Upset coming

[musiccitybulldog]

I saw UNI go toe to toe with Iowa State. ISU looked tough as nails that day and UNI did everything under the sun to answer, including a heck of a 3 to send it into overtime. So I would say they are more than capable.

Are the Shockers as tough as Iowa State? Probably. UNI looked good to me that day..plenty good.

This game will be a good one.......pop corns ready.

[PantherSigEp]

Wichita will play UNI better than Iowa State. For as good of a coach as Hoiberg may be he still hasn't figured out how to play Jacobson and the Panthers for some reason. It took an abysmal FT shooting and defensive effort from a program that prides itself on both, for the Cyclones to keep their little undefeated fantasy alive and get the first W for "The Mayor" against UNI. Marshall is much more familiar with what it takes to beat UNI and the Shox are better equipped to handle the Panthers even though I think ISU has better talent (which is in no way a slight to WSU). They are a better team, even if their Top 7-10 are not better than ISU's Top 7-10.

[rlh04d]

UNI will be the most difficult team that WSU has faced in Koch arena this year. Hopefully we come out with a new WSU record of 15 straight victories!

I think any WSU loss at home in conference is likely to come while taking someone completely for granted, which I don't see happening against a good UNI team and with the chance to make history on the line -- I think they're going to be pumped for this game.

But I'm sure we're going to lose some games I don't see coming. Really just depends on when our shot is cold and our opponent's shot is hot.

[Aargh]

Wichita will play UNI better than Iowa State. For as good of a coach as Hoiberg may be he still hasn't figured out how to play Jacobson and the Panthers for some reason. It took an abysmal FT shooting and defensive effort from a program that prides itself on both, for the Cyclones to keep their little undefeated fantasy alive and get the first W for "The Mayor" against UNI. Marshall is much more familiar with what it takes to beat UNI and the Shox are better equipped to handle the Panthers even though I think ISU has better talent (which is in no way a slight to WSU). They are a better team, even if their Top 7-10 are not better than ISU's Top 7-10.

VanVleet was a top-100 recruit, and many felt he was underrated. In any list of the top 15 or 20 PG's in D1, you're going to find FVV. I haven't seen Odum on any of those lists. NBA scouts are now familiar with Wichita as they have been watching Early since practice started, and they're all inquiring about Baker. Early is on every list I've seen of the top 10 wings in the country.

FVV and Baker are regularly appearing in lists of the top 5 back courts in D1. Before Baker sprained his aankle, many observers were considering him the best player on the team. Then there's Cotton, who shut down every hot-scoring guard he faced in the NCAA's last year, and is probably the best defensive player in the league, while averagiong 10.6 points on a team where he is not one of the main options for point production.

Darius Carter was ranked as the #8 JuCo in the nation last year. It usually takes half a season for the JuCo guys to adjust to D1 and Carter appears to be right on that learning curve track.

That leaves the 2 6'9", 255+ guys coming off the bench, and Nick Wiggins, who is probably about equivalent to Arop.

[jackwagon]

Arop is superior to Wiggins. Come on man

[DUBulldog]

Wichita will play UNI better than Iowa State. For as good of a coach as Hoiberg may be he still hasn't figured out how to play Jacobson and the Panthers for some reason. It took an abysmal FT shooting and defensive effort from a program that prides itself on both, for the Cyclones to keep their little undefeated fantasy alive and get the first W for "The Mayor" against UNI. Marshall is much more familiar with what it takes to beat UNI and the Shox are better equipped to handle the Panthers even though I think ISU has better talent (which is in no way a slight to WSU). They are a better team, even if their Top 7-10 are not better than ISU's Top 7-10.

VanVleet was a top-100 recruit, and many felt he was underrated. In any list of the top 15 or 20 PG's in D1, you're going to find FVV. I haven't seen Odum on any of those lists. NBA scouts are now familiar with Wichita as they have been watching Early since practice started, and they're all inquiring about Baker. Early is on every list I've seen of the top 10 wings in the country.

FVV and Baker are regularly appearing in lists of the top 5 back courts in D1. Before Baker sprained his aankle, many observers were considering him the best player on the team. Then there's Cotton, who shut down every hot-scoring guard he faced in the NCAA's last year, and is probably the best defensive player in the league, while averagiong 10.6 points on a team where he is not one of the main options for point production.

Darius Carter was ranked as the #8 JuCo in the nation last year. It usually takes half a season for the JuCo guys to adjust to D1 and Carter appears to be right on that learning curve track.

That leaves the 2 6'9", 255+ guys coming off the bench, and Nick Wiggins, who is probably about equivalent to Arop.

ISU = Iowa State

[PantherSigEp]

Yes ISU was referring to #13 Iowa St. My apologies for the ambiguity, I forget that people aren't familiar with Hoiberg outside of Iowa and that we already have enough ISU's in the conference that need to be constantly distinguished

[Aargh]

I'll take WSU's top 7-10 against Iowa State's top 7-10.

This year's Shox look like the best team WSU has put on the court since Carr, Levingston, and McDaniel were playing.

The Shox have 3 guys who are likely to get NBA looks. Some NBA draft predictions had Baker around late first round or early second round and Early in the same range after this year. Baker's ankle injury is limiting his production right now, which should end the speculation that he could go NBA after this year - and that speculation was out there.

VanVleet is too short, not quick enough, to go league, but the same thing was said about him that would keep him from going to a decent D1 school. There's more and more media saying that by the time he's a Sr. every basketball fan in the nation will know his name and what he does.

I don't mean this to be a chest-thumping or a boastful post. I believe what I've said here is pretty much real world and nothing I've exaggerated or pumped up by drinking the Kool-Aid or wearing the black-and-yellow colored glasses.

I have trouble believing that WSU has assembled the level of talent they have this year. I can't possibly fault fans who only see the Shox occasionally and are accustomed to the level of talent we see in the Valley for doubting the talent WSU has this year.

Van Vleet was top-100. That would put him among the top 20 PG's in his class. He's already considered among the top 20 (more often top 10) PG's in D1, which includes 4 years of PG's. Media love for Baker is off the charts. Small town guy, walk on, humble kid - media loves him, but he's getting a lot of national recognition as one of the best SG's in D1. Early's 24/10 against Louisville in the F4 got him immediate and huge media attention. He's struggled with that a bit, but now his game has a lot more elements and diversity.

The Shox are ranked in the top 10. I've watched games played by top-10 teams and I'm confident the Shox belong in that group. It's been a while since the Valley has had a legitimate top-10 team, so it's a little difficult to grasp that a Valley team can have that level of talent and game.

[jackwagon]

Wichita will play UNI better than Iowa State. For as good of a coach as Hoiberg may be he still hasn't figured out how to play Jacobson and the Panthers for some reason. It took an abysmal FT shooting and defensive effort from a program that prides itself on both, for the Cyclones to keep their little undefeated fantasy alive and get the first W for "The Mayor" against UNI. Marshall is much more familiar with what it takes to beat UNI and the Shox are better equipped to handle the Panthers even though I think ISU has better talent (which is in no way a slight to WSU). They are a better team, even if their Top 7-10 are not better than ISU's Top 7-10.

VanVleet was a top-100 recruit, and many felt he was underrated. In any list of the top 15 or 20 PG's in D1, you're going to find FVV. I haven't seen Odum on any of those lists. NBA scouts are now familiar with Wichita as they have been watching Early since practice started, and they're all inquiring about Baker. Early is on every list I've seen of the top 10 wings in the country.

FVV and Baker are regularly appearing in lists of the top 5 back courts in D1. Before Baker sprained his aankle, many observers were considering him the best player on the team. Then there's Cotton, who shut down every hot-scoring guard he faced in the NCAA's last year, and is probably the best defensive player in the league, while averagiong 10.6 points on a team where he is not one of the main options for point production.

Darius Carter was ranked as the #8 JuCo in the nation last year. It usually takes half a season for the JuCo guys to adjust to D1 and Carter appears to be right on that learning curve track.

That leaves the 2 6'9", 255+ guys coming off the bench, and Nick Wiggins, who is probably about equivalent to Arop.

Your a WSU fan so I get that biased opinion is hard to resist, but WSU doesn't have superior talent to teams like Iowa State. Are they comparable? Yeah. Are they the better TEAM? certainly could be a possibility. But I don't think most rational people would say oh yeah clearly WSU has the better talent man for man down the roster.

Even just comparing them to ISUB the St. Louis coach jim crews said that WSU first 4 or 5 are as good as anyone in the country but he thought ISUB had more quality depth after that. I don't know if I totally agree with that but when a D1 coach who played them both said so that's enough for me to consider it. Point being after FVV, Early, Baker, and Cotton (and potentially carter) there is a drop off in "BCS" talent on that team. You can hype up Wessel, Wiggins, CF, and KC but that group off the bench does not look too imposing to teams like Iowa State or other top 20 squads for that matter

[moshock]

Wichita will play UNI better than Iowa State. For as good of a coach as Hoiberg may be he still hasn't figured out how to play Jacobson and the Panthers for some reason. It took an abysmal FT shooting and defensive effort from a program that prides itself on both, for the Cyclones to keep their little undefeated fantasy alive and get the first W for "The Mayor" against UNI. Marshall is much more familiar with what it takes to beat UNI and the Shox are better equipped to handle the Panthers even though I think ISU has better talent (which is in no way a slight to WSU). They are a better team, even if their Top 7-10 are not better than ISU's Top 7-10.

VanVleet was a top-100 recruit, and many felt he was underrated. In any list of the top 15 or 20 PG's in D1, you're going to find FVV. I haven't seen Odum on any of those lists. NBA scouts are now familiar with Wichita as they have been watching Early since practice started, and they're all inquiring about Baker. Early is on every list I've seen of the top 10 wings in the country.

FVV and Baker are regularly appearing in lists of the top 5 back courts in D1. Before Baker sprained his aankle, many observers were considering him the best player on the team. Then there's Cotton, who shut down every hot-scoring guard he faced in the NCAA's last year, and is probably the best defensive player in the league, while averagiong 10.6 points on a team where he is not one of the main options for point production.

Darius Carter was ranked as the #8 JuCo in the nation last year. It usually takes half a season for the JuCo guys to adjust to D1 and Carter appears to be right on that learning curve track.

That leaves the 2 6'9", 255+ guys coming off the bench, and Nick Wiggins, who is probably about equivalent to Arop.

Your a WSU fan so I get that biased opinion is hard to resist, but WSU doesn't have superior talent to teams like Iowa State. Are they comparable? Yeah. Are they the better TEAM? certainly could be a possibility. But I don't think most rational people would say oh yeah clearly WSU has the better talent man for man down the roster.

Even just comparing them to ISUB the St. Louis coach jim crews said that WSU first 4 or 5 are as good as anyone in the country but he thought ISUB had more quality depth after that. I don't know if I totally agree with that but when a D1 coach who played them both said so that's enough for me to consider it. Point being after FVV, Early, Baker, and Cotton (and potentially carter) there is a drop off in "BCS" talent on that team. You can hype up Wessel, Wiggins, CF, and KC but that group off the bench does not look too imposing to teams like Iowa State or other top 20 squads for that matter

LOL - you sound like the Pittsburgh - Gonzaga - Lasalle - Ohio State fans from last year and Alabama and Tennessee fans recently. They were still scratching their heads after the Shox handed them their ass .

Carter was injured when we went to SLU so Lufile started - he had 12 / 8 and now he is barely sniffing the floor. WSU had their second wave in when they put the game out of reach for SIU. I'm not concerned about depth.