:13 p.m.
OlyCoug, now you are “qualifing” how you rate the head coaches “first” year at WSU. That’s not what you stated…so Bone, having been a head coach elsewhere, should have done better? That doesn’t make sense either. Compare apples to apples, man.

As for Harshman…he did less with some of the best talent WSU had had in years…Sells, Damon, Ball, etc. in late 50’s early 60’s. He won more at Washington than he did at WSU…so I could care less…let him be remembered as a Husky! Jud Heathcoate was the best coach on that staff and you know where he went and what he did…don’t you?

Remember, you were expecting great things (though I wasn’t) the 2nd half of the conference season…to expect something different next year if nothing changes in the talent and athletic level of the players or some changes or corrections with or in the coaching staff…well, history, performance and behavior has a tendency of repeating itself…I hope I don’t have to remind you of this next year!?
coug79 on March 11 at 10:15 p.m.
Let the record show that for this season, TommyCoug was one of the few, if not the only one I saw on this blog who actually predicted the second half Pac-10 meltdown by WSU. The rest of us, myself included, were far more optimistic. So, TommyCoug may be overly pessimistic, but he IS the only one who actually called it right.

Guess we’ll all have to wait until next year….
Ridgetop on March 11 at 10:30 p.m.
I agree with RobE and add a few things. Casto really improved from the first of the season and I credit coaching and his hard work for that. His ball handling really improved. No matter what you say this is a young team. You will be surprised how much they improve over the summer. A lot of the instructions they received will jell over the summer and they will do better.
My only criticism of the game last night was the inability to stop Porter particularly at the end of the game. Sorry coach but you have to take the blame for that.
Lets remember that Moore is a freshman. He has such potential and will be a great player.
I’m looking forward to next year.
TommyCoug……Coach Wooden was asked to list the best Coaches he coached against and he said in a USA Today article that Harshman was on the top of the list.
Go cougs
blotto on March 12 at 7:43 a.m.
TC, either your looking at record books or your an”oldCoug”. I suspect the later. You obviously know the importance of Jud during Marv’s years. Good points–-
OlyCoug on March 12 at 9:32 a.m.
Tommy,

Tony Bennett was already familiar with—helped created—WSU’s system. And it took the Bennetts several years. So, no, I don’t think it’s fair to consider Tony’s first solo year a valid comparison with Bone’s. Even if you want to compare the two, what are you arguing? That the Cougs were screwed because they lost a really good coach? I doubt anyone will argue that it’s like starting over with Bone. But Tony’s having a Bone-like year in Virginia, so maybe he’s not God’s gift to college basketball after all.

In any case, his first year was freakish…a total anomaly, as far as first year coaching at WSU goes. Statistically speaking, no one can argue with that. Whether it was his great talents or just several years of hard work with his dad that created it is up for debate (but not much debate, in my opinion).

I WAS expecting a strong finish. You’re right. And you called it correctly—the Cougs faltered down the stretch in a way that only pessimists of your caliber could have predicted. However, though I can’t prove it, I’m guessing you probably had the same attitude when Weaver/Lowe/Cowgill were going through their growing pains with a new coach and struggling just like the team is now. Or did you predict a 25+ wins the next two seasons? If so, your crystal ball is much better than the rest of ours.

Yes, I am optimistic for next year. I predict an NCAA bid. I think these players will put it together and they will end up winning more close games than losing them. So let’s hope this prediction is a lot more accurate than my last one.

Go Cougs!
TommyCoug on March 12 at 2:40 p.m.
Blotto…I didn’t graduate just a few years ago that’s for sure…and how old do you have to be to be an “Old Coug?” OK…I admit it…I have seen a few coaches, AD’s, presidents and players go through Cougarville.

Coug79…unfortuanetly…as I have said before…I called it…I wish it hadn’t come true!

OlyCoug, I have been too optimistic on the Cougs at times over my years. However, my experience has taught me to “call ‘em as I see ‘em.” Not as I wish them to be.

I will be pulling for Paul Wullf and the Cougar football team and Ken Bone and the Cougar basketball team. However, that doesn’t indicate that I will attempt to keep “critical observation and thinking” out of my opinion process of what is happening on and off the fields of play.

GO COUGS!!
fitz on March 12 at 5:40 p.m.
Sorry blotto, but I still disagree about the timeout. You can’t worry whether the other coach has any timeouts left or not. If you think you need to talk to your team, that is your concern.