Curses

Earlier this week in the WAC update at Rush The Court, PTW wrote this about New Mexico State's Hamidu Rahman:

"At the risk of sounding like a legal representative of the Department of Homeland Security, an apology is due. A pre-season prediction by moi that senior Hamidu Rahman would relegated to coming off the bench by 6-foot-10 sophomore Tshilidzi Nephawe in 2011-12 has proven to be invalid. Rahman has started all 20 New Mexico State games and is averaging 10.4 points (14.0 in conference action) and 6.6 boards while shooting 63% on the season. Meanwhile, Nephawe is a 43% marksman and averaging 5.2 and 3.1 respectively. Of late, Rahman has enjoyed 20 points and eight boards (in 22 minutes) matching up with San Jose State, followed by 16 points and six rebounds versus Hawaii (in 20 minutes). It was 12 and six in 17 minutes versus Idaho prior to SJSU.

The senior out of New Jersey was nagged by injuries last season, averaging 7.2 points per game while making 49% of his shot attempts. This go-around, he is healthy and showing his full potential."

Then what happens?

Against Nevada, Rahman plays 15 minutes, scoring four points and grabbing the same number of rebounds. Then, it's 16 minutes, eight points and five boards against smallish Fresno State. (was there some sort of injury involved causing the diminished PT or foul trouble or simply situational?)

Has the hex of being on the Sports Illustrated cover enbedded itself onto hindering anyone receiving praise from PTW?

Earlier this season (maybe it was the pre-season), PTW was singing the praises of LT's Brandon Gibson and he's 'enjoyed' what apparently is a jinxed shooting stroke in 2011-12.

PTW and the Typhoid Mary Touch -- a match made in ...

What's up with Brandon Gibson?

At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Louisiana Tech's Brandon Gibson possesses all the physical prerequisites to dominate on the court.

In 2008-09, he got his feet wet as a freshman but then as a sophomore, he was forced to redshirt after breaking a foot.

As a sophomore again in 2010-11, he averaged 9.2 points and 5.1 rebounds a contest but tore an ACL in the first conference game of the season and was lost.

PTW envisioned Gibson immediately taking to new Coach Mike White's up tempo styles offensively and defensively and being the top scorer and rebounder for the Bulldogs.

That hasn't happened.

In 10 games (four starts) so far this season, Gibson is playing just under 15 minutes a game and averaging just 2.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 17% overall, 16% on trey attempts.

What's the story?

Is he still feeling the effect of his ACL injury?

Maybe we missed it but PTW hasn't seen any coverage regarding Gibson. Louisiana Tech is 6-5 with his minimal contributions -- imagine where they might be with Gibson leading the way.