Two words for everyone:
DERECK WHITTENBURG!!
I still cannot believe State did not even interview him for the job. Grrrrr.
Sidney Lowe may be finding that living up to expectations with a good team is a bit harder than exceeding expectations with a lousy team.
Should State be surprised at this? I mean, were they aware that Lowe's career coaching record was 79-228 (a winning percentage of .257) prior to taking the State job?
I am intrigued at how much trouble they are having adding a stud freshman like Hickson. He is putting up big numbers but it is at the expense of their two stud big men from last year. Costner and McCauley are mere shadows of the players they were a year ago.
Code:
Name (year) PPG FG% RPG
Costner (2006-07) 16.8 47.4 7.3
Costner (2007-08) 10.5 33.3 5.7
McCauley (06-07) 14.4 58.4 6.9
McCauley (07-08) 4.3 37.0 3.0
Folks, that is not what is supposed to happen to upperclassmen.
I know State's guard play has been horrid and the inability of the guards to get it to the post players in good position is clearly a lot of what is behind State's problems but still... sheesh!! State's top two players have gone from averaging a combined 31 ppg and 14 rpg to 14 ppg and 8 rpg. Gaaaack!!
--Jason "I know Hickson is getting some of Cost and McC's minutes, but not enough to justify this much of a falloff in production" Evans