Bring on the Shockers

[WuDrWu]

To answer the question more directly AceDad, WSU has executed better this year, but not for 40 minutes. Certainly this was their most complete game but I don't think it was anywhere near crazy good.

We got nothing from Stutz and Hatch. We fouled too much. There is room for improvement. And we are going to have to prove it on the road which we have done very little of over, say, the last 22 years or so.

[iSASO]

The Shox played well above their heads tonight, I don't know what to attribute that to, afterall Evansville beat Butler and WSU is no Butler.

A few numbers to consider:

1. In the past three games, Evansville shot 52% from the field.
2. Tonight, they shot 34%
3. The Shockers had 12 players score, including the scrubs out-scoring Evansville 10-6 in the final 3:26.
4. The Shockers had 5 players in double figures, at least two with career highs in scoring.
5. The Shockers' bench scored 53 points.
6. The Evansville team scored 57.

Just one of those nights. I'm sure it won't work out this way against Bradley, a long-standing rival.

[C0|db|00ded]

Evansville? Meh..

It's always a great day to be a Shocker!


T


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[Aces0976]

Let me just say congrats Shockers......that was a beatdown, no doubt about it. I had hoped for better, but my worst fears came true, it sounded like a total mismatch. There's only so much you can take from a game just listening to it, but I must say WSU must've been very impressive because our radio guys said several times that they were better than UNC. No excuses, no hanging the head, just a tip of the cap to the Shockers.

[Ace Dad]

I am in a deep funk. It will take me at least a day to absorb this one.

[iSASO]

Relax, AceDad. The Shockers aren't good enough to maintain that pace and I suspect Evansville will exact some revenge when the Shockers travel to Evansville. You really didn't expect the season sweep did you? It's early - real early. The Shockers could still finish below the Aces in the final standings.

By the way, I heard that WSU received more votes in the national polls than UNC. We know that cannot be correct, just ask Roy Williams. On its worst day, they are always better than WSU on its best day. Ask Roy about that too.

As far as tonight goes, Marshall has been putting a lot of pressure on his team to be the team everyone expects them to be. He set the bar high and is daring them to live up to it. They came back from the break primed and ready, no matter the opponent. It just happened to be Evansville tonight and when a team shoots 69% from three, what can you do? It just means that they will shoot 9% from three when they visit Evansville and the Aces will win by the same margin the next time they play.

[Snaggletooth]

Shockers, my younger son was at the game in the stands and texted me several times. Are you guys that good all the time or did you play above yourself and we played the worst game of the season for us?

I didn't think WSU played over their head. I thought they played better against UCONN and SDSt (except for meltdown period). WSU shot well from the field because they got layups, dunks and steals.

I don't know if this was Evansville worst game or not as I have nothing to really judge it by. WSU hounded Colt Ryan the whole first half and denied him the ball. Evansville didn't get many open looks and at times just shot the ball anytime they got any space whether it was a good shot or not. When their shots were contested WSU was able to block quite a few.

Evansville got it to within 9 pts in the 2nd half, but when WSU surged back to 19, Evansville folded. WSU shot well from 3pt land the second half when a Evansville team quit guarding (I guess fatigue). The only people who played over their head was the deep bench who shot 3 for 5 from 3pt line during garbage time in the final 3 minutes.

He said you were bigger, stronger, and quicker.

That was a fair statement.

WSU was on a 100 pt pace in the first half against Evansville man-2-man. It was only the zone defense that slowed WSU down. WSU didn't have bad shots in the first half from the 3pt line, they just didn't fall (lot of rattle-in, rattle-out). But they fell in the 2nd half.

[jayball]

I'm interested to see WSU's defense over the course of the year. Marshall's team were intense on that end at Winthrop. If the Shocks continue to improve that area, they could really go a long way. I don't think the Valley has many really talented offensive teams this year.

[iSASO]

That will be interesting to watch. Imagine what an advantage it could be having two 7-footers backing up three or four 6'4"+ guards gambling out on the perimeter and running in transition. If that develops to 60% of its full potential it will be very interesting indeed.

So far, the Toure' Murry experiment is working out pretty well. Last night he had 10 points on 5/6 shooting, 7 assists, only 2 turnovers and a steal. He is one of those 6'4" long-armed guards that Marshall loves to have on his teams.

[jayball]

You guys have all the tools. I don't think that will be WSU's only 30 pt conference victory this year.

to clarify when I said "could" go a long way I was referring to postseason.