WSU Versus Baylor Predictions and Pregame Discussions

[Shockm]

The we struggle with zones is getting a lot of play. The facts are that we blow away M/M defenses. So perspective can be important. Actually we don't see many true zones. Baylor has a good true zone but without Maston, they are missing one of their best rebounders and we have to rebound against a zone. Baylor hasn't stretched their zone out (the teams we've played have double teamed and stretched it out. That's what we've seemed to struggle against. I think we have I'll be ready to beat Baylor.

[Dan]

Nothing in our recent history to point to a road win against ranked team in the noncon. We do need to start winning a few of these games.

[Bluzrover]

Everything I hear is that Shaq still misses more practice time than most anybody. Gregg said it himself. I don't know for sure about this injury but I talked to someone with some knowledge about the basketball program and they described Shaq as somewhat of a baby. We will see

I remember when Cle was playing he used to do a lot of flopping around in what appeared to be tremendous pain and I instantly thought he was done for the season. And then, miraculously, he would come back out on the court and torch a couple of treys like nothing happened. I have to admit, I'm a bit of a drama queen myself so this is like the pot calling the kettle black.

[Dan]

Eldridge predicting a Baylor win 70-67. Says we have to prove we can beat an elite team on the road and have to hit our shots.

[shockerfan]

Can we win? Absolutely

Should we win? Probably

Will we win? That's a tough one.

I actually feel Notre Dame was a better matchup for us. Notre Dame is a better team than Baylor. But these real long athletic teams tend to give us fits. Plus they play a solid zone for 40 mins......

This will be a tough one. Especially given our injuries. My heart says us by 6 or 7 (like I mentioned earlier). My brain says we lose by 5.

Either way I expect a good game.

[FadedCrown]

If Brown and Shamet are healthy? Win by 5

If one of them is out? Lose by 5

[DUShock]

My gut tells me that if everyone is healthy and the Bears are as banged up as reported, this is a 10-15 point win. If either of the two prove untrue, it is even odds.

[Horn28Clem30]

My friends who gamble quite a bit always like to ask for my "unbiased" opinion on the games after lines come out...this one I truly don't have a good grasp on. I could see it being a game played in the high 50s, low 60s or a game into the mid 70s. I wouldn't be shocked in the outcome either way, going to be interesting to say the least.

[WichitaStateGuy]

I agree with DUShock.

If you look at Baylor and watch them play, they are a big team, but not a well conditioned team. If Landry and Zach are good to go, I think we run them out of the gym and win by double digits. Baylor- legitimately- has four guys that can score without Terry Maston, and not very well at that. I'd argue it's far more physically demanding playing 40 min of championship level defense than it is to play 40 min of championship level offense. Plan on seeing a lot of hands on knees for Baylor with about 10 min to play in the second half. Close in the beginning, but Shox come through in the end. Specifically, I foresee the Shockers depth (again- if we are full strength) giving us the W.

21st and Hillside - 68
Branch Davidians - 53

[Dan]

so would we be better pressing them and looking for transition points and wear them out? I just don't feel comfortable with our half court offense against a zone of this caliber

[ShockerFever]

I’m thinking the line is gonna open around Baylor -2, subject to change with injury updates.

[wichshock65]

I’m thinking the line is gonna open around Baylor -2, subject to change with injury updates.

I kind of miss the days where we were predicting JR Simon to be sitting in a lawn chair and smoking a cigar at midcourt for the last 5 minutes of the game. LOL I'm not sure how my heart can take too many close games this year!

[Aargh]

I'm going to have a problem picking the Shox to win against a ranked team until I see them put together a decent game for at least 30 minutes. If there are even 10 minutes of lackluster play (that is, of course, relative to what they should be able to do) on the road against a ranked team, that probably digs a hole too deep to dig out of in the other 30 minutes.

[I_Vector_Wu]

Baylor

Lecomte 5'11/175 SR - 33 mpg - 18 ppg - 3pt 42%
L-Acuil 7'0/225 SR - 30 mpg - 13 ppg - rpg 10 - bpg 1.2
*Maston 6'8/225 SR - 26 mpg - 12 ppg - rpg 8
McClure 6'3/215 JR - 26 mpg - 10 ppg - 3pt 44%
Omot 6'9/205 SR - 25 mpg - 8 ppg - ft 88%
Clark 6'9/240 FR - 19 mpg - 7 ppg - fg 54%
Vital 6'5/230 FR - 19 mpg - 6 ppg - fg 50%
Lindsey 6'5/200 JR - 21 mpg - 3 ppg - apg 4
Davis 6'6/205 JR - 4 mpg - 1 ppg - n/a

Record
W - Central Ark 107-66
W - Texas CRP 70-46
W - Alcorn St 78-61
W - Wisconsin 70-65
W - Creighton 65-59
L - #21 Xavier 63-76

Acuil 7'0/225 and Omot 6'9/205, even Ray Shirley thinks they're skinny. They have 1.2 and 0.2 blocks per game respectively. I think Shaq/Nurger/Willis will challenge them.

As was mentioned they will play 7 guys, none have fouled out this year. Xavier was killing them early in the game with the trey-ball. Baylor came out of their zone in the first half and played M/M for most of the remainder of the game IIRC (I nodded off occasionally). Xavier ended up shooting 33% from beyond the arc.

I'll be curious to see how they handle our defense and if we can slow down Lecomte.

I think ZB and LS will play and I think we'll win.

Shockers - 77
Ahhhh my eyes are burning from those uniforms - 70

[ShockdaWorld]

Shocks by 11