Wichita State Shockers at Evansville (Wed, Jan 4th)

[Ricardo del Rio]

What a tremendous game. Much props to the Shock who hung tough and ground out a tough road victory. We just had no answer for Stutz who merely needed to hold the ball above his head for easy scores. I think the Aces will be challenged to give them the same game in Wichita, but I remain hopeful. Well done WSU.

I hope this game ends the few trash talking Shocker fans who like to say that Ryan can only score when it's meaningless or that Evansville is "dragging down the Valley." Truly insulting and gives absolutely no credit to a hard playing and gritty team that is well coached and whom lay their hearts out on the line. Yeah, we can suck bad at times when we are truly out classed (e.g. UNC), but we can give any program in the Valley all they can handle.

Like a poster said earlier on this thread, if we had any size or experience in the post, this team would be even tougher to beat. Sadly, this will continue to be a limiter for this year's team, forcing us to double team leaving the weakside exposed for easy buckets/fouls or for spot up kick out threes for our opponents. For Aces fans, we can only imagine what things would be like if we had a half decent post presence for this year's team.

I never look forward to playing the Aces, home or away.

I fear the Aces because of its defense. The players are not super talented, but they play hard and are very scrappy. They do not quit. I suspect these traits are the very traits of Coach Simmons.

No team in the Valley is better at grabbing, holding, pushing, shoving, pinching, etc. than the Aces. When a team plays the Aces, they had better have both straps on - chin and jock. The Aces might not be able to throw the ball in the hoop, but they can play defense.

I have not seen them this year, but I imagine nothing has changed.

[Wufan]

My tip of the cap to the Aces. Well played game. I've not "dogged" on Ryan too much on-line, but had not been overly impressed with him prior to the Valley season. My eyes have been opened. What a great shooter! He also appears to have more bulk to him now then in previous years.

For the second straight game I came away very impressed with the Shockers Valley opponent. Not a good sign for my team. The Aces run a "nifty" offense (and I mean that as a compliment) and they run it tight. Having multiple quick trigger shooters knock down the 3 really makes that team difficult! Defensively, quick feet, controlled contact, and flopping is very frustrating to play against. The Aces play with savvy.

The Shocker guards laid an egg for the second straight game. Ragland and Murry were bad...again. Kyles was a non-factor and Williams isn't as talented as the other three. Credit the Evansville guards for their D as the Shockers should have got the ball to Garrett even more often than they did.

Alas, I picked Evansville to finish 7th due to no known quantity in the post. Stutz looked like freaking Wilt Chamberlain out there! He's almost always the tallest player, but also usually the least athletic and often not as strong or quick as his opponent. Last night however, I believe he was stronger and as quick as anything Evansville brought on the court.

If the shooting streak continues for UE, they will finish closer to second than seventh.

[shockem]

From watching Colt Ryan last night and seeing what he's doing in his 3rd year of college, he's a better player than Blake Ahearn was. I can see Ryan getting a shot in the NBA with that kind of scoring ability.

[pafan]

Alas, I picked Evansville to finish 7th due to no known quantity in the post. Stutz looked like freaking Wilt Chamberlain out there! He's almost always the tallest player, but also usually the least athletic and often not as strong or quick as his opponent. Last night however, I believe he was stronger and as quick as anything Evansville brought on the court.

Shox did a good job getting Stutz the ball off the switch. UE's tallest players are 6'7/6'8 and Marty only ever plays one of them at a time. That led to a bunch of plays where Colt Ryan or Lewis Jones was trying to guard a player at least six inches taller and probably 50 pounds bigger.

Marty was joking on his radio show this week that with no one on the roster over 200, its like the whole team is on the "perfect plan," the diet he has been on for a couple of years.

[havoc]

UE has just had crappy luck with big men.

If everyone stayed around, UE would have had two decent upperclass bigs this year, James Haarsma and Brian Bouchie. Haarsma left UE after his freshman year when he led the team in rebounds. He's now at Wisconsin Milwaukee and his stat lines look pretty darn good. Bouchie got into all kinds of trouble. If I remember right, he was arrested for public intox in his hometown, and dropped out of school a few days later.

Marty also had a lead on a Dustin Clements, a JUCO transfer, this summer. That fell through for reasons that aren't clear to me ... all I know is that he was kicked off one JUCO team, and eventually UE withdrew the offer.

Haarsma left after his sophomore year.

Bouchie was arrested for public intox just before he got to UE. I don't think he officially got in any trouble while at UE, but I believe it was the consensus at the time that he just couldn't keep his nose clean.

Zach House redshirted his first year at UE. He would be a senior this year. He is at SEMO, but not doing much

Derek Johnson set out his first year at UE due to injury. He decided his knees couldn't hold up and quit basketball all together.

Matt Peeler... well, hasn't worked out.

And as you mentioned, Dustin Clements also couldn't stay out of trouble. He was going to go to Bethune-Cookman after UE, but that didn't work out either. Now he is at West Florida.

Nate Garner was a JUCO transfer undersized 4. He had one good year at UE. This far, he is the only big man Marty has recruited that has had much success at UE.

All Aces fans can really do now is hope the 3 big men on the team now can stay out of trouble and stick with the program and that the one signed for next year can do the same. Things really have to improve in the front court if UE is ever going to make the next step in the MVC.

[DoubleJayAlum]

No team in the Valley is better at grabbing, holding, pushing, shoving, pinching, etc. than the Aces. When a team plays the Aces, they had better have both straps on - chin and jock. The Aces might not be able to throw the ball in the hoop, but they can play defense.

I have not seen them this year, but I imagine nothing has changed.

Just wait until you play MSU.

[Ace Dad]

No team in the Valley is better at grabbing, holding, pushing, shoving, pinching, etc. than the Aces. When a team plays the Aces, they had better have both straps on - chin and jock. The Aces might not be able to throw the ball in the hoop, but they can play defense.

I have not seen them this year, but I imagine nothing has changed.

Just wait until you play MSU.

SIU had this reputation "back in the day" and I did not realize that we are now considered "dirty" defenders.

[2livewu]

If the ball would have been tip in the court might have been rush. UE allow WSU to get a 8-10 point lead too many time only to come back and make it close or take the lead. Harris's missed free throw gave us an opportunity to tip it in but I feel the Shockers are glad to snatch a 1 point victory and leave town quickly. I just heard their plane overhead.

Every game has a winner and an also ran. Tonight UE will look forward to Witchita and mark a X on their calendars. Revenge is SWEEEEET

Great game Congrats to the Shocks and the Aces for a well played game.

Go Aces !

PS Baller, you wouldn't of like the seat...much orange and purple there

UE didn't "allow" WSU anything. WSU is better, period. The Aces played hard, but even a number of stupid decisions by Ragland and Stutz, atrocious officiating down the stretch and 53% 3 point shooting wasn't enough to hold serve at home for the Aces.

I look forward to the Aces circling the calendar for their return trip. Your program brings nothing to the table. Your teams are not competitive with the best....the Aces are a drain on the programs in the Valley that are striving for something else.

WSU will show them what a big time program is when they come to ICT.

Mark that X buddy. Can't wait to see the Aces back in Wichita.

[Ace Dad]

Two Live Crew:

You know, I sat with several WSU fans at the tournament after your last loss and consoled them. Many were very frustrated because they had expectations that the Shockers would do better. WSU has some great fans. They understood that the Shocks were good, but also knew that the other team "gets a vote."

Any fan who complains about officiating is a whiner. You get certain calls in your house.

Any fan who does not give the other team credit for being a good opponent is a jerk.

If the shoe fits, wear it.

[Wufan]

I for one will give credit to UE for the way they played. They played harder and smarter than the Shox. I think that most that watched the game agree that WSU just brought too much to the table for the Aces to handle in 40 minutes and 0.00 seconds, but I do applaud them for their effort. They certainly played well enough to win.

Does UE play dirty D? No. They did everything the refs allowed. That's smart basketball.