Finally, as WKU is about to leave the conference, Diddle is looking like not quite as tough a place to play.

Quote from head coach Danny Kaspar:

Quote:“It was a hard-fought ball game. We had our chances to win but we let it get away from us. Western Kentucky is a good basketball team; a well-coached team. Certainly their crowd and the atmosphere helped them here tonight.”

The Diddle mystique is alive and well although you guys got probably our smallest crowd of the season.


That said... I will tell you a secret.

Teams play their A games when they come to Diddle. Texas St. averages 66.1% from the free throw line this season... they shoot 83.3% tonight. Them hitting free throws have nothing to do with our defense. I watched them hit guarded shot after guarded shot after guarded shot tonight. If they shoot that well every night then they wouldn't be 6-15.

Heck, you guys shot 78.3% from the FT but only average 73.5 on the season. Georgia State averages 76.7% free throws on the season, they shot 100% in Diddle. Basically every team shoots free throws above their average in Diddle. Now maybe our defense on free throws is really bad... or maybe every team in the belt wants to beat us on the way out. Believe me or don't.

(02-02-2014 12:21 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Teams play their A games when they come to Diddle.

Of course we do. But my point is that in the past even when we brought our A game you beat the dog out of us at Diddle.

(02-02-2014 12:21 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Quote from head coach Danny Kaspar:

Quote:“It was a hard-fought ball game. We had our chances to win but we let it get away from us. Western Kentucky is a good basketball team; a well-coached team. Certainly their crowd and the atmosphere helped them here tonight.”

The Diddle mystique is alive and well although you guys got probably our smallest crowd of the season.


That said... I will tell you a secret.

Teams play their A games when they come to Diddle. Texas St. averages 66.1% from the free throw line this season... they shoot 83.3% tonight. Them hitting free throws have nothing to do with our defense. I watched them hit guarded shot after guarded shot after guarded shot tonight. If they shoot that well every night then they wouldn't be 6-15.

Heck, you guys shot 78.3% from the FT but only average 73.5 on the season. Georgia State averages 76.7% free throws on the season, they shot 100% in Diddle. Basically every team shoots free throws above their average in Diddle. Now maybe our defense on free throws is really bad... or maybe every team in the belt wants to beat us on the way out. Believe me or don't.

SOFT RIMS!

It's players trying their damndest to hit the "mute" button on that crowd.

(02-02-2014 08:40 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(02-02-2014 12:21 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Teams play their A games when they come to Diddle.

Of course we do. But my point is that in the past even when we brought our A game you beat the dog out of us at Diddle.

Without a doubt this was the best performance I have seen by a UALR team in Diddle. True you guys won last year also, but we had a BUNCH of injuries then. I think I saw Will Neighbor place some lit matches in his hair and growl at our cheerleaders.

(02-02-2014 05:41 PM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Without a doubt this was the best performance I have seen by a UALR team in Diddle. True you guys won last year also, but we had a BUNCH of injuries then. I think I saw Will Neighbor place some lit matches in his hair and growl at our cheerleaders.

Now that's funny!

(02-02-2014 05:41 PM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  

(02-02-2014 08:40 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(02-02-2014 12:21 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Teams play their A games when they come to Diddle.

Of course we do. But my point is that in the past even when we brought our A game you beat the dog out of us at Diddle.

Without a doubt this was the best performance I have seen by a UALR team in Diddle. True you guys won last year also, but we had a BUNCH of injuries then. I think I saw Will Neighbor place some lit matches in his hair and growl at our cheerleaders.

But did he growl in a Cockney accent?

(02-02-2014 06:19 PM)outsideualr Wrote:  But did he growl in a Cockney accent?

(02-03-2014 06:56 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  

(02-02-2014 06:19 PM)outsideualr Wrote:  But did he growl in a Cockney accent?

I'm camping out in the campus parking area to see if Will is driving a Jaguar!