WSU Versus SMU Predictions and Pregame Discussions

[Cdizzle]

7 days of Jankovich to prepare. It could be worse.

Worked for him last time. He came up with the ingenious plan of getting Garrett Stutz ejected by having a player punch him in the nuts.

I recommend steel cups tomorrow.

[pogo]

Pretty sure if that happens Marshall kicks Jank in the nuts.

[Eric]

He will have to get in line behind many others.

[shoxxfmr]

If he kicks AM, might have a broken leg as a result

[WuDrWu]

One of the most disgusting plays/players/coaching I've ever seen. Watched that game just behind press row. Seeing the ISU bench/coaches/fans celebrate getting Garrett T'd up as well as encouraging the offending player as he walked out will always bother me. Something you probably don't remember from that game....we got 0 points and 1 rebound from Carl Hall and 7 points and 6 boards from a gritty and gutty Jake White. Pretty sure nobody saw that coming.

[Bluzrover]

How many charges did Jake attempt to take in that game?

[jdshock]

Bluzrover, I'm of the opinion that Reaves is payback for Jake White never getting the charge call. Refs are finally giving one of our players the benefit of the doubt on lots of charge calls.

[Cdizzle]

It's important to remember these things. Plus SMU was given an easy league schedule. Plus they were given a week to prep for the WSU game while WSU will be playing its 3rd game in 7 days, including an east coast trip. The league TRIED to keep SMU in the race, and TRIED to set up SMU for a big name win. WSU needs to slap that MVC-level trash back where it came from.

[Eric]

Janks boys need the rented mule treatment.

[WuShock Reaper]

"SMU has a new opportunity with trip to face No. 7 Wichita State" - Dallas Morning News

By Adam Grosbard, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/16/18

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/smumustangs/2018/01/16/smu-new-opportunity-trip-face-no-7-wichita-state

"UNIVERSITY PARK -- Two out of the last three years, only two American Conference teams made the NCAA tournament. In 2016, four teams made it but none were ranked higher than an eighth seed.

You could say the league has a bit of a national perception problem when it comes to placement in March Madness. It took a step to correct that estimation this year with the addition of Wichita State to its ranks.

The Shockers have been to the NCAA tournament six years in a row, with two Sweet Sixteen appearances and a 2013 trip to the Final Four in the mix. The idea is that more games against a respected team like Wichita State, currently ranked seventh in the AP poll, would raise the selection committee's estimation of the rest of the AAC's caucus.

SMU gets its first chance against the Shockers Wednesday night in Wichita, in need of a statement win.

The Mustangs have such victories already against ranked Pac-12 opponents Arizona and USC. Now in the midst of a three-game losing streak in league play, though, a triumph over Wichita State would help SMU get back on track with a month and a half left in the regular season.

Wichita State features the highest-scoring offense in the AAC and plays at the fastest pace in the conference with 74.0 possessions per game. This will be a stylistic clash as SMU prefers to slow the game down, ranking last in the American with 67.1 possessions per game.

Currently, though, SMU is less concerned with preparing for Wichita State as it is preoccupied with righting the ship in Dallas.

"What we talked about is how you handle when things go not the way you hope in life and in basketball and how do you respond to that," head coach Tim Jankovich said Saturday. "That's the message. We talked about character what people of high character do. We had a great practice. Their attitudes are great."

The comforting aspect for the Mustangs is that, outside of a 20-point loss at Cincinnati, they weren't that far off in losses to Tulane or Temple. SMU lost the two games by a combined five points and left a total of 15 at the free throw line.

This logic, though, risks obscuring some of the recent deficiencies in SMU's game. The Mustangs have been out-boarded by six rebounds per game during the losing streak. Opposing teams have grabbed an average of 10.7 offensive rebounds per game.

While the defense has been uneven, the offense has been playing well below average in the recent stretch. SMU typically shoots 46.5 percent from the floor but is scoring at a 41.3-percent rate during the three-game losing streak.

"For [the players], it's frustrating because by now in a normal year you've taken care of so many of the things and you've jelled," Jankovich said. "But not their fault, just the dynamics of the way things have played out with injuries and all that. It's been very difficult."

A win over Wichita State would alleviate many of those concerns as thoughts of an NCAA tournament bid sneak in. Jankovich estimates that this year's AAC is as good as the conference has been since SMU joined prior to the 2013-14 season.

But as much as teams like Tulane and Houston have improved, wins over them won't mean as much as one over the Shockers. That's the opportunity presented to SMU by Wichita State's inclusion in the American Conference."

[LoneStar48]

Craig "got a coach fired" James 73
Willie "broke the barrier" Jeffries 84

[WuShock Reaper]

"Wichita State vs. SMU: College basketball game preview, prediction, TV schedule" - FanSided

by Holden Walter-Warner
Posted: 01/16/18, 1:00pm cst

https://bustingbrackets.com/2018/01/16/wichita-state-vs-smu-game-preview-prediction-tv-schedule/

"The Wichita State Shockers will face one of their toughest AAC tests yet in the SMU Mustangs, who are off to a rough start in conference play.

TV Schedule: Wednesday, January 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU

Arena: Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas.

When the Wichita State Shockers made the jump from the Missouri Valley Conference to the American Athletic Conference this season, they quickly became the league’s 2017-18 favorites.

So far, AAC play has been smooth sailing for the Shockers. They’ve won four of their five games by double-digits, most recently winning in Tulsa by three points. Two of those victories, however, have come against East Carolina and South Florida, who have combined for just one conference victory.

They’re still waiting for a proper challenge and their first game against the AAC’s other ranked team, Cincinnati, is not until February 18.

Making matters worse for the rest of the AAC, Wichita State is 6-0 since Markis McDuffie returned to the court. After a quiet first two games of the year, the junior forward has increasingly looked better on the court, finishing a rebound shy of his first double-double of the year against Tulsa.

While Wichita State is trending in the right direction with seven straight victories, SMU is sliding backward. After two wins to start conference play, the Mustangs now have losses against Tulane and Temple, sinking them to eighth in the AAC.

The NCAA Tournament seemed a likely destination at the start of the season. Now, the team has work to do to reach the Big Dance. As long as the team has Shake Milton, they have a chance. The junior guard is averaging 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He can’t carry the Mustangs on his own, though.

SMU needs another scorer to step up. They have one of the best defenses in the country (61.1 points allowed), but a pedestrian offense (73.5 points scored). Unfortunately, Semi Ojeleye is not walking through that door.

The Mustangs lead the all-time series between the two teams, who haven’t played since 1996, 5-4. After Wednesday, expect a tied record.

Prediction: Wichita State 80, SMU 70"

[WuShock Reaper]

Shockers open up as 9.0 favorites against the Ponies.

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-basketball/odds/las-vegas/line-movement/southern-methodist-@-wichita-state.cfm/date/01-17-18

[Eric]

My gut feeling. We are highly ranked, they are not, game is at our barn. 9 points is ridiculous.

[shock]

Smoo gets spanked. 45-20 at the half, coast to a 86-60 win.

[shockrah]

As a side note, after all these years, each time I read SMU, I think of the "Send Lew to SMU" quotes from my college days.

[Ixiah]

These guys are top 3 point percentage in the conference. Ranked 12th in the NCAA.

.413 SMU - 12
.408 Houston, Wichita State – 18
.367 Cincinnati, South Florida, Tulane - 106
.347 Tulsa – 188
.341 Temple – 223
.306 Connecticut - 327
.303 Central Florida - 328
.298 Memphis – 335
.258 East Carolina - 351

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...ntFieldGoalPct

Could not believe how much the AAC drops off after Temple!!

[Cdizzle]

ECU needs new rims. There's a reason they are the worst 3PT% team and one of the best 3PT% defenses in the country.

[Kung Wu]

Oh great, another 3 point bomb squad preparing to go all superbowl. We win by 10+ even though SMUg goes 60% shooting from the demilitarized zone in the first half.