WSU at ISU

[A_Shocker]

That was WSU this year. Slow first half. Amazing Second Half.

Though this one was not simply a slow first half, but a bad first half. I think they may have messed WSU up the most of any team with a zone early. The only reason we weren't down as far (or worse!) today, compared to MSU was that ISU wasn't hitting the 3s they took. WSU tends to lower an opponent's average a fair bit, but I don't think you can credit WSU all of the 3 point defense.

We've had to fight the snooze button on games. I think WSU has the top (or close to it, we did a bit ago) 2nd half margin... just checked on teamrankings.com, which doesn't include this game yet, adding that to their stats keeps us at 2nd with +9.9 average. For comparison, only +4.4 in the first half, and we've trailed a lot of the games by a few points at the half. That's some amazing motivation/coaching/magic that the whole coaching staff and team do at the half.

I'm glad that ISU did their red-out. Some people might consider it I'm used to the roundhouse where if there are seats empty it is few and far between. I hope the rest of you have the enjoyment of the same energy at times.

Also, That dunk, DAMN.

[rlh04d]

Though this one was not simply a slow first half, but a bad first half. I think they may have messed WSU up the most of any team with a zone early. The only reason we weren't down as far (or worse!) today, compared to MSU was that ISU wasn't hitting the 3s they took. WSU tends to lower an opponent's average a fair bit, but I don't think you can credit WSU all of the 3 point defense.

This is the worst we've looked against the zone yet this year. For whatever reason, we just couldn't drive into the IlSU zone at all in the first half. Comedy of turnovers for a while there.

Hopefully that was just great play by IlSU/boneheaded play by WSU and not a blueprint for success against us. It certainly didn't work in the second half.

[Snaggletooth]

Redbird fans and players will look at the 1-25 from 3 and wonder.

What - wonder when they are going to recruit some shooters? It not like there was a lid on the rim, they were missing everything at times.

Recruit some teammates? They only had 5 assists, you are not going to win in the MVC with that type of selfish play. Out of all the MVC teams we have played so far, I rank them last so far.

[Rollbird5]

Redbird fans and players will look at the 1-25 from 3 and wonder.

What - wonder when they are going to recruit some shooters? It not like there was a lid on the rim, they were missing everything at times.

Recruit some teammates? They only had 5 assists, you are not going to win in the MVC with that type of selfish play. Out of all the MVC teams we have played so far, I rank them last so far.

How do you expect any assists when none of our guys could hit water falling out of a boat lol Lots of good passes and open looks just couldnt hit anything to save our lives.

[mvcfan]

Redbird fans and players will look at the 1-25 from 3 and wonder.

What - wonder when they are going to recruit some shooters? It not like there was a lid on the rim, they were missing everything at times.

Recruit some teammates? They only had 5 assists, you are not going to win in the MVC with that type of selfish play. Out of all the MVC teams we have played so far, I rank them last so far.

How do you expect any assists when none of our guys could hit water falling out of a boat lol Lots of good passes and open looks just couldnt hit anything to save our lives.

uhoh. You can add ISUR to Pitt, Gonzaga, Ohio State, St. Louis, etc. that we were lucky to beat.

[ilstu2013]

uhoh. You can add ISUR to Pitt, Gonzaga, Ohio State, St. Louis, etc. that we were lucky to beat.

No one said that you were lucky. The three-point shooting for ISU was 1-for-25. By definition, baskets actually have to be made for assists to be recorded, so that is why there were so few assists. I believe that is the point being made.

What - wonder when they are going to recruit some shooters? It not like there was a lid on the rim, they were missing everything at times.

Recruit some teammates? They only had 5 assists, you are not going to win in the MVC with that type of selfish play. Out of all the MVC teams we have played so far, I rank them last so far.

Well, ISU is currently in the top half of the league and will likely finish there or at the very least stay out of Thursday, so there's that. They're certainly far above last. Also, WSU beat SIU, UNI, Bradley and Indiana State by about the same margin as they beat Illinois State by, so the Redbirds performance against the Shockers wasn't any worse than any of those other teams.

[xsaluki]

Dunk:

http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaab/eye-on- ... llinois-st

[Snaggletooth]

Redbird fans and players will look at the 1-25 from 3 and wonder.

What - wonder when they are going to recruit some shooters? It not like there was a lid on the rim, they were missing everything at times.

Recruit some teammates? They only had 5 assists, you are not going to win in the MVC with that type of selfish play. Out of all the MVC teams we have played so far, I rank them last so far.

How do you expect any assists when none of our guys could hit water falling out of a boat lol Lots of good passes and open looks just couldnt hit anything to save our lives.

Please, for the most part ISUR wasn't looking to looking to pass they would come down and take some awful, jacked up 3 or go one on one to only be denied. WSU took ISUR best shot and still won on the road by 15.

[Bmarq04]

Hopefully that was just great play by IlSU/boneheaded play by WSU and not a blueprint for success against us. It certainly didn't work in the second half.

I don't think we so much had a blueprint of success. From my seats, and this is the only time I've seen WSU live this year, WSU played too quick to start. In the half dozen or so games I've seen, WSU plays at different speeds, but always with a purpose. To start last nights game, they seemed to be playing quick, but without direction. With our shooting, the game could have gotten outta hand early if you guys had a different start.

Refs let a lot of physical play go. Hence some of the chippy play (tony wills on baker, a couple of the hard fouls when players for either team drove, etc.). I actually would have liked to see the refs intervene a little earlier. There were a couple times I felt the game was one hard foul from something happening.

Lastly.........the dunk........I've never wished more that we showed opponents replays at ISU. That was a flat out MANs dunk. Cotton's future kids' balls dropped on that play. There is no way to undersell that play.

All in all, very entertaining game. Just wish the score reflected a more competitive battle.

[shocktheheart]

Us students really turned out for this game! Should be a great atmosphere.

Superbowl for every Valley team this year when WSU is on the road.

I don't understand the Super Bowl comment. Who cares. The biggest conference game on the schedule has been Creighton for years. I never remember crying about other teams Super Bowl. Just go play the game. This year Wichita is biggest conference game on other teams schedule., I don't understand why it is brought up every game. In a few years, it may be SIU or Illinois St. I don't get the fascination of announcing it every time Wichita plays.

Good luck in this game.

It is the Superbowl when you have the #5 ranked team coming into your place. When was the last time a top 5 team came into each Valley arena? Creighton in their history I don't believe has ever gotten in the top 5.