I reviewed the final minute of Saturday's game this morning, in part because I still didn't quite believe it happened. After looking at the tape, I'm even more surprised. That comeback required an almost comic amount of things to go right for Wyoming, and some unbelievably bad decisions from CSU, to come true. What you'll see below are hustle plays by Wyoming, clutch shooting by Griffin and Walters, and CSU with a case of The Fear so bad I'm not sure they will recover. Their season may be over.
CSU will look back at Saturday and justifiably think that if they had made their free throws in the last two minutes, they win the game. This began at the 1:55 mark with a missed front end of a one and one. Despite this, the Rams were still up 11 with 1:00 to go. Wyoming came down and ran a good set that ended with Walters making a layup in traffic after a nice up and under. For a guy who is limited physically, he played huge down the stretch of the game and it started with that bucket.
So, to set the scene, Wyoming set up in a full court trap, down 9 with 50 seconds. This is where CSU began the greatest episode of pants-shitting I've ever seen. They tried to enter the ball in the corner, but Manyawu made an unbelievable hustle play. I remembered this as a steal after the ball was entered, but he actually dove at the entry pass and in one motion rolled over calling a time out. Look how close this was:
At first, I thought we might have gotten the benefit of some hometown cooking on this call, but, unbelievably, he wasn't out. Look at the pic below. This is just one example of one thing that happened in the last minute that, if only 1 millimeter different, changes the outcome of the game. Unreal effort here by Cam.
To make things crazier, that was Wyoming's last timeout. We were still down 11, with under 40 seconds left, and had no timeouts. Out of the timeout, Griffin took it off the bounce and made a jumper in rhythm from the wing to cut it to 9.
This is where CSU stepped in to help the Pokes. Wyoming goes into a full court trap again, but this time CSU does the right thing and gets it up the court quickly to Cartier. This is the play where it looked like he traveled near center court but it wasn't called. Look at this screengrab, though. All Cartier had to do was pass it up to the wing and we'd have been stuck in a 2 on 1. Instead, Cartier panics, travels, pivots around, and finally ends up passing it backwards. This is Missed Opportunity #1 for CSU to be aggressive and end the game. Unfortunately for them, they were all born Wrong and they know it.
Clifford ends up with the ball and he chokes like a dog, missing the front end of a one and one.
Wyoming comes down, and Griffin makes an improbably deep 3. This HAS to go in for Wyoming to have a chance. Look how deep this was... On video, Griffin starts his shot from the "o" in Maury Brown Court.
This 3 cut the lead to 4 with less than 20 seconds. Now, I am about to show you the greatest moment in basketball cowardice you will ever see. It would only be possible from a CSU Ram. It is disgusting and sad and I find it very erotic.
Take a moment and look at that picture again. CSU beats our trap. They get a runout. All Joel Scott has to do is go dunk the ball and the game is over. At this moment, the game IS effectively over. Yet for reasons only Scott knows, he pulled up so CSU could run clock. They do get about six more seconds off the clock, but again don't capitalize at the FT line and make only 1 of 2.
Here, Griffin again takes over. He works to get a three off the dribble and gets his defender to go for a pump fake. Again, all the CSU defender has to do is not take the fake and the game is over. Griffin takes the shot with only 3.7 seconds on the clock. Griffin, a man with cojones and not a little nancy-boy from CSU, steps up and makes two free throws. The second one hits the front iron, the back iron, and rattles in. Again, if that shot is 1 mm different, the game is over.
Now comes another tremendous hustle play from Wyoming. This time Walters runs a stunt and comes across the key as Griffin intentionally misses the third free throw. He beats his man across and gets one hand on the ball. He wins the scramble and then gets pushed to the floor. None of this can happen if Cam doesn't also hustle and beat his guy and Walters doesn't make a great hands play. It's amazing from this screenshot that Walters secured this ball.
Nique Clifford, thanks again for not hustling.
Here is where fate maybe intervenes just a bit. Below is a screenshot of Walters' first free throw. Again, Wyoming HAS to have this or it's game over. We're under 4 seconds, and still down 4. Look at this moment in time, and bask in the fact that this shot went in.
Anyway, it went in.
Now we come to the final moment in the Hustle Play Trilogy that saved this game. I believe this image tells the tale about these two teams - and why Wenzel is trusted so much by Linder and staff. Down 3, in need of a rebound, Wenzel is in a sprinter's stance ready to go while his defender has his hands on his knees.
Take note, this is a designed play as Cam and Wenzel again stunt across the lane. They make the hustle play, while Strong for CSU chases the ball to the rim like a 3rd grade rec league player who wants to stand underneath the basket with his hands up. No one for CSU boxes Walters. If Strong simply steps into the lane he gets the rebound easily. Instead, he plays out of control, and ends up tapping it out of bounds:
Now, Wyoming has the ball down 2 with under 2 seconds left. This is the moment when a slight, barely perceptible hissing sound could be heard. This was the sound of CSU assholes puckering.
I think everyone in the gym expected Linder to draw up a play for Kot, and for obvious reason. Instead, he called Walters' number. After rewatching the game, it is clear that Linder really did a job on Medved, just like he de-pantsed Alford. Kot is held out high, creating space in the key. We look to run a screen action for Walters coming down, but it's really more of a post exchange. My guess is that they wanted to force a tough choice on CSU here. If CSU switches, Stevens has to guard Walters in the post. When they don't switch, Walters is able to get the ball in unbelievably deep. Remember, this is only possible because we set up Kot on that side, and his man can't leave him. Here is the setup of the exchange:
The photo above is as the pass is in the air. Kot has rolled down to the corner to keep Lake occupied. Look how deep Walters is here. I can't believe CSU allowed this, but that's what happens when a team is soft as baby shit. Walters getting this kind of depth didn't happen by accident. This was a great play out of a CSU timeout.
Now, check this out. Walters make a great catch, gathers with one power dribble, and gets his shot off with 0.1 seconds left on the clock. This is as close as it gets.
His man is caught flat footed, Walters gets the shot off in time, and it's on to overtime.
Wyoming came back in to this game with a mix of perfect shooting (including how to miss free throws properly) when needed, some great schemes from Linder, tremendous hustle, and a dash of cowardice from CSU. The result was one of the two or three best games I've ever seen in Laramie.
Amazing.
CSU will look back at Saturday and justifiably think that if they had made their free throws in the last two minutes, they win the game. This began at the 1:55 mark with a missed front end of a one and one. Despite this, the Rams were still up 11 with 1:00 to go. Wyoming came down and ran a good set that ended with Walters making a layup in traffic after a nice up and under. For a guy who is limited physically, he played huge down the stretch of the game and it started with that bucket.
So, to set the scene, Wyoming set up in a full court trap, down 9 with 50 seconds. This is where CSU began the greatest episode of pants-shitting I've ever seen. They tried to enter the ball in the corner, but Manyawu made an unbelievable hustle play. I remembered this as a steal after the ball was entered, but he actually dove at the entry pass and in one motion rolled over calling a time out. Look how close this was:
At first, I thought we might have gotten the benefit of some hometown cooking on this call, but, unbelievably, he wasn't out. Look at the pic below. This is just one example of one thing that happened in the last minute that, if only 1 millimeter different, changes the outcome of the game. Unreal effort here by Cam.
To make things crazier, that was Wyoming's last timeout. We were still down 11, with under 40 seconds left, and had no timeouts. Out of the timeout, Griffin took it off the bounce and made a jumper in rhythm from the wing to cut it to 9.
This is where CSU stepped in to help the Pokes. Wyoming goes into a full court trap again, but this time CSU does the right thing and gets it up the court quickly to Cartier. This is the play where it looked like he traveled near center court but it wasn't called. Look at this screengrab, though. All Cartier had to do was pass it up to the wing and we'd have been stuck in a 2 on 1. Instead, Cartier panics, travels, pivots around, and finally ends up passing it backwards. This is Missed Opportunity #1 for CSU to be aggressive and end the game. Unfortunately for them, they were all born Wrong and they know it.
Clifford ends up with the ball and he chokes like a dog, missing the front end of a one and one.
Wyoming comes down, and Griffin makes an improbably deep 3. This HAS to go in for Wyoming to have a chance. Look how deep this was... On video, Griffin starts his shot from the "o" in Maury Brown Court.
This 3 cut the lead to 4 with less than 20 seconds. Now, I am about to show you the greatest moment in basketball cowardice you will ever see. It would only be possible from a CSU Ram. It is disgusting and sad and I find it very erotic.
Take a moment and look at that picture again. CSU beats our trap. They get a runout. All Joel Scott has to do is go dunk the ball and the game is over. At this moment, the game IS effectively over. Yet for reasons only Scott knows, he pulled up so CSU could run clock. They do get about six more seconds off the clock, but again don't capitalize at the FT line and make only 1 of 2.
Here, Griffin again takes over. He works to get a three off the dribble and gets his defender to go for a pump fake. Again, all the CSU defender has to do is not take the fake and the game is over. Griffin takes the shot with only 3.7 seconds on the clock. Griffin, a man with cojones and not a little nancy-boy from CSU, steps up and makes two free throws. The second one hits the front iron, the back iron, and rattles in. Again, if that shot is 1 mm different, the game is over.
Now comes another tremendous hustle play from Wyoming. This time Walters runs a stunt and comes across the key as Griffin intentionally misses the third free throw. He beats his man across and gets one hand on the ball. He wins the scramble and then gets pushed to the floor. None of this can happen if Cam doesn't also hustle and beat his guy and Walters doesn't make a great hands play. It's amazing from this screenshot that Walters secured this ball.
Nique Clifford, thanks again for not hustling.
Here is where fate maybe intervenes just a bit. Below is a screenshot of Walters' first free throw. Again, Wyoming HAS to have this or it's game over. We're under 4 seconds, and still down 4. Look at this moment in time, and bask in the fact that this shot went in.
Anyway, it went in.
Now we come to the final moment in the Hustle Play Trilogy that saved this game. I believe this image tells the tale about these two teams - and why Wenzel is trusted so much by Linder and staff. Down 3, in need of a rebound, Wenzel is in a sprinter's stance ready to go while his defender has his hands on his knees.
Take note, this is a designed play as Cam and Wenzel again stunt across the lane. They make the hustle play, while Strong for CSU chases the ball to the rim like a 3rd grade rec league player who wants to stand underneath the basket with his hands up. No one for CSU boxes Walters. If Strong simply steps into the lane he gets the rebound easily. Instead, he plays out of control, and ends up tapping it out of bounds:
Now, Wyoming has the ball down 2 with under 2 seconds left. This is the moment when a slight, barely perceptible hissing sound could be heard. This was the sound of CSU assholes puckering.
I think everyone in the gym expected Linder to draw up a play for Kot, and for obvious reason. Instead, he called Walters' number. After rewatching the game, it is clear that Linder really did a job on Medved, just like he de-pantsed Alford. Kot is held out high, creating space in the key. We look to run a screen action for Walters coming down, but it's really more of a post exchange. My guess is that they wanted to force a tough choice on CSU here. If CSU switches, Stevens has to guard Walters in the post. When they don't switch, Walters is able to get the ball in unbelievably deep. Remember, this is only possible because we set up Kot on that side, and his man can't leave him. Here is the setup of the exchange:
The photo above is as the pass is in the air. Kot has rolled down to the corner to keep Lake occupied. Look how deep Walters is here. I can't believe CSU allowed this, but that's what happens when a team is soft as baby shit. Walters getting this kind of depth didn't happen by accident. This was a great play out of a CSU timeout.
Now, check this out. Walters make a great catch, gathers with one power dribble, and gets his shot off with 0.1 seconds left on the clock. This is as close as it gets.
His man is caught flat footed, Walters gets the shot off in time, and it's on to overtime.
Wyoming came back in to this game with a mix of perfect shooting (including how to miss free throws properly) when needed, some great schemes from Linder, tremendous hustle, and a dash of cowardice from CSU. The result was one of the two or three best games I've ever seen in Laramie.
Amazing.
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