WE ARE ALL SHOCKERS!

[UE 71]

Two more wins and we can start watching baseball. Go Shocks!!

[GarH]

Actually the Shockers are not fully healthy. Wessel won't be back until next year. Think Baker but two inches taller. He should be able to get a medical redshirt and have three more years.

[valleychamp]

All hail the Shox!!!

Bow down to the Shox!!!!

The VALLEY is back in the FINAL FOUR!

[FeartheQ]

Awesome job Shox!

I couldn't believe how hard I was cheering for the win last night

[Wufan]

Hands down, this is the best defensive team in the Valley in the past 20 years, and maybe more.

Great compliment, but the Floor-Burn U teams were TOUGH! Just not as big / deep as the Shockers.

[jwa123]

Great thread.

The Valley has some GREAT fans!


Never imagined I would EVER in my lifetime have this type of feeling..

Congratulations!!!

[Deanthonybowdenfan]

Hands down, this is the best defensive team in the Valley in the past 20 years, and maybe more.

Great compliment, but the Floor-Burn U teams were TOUGH! Just not as big / deep as the Shockers.

UNI Panther lets not get carried away lol. Some of those SIU teams were CLEARLY better defensive teams than this Shocker team. This is a GREAT defensive team the Shox have, but those SIU teams had even better defense. They have made the final 4, not really because of their defense (even though there D has certainly been good) but because of their offense stepping it up is why they have made it here. Baker is a big reason, and the other guys starting to hit shots from 3. The only reason their offense was not that great was because you didnt have to guard the 3, in the Tourney they've hit huge 3's and that also has opened up the lane, and so they can use their ability to go inside more.

They are good all around---- defense, penetration (armstead), inside (hall), and now 3 point shooting. I'm just saying the main difference between the very solid regular season shockers, and the NCAA tournament shockers, is their ability to hit outside shots has vastly improved.

Out of respect for SIU, some of those teams held opponents to an average of 50 points a game if i recall right. (not 100% sure on the actual numbers)

[TNMSUFAN]

Congrats Shocks! Way to represent the conference!

[rlh04d]

UNI Panther lets not get carried away lol. Some of those SIU teams were CLEARLY better defensive teams than this Shocker team. This is a GREAT defensive team the Shox have, but those SIU teams had even better defense. They have made the final 4, not really because of their defense (even though there D has certainly been good) but because of their offense stepping it up is why they have made it here. Baker is a big reason, and the other guys starting to hit shots from 3. The only reason their offense was not that great was because you didnt have to guard the 3, in the Tourney they've hit huge 3's and that also has opened up the lane, and so they can use their ability to go inside more.

They are good all around---- defense, penetration (armstead), inside (hall), and now 3 point shooting. I'm just saying the main difference between the very solid regular season shockers, and the NCAA tournament shockers, is their ability to hit outside shots has vastly improved.

Out of respect for SIU, some of those teams held opponents to an average of 50 points a game if i recall right. (not 100% sure on the actual numbers)

Not to take anything away from SIU, but numbers from SIU's three straight years in the NCAA tournament:

vs Saint Mary's: 56 points on 33% shooting
vs Oklahoma State: 85 points on 54% shooting
vs West Virginia: 64 points on 44% shooting
vs Holy Cross: 51 points on 33% shooting
vs Virginia Tech: 48 points on 41% shooting
vs Kansas: 61 points on 60% shooting
Combined: 6 games, 61 ppg, ~44% shooting (if you compare only SIU's Sweet 16 run, ppg goes down, but FG% increases to 46%)

WSU's for comparison:
vs Pittsburgh: 55 points on 35% shooting
vs Gonzaga: 70 points on 36% shooting
vs La Salle: 58 points on 36% shooting
vs Ohio State: 66 points on 31% shooting
Combined: 4 games, 62 ppg, ~35% shooting

SIU, while holding many of their opponents to low point totals, used the strategy of slowing the game down. WSU plays at a much faster pace than almost any other "mid-major" I've ever seen in the tournament, so point totals are higher. I believe WSU also sends their opponents to the line more frequently. WSU has also played higher average seeds and higher average AP ranked teams in their run, IIRC.

Don't think there's any way you can not call this one of the best defenses in MVC history. They have absolutely shut down every team they've played against. All four teams had one of, if not the, worst offensive performance of the season against them.

[Deanthonybowdenfan]

SIU, while holding many of their opponents to low point totals, used the strategy of slowing the game down. WSU plays at a much faster pace than almost any other "mid-major" I've ever seen in the tournament, so point totals are higher. I believe WSU also sends their opponents to the line more frequently. WSU has also played higher average seeds and higher average AP ranked teams in their run, IIRC.

I agree that you play with a higher tempo than those SIU teams so the points per game stats might be a little misleading, however I wouldn't say "WSU plays at a much faster pace than almost any mid-major".

Don't think there's any way you can not call this one of the best defenses in MVC history. They have absolutely shut down every team they've played against. All four teams had one of, if not the, worst offensive performance of the season against them.

I agreed with that from the beginning, I said this is one of the best defenses the MVC has had, what i disagreed with was UNI panther saying "Hands down this is the best defensive team the Valley has had in 20 plus years"
I think a couple of those SIU teams had a better defense. But then again, maybe Creighton putting up over 90 points against the Shox clouds my judgement.