Shox Playing Something vs. Cal State - Fullerton

[RoyalShock]

sounds to me like the Shocks are doing good now, but Stutz has had a horrendous game.

From the sounds of it Fullerton was denying and double-teaming Stutz. They paid the price with Hall's 19 and 8.

[WSUbballer]

Stutz was definitely denied any attempt of the ball. That was Fullerton's primary strategy. However, when Stutz did find some point-blank shots, he blew em. A very rough night for him. As Royal alluded to, at least Hall picked up the slack.

If WSU brings this version of basketball to the plate on Sunday, we'll get pasted by about 20.

[MoValley John]

Stutz was definitely denied any attempt of the ball. That was Fullerton's primary strategy. However, when Stutz did find some point-blank shots, he blew em. A very rough night for him. As Royal alluded to, at least Hall picked up the slack.

If WSU brings this version of basketball to the plate on Sunday, we'll get pasted by about 20.

I don't think that will be a problem. GG will have them up and ready to play. I would be more concerned with them being too amped up for the game. Tonight was almost a trap game for the Shocks. CSF isn't as bad as their resume indicates and Wichita State has had some time off since the UAB game. With UNLV looming around the corner, I could see how the Shockers might struggle early.

[WSUbballer]

Stutz was definitely denied any attempt of the ball. That was Fullerton's primary strategy. However, when Stutz did find some point-blank shots, he blew em. A very rough night for him. As Royal alluded to, at least Hall picked up the slack.

If WSU brings this version of basketball to the plate on Sunday, we'll get pasted by about 20.

I don't think that will be a problem. GG will have them up and ready to play. I would be more concerned with them being too amped up for the game. Tonight was almost a trap game for the Shocks. CSF isn't as bad as their resume indicates and Wichita State has had some time off since the UAB game. With UNLV looming around the corner, I could see how the Shockers might struggle early.

You make a great point about being too amped up for the game, MVJ. There's a certain player or two that I really worry about in big games, where they try doing too much, try becoming hero, tries to force up junk, fumbles balls away, etc.

The only problem in your idea is WSU has yet to find any consistency, especially in their offense. And this just isn't apparent this game. This has virtually been the entire season. With UNLV ready to fly down the floor, we could get 100 put up on us if we're not careful. I think it is imperative that we get this one to a half-court game. That'll be our only chance. For as much as we like to brag about our offensive prowess, it sure seems to be a sore spot with us.

[2livewu]

I am struggling to figure this team out. On one hand they look totally lost offensively unless Stutz gets deep touches and isn't getting pushed off the block by someone that he has out-weighed by 40 pounds but on the other hand I feel their defense has been solid and aggressive and fairly consistent.

Fullerton is one of those oddity teams you really don't want to see. Plenty of talent but so undisciplined. If they get going they are more than capable of taking down a bunch of teams, but then they could turn around and get beat by Chicago State. Okay, that's a bit of a stretch.

Joe Ragland is about hit a very important crossroad imho. If he continues to play terrible man defense (and he has been awful of late) he's going to sit the rest of the season. Cotton gets after it, limits mistakes, listens to the coach, at least makes the other guy guard him, and is more interested in team goals.

Defense will carry you when the offense is sluggish, and WSU's defense has been solid for the most part so far this season. The Shocks aren't going to win the league (unless Creighton loses about 3 players to injuries) and the goal would seem to be to try and finish 2 or 3 to stay away from the Jays as long as possible in St. Louis. Probably won't matter in the long run, but that's how I see it right now.

[DoubleJayAlum]

Joe Ragland is about hit a very important crossroad imho. If he continues to play terrible man defense (and he has been awful of late) he's going to sit the rest of the season. Cotton gets after it, limits mistakes, listens to the coach, at least makes the other guy guard him, and is more interested in team goals.

What happened with Ragland? At the end of last year, I thought he was the spark plug that made the whole offense go. Frankly, my reason for picking the Shox to win the league was because of Ragland, Murry and Kyles. Instead of dominating though, Murray and Kyles seem to be either hot or cold and Ragland seems to have fallen off all together. I don't get it.

(As an aside, I like that a lot of WSu posters are able to analyze their team objectively and feel comfortable sharing that stuff. That can't be said about a some of the fanbases here and hasn't always been true about WSU posters either. It does make for some interesting basketball discussion instead of some of the pissing matches that have arisen in the past. Now, if only we can find a way to keep the discussions from steering off course about T-shirt throwing and free pizza, we could really have some good discussions this year.)

[SubGod22]

I don't know what Raglands issues are but I'm convinced he doesn't want to see the post players succeed. If I had to guess, he's passed to the post less than 5 times all season. Murry has been that way at times as well. A couple of times last night Stutz actually had his man sealed in good position and Rags showed zero interest in throwing it in to him.

Part of me thinks the guards feel it's their team and they're supposed to do everything. I think it's pretty obvious that they'll be more successful if they work it inside first. But what do I know?

Defensive intensity has been great. Rags hasn't done well though and even Murry his struggled at times. But that could be lingering effects of the rib/lung injury.

I'd love to see Cotton get as many minutes as he did last night. His stat line doesn't look like much, but the kid gets after it on D and creates problems on and off ball. And he doesn't screw up and force things offensively. I love that kid.

[Aargh]

I'm afraid Ragland may have read his press clippings - and let some of the accolades affect his game.

In the Wichita Eagle's article (http://www.kansas.com/2011/12/01/2124282/wichita-state-defeats-fullerton.html), Ragland and Murry are both quoted. There is a pretty obvious difference in the way their responses were phrased.

Ragland:

"I felt like I'm a great shooter, and they're leaving me open," he said. "So I just had to make the shots. That kind of sparked us."

Murry:

"We lacked energy in the first half," WSU guard Toure Murry said. "We've got to come out better in the first half."

"Anytime we get out in transition, we're a better team," Murry said. "We wanted to get out and pressure the guards. Constant pressure. Full court. Half court. Switching up the defenses."

In fairness to Ragland, I don't know how the questions were phrased. The "it's all about me" attitude that appears in Ragland's comments, coupled with the fact that he thinks he's above the rules (cutting class after getting a warning for cutting classes) makes me think Joe may have developed some ego once he achieved some success on the court.