WSU Versus Florida Gulf Coast Predictions and Pregame Discussions

[Dan]

I still believe we can back off the pressure thirty feet from the rim. It isn’t helping our defense and it sure provides lots of opportunities for the opposing offense.

I am ready for a three guard line up. The time to be split between LS, SHJ, CF and AR.

The four will will be the MM and RK show.

The five will be the DW and SM show.

Coach has this figured out for offense, but still believes he needs ZB for defense. I am ready to use ZB in spot minutes only. Pretty much the Demetric Williams role from the Final Four team. I really like the kid and believe he will come through big at the right time, but the team plays better over long stretches without him.

Brown has been a total disappointment to me this year. I don’t even think he plays good defense. His offense has been horrible and he can’t really dribble and pass without making a mistake. Play Reaves at the 3 and let Shamet play a little 3 when Jones is in the game.

[forevershockerfan]

In due time, here is a tall ball possibility lineup. 1. LS 2. CF 3. MM 4. Willis 5. Shaq. Oh, so you like small ball? 1.LS 2. CF 3. AR or SHJ 4.MM 5. Willis or Shaq. All defensive ball? 1. LS 2. Austin/Brown 3. MM 4. Willis/Kelly 5. Shaq

We go 10 deep strong and Marshall is gifted and a master at finding the chemistry combos that work best versus the oodles of matchups we are sure to confront. There might also be games where 3G shortens his bench somewhat and goes 8 players with predominate minutes and 2 more sparsely in a pear tree. Now There is an idear for A Shocker Christmas song? NOT!!!!!!!

[WichitaStateGuy]

Exactly my thoughts from earlier! Merry Christmas! Go Shox!

[1979Shocker]

I would have a similar lineup, but I would start Kelly in place of Willis. For substitutions in the backcourt, I would bring in Reaves for Frankamp and Haynes-Jones for Shamet. For the frontcourt, I'd bring in Brown for McDuffie, Willis for Kelly, and Nurger for Morris. No one else would get to play unless there was foul trouble, an injury, or a blowout.

[Shockm]

I watched the game again. We played pretty well. It's mainly little things. We need to play smarter, Shaq needs to get tougher. Duff needs to get into shape to play more minutes, and the bench needs to shorten up. Yesterday Kelly had buyer fingers, Shaq and Willis didn't convert easy dunks, we gave them 8 points on saved balls, and Rauno played bad the past two games. Conner didn't shoot well either.uhoh there went another 5 IQ points.

[Shockers5150]

Going back a few pages....migraines are no joke. I get them.
shox are flat, and very limited on both ends. Shaq should be dominant but he's vanishing.
Not good.

[WstateU]

My take-away from the game; looks like ‘Spandex’ is back in... that’s all I have to say about that... :(

[pinstripers]

Vegas no longer knows how to set a line on Shocker games.

[Shockm]

Now I'm worried. I pay very little attention to what Vegas does. Actually if you are a gambler Pin, maybe you should gamble on another team. We won. That is all that matters.

[pinstripers]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99bGtULU9Tg&feature=youtu.be

[Slykryck]

I understand if your not happy with ZB’s shot selection, but comparing him to Cotton is unfair. And it’s as if people forgot the other two guards in the line up with Cotton are currently playing defense at a high level in the NBA. This is not meant to downplay what Cotton did on the defensive end. I don’t recall ZB having these struggles his sophomore year with Baker and VanVleet in the lineup. He is on an island because our other guards are not very good defenders. CF and AR don’t have the lateral quickness to stay in front of their man. SHJ just looks lost sometimes. Shamet is very good defender most of the time, but still suffers from lapses.

Our team defense has been better in previous years, IMO. Right now, players seem slow to rotate and help defense is often non-existent. I’m not saying ZB is a great defender, but without him I feel our defense would be much worse.

[shelback]

Brown has been a total disappointment to me this year. I don’t even think he plays good defense. His offense has been horrible and he can’t really dribble and pass without making a mistake. Play Reaves at the 3 and let Shamet play a little 3 when Jones is in the game.

Lighten up Francis! Dude has been playing at less than 100%. Just took off a brace of the knee he hurt earlier in the season.

[Dan]

If that’s the case, he needs to take some time off and let it heal now that we have McDuffie back. It’s not helping anyone to have a gimpy defensive stopper that doubles as a liability on offense.

[wichshock65]

I'm so down on Shaq right now. He has to be the most frustrating player for me for most of his Shocker career. Where is the fire? Where is the desire to win? Where is the frickin Play Angry? Attitude ups and downs is Shaq though, he is what he is. Always been that way, always will.

But like it or not, the team must have him ingaged for this team to see the success we want. I'm not a stats guy but I'm willing to bet these past few games have direct correlation to Shaqs Kenpom POY numbers.

We desperately need the Shaq we saw at the beginning of the year.

[Shox The Revenant]

Note to HCGM, don't take anymore chances on players like Shaq. There's a lot a coach can teach a player, but I'm a firm believer you cannot teach/train motivation. Shaq's uncanny ability to totally go into LaLa Land mode hurts this team. Perhaps I've been spoiled, you never saw behavior like that from Ron, Fred, or Tekele just to name a few. You'd figure in his Senior season with the team in a much brighter spotlight would be motivation enough. Oh well, I'll hold out hope he's dealing with some personal distraction that he'll soon get resolved.

[AndShock]

Note to HCGM, don't take anymore chances on players like Shaq. There's a lot a coach can teach a player, but I'm a firm believer you cannot teach/train motivation. Shaq's uncanny ability to totally go into LaLa Land mode hurts this team. Perhaps I've been spoiled, you never saw behavior like that from Ron, Fred, or Tekele just to name a few. You'd figure in his Senior season with the team in a much brighter spotlight would be motivation enough. Oh well, I'll hold out hope he's dealing with some personal distraction that he'll soon get resolved.

Having Shaq is going to be huge in the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately that’s looking like the only time we’re going to have him and I would think Marshall has used up all of his motivation tactics by now.

[Shocker-maniac]

Our D has been scouted. Every time someone drives into the lane, you can just glance around and there will be a 3-point shooter absolutely wide open waiting for the pass.

On the dribble drive in to the lane our weak side perimeter defenders sag off their men and go to the lane. This leaves one or two men wide open for the 3-point shot. I believe that this has happened in several games now.

[Windiwu]

I was at the game but also watched a replay later. The game looked a lot better from the replay than in person to be honest. Their defense seemed better to me and I think a lot of the disjointed look in the middle was from Marshall using too much of his bench. Markis did really well in his 9 minutes and he is a difference maker down the road. Zach had the brace off his knee for the first time so cut the guy a break. He won't ever be Tekele but he is certainly not a bum like some of you seem to be insinuating.

If Marshall will grade his ooc team as an A- or B+, I doubt he sees anything too fatal in the way they are playing.

[shock-it-to-me]

When we got up 13, Marshall thought this was going to be a pounding and put in AM and CJ. This was a huge mistake as it lead to a come back and boost in confidence for FGC. Also, I think CF needs more than 17 minutes. We need the CF from the Missouri Valley tournament last year. That consistent threat to score from anywhere on the court.

[proshox]

I agree. Two fives at the same time with one of them getting their first minutes since game two was a sure fire cooler.

Also, CF was a quarter inch away from 8 more points. He was snake bit last night but made a few big plays late and always gets the ball where it needs to go (often overlooked by folks on this board).