WKU Basketball: First reactions following Stansbury’s Presser
Last Friday morning, Rick Stansbury addressed the media for the first time this academic year and this Hilltopper basketball program has a very good vibe about it. Here are my takes following Stansbury’s presser.u
Stansbury is going to be strict
Coach said in his opening presser that he didn’t want to change the culture of Hilltopper basketball, becuase WKU already has a winning culture. However, just because he said that, doesn’t mean he isn’t adapting the culture within the program.
“We have this simple saying that is ‘Do what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it with the best attitude possible, and an excuse is unacceptable.’ Now that’s accountability. You going to go to class? You going to go to study table? You’re going to do all of those things.”
Okay. So, what does Stansbury being strict have to do with anything? Well in my opinion, what happens off the court affects what goes down on the court.
Stansbury isn’t going to be easy on these guys off the court, so that means the players will be working their butts off on the court in practice as well.
WKU is going to win, including road games
“You’ve heard me say this: everyone is good at home, everybody. Whatever team you play, whatever sport it is, everyone is good at home. It’s the teams that can go on the road and win, are the teams that win championships. And that is where that fine line is maginfied-on that road.”
In years past, WKU has struggled on the road. Under Stansbury, we will see a different outcome.
WKU has some tough road outings this year, including a trip down to Belmont early in the year (WKU lost to Bruins by one last year in Nashville, lost in Diddle Arena in 2014), two Global Sports classic games in Las Vegas (game one vs. Washington, game two vs. TCU or UNLV), at Missouri, as well as back to back road outings in mid-January at UAB and MTSU.
With a tough road schedule like the Hilltoppers have this year, Stansbury has to have his team ready, and with him addressing the importance of those road matches, he will have his team ready to put up the fight.
I don’t think the Hilltoppers will win all of those, in fact they very well could go .500 in those mentioned road outings. But, those games will for sure impact the success WKU might have in Birmingham come March. My way too early prediction (not having seen this team play at all) is already in favor of WKU making a run to the NCAA tourney (knock on wood.)
This team will be FUN
“The base of the freedom that you have in our program is offensively. And that’s where guys want freedom…If we can score in transition, we score in transition every time…We are going to play fast and quick, but at the same time we are going to defend and rebound every possession.”
One thing Coach Harper did was slow the ball down and play the half-court style. There were times where you’d see a breakaway pass and slam to Justin Johnson, or a fast break three from T.J. Price. But, Harper liked to slow the ball down, and he consistently told Chris Harrison-Docks to do so when he ran the point. It resulted in decent basketball, but not fun basketball.
With Stansbury, and him saying he wants to play fast, I think it will be more fun. You have a mix of returning Hilltoppers as well as an abundance of fresh faces. Mix all of those talented and experienced guys together, and bump in a fast pace offense, you have a fun result.
Breakaway slams in transition, a quick three — those might just be enough to get those fans in Diddle Arena loud like the days of old.
Those are just a few of my takes. I think as the temperature gets colder, the excitement for a new era of Hilltopper basketball just grows larger and larger.
Here’s the full press conference from last week. Let us know what your initial takes and impressions are of Stansbury, and what you’re looking forward to when the season starts.
Full press conference courtesy of WKU Sports.
