WSU Versus California (Maui) Predictions and Pregame Discussions

[forevershockerfan]

Here's the deal. Lions, a departed tiger, and Golden Bears, oh my!!! So the Shocks 'are hungry as the butchers dawg at supper time' for a tourney 1st place finish, but it all begins with the Golden Bears of sunny Californ-I-A. Cal had a "changing of the head coaching guard" with C. Martin off to coach the Missouri Tigers and "the promotion from within" to Wyking Jones. Last Season they were 21-13 overall and 10-8 in the Pac-12 but lost a slew of players. Lindy's and Street & Smith have them picked 12th and Athlon picked them 11th in the Pac-12. Cal is 1-1 thus far and play Wofford this coming Thursday. They have a 6'-11" transfer from Kentucky named Marcus Lee, a solid Junior guard named Dan Coleman who scored 32 pts in one of their games and 7'-1" Kingsley Okoroh who can rebound well and likes to block shots whom are among their better players.

Once upon a time in downtown Maui, the Shocks D-Fence led by Z. Brown and Shaq-Wall disoriented a tall group of Golden Bears in a basketball future game and this is how the story goes. The Shocks entered Cal territory, swatted away all their luke-warm porridge, then slept in the golden bears long beds, placing a sign on the door that said, "Shocker Bear Cave" and then they blamed it on Goldilocks and go on to win the game by 34. In that game, both Shaq and Willis had a double-double and CF and LS made 4-3-pointers apiece. This somewhat true story will continue in hopes of a great ending with two more wins thereafter.

This game is to be played next Monday at 4:00 pm and can be seen on ESPN2. The Shocks will have a target on their back but will be ready to win 3 games.We are getting lots of Pub. and we here at SN luv that!!!!!!!!!!!

Bears that are Gold---------------------52

Shocks that are Black and Yellow--86

[AZ Shocker]

4 and 5 Stars who Get All the Girls on Campus - 58
Men who became REAL MEN - 86

[FadedCrown]

Gregg's Army - 87
UCLA wannabees - 61

[WuShock Reaper]

Land of Fruit and Nuts - 55
Hard Winter Wheat - 96

[forevershockerfan]

It is encouraging to see such good passing from our bigs this Season. They are working the inside-back out when needed better as we go. How about the 7 assists by SHJ last night? Now That was encouraging as was Shaq's double/double and one of his more complete games ever as a Shocker. I like Shaq's focus, leadership, and resolve this Season. Nurger had a very nice game last night and was rewarded with lots of minutes on the floor. It will be rare a foes bench will outscore our bench this Season and our team D. and rebounding will only get better.

Last but not least, we will only see what this squad is truly capable of when our leading scorer and rebounder returns to the floor to brighten up our Christmas and Happy New Year all the more. What I really miss about not having MM on the floor though is his much improved defense which really helped us last Season often. The Shocks head to Maui and thereafter will be playing 3-Big 12 teams in this new and improved schedule we have been wanting and Conference play will help us grow as a team with such stiff competition.

Last time we went to Maui, we played UConn and had the mystery foul fest disparity of over 40 throws for them and around 14 for us. Mike Kennedy mentioned the charge that should have been called on their future NBA guard that mowed into a totally set JT Durley down flatter than a pancake and instead of receiving his own 4th foul early in the 2nd half. Thus, that missed call that sent JT to the bench along with the foul fest which was more than we could handle at that time. Now is Shocker time to have their day in the sun with enough quality depth, experience, leadership, and talent from top to bottom to overcome and endure the unexpected things that each and every team will face in the duration of a Season.

[ShockerPhi]

In the same way we walloped LSU in the first round last year, we'll beat Cal by 40. They have not looked good this season. Lost to UC Riverside by 8 and scraped by Cal Poly by 3, both games at home. We'll send in Kellen Marshall for mop up minutes. Maggie might even get playing time.

Shockers - 101
Bears - 59

[kcshocker11]

82 to 74 Shoxs!

[Play Angry]

Shockers 94
Golden Bears 65

[Cdizzle]

Goal should be to win by enough that Shamet doesn't play more than 12 minutes. I'd really like to see us take it easy with Shamet with back-to-back-to-back gamedays.

[im4wsu]

Did you see Shamet pawing like a horse? It was on the south end of the floor. I believe a ball had ricocheted out of bounds. Landry, with a still left leg, banged his foot on the floor three times. It looked like something one might do if you felt something was out-of-place in the left foot. He didn't limp or anything thereafter, and never seemed to give it a concern either.

[ShockerFever]

In the same way we walloped LSU in the first round last year, we'll beat Cal by 40. They have not looked good this season. Lost to UC Riverside by 8 and scraped by Cal Poly by 3, both games at home. We'll send in Kellen Marshall for mop up minutes. Maggie might even get playing time.

Shockers - 101
Bears - 59

This was my first reaction to this game too: LSU in the Bahamas.

It should get ugly quickly. Score TBD based on how early Marshall calls off the dogs.

Cal 61
WSU 87

[ROOT ANGRY!]

Does California have any idea what's in store for them on the twentieth?

[60Shock]

They are no way close to being what they were in years past, but beating CAL has a very nice ring to it.

Present Beens - 82

Has Beens - 65

[Bluzrover]

I'd really like to see our defense in lock down mode this game and keep Cal under 60. Thought we would do that against Charleston but we just lost the bubble. I think Gregg will have them ready for this first game under the rainbow. Like Cdizzle wrote, I'd like to see Landry get no more than 10 or 15 minutes and let SHJ take over the point. We need Jones to get more time running the point and this is the time to do it.

Golden Bears - 58
Golden Wheat - 88

[Shockm]

Our defense will be there for us. Hopefully, we can rest Landry as much as possible. As we go forward though, we are going to need Landry to win. On Tuesday against top ranked teams like Marquette and then Notre Dame on Wednesday, if we want to win, we will need to GEL behind Landry. If the doctors say he's ready and his foot feels good, he will get more minutes. Some of you worry warts will have to give it up and relax. :). That may not be possible.

[Mr. Pickle]

Should be a 15+ point victory for the good guys. Cal is bad.