With the throes of the offseason all around us, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the 20 best players that are departing from the Big Sky, either due to graduating, declaring for the draft, or transferring.
If you look solely at last season, you might say that Kyle Bullinger is ranked a little too high on this list. If you look at the basis of his whole career, you might say that Kyle Bullinger is ranked a little too low on this list. So it goes.
Bullinger had a great career for Weber State, but unfortunately his senior year probably did not go exactly how he would have planned, as he missed some time due to injury, and was clearly still affected by the injuries even when he was able to return. After averaging 11.2 PPG and 6.3 RPG as a junior, his averages dipped to 6.2 PPG and 4.7 RPG as a senior.
Perhaps the biggest effect of injuring his elbow was the fact that he never got his shooting back. After shooting 43% from downtown in 2010-11, he was at just 30% last season. He was less comfortable going to the basket as well, and he went from being a great third option (behind Damian Lillard and Scott Bamforth) to being almost an afterthought on offense. That is a shame, because it definitely did not represent his talent or what he meant to the team.
Even with the injuries, it is probably fair to say that Bullinger was the toughest player in the Big Sky. He was only 6'6'' but he was a very good defensive rebounder. He had games with 16, 13, and 10 rebounds in his first five games of the year before he got injured. There was nobody better from the three spot in the conference at that. He was also a hard-nosed defensive player, which continued to be true after he returned. He did a lot of intangible things for Weber State.
Kyle Bullinger did not have a dream senior season, but he was a fantastic player for Weber State during his time there as well as being the consummate student-athlete. He got better as an offensive player in his first three seasons, and could always be counted on for defense, rebounding, and toughness from the three spot. He twice earned All Big Sky Conference honors during his career.
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Showing posts with label Kyle Bullinger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kyle Bullinger. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Weber State's Season Ends in Overtime Loss
Weber State had a tough matchup in the second round of the CIT, having to travel to take on Loyola Marymount. They fought back from a first half deficit, but ultimately fell 84-78 in overtime on Sunday.
Lillard finished with 27 points (and 14/14 from the line). He ends the season as the school's single-season scoring leader, with 784 points for the year (third best all time in the Big Sky). He set a school record for threes, and ends the year with a 24.5 PPG average, also best in school history.
He owns many records. He likely will finish his career with 1,934 points, second in Weber State history and fifth in Big Sky history. He is the school's career leader in three pointers and free throws made, and is second in assists. He has been a great, great player for the Wildcats. It is difficult obviously to see him returning to school, as there is not a lot left individually for him to prove at this level.
Gelaun Wheelwright finished with 19 points and and seven rebounds, and he will be called upon to be a huge cog for them next season. It seems, judging from the past month of the season, that he will be up to the task.
The careers for Kyle Bullinger and Darin Mahoney also end. Though it ends in disappointment, they had great careers and meant a lot to Weber State basketball. 25 wins in your senior year is certainly nothing to hang your head about.
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“I’m extremely proud of my team and we have accomplished a lot,” Rahe said. “This is as good a group of kids you can find and we fought through a lot and I couldn't be prouder of them.”Playing without Scott Bamforth, who was not with the team for personal reasons, Weber State trailed by 10 at the break. The lead was still at 11 points with 6:56 to play, but then Weber State made a run, ultimately capped by a Damian Lillard three-pointer with 23 seconds to play.
Lillard finished with 27 points (and 14/14 from the line). He ends the season as the school's single-season scoring leader, with 784 points for the year (third best all time in the Big Sky). He set a school record for threes, and ends the year with a 24.5 PPG average, also best in school history.
He owns many records. He likely will finish his career with 1,934 points, second in Weber State history and fifth in Big Sky history. He is the school's career leader in three pointers and free throws made, and is second in assists. He has been a great, great player for the Wildcats. It is difficult obviously to see him returning to school, as there is not a lot left individually for him to prove at this level.
Gelaun Wheelwright finished with 19 points and and seven rebounds, and he will be called upon to be a huge cog for them next season. It seems, judging from the past month of the season, that he will be up to the task.
The careers for Kyle Bullinger and Darin Mahoney also end. Though it ends in disappointment, they had great careers and meant a lot to Weber State basketball. 25 wins in your senior year is certainly nothing to hang your head about.
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Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Weber State vs Montana Round III Preview
Well, this is the matchup that we have all been waiting for in the Big Sky. Weber State and Montana were one and two in the Big Sky before the season began, have held those two spots all year long, and so it is only fitting that they will meet on Wednesday night to decide the Big Sky champion. They split their regular season meetings, and so this will be a true rubber match for all the marbles. It should be fantastic. Let's preview it.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Montana won the Big Sky regular season title, and as a result the deciding game will be in Missoula. They finished 15-1 in the regular season in conference, and 24-6 overall, winners of 13 straight and 19 of 20. Not many teams are hotter than them in the country. Weber State finished 14-2 in the Big Sky, becoming the first team in conference history to have only two losses and not win the conference outright. They are 24-5, and have merely won 18 of 20. As they say, it's on.
In the semifinals, Weber State was trailing for 35 minutes, as Portland State gave them all they could handle before winning 69-63. For Montana, they bested them again... Eastern Washington was controlling the game for 38 minutes before they pulled away for the 74-66 win. Neither team had the chance to rest easy before this one.
WHAT WEBER STATE DOES WELL
Obviously they are led by Damian Lillard, one of the best players in the country. He sets the tone for them. They shoot the ball very well normally, as they were almost 38% from downtown this year. They led the country in FT percentage, so you certainly do not want to be trailing them late. Also led by Lillard is the fact that they do not turn the ball over often... just a 15.9 TO Rate, sixth best in the country.
Over the course of the year they have gotten some solid depth. Freshman Gelaun Wheelwright has become a playmaker off the bench, and that was never more evident than in the semifinals against Portland State, where he had 15 points. Byron Fulton is a diversified offensive player, who can take you down on the block, but also shoots 44% from downtown. They will have the edge on depth over the Grizzlies.
WHAT MONTANA DOES WELL
As always under Wayne Tinkle, they are a very good defensive ballclub. Their DRtg is 92.3, which is 29th in the nation even though the Big Sky was a pretty efficient offensive league. They are led here by Will Cherry, the best defensive player in the conference and one of the best perimeter defenders in America. He can get a steal at anytime and convert it to an easy two points. Art Steward is a guy at the 3 spot that is tough as nails - it will be fun watching him match up with Kyle Bullinger.
Offensively, the Grizzlies are very balanced. Five guys score at least 8.8 PPG (and Derek Selvig is the guy that scores that much... he averaged double figures last year). Will Cherry averages 16.1, but Kareem Jamar is also very dynamic in the backcourt. Cherry, Jamar, and Selvig are all above average passers, meaning you always have to account for your man when you are guarding the Grizzlies. This is one of Tinkle's best offensive teams.
WHAT WEBER STATE DOESN'T DO WELL
They have shown themselves to be surprisingly susceptible to zone defenses, as they really struggled in the last meeting with Montana, and saw a lot of it against Portland State as well. They are sometimes content to just jack up threes rather than taking the ball aggressively to the basket, and this can cause their offense to lack flow. You can bet that they will see a lot of zone defense on Wednesday night.
Another thing is that they are not susceptible to being outrebounded. Chehales Tapscott had a big day on the offensive glass against them, and that will happen. Their best big man (Kyle Tresnak) is a very average rebounder, so it's important that guys like Lillard hit the glass hard. Kyle Bullinger is a very good rebounder out of the SF spot, but they have been going small and putting in Wheelwright for him at times. Bullinger had a nasty elbow injury early in the season, and doesn't seem to quite be the same player that he was before the injury.
WHAT MONTANA DOESN'T DO WELL
They don't have a lot of depth. After their starting five, things get spotty. Shawn Stockton is their first backcourt sub, but he is very limited. Mike Weisner is probably their first frontcourt sub, but he is a freshman that has not gotten a lot of minutes this year. As The Upset Blog noted on Twitter tonight, their starters played a lot of minutes Tuesday night. Cherry played 40, Selvig 37, Jamar and Ward with 35, and Steward with 31. Jamar was battling leg cramps for much of the night, and Cherry took a very hard spill late in the game. They will be a bit beat up heading into the championship.
Another thing is that even though their offense is good, they are not necessarily explosive. They rely on their defense a lot of times for offensive runs, which might not work as well against a team that doesn't turn it over a lot. They shoot the three ball well, but they don't shoot a lot of them. They are solid at getting to the line, but not outstanding. Their offense is just very good... but it has not often been called great this year.
WHO WINS
In the first meeting between these teams, Weber State won by 16 at home, really taking it to Montana. In the last meeting, the Grizzlies won by 15, thanks to a great defensive effort by them and a passive offensive effort by Weber State. This game will take place in Missoula, which is one factor counting in Montana's favor.
However, I just have a feeling that Damian Lillard and Weber State are going to pull something off. Both WSU and Montana looked sluggish early in their semifinal games, but both began to play well late in the game, so rust will not be a factor. Weber State will be helped by that extra depth, which is a big factor when playing your second game in as many nights.
In their last meeting, Montana controlled the game from the middle of the first half on, and you got the sense watching the game that Weber State couldn't play much worse. Still, they only trailed by five late in the second half, and it was a competitive game for most of it. Montana won because Weber State couldn't do much against the press and zone, but I think they started to figure that out by the end of the PSU game.
Finally, Weber State still has a bad taste in their mouth from a couple of years ago. You remember the game. Big Sky tournament final in Ogden, UT. Weber State led Montana by 20 at halftime, and looked to be cruising to the NCAA tournament. Then Anthony Johnson happened. He scored 34 in the second half (40 for the game), as Montana came back for a surreal 66-65 victory. Damian Lillard was the leading scorer for the Wildcats that game, and the Big Sky MVP that season. Kyle Bullinger was in the starting lineup. Those guys remember that game, and the feeling it left them with. I don't think they will let another opportunity slip through their fingers.
WEBER STATE 71, MONTANA 69
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HOW THEY GOT HERE
Montana won the Big Sky regular season title, and as a result the deciding game will be in Missoula. They finished 15-1 in the regular season in conference, and 24-6 overall, winners of 13 straight and 19 of 20. Not many teams are hotter than them in the country. Weber State finished 14-2 in the Big Sky, becoming the first team in conference history to have only two losses and not win the conference outright. They are 24-5, and have merely won 18 of 20. As they say, it's on.
In the semifinals, Weber State was trailing for 35 minutes, as Portland State gave them all they could handle before winning 69-63. For Montana, they bested them again... Eastern Washington was controlling the game for 38 minutes before they pulled away for the 74-66 win. Neither team had the chance to rest easy before this one.
Obviously they are led by Damian Lillard, one of the best players in the country. He sets the tone for them. They shoot the ball very well normally, as they were almost 38% from downtown this year. They led the country in FT percentage, so you certainly do not want to be trailing them late. Also led by Lillard is the fact that they do not turn the ball over often... just a 15.9 TO Rate, sixth best in the country.
Over the course of the year they have gotten some solid depth. Freshman Gelaun Wheelwright has become a playmaker off the bench, and that was never more evident than in the semifinals against Portland State, where he had 15 points. Byron Fulton is a diversified offensive player, who can take you down on the block, but also shoots 44% from downtown. They will have the edge on depth over the Grizzlies.
WHAT MONTANA DOES WELL
As always under Wayne Tinkle, they are a very good defensive ballclub. Their DRtg is 92.3, which is 29th in the nation even though the Big Sky was a pretty efficient offensive league. They are led here by Will Cherry, the best defensive player in the conference and one of the best perimeter defenders in America. He can get a steal at anytime and convert it to an easy two points. Art Steward is a guy at the 3 spot that is tough as nails - it will be fun watching him match up with Kyle Bullinger.
Offensively, the Grizzlies are very balanced. Five guys score at least 8.8 PPG (and Derek Selvig is the guy that scores that much... he averaged double figures last year). Will Cherry averages 16.1, but Kareem Jamar is also very dynamic in the backcourt. Cherry, Jamar, and Selvig are all above average passers, meaning you always have to account for your man when you are guarding the Grizzlies. This is one of Tinkle's best offensive teams.
WHAT WEBER STATE DOESN'T DO WELL
They have shown themselves to be surprisingly susceptible to zone defenses, as they really struggled in the last meeting with Montana, and saw a lot of it against Portland State as well. They are sometimes content to just jack up threes rather than taking the ball aggressively to the basket, and this can cause their offense to lack flow. You can bet that they will see a lot of zone defense on Wednesday night.
Another thing is that they are not susceptible to being outrebounded. Chehales Tapscott had a big day on the offensive glass against them, and that will happen. Their best big man (Kyle Tresnak) is a very average rebounder, so it's important that guys like Lillard hit the glass hard. Kyle Bullinger is a very good rebounder out of the SF spot, but they have been going small and putting in Wheelwright for him at times. Bullinger had a nasty elbow injury early in the season, and doesn't seem to quite be the same player that he was before the injury.
They don't have a lot of depth. After their starting five, things get spotty. Shawn Stockton is their first backcourt sub, but he is very limited. Mike Weisner is probably their first frontcourt sub, but he is a freshman that has not gotten a lot of minutes this year. As The Upset Blog noted on Twitter tonight, their starters played a lot of minutes Tuesday night. Cherry played 40, Selvig 37, Jamar and Ward with 35, and Steward with 31. Jamar was battling leg cramps for much of the night, and Cherry took a very hard spill late in the game. They will be a bit beat up heading into the championship.
Another thing is that even though their offense is good, they are not necessarily explosive. They rely on their defense a lot of times for offensive runs, which might not work as well against a team that doesn't turn it over a lot. They shoot the three ball well, but they don't shoot a lot of them. They are solid at getting to the line, but not outstanding. Their offense is just very good... but it has not often been called great this year.
WHO WINS
In the first meeting between these teams, Weber State won by 16 at home, really taking it to Montana. In the last meeting, the Grizzlies won by 15, thanks to a great defensive effort by them and a passive offensive effort by Weber State. This game will take place in Missoula, which is one factor counting in Montana's favor.
However, I just have a feeling that Damian Lillard and Weber State are going to pull something off. Both WSU and Montana looked sluggish early in their semifinal games, but both began to play well late in the game, so rust will not be a factor. Weber State will be helped by that extra depth, which is a big factor when playing your second game in as many nights.
In their last meeting, Montana controlled the game from the middle of the first half on, and you got the sense watching the game that Weber State couldn't play much worse. Still, they only trailed by five late in the second half, and it was a competitive game for most of it. Montana won because Weber State couldn't do much against the press and zone, but I think they started to figure that out by the end of the PSU game.
Finally, Weber State still has a bad taste in their mouth from a couple of years ago. You remember the game. Big Sky tournament final in Ogden, UT. Weber State led Montana by 20 at halftime, and looked to be cruising to the NCAA tournament. Then Anthony Johnson happened. He scored 34 in the second half (40 for the game), as Montana came back for a surreal 66-65 victory. Damian Lillard was the leading scorer for the Wildcats that game, and the Big Sky MVP that season. Kyle Bullinger was in the starting lineup. Those guys remember that game, and the feeling it left them with. I don't think they will let another opportunity slip through their fingers.
WEBER STATE 71, MONTANA 69
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Friday, February 24, 2012
Weber State Has Too Much Offense for Northern Colorado
With 15 or so NBA scouts in attendance, Damian Lillard delivered a show. He dropped 30 points for the eighth time this season, and did it in a variety of ways. He made 5/10 from downtown, and got to the line 14 times (making 13 of them). Even more than the points though, is that he was in complete command of the game. He had eight assists with one turnover, and got his teammates multiple easy baskets, including a couple off of in bounds plays. It was clear to see that he was the best player on the court.
Northern Colorado was not happy with the way that Lillard was officiated, and while there were no blatantly bad calls from my point of view, it did seem like Lillard was getting the benefit of the doubt more often than not. Lillard shot 14 free throws, and UNC shot 19. In the past couple games, Lillard has been having some tough calls go against him, so I suppose this was things evening out. All that being said, there is no doubt that Damian is masterful at creating contact.
One guy that was big for WSU which I did not expect was Gelaun Wheelwright. He has been looking better and better all year, but he was huge for them tonight. He had 11 in the first half (including 3/3 from downtown) and finished with 15 points. He is the clear #1 guard off the bench for WSU right now, and certainly looks in line to start next year, assuming Lillard leaves. He has a ways to go to becoming an all-around point guard and playmaker, but he has great quickness and puts pressure on a defense.
Down low, I got a good look at Kyle Tresnak, who had 14 points in 20 minutes. There are still some things he doesn't do very well (like rebound), but strictly as a low-post scorer, he is one of the best of the Big Sky. He has a nice baby hook, and he knows how to handle himself around the basket. Kyle Bullinger and Darin Mahoney are not guys that jump out at you for the Wildcats, but they may be the toughest duo in the conference.
For UNC, it was an emotional night for them, and senior Mike Proctor played very good ball in his final home game. He had a line of 15 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, and really gave it his all out there. As the only senior on the team, he was the leader, and he will be missed. He was a lot of fun as a fan to watch, because you know he gave 100% at all times. We wish him the best of luck in the future.
The Bears also showed a lot of promise, and a lot of what makes fans so excited about the team in the upcoming years. They got to within three points in the second half, but they ran out of gas. They went to some zone at times, which Coach BJ Hill said was in part to try to save their legs. Tevin Svihovec, Tate Unruh, and Paul Garnica are all guys with potential to be above average (and perhaps all-conference) players in the Big Sky, and the word I am hearing is that redshirt James Davis is a guy that athleticism and defensive tenacity that has been missing a bit in the backcourt. Their future is bright.
For the present, it is Weber State who is king, as they sit at 14-1 with just a roadtrip to Montana remaining. The Grizzlies moved to 13-1, and should be 14-1 by the time the teams meet. Both teams are playing with tons of confidence, and playing great basketball.
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Monday, January 16, 2012
Weekend Recap: Weber State Rules the Big Sky
As mentioned, I had a friend visiting which is why there was a huge lack of posts this weekend. However, I did enjoy a great Colorado weekend! Here is a quick look at what I missed in the Big Sky.
The big game of the weekend, biggest game of the Big Sky season so far and one of the bigger mid-major matchups so far, was obviously the matchup between Montana and Weber State. It is not a shock that Weber State won, as they were favored and were at home. However, it was certainly a surprise that they won so handily, with the final of 80-64.
Also surprising was that Weber State put up 49 first half points against the best defense in the Big Sky, and that they did it on a night when Damian Lillard was just 4/15 from the field. Now, Lillard certainly contributed with 11/12 FTs, five rebounds, and four assists, but the big story was that a lot of other guys stepped up for the Wildcats.
Scott Bamforth had 15 points and knocked down three treys. Kyle Tresnak had five. Five other guys scored between five and eight points, and that's not even counting leader Kyle Bullinger, who is just returning from injury. Weber State has been winning games with guys hurt and without a ton of guys stepping up to help Lillard... now that they are getting guys healthy and they are getting everyone involved, they are going to be extremely difficult to beat.
Montana obviously struggled defensively, but they also were not able to get in a real good offensive flow. They shot 38.5% from the field, and only two guys (Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar) were in double figures. For a team that had to be going into this game thinking it was one they could go in and steal, it had to be a very disappointing effort.
The two teams will meet again on February 28th in Missoula in their final conference games of the year. It would be great theater if they can go into the game gunning for the Big Sky regular season title (which matters a heck of a lot in this conference), but as it stands right now Weber State is the clear favorite.
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Another big game on Saturday night was played between Montana State and Northern Arizona, with the Bobcats needing to go on the road and get another road win. It wasn't easy, but they did just that, beating the Lumberjacks 74-72 in Flagstaff. Northern Arizona trailed by 14 with 11:02 left, but battled back to take a 72-70 lead with 2:23 left, but MSU held them scoreless the rest of the way. Xavier Blount made lots of big plays all day and especially down the stretch, showcasing his superb talent.
Montana State has an excellent trio of wings, and they showed it in this game. Blount led the way with 21 points (on 11 shots), Christian Moon had 12 points, and Shawn Reid finished with 16. They are three solid players that need to play big for MSU, and they did on the road here.
NAU rebounded well and got to the line often, but they just didn't hit enough shots to win this game. They were 3/15 from downtown, and shot 40.7% overall.
MSU improves to 3-2 in the Big Sky, while Northern Arizona falls to 1-5. The Bobcats have a nice win over Portland State (and road wins over Idaho State and Northern Arizona), but I don't see them as a top 4 team in the Big Sky at this moment, despite their solid record. Time will tell. Three conference wins at this stage is huge.
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I did write about this game this weekend, but in case you missed it, Northern Colorado won a thriller over Eastern Washington Saturday night in Greeley. It was a back and forth game that was a blast to be at, and could probably be called the best conference game in the Big Sky so far this season. Both teams went back and forth all day and made plays.
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In the final game of the day, Sacramento State found a shocking way to lose, as Idaho State incredibly came back to win in Sacramento, 68-67.
The Hornets led by 22(!) points with 11:21 to go, and ISU had amassed 32 points in the first 28 minutes, 39 seconds. In the last 11:21, they scored 36 points. I will admit, I was following the game online a bit, and I turned the computer off and assumed that Sacramento State got the win. To call the comeback shocking does not do it justice.
Check out Ken Pomeroy's win probability chart for this game. You won't find a lot of games like that. Sacramento State led by 22 with 11:21 left, 10 with 1:58 left, and 3 with 12 seconds left. Then Kenny McGowen went to work.
What did I miss from the weekend?
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The big game of the weekend, biggest game of the Big Sky season so far and one of the bigger mid-major matchups so far, was obviously the matchup between Montana and Weber State. It is not a shock that Weber State won, as they were favored and were at home. However, it was certainly a surprise that they won so handily, with the final of 80-64.
Also surprising was that Weber State put up 49 first half points against the best defense in the Big Sky, and that they did it on a night when Damian Lillard was just 4/15 from the field. Now, Lillard certainly contributed with 11/12 FTs, five rebounds, and four assists, but the big story was that a lot of other guys stepped up for the Wildcats.
Scott Bamforth had 15 points and knocked down three treys. Kyle Tresnak had five. Five other guys scored between five and eight points, and that's not even counting leader Kyle Bullinger, who is just returning from injury. Weber State has been winning games with guys hurt and without a ton of guys stepping up to help Lillard... now that they are getting guys healthy and they are getting everyone involved, they are going to be extremely difficult to beat.
Montana obviously struggled defensively, but they also were not able to get in a real good offensive flow. They shot 38.5% from the field, and only two guys (Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar) were in double figures. For a team that had to be going into this game thinking it was one they could go in and steal, it had to be a very disappointing effort.
The two teams will meet again on February 28th in Missoula in their final conference games of the year. It would be great theater if they can go into the game gunning for the Big Sky regular season title (which matters a heck of a lot in this conference), but as it stands right now Weber State is the clear favorite.
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Montana State has an excellent trio of wings, and they showed it in this game. Blount led the way with 21 points (on 11 shots), Christian Moon had 12 points, and Shawn Reid finished with 16. They are three solid players that need to play big for MSU, and they did on the road here.
NAU rebounded well and got to the line often, but they just didn't hit enough shots to win this game. They were 3/15 from downtown, and shot 40.7% overall.
MSU improves to 3-2 in the Big Sky, while Northern Arizona falls to 1-5. The Bobcats have a nice win over Portland State (and road wins over Idaho State and Northern Arizona), but I don't see them as a top 4 team in the Big Sky at this moment, despite their solid record. Time will tell. Three conference wins at this stage is huge.
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I did write about this game this weekend, but in case you missed it, Northern Colorado won a thriller over Eastern Washington Saturday night in Greeley. It was a back and forth game that was a blast to be at, and could probably be called the best conference game in the Big Sky so far this season. Both teams went back and forth all day and made plays.
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The Hornets led by 22(!) points with 11:21 to go, and ISU had amassed 32 points in the first 28 minutes, 39 seconds. In the last 11:21, they scored 36 points. I will admit, I was following the game online a bit, and I turned the computer off and assumed that Sacramento State got the win. To call the comeback shocking does not do it justice.
Check out Ken Pomeroy's win probability chart for this game. You won't find a lot of games like that. Sacramento State led by 22 with 11:21 left, 10 with 1:58 left, and 3 with 12 seconds left. Then Kenny McGowen went to work.
The Idaho State men's basketball team rallied from 22 points down in the second half to beat Sacramento State 68-67 at the Hornets Nets in Sacramento, Calif. Idaho State trailed 67-64 with 12 seconds remaining when Kenny McGowen hit a 3-pointer and was fouled with eight seconds left. McGowen connected on the free throw and the Hornets last second 3-pointer was blocked by Sherrod Baldwin to give the Bengals the victory.Congrats to the Bengals for an incredible comeback win to improve to 2-3. Sacramento State falls to 0-5 in the Big Sky, and their deep hole is a little bit deeper, especially after a game that has to be more than a little bit of a confidence killer.
What did I miss from the weekend?
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Thursday, January 12, 2012
Frank Otis and Kyle Bullinger Close to Playing For Weber State
Good news out of Ogden, as Weber State is close to getting back a couple of their frontcourt players. From The Standard:
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While Weber State (12-3, 4-0) has been playing shorthanded since early December with senior forward Kyle Bullinger and junior forward Frank "Mook" Otis out with injuries, both are practicing and getting closer to game-ready, which will give the Wildcats some more size and rebounding in the front court just as backup center James Hajek (dislocated knee) goes out for four to six weeks. Otis could play as soon as tonight and the Wildcats hope Bullinger could see limited action Saturday.With games against Montana State Thursday night and Montana on Saturday, whatever these two guys could give them would be a huge plus for the Wildcats.
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Monday, January 9, 2012
The Damian Lillard Show
It's Damian Lillard's world, we're all just living in it.
In a season filled with great performances, Lillard gave us all another one on Saturday night in an 88-81 victory over Portland State. It was Weber State's toughest conference game yet and showed why the Vikings could still be a factor in the Big Sky race. They led by 7 at halftime (including as much as 15), and were up by as much as 9 with under 13 minutes to play.
However, Lillard and the Wildcats were not to be denied.
There no less than 11 NBA scouts in attendance, and Lillard gave them one heck of a performance. For the first time in his career he played all 40 minutes, finishing with 38 points, his 6th 30+ point game of the year.
He shot 12/23 from the field, 8/14 from downtown (including 7/8 in the first half), and 6/6 from the stripe. In addition to the 38 points, he had five rebounds, five assists, one block, one steal, and only one turnover. Simply put, he was sublime, and continued to show he has the talent to at least be considered an All-American.
Scott Bamforth also had a stellar game, scoring 21 points, with 19 of them coming in the second half. Weber State continues to win even with a patchwork lineup. Kyle Bullinger still might be a week away from returning, while Frank Otis is probably at least two weeks away. In addition, big man James Hajek dislocated his kneecap, and he will be out a while. Yet the Wildcats continue to win, riding the back of Damian Lillard.
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Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Weber State Ranked 11th in Mid-Major Top 25
They were ranked 7th last week, but Weber State is down to 11th in the Mid-Major Top 25 after their loss to St. Mary's, who is currently ranked 9th. They have a great chance to move up, as they take on 15th ranked BYU in Provo.
It will be a tough game without Kyle Bullinger, but it would be a huge win for the program if they can get it.
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It will be a tough game without Kyle Bullinger, but it would be a huge win for the program if they can get it.
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Monday, December 5, 2011
What Does the Loss Of Kyle Bullinger Mean For Weber State?
In case you missed, Weber State's All-Conference Forward Kyle Bullinger got injured against San Jose State, as he is out with a possible dislocated elbow. (If you are so inclined, watch the video. Be warned, it is graphic and will make you a bit sick, especially if you have a weak stomach).
Word is that Bullinger will miss 3-4 weeks (which again, if you watch the video, seems unreal). Tuesday night's game against BYU will be the first start Bullinger has missed his whole career, and it will be a tough one to absorb. First, let's look at what Bullinger has brought to the table.
He has struggled with his outside shot a bit this year, in part because he has been battling a back injury. His shooting percentages (both 2 and 3 pointers) are way down this year, but I don't expect that trend to continue. What Weber State will miss is his rebounding and toughness. He has a 27.2 DR% on the year, good for 26th in the country. They will miss that a lot.
I have heard that in his place, Frank Otis will move from the 4 to the 3 and play on the wing a bit more, and senior Darin Mahoney will get the start at the 4. Mahoney is probably their best post defender, and they will try to replace Bullinger's toughness with Mahoney's.
However, it will be a strain on their offense. Damian Lillard has already been carrying a heavy load, as teams have been keying on Scott Bamforth ever since he lit up Utah State. Kyle Tresnak has been very solid in the post, but not sure where the rest of the offense is going to come from.
They will need production from Byron Fulton, as he is the man off the bench with the most scoring ability at this point. He has good range, and can get down on the block a little bit (though he has the tendency to settle for the fadeaway). Freshman Mike Brown has been pretty productive in limited minutes, but I am not sure how well he will fare against athletic opponents. Jordan Richardson is a talented guard, but not a big offensive threat. For some more explosiveness, the word is that freshman Gelaun Wheelwright will have his redshirt pulled, but I am not sure that will solve the problem either.
In short, the injury to Bullinger means there will be even more pressure on Damian Lillard. He is a guy that is already very heavily relied on, and there is one less weapon for defenses to have to account for.
We wish Kyle Bullinger a speedy recovery, and he can't come back quick enough for Weber State.
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Weber State Falls to St. Mary's 87-70
Photo courtesy of Weber State
Going into the game, we knew that Weber State's chances of securing an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament were pretty slim. After Monday night's loss to St. Mary's, it seems those chances are probably getting closer to non-existent.
It was not a "bad" loss, but Weber State doesn't have a ton of chances to impress the voters and committee in the non-conference slate, so this was a big one. In the first half, it looked like it was going to be a good night, as the Wildcats jumped out to a lead as big as 10 points, and entered the break ahead 32-31.
However, midway through the second half, the wheels came off. Weber State took a 52-50 lead with 12:37 to play, but St. Mary's then went on a 28-8 run, sealing up the victory. The Gaels scored 56 points in the second half, and alarmingly struggles in the second half are becoming a trend for the Wildcats.
“We played hard and executed well early on but the last 10 minutes we had some breakdowns,” said WSU head coach Randy Rahe. “We fought extremely hard but we need to improve in some areas. We let them shoot 69 percent in the second half and outrebound us. Damian was fantastic tonight but we need to have more contributions and balance from the rest of the team.”Damian Lillard was indeed phenomenal, and led all scorers with 36 points. At one point in the second half, he scored 21 straight points for the Wildcats, showcasing his talent and the fact that not a lot of others were stepping up. He finished with 11/18 FG, 2/5 from 3PT, and 12/15 from the FT line. He was the best player on the floor.
Kyle Tresnak was a key going into the game, and he did step up, finishing with 17 points on the game. He was a force in the first half when Weber State went on a run to take the lead, and the only blemish of the day was at the foul line (3/10). Beyond those two guys, Weber State simply did not get production.
Kyle Bullinger was battling an injury, and finished scoreless in 32 minutes. Scott Bamforth was hounded all game long, and had 5 points on just 3 shot attempts. Frank Otis contributed 8 points in 24 minutes. Nobody else scored more than 4. To go on the road and beat a team like St. Mary's, who will be a player in the WCC, you need balance and a lot of guys to step up, but unfortunately they didn't have that in this one.
Weber State will be off until Saturday, when San Jose State comes to town. The loss drops Weber State to 4-1.
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Saturday, November 19, 2011
Weber State Takes Care Of Business
Weber State had a sneakily tough road game against UC Irvine, but they came out with an 80-72 win.
They trailed by 2 with under 6 minutes to play, but then went on an 11-1 run to seal the victory. Damian Lillard led the team with 27 points, including 4 assists. Scott Bamforth was excellent as well, with 18 points on 5 shots (now that is efficiency!) including hitting another 2/3 from long-range. Kyle Bullinger pulled down 16 rebounds, stunningly topping his previous game total of 14 rebounds.
Weber State fans, what did you think of the game?
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They trailed by 2 with under 6 minutes to play, but then went on an 11-1 run to seal the victory. Damian Lillard led the team with 27 points, including 4 assists. Scott Bamforth was excellent as well, with 18 points on 5 shots (now that is efficiency!) including hitting another 2/3 from long-range. Kyle Bullinger pulled down 16 rebounds, stunningly topping his previous game total of 14 rebounds.
Weber State fans, what did you think of the game?
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Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Weber State Stakes Claim As The Best Team In Utah
I said earlier that Weber State needed to beat Utah State if they wanted to be considered the best team in Utah, and they came through on Tuesday night thanks to a big first half and a huge day from Scott Bamforth.
The Wildcats came our firing in the first half, leading 42-27 at the intermission and leaving no doubt for everyone who was the best team in the state of Utah. They slowed down a bit in the second half and allowed Utah State to cut the lead down to as little as 6, but they held on for a pretty convincing victory over the Aggies.
The star of the game was Scott Bamforth, who had 28 points and 6 rebounds on the day, including 7 three-pointers. He made his first five attempts, which ran his streak up to 10 straight makes from three-point land before his first miss. He was especially huge in the first half, where it seemed like time and time again the Aggies left him alone, and he buried them. In the first half he had 17 points on 5/6 three-point shooting. Bamforth is also a good ball handler, which can help to take the pressure off Lillard.
Damian Lillard did not have his best game, but it is a testament to the depth of the Wildcats that they won solidly without their star playing his best. He did finish with 17 points, but shot just 4/16 from the field and 2/9 from downtown. However, he played solid defense, and held Brockeith Pane to 14 points. Even if he is not scoring, Lillard does other things to help his team win.
Kyle Bullinger also played very well for Weber, showing that he is the glue guy of the team. He rebounds the ball very well for his size (6'6'') as he had a game-high 13 rebounds, and always seems to have his nose around the basketball. He has a nice midrange game as well that can extend beyond the arc, and is just a nice all-around player. Jordan Richardson is the other guard that got some run, and I liked him. Offensively he takes care of the ball well, and defensively he is a nice on the ball defender. I don't think any coach would be displeased with those attributes from the back up PG.
Obviously the guards are the strength of the team, but the big guys are very solid as well. Kyle Tresnak had a nice first half (finished with 6 points), and showed some good skill around the basket. Frank Otis is very athletic for a big man, and made some nice plays even if the box score didn't show him having a big day. Byron Fulton is another offensive weapon for them (he had 10 points, including 2/3 from downtown), and he can score inside and out. Darin Mahoney is a solid rebounder and probably their best interior defender.
Weber State will not have a ton of chances to prove themselves this season out of conference, so this is a big win. (For the record, there other two big games are at BYU and at California). They think they are the best team in Utah, and it is hard to argue after this game. Less than a week ago, Utah State took down BYU 69-62, and now Weber State has beaten Utah State 73-63, and did it in convincing fashion.
Steps to being the best team in Utah:
Beat Utah State: Check
Beat BYU: Test comes December 7
Beat Utah: Test comes December 22
Beat Southern Utah: Test comes December 10
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A Few More Thoughts on Joel Bolomboy
I wrote a little about Joel Bolomboy, a F recruit out of Texas that committed to Weber State in the last week, but I had a few more thoughts on the biggest takeaways from his commitment.
1) The Big Sky can recruit with bigger conference schools - Bolomboy had offers from New Mexico, Texas A&M, Fresno St, and others, and he still chose Weber State. The key is for Big Sky schools to be able to identify the players earlier than others and stick with them longer (obviously easier said than done). According to The Standard, "Weber State was the first school to recruit Bolomboy, starting in his sophomore season, and also the first to offer him a scholarship."
2) Bolomboy fills a need for Weber State - Darin Mahoney will be one of the top shot blockers and defenders in the Big Sky, but he will be a senior this year. Kyle Bullinger is a part-time post player, and he is a senior. Frank Otis will be solid after transferring from SMU, but he will be a junior this year. They will need some big men, and Bolomboy fits the bill.
3) Bolomboy has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the Big Sky - He is athletic and has a long wing span (which is a bit of a cliche, but still worth mentioning) and a quick jump, which allows him to be a solid shot blocker. He is still developing there, and could be a force on the glass and defensively inside for Weber State. He is certainly not lacking in confidence: "I'm really good at rebounding. I'm better on defense," Bolomboy said. "I can shoot really good for my size, dribble the ball. I can jump very high, very explosive in traffic." If WSU can develop him properly, they will have a really good one.
What are your biggest takeaways from the signing of Bolomboy?
1) The Big Sky can recruit with bigger conference schools - Bolomboy had offers from New Mexico, Texas A&M, Fresno St, and others, and he still chose Weber State. The key is for Big Sky schools to be able to identify the players earlier than others and stick with them longer (obviously easier said than done). According to The Standard, "Weber State was the first school to recruit Bolomboy, starting in his sophomore season, and also the first to offer him a scholarship."
2) Bolomboy fills a need for Weber State - Darin Mahoney will be one of the top shot blockers and defenders in the Big Sky, but he will be a senior this year. Kyle Bullinger is a part-time post player, and he is a senior. Frank Otis will be solid after transferring from SMU, but he will be a junior this year. They will need some big men, and Bolomboy fits the bill.
3) Bolomboy has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the Big Sky - He is athletic and has a long wing span (which is a bit of a cliche, but still worth mentioning) and a quick jump, which allows him to be a solid shot blocker. He is still developing there, and could be a force on the glass and defensively inside for Weber State. He is certainly not lacking in confidence: "I'm really good at rebounding. I'm better on defense," Bolomboy said. "I can shoot really good for my size, dribble the ball. I can jump very high, very explosive in traffic." If WSU can develop him properly, they will have a really good one.
What are your biggest takeaways from the signing of Bolomboy?
Sunday, September 4, 2011
The Other Star in Ogden: Kyle Bullinger
When you think of Weber State, Damian Lillard is the first guy that comes to mind. He already has a Big Sky Conference MVP Award under his belt, and he will be one of (if not the) favorites to win it again this year.
But if you think all of Weber's success is because of him, you would be wrong. Last year, though he got hurt before conference play began, the Wildcats still finished 11-5 in the Conference. One of the big reasons for that was Kyle Bullinger, who was an all Big Sky performer last season.
Bullinger is 6'6'' but more forward than guard for Randy Rahe. He averaged 11.1 PPG and 6.2 RPG, but is even better than his numbers suggest. For one, he is an excellent rebounder, posting a 21.2 DR%, 126th in the country (and 3rd in the Big Sky last season).
Offensively, he can hurt you in different ways. He is potent from the outside (a theme for the Wildcats), as he shot a solid 42.9% from downtown last year, making 54/126. He is also adept at getting to the line, shooting103 FTs last year with a solid 39.3 FT Rate. He made about 69% of the attempts, which isn't great, but solid. And he shoots 46.3% from 2s, which again, not bad. Add it all up, and his EFG% is 55.0, which was 7th in the Big Sky.
Putting it all together, and Damian Lillard is certainly the star for Weber State, but he is not the only one. One of the reasons why Weber State is going to be picked to do so well is guys like Kyle Bullinger... they might not get a lot of press, they'll never make it in the NBA, but they are excellent college players at the mid-major level.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Weber State's Stable of Shooters
Last year, Weber State was the preseason pick by both the coaches and media to win the Big Sky Conference, in part thanks to preseason BSC POY Damian Lillard. For awhile, things were mostly going to play, as WSU was off to a 5-3 start with losses only to major conference opponents.
We know what happens next. Lillard injured his foot in the second half of the ninth game of the year against Tulsa (and was granted a medical redshirt), and he may have taken Weber State's conference title hopes with him.
But that is not quite the rest of the story. While they initially went into a slump when Lillard got hurt (going 4-6 in their next 10, including the Tulsa game), they rebounded to win 6 in a row and 8 of the next 9, including wins over Northern Colorado, Montana, and Northern Arizona. How did they do that without their best player? One reason is they were one of the best shooting teams in America last year, shooting 40.4% from beyond the arc, fifth in the country. Who are these guys?
The best shooter of the bunch is Scott Bamforth, who had an excellent season as a sophomore after spending one year in the JUCO ranks. He shot 78/160 from behind the arc, a cool 48.8%, best in the Big Sky and 4th in the NCAA (over the regular season, where he shot 50%). For his marksmanship he was named First Team All Big Sky and the Newcomer of the Year in the Conference. His True Shooting % ranked in the top 20 in America (he is also a great FT shooter), and he should have a great chance for postseason awards once again. Plus, Weber State fans might have a soft spot in their heart for him thanks to a particular memorable shot.
Kyle Bullinger is another star for the Wildcats, as he joined Bamforth on the first team All-Conference. He shot an excellent 43% from downtown on 126 attempts, which is made all the more impressive by the fact that he is the team's leading rebounder. He is poised for another great year as a senior, and should be one of the best players in the Conference.
There is Lillard himself, who does pretty well outside the arc. He got 34.5% in his time last season after shooting 39.3% his sophomore year and 37% his freshman year. Teams have to respect his outside shot, which makes him all the more dangerous (because if you guard him too close, he will beat you off the dribble). Lillard has a full offensive repertoire, which makes him a potential favorite for the preseason POY award.
Byron Fulton was the Conference Freshman of the Year, and his outside shooting was a big reason why. He was 24/50 from 3-point land, good for 48%, and could see an even bigger role this year with the graduation of big man Trevor Morris. He is another guy that keeps defenses honest, because he will hit shots if you give him a good look.
Jordan Richardson is a guy that didn't have a huge role last year, but he did shoot 33.3% from outside as a freshman. He will likely be fighting with incoming freshmen Gelaun Wheelwright, Shai Fields, and Michael Brown for playing time.
Now that is a good crop of shooters Weber State has coming back, all of which will be made even more dangerous by the attention that Damian Lillard will receive this year. It is tough to say that Weber St will shoot as well this year (over 40% from outside), but I think it's safe to say they are the best shooting team in the Big Sky Conference.
(Image from Freddie Lacey at weberstatesports.com)
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