WKU Basketball: Grading WKU's 82-72 Win Over Louisville

BG and south central and western Kentucky got a shot in the arm Saturday. How did the Tops fare individually?

Was there a better day in recent memory than Saturday for Western Kentucky University as a whole? Heck, has there been a better “feel good” moment in the university’s history?

A week and a day after Bowling Green (and several other towns in western Kentucky) was ravaged by one of the worst tornados in Kentucky history. Statistically, it is the most (known) deadly natural disaster in the history of the Commonwealth.

And boy, did WKU Basketball do its part. With the football team with a matinee slaughtering of a ten win Appalachian State by three touchdowns with two NCAA records nailed down for its historically great quarterback, Bailey Zappe, the stage was set for WKU hoops to do it for BG and finish off the double.

Well, WKU came out firing, to the tune of 9-of-11 from three. WKU dominated for most of the game, and certainly controlled the scoreboard from wire-to-wire.

Regardless of Louisville possibly being down this year, and also Louisville’s star center Malik Williams being out, this was an impressive win against a team that Western probably should not have expected to handle routinely.

So how did the Tops grade out in different categories of play, starting with my Keys to Victory?

Keys to Victory

Do It for BG: A+

Is there any doubt the Tops played their guts out for this city? I mean, I couldn’t dream of a more beautiful effort, and 9-of-11 to start from three was just demon possession, but on the good side of the supernatural. Angels on the elbow? Not sure, but it was deeply emotional for a lot of people. Shoutout to this squad for helping us forget for just a few hours.

Ride the Wave: A+

Diddle was nuts. I’d honestly say it wasn’t the loudest it’s ever been (Wisconsin in 2019 or Middle 2012 would be my immediate votes for a louder atmosphere), but it was undoubtedly electric and the Topper crowd young and old was willing to participate all game. If you want to understand how much Louisville was affected by the crowd (and the basketball team’s response), go look up Louisville’s interviews after the game. Noah Locke and Chris Mack were both highly complimentary of WKU’s atmosphere inside Diddle Arena.

Play Stansbury Ball: A+

Like Rick Stansbury’s off-the-beaten-path approach to basketball or not, it’s an identity. Early in the season, it looked like the Tops wouldn’t have that identity. Well, insert Jamarion Sharp into the starting lineup in the fifth game of the year, and WKU is a different animal. Not many teams will beat Louisville by double digits, and they certainly won’t lead wire-to-wire. But they did it by shooting way more free throws and keeping the opponent from figuring out the defense. Noah Locke commented that the Cards “were confused” later in the game when Western was switching between zone and man. Give Rick Stansbury credit: Louisville couldn’t figure out what defense Western was playing at times.

Hand Down, Man Down: B

That first half, if we’re being honest (and announcers from all sides were saying it), WKU did not do a great job getting up in Louisville’s grille. This is a scary tendency for WKU, and Rick Stansbury’s teams historically struggle to stop the three. Live and die by the three, right? Well, sometimes you live, and sometimes you die. This was a bad matchup for Louisville. Western got lucky here. But in the second half, WKU tightened up and did a good job against the Cards. But keep an eye on three pointers, especially if Jamarion Sharp is in the game for 36 minutes per game like he played this game. Teams will absolutely be shooting outside against WKU this season.

Crash the Offensive Boards: B

I know. Why not A+, right? I refuse to completely crap on this part of the performance, but I will comment that WKU still does not consistently box out. There was a particular play where Louisville took a long three by Matt Cross, Louisville clears out, and four WKU players stare at the ball coming off the rim. Roosevelt Wheeler, a guy only playing because star Malik Williams, comes bolting in at the last minute and almost tipped the ball to himself and would have had an easy layup. There is NO REASON he should’ve made it inside the paint, let alone almost getting a cheap basket. I was right under the basket in the pep band for this game, and it’s something that’s harder to see on TV. But on the replay, that one was obvious. Jamarion Sharp and others are standing flatfooted waiting for the ball to come off and reacting. It’s something hopefully they see on film and correct.

The Tops were still great on the boards, winning by nine, and UofL only had six offensive rebounds all game. However, WKU only pulled down five themselves, and offensively, Louisville had six. That’s a loss in this category for WKU, although overall, the boards were a huge swing for WKU. The defensive glass was the key, and WKU outrebounded the Cards by nine. That’s great. But I’m telling you, watch for the ball to take an odd bounce, and another team will get the rebound. WKU got virtually every bounce off of the rim this game, and Malik Williams was out. That’s a double-double out due to COVID. This may be a very negative approach to this battle, but it was something that was a glaring issue to me being 15 feet from the action in this particular game.

Grading The Players

Dayvion McKnight: A

13-9-5 line is nice, especially when that nine is in assists. He also had three turnovers, so that’s a pretty decent effort given the pressure Louisville applied late in the game. Heck, give Jarrod West (transfer from Marshall) a huge amount of credit. He made McKnight, one of the most prolific point guards in the country this season, look erratic at times. But Day was great on both ends of the floor, leading the Tops and keeping them fairly steady offensively for 95 percent of the game.

Camron Justice: A+

He really reminds of a church league player. Below the rim, not tall, mid-20s that’s had a real-world job and wears sleeves on his t-shirt. He and Isaiah Cozart have that church league swag going on. WKU doesn’t win without Cam Justice going 5-for-7 from three, two and-ones, and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. He was present from beginning to end, truly leading this team to victory. Old Man River getting it done.

Luke Frampton: C

30 minutes and only four points from your three point shooter. Trash, right? Certainly not Luke’s best, but especially watching it back, Frampton played some good defense, had a key steal, and drew some fouls that helped contribute to the overall picture. I didn’t notice that live. Frampton is sneaky important for WKU. He’s not just a shooter. He’s pretty good to really good at all of the little things. Stop hating on him. He’s a good player for the Tops.

Jairus Hamilton: B

Hamilton definitely nailed home some important threes, and he was a presence in helping guard some of the versatile athletes Louisville presented on the floor. However, he wasn’t particularly stellar statistically, shooting below his average, missing some important free throws, and turning it over a little too much. It wasn’t his best outing, but he contributed and was probably the fifth most impactful Topper on the night of the six that got meaningful minutes. But given that it was such a solid performance, he was still a positive for the Tops in this one.

Jamarion Sharp: A+

Sharp doesn’t even have to do much on the offensive end, but in this game, he was extremely effective against a big, strong, fast, talented roster. He had some amazing catches and finishes, showed some touch and patience, and was also this massive presence that seriously affected everything Louisville was trying to do inside the paint. Sharp played 36 minutes, shot 75%, made his free throws, rebounded, blocked, and took care of the basketball, only turning it over twice. And above it all, the guy loves being a Topper and plays his guts out every game. Good for him!

Bench: C+

Obviously a double-double off of the bench is wonderful, so Josh Anderson gets an A+, but the bench depth is once again deeply concerning for a Rick Stansbury squad. Isaiah Cozart played four minutes, and Sherman Brashear played three. All they did was spell the starters and Josh Anderson, pick up a foul (Cozart) and dish out an assist (Brashear). Neither attempted a shot. All starters played 30 or more minutes, and Josh received 24 minutes. It’s hard to fathom how Stansbury thinks this lineup will hold up over time like this.

Coaching: A

Play Calling: A+

Louisville noted postgame that they weren’t sure what defense WKU was in because they kept switching back and forth. By the time Louisville figured out man or zone, it was time for a desperation heave. And that 2-3 with Jamarion Sharp is absolutely money. The guys outside can play closer on the three because they know Sharp has them if they get beat most of the time. And if they dare come inside, God bless them. Offensively, WKU had several nice plays, and the Tops were flowing all night. Job well done, Rick.

Game Management: A+

WKU was always in control, and it’s a huge credit to Rick and staff for keeping WKU in it mentally, calling timeouts appropriately, and slowing it down just enough to catch a breather. WKU also did a good job handling some intense pressure late in the game. For a team against a team pressing (or at least pressuring) much of the second half, going for your average against a talented team is a good job.

Roster Management: C

Rick Stansbury doesn’t play his bench enough. It is what it is. By the end of the season, he has his chosen six or seven that he’s going to rely on, and then he will spot substitute based on matchups. The problem is the roster gets worn down over the season. Tayvion Hollingsworth had a lot of mileage on him after he was done playing for WKU. He set records for minutes played because Rick couldn’t trust anyone else. I understand you have Butz out for COVID and Williams and Harmon out for off the court concerns. Fine. But what about Jairus Hamilton, who has back issues? What about your 7’5” center playing 30+ minutes every game since he cracked the starting lineup? You’re asking for more injuries. What are you going to do against Kentucky?

Overall: A

WKU played really well in this game. There is no doubt that they jumped on the Cards and clearly outplayed them. At times, they were the ones getting the loose balls. My question is, “What happens when you don’t go 9-of-11 from three? What happens when you don’t get rewarded with some lucky bounces?

Going forward against better, more healthy, more in tune competition (like Kentucky, like conference play when you get every team’s best shot), WKU still has some things in which it can get much better. Rick Stansbury has to develop a bench, or he’s going to have to trust somebody besides his steady six.

Sherman Brashear has been really good this season. Why all of a sudden not trust him hardly at all with a shorter bench than normal? Until last game, he was contributing six points per game and has made the fourth most threes on the team, still shooting over 40% total. That’s a solid underclassman. In forty-five minutes of play, Isaiah Cozart has how many turnovers? Try ZERO. With Butz out against Kentucky, will Stansbury trust Cozart? Will he trust Brashear? Will he go to his son? Will WKU get in foul trouble?

It will be interesting if WKU gets any less deep. But for now, we celebrate. Bowling Green is reveling in WKU right now. And UK is giving all kinds of money, and ESPN will undoubtedly provide a relief line to donate to during the game.

This has been an exciting last week and a half, and Wednesday, the Tops finally get their shot at Kentucky. Bring it on, Putty Tats!