SIU @ WSU

[jturner38]

SIU has nice guards. Definately building something there. It looked like a typical late season conference game. It's the dog days of February. Always a dangerous time for top teams to possibly get knocked off by up and comers. Just glad they got the W.

Playing at Evansville has been tough and I still think the game @ Loyola will be tougher than some think. Will be interesting for sure! GO SHOX!

Yea the shockers are just surviving now. Everybody is given them their best shot..mostly when they are on the road. The shockers defense is whats saving their undefeated season. Few games they could have lost but their defense is doing what it does best.

[rlh04d]

SIU has nice guards. Definately building something there. It looked like a typical late season conference game. It's the dog days of February. Always a dangerous time for top teams to possibly get knocked off by up and comers. Just glad they got the W.

Playing at Evansville has been tough and I still think the game @ Loyola will be tougher than some think. Will be interesting for sure! GO SHOX!

Yea the shockers are just surviving now. Everybody is given them their best shot..mostly when they are on the road. The shockers defense is whats saving their undefeated season. Few games they could have lost but their defense is doing what it does best.

Having most of your starters shoot better than 80% from the charity stripe is really helping, too. FTs and defense stay pretty consistent.

[bigdawg]

Congrats to WSU on the win, but after watching the game it's very apparent the Shox are a good, but not great team. No offense but I think there are quite a few better teams that are ranked lower than you.

[Cdizzle]

Congrats to WSU on the win, but after watching the game it's very apparent the Shox are a good, but not great team. No offense but I think there are quite a few better teams that are ranked lower than you.

Just as a point of reference, is this the only WSU game you've seen? Probably not a great idea to draw too wild of a conclusion from one data point.

As another point of reference, in your opinion, have any other "good, not great" teams started 26-0 before?

No problem with your opinion. Tons of people share it. They also keep watching those "better teams ranked lower" lose while the Shox win, so it's pretty easy to shrug off.

Really interested to see how SIU finishes out the season. There seems to be an awful lot to be hopeful about in SIU-land again, finally.

[UNIFanSince1983]

I am not sure if WSU is getting complacent or what. I have seen quite a few of their games recently and they do not look as good as some of the other top teams. Sure Syracuse needed a miracle, but Pitt is worlds better than SIU or UNI. The 3 teams ahead of WSU in the AP Poll all deserve to be ahead of them in the AP poll. I am looking forward to seeing what WSU does in the Tournament. It is hard to tell how they compare to those teams when they are playing the crappy Valley teams right now. The jury is out since their schedule doesn't come close to what other top teams have played. They could end up being great, but right now going on only what I have seen recently they do not look like a great team or a team that could possibly win the National Championship. I could be wrong and I hope I am wrong, but that is what I am seeing right now.

As for teams to start 26-0 and be good but not great I think of the 2004 St. Joe's team. They were very good, but I would not have considered that a great team.

[Cdizzle]

I am not sure if WSU is getting complacent or what. I have seen quite a few of their games recently and they do not look as good as some of the other top teams. Sure Syracuse needed a miracle, but Pitt is worlds better than SIU or UNI. The 3 teams ahead of WSU in the AP Poll all deserve to be ahead of them in the AP poll. I am looking forward to seeing what WSU does in the Tournament. It is hard to tell how they compare to those teams when they are playing the crappy Valley teams right now. The jury is out since their schedule doesn't come close to what other top teams have played. They could end up being great, but right now going on only what I have seen recently they do not look like a great team or a team that could possibly win the National Championship. I could be wrong and I hope I am wrong, but that is what I am seeing right now.

As for teams to start 26-0 and be good but not great I think of the 2004 St. Joe's team. They were very good, but I would not have considered that a great team.

Meh. The 2004 St. Joe's team went 30-2, lost by 2 in the Elite 8, and sent 3 players to the NBA, two being 1st-round picks. If that's good but not great, I guess we just have different rating systems.

[TheShock]

I don't have any problems with various opinions about the Shockers; some are valid concerns, however I'm not sure there is a "great team" this year. I'm not sure there's been a "great team" in a couple of years. I see 15-20 teams with a chance to cut down the nets.

[Wufan]

Congrats to WSU on the win, but after watching the game it's very apparent the Shox are a good, but not great team. No offense but I think there are quite a few better teams that are ranked lower than you.

We did not look like a top 10 team against SIU. There are times this year where we have looked like the #1 team and times where we could easily be dismissed. Over all we are somewhere between the best team and the 20th best team. Thankfully, the NCAA tourney is pretty democratic and we will get a chance to prove it one way or another.

[Snaggletooth]

Congrats to WSU on the win, but after watching the game it's very apparent the Shox are a good, but not great team. No offense but I think there are quite a few better teams that are ranked lower than you.

I have watched quite a lot of basketball and I have not seen really any team I would characterize as great - they all seem to have warts. I also believe you are never going to say WSU looks like this invincible team because they don't have that pure shooter who just knocks down 3's at the NBA level (closest is Early, but he is somewhat unpredictable). But what WSU does is play physical Defense to win, which doesn't make for the most crisp game. WSU I believe outscored SIU on turnovers 23-9.

As far as how WSU looked in this game (or other MVC games) - it depends if you believe on what level SIU (insert any other MVC team) where playing against WSU.

1. If you think they played one of their better games then you have to give WSU their due. You also have hope for your program because if WSU is Top 10 program, then maybe you can get there also.

2. If you don't think they played one of their better games, then (insert team) really sucks because WSU didn't play up to their full potential and still had a Double-digit victory.

[saluki762]

[quote="Snaggletooth"]I have watched quite a lot of basketball and I have not seen really any team I would characterize as great - they all seem to have warts.[/quote]Wouldn't be shocked if any of the top 15 won the NC this year.