Railey’s low minutes due to lack of offense
From Pullman --
Washington State center Jordan Railey has been a mainstay in the Cougars’ starting lineup, handling the opening tipoff in 18 of the team’s 20 games. But while getting on the court has been a given for the 7-footer, staying there has been a challenge. WSU coach Ken Bone has had a quick hook for his starting center and junior transfer from Iowa State averages less than 16 minutes per game.
Find out why after the jump.
...
Railey did not see extensive minutes at ISU and had to sit out last season under NCAA transfer rules. As such the coaching staff expected him to have some rust. But Bone says that when Railey struggles to put the ball in the basket early in contests it has a negative affect on the rest of his game.
“I felt like he was on his way but since then I think there are a few games where he did not have success and sometimes a guy can be his own worst enemy,” Bone said. “Jordan can be hard on himself and he’s a young man that wants to do well, he’s trying, he works hard every day in practice.”
Railey has shown flashes on offense, scoring 13 points in the Cougars’ win over Purdue. But with WSU last in the Pac-12 in scoring at 62.0 points per game, Bone says the team can’t afford to play Railey unless he’s a threat to score. The center currently averages just 3.0 points per game.
“I would say Jordan has met my expectations with the exception of being able to put the ball in the basket lately,” Bone said. “I believe strongly that his better days are ahead of him in that area and he’s got to believe in himself that he can do it. We believe in him, he’s got to believe in himself.”
