Wichita State @ Houston Game Thread

[shock]

As shockers5150 alluded to, there is likely a locker room issue. You have one player who couldn’t play for undisclosed reasons for a long stretch, and a senior class without a solid leader. Shaq is a headcase, Zach needs constant encouragement, Conner is Conner, and Rauno and RK are not vocal. Your team leaders are a third year sophomore and a very young Markis. This senior class graduating might be the best thing that can happen to the team moving forward. I feel like diashon leaving left the team without a very vocal leader.

[shoxrox89]

In HCGM i trust, nit championship, final four,an undefeated season, weve lost two in a row before and made some big **** happen that season. When we get punched in the mouth, we always punch back twice as hard.

[Shox The Revenant]

This is a very good team as a whole, but we don't have one single play-maker/game-breaker type who can put the team on his back and take control when needed. We are in a new conference and the Shox are simply adjusting to the learning curve. This year we are basically playing an entire non-conference schedule. They've never seen these teams before or know what to expect. A huge upgrade from what this team experienced last year where shear talent and skill would overwhelm MVC competition. This team has not figured out that they don't have time to relax. This new league is going to require them to 'bring it' every single night and for every minute of the game. Being able to relax is now a rare luxury and until these kids figure out they're not in Kansas anymore, expect to see some more L's. We've got at least 3 more losses in the conference coming (@ Cincy, @ SMU and @ Temple) so prepare yo'selves. I hope the Shox will overcome the learning curve by the end of the season heading into the March Madness.

[Jhook89]

What worries me more than the loss is how they lost. No hustle. No communication. No leadership. No toughness. SMU smacked us and it appears our response was to cower in the corner. These guys aren’t “dawgs” like they proclaim they are. Someone needs to get pissed off and step up.

[Singeril]

I'm not surprised this has happened. We haven't played a complete 40 minutes against a quality opponent all season.
This is why there was concern, from many here, when things do go bad in games...when there are mental errors, turnovers, etc. ....But yet, those fans are condemned by others for being negative. No, it's being realistic and realizing that bad play fosters bad play---until you get into a situation like these two games.
Having said that, I can accept a bad performance here and there...or bad minutes. But, I can't accept bad effort, horrible turnovers, lackluster drive, and no answers from the coaching staff. This has been building. Let's hope the bottom has been reached. How we respond will say a lot about this team...a team that, at this point, is very disappointing and has been disappointing for much of the season. There is talent...no question. But, if the talent isn't performing, then the talent is wasted.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Shamet, Frankamp, and McDuffie: 7-27 FG, 3/12 inside, 4/15 from 3, 4 assist, 6 TOs.

Also, on a day with 20 fouls (44 both teams) Shamet has 0. Not sure what that says when we lose by 14.

DId you also see how many points thier guards put up? The punked Landry all game and he took it, then let Gray dunk on him with a lazy ass attempt to block it. Zero fouls in a physical game means he didnt play defense.

He had a chance to be a leader today, toughen up, play big. He failed. Good news is he will be back next year. Bad news is he will be back next year.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

And how many points did our guards score?

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

And: How many did he score?

[ShockTalk]

Downtown Shocker Brown. I only said "not sure" because I did not watch the game, but followed it. I agree with you on his defense. He is a "big" PG, yet he did not guard Milton the other day. It was Brown, McDuffie, and REAVES. That's not a slam on Reaves, but when he has to guard a top player like Milton, it says more about Shamet's defense, IMHO.

[bleednblackngold]

Pretty simple. If this team makes shots it is really good. If shots aren't falling we are not tough enough to win on d and grit. Not sure if this team will ever "get it" but I'll be along for the ride!

[Singeril]

Pretty simple. If this team makes shots it is really good. If shots aren't falling we are not tough enough to win on d and grit. Not sure if this team will ever "get it" but I'll be along for the ride!

Horrible turnovers and bad defense will not overcome good or bad shooting.

[Topshock]

It will be interesting to see how this team responds. They have lost the home court and road win streak. Well on the way to losing their ranking.

They can can continue to play soft or decide to be dawgs. It starts with LS. He won’t drive, won’t dive on the floor for loose balls, just generally won’t show much fight. Either he’s going to continue playing like a pretty boy, clocking in waiting for the draft or get after it and play Shocker basketball.

[bleednblackngold]

Horrible turnovers and bad defense will not overcome good or bad shooting.

Huh? Not sure what that means. Defense wasn't the problem today. Put the ball through the rim a few times better than 33%fg would do wonders

[Singeril]

Huh? Not sure what that means. Defense wasn't the problem today. Put the ball through the rim a few times better than 33%fg would do wonders

I'm speaking over a couple of games...the defense was atrocious on Thursday night..and has been suspect through stretches of this season...not Shockers basketball. Turnovers, today, were atrocious! They kill you in so many ways...ruin momentum...and get into the heads. Bad basketball.

[AZ Shocker]

Got to hand it to Houston. Great defensive effort on their part. They brought it big time today. That's a really good team.

I'm not too down on our team. Yes we lost two in a row and will fall down to 17 or so in the polls but that's okay. This is what we wanted. A better conference playing better teams. We'll learn and get better.

Go Shocks!!!

[Aargh]

First, a reason for hope - then some observations

There's a lot of illness running around Wichita. I would about put money on it that Shamet is feeling some effects from that - even if it's just some lethargy and lack of energy from his body fighting off a potential illness.

This one could ruffle some feathers. Shamet isn't a PG. He "can play" PG, but compared to the PG's in the AAC, he's not a PG. Bowles, Holland, Henderson, Taylor were supposed to be PG's. The last "true PG" Marshall recruited was VanVleet. Can we bring Lomax in for the rest of the season? Marshall loves combo guards. That's not working well "at this level". Look at it this way. We've got the best shooter on the team working to get other people open looks. We have pretty much nobody working to get the best shooter on the team open looks.

Reaves and Frankamp aren't quick enough to play with the perimeter players in this league. They're "close", but "close" is the difference between getting to the rim for a layup or not. We give those up. We don't get those.

I'm going to speculate that Heiar was the guy who gave the players a shot of confidence after film sessions and practices. I don't think it's any big revelation that a session with Marshall could leave a player with a little loss of confidence.

Here's the complete list of WSU players who can create their own shot. ... That was the list.

Year 2 of Daishon Smith would have been better than year 1 of SHJ.

I've always thought you could tell a lot about a team by the way they reacted to a loss. If that's true, then I'm losing some confidence in the rest of the season.

About this "getting punched in the mouth" thing. Last year, this same team responded badly to that. If you don't remember that - take a look at the OSU game from last year. Little or no response. Same thing at IlSU. It's one thing to come back from getting punched out by Cal. It's quite another thing to do that against teams like Houston or SMU. About getting punched in the mouth by Cal - how does a good team even let that happen?

So far getting McDuffie back has been subtraction by addition.

If Zach Brown is the guy who's supposed to stop the other team's best player, and then looking at the recent results of the other team's best player, and Brown's lack of even drawing a defender when the Shox have the ball...(I've got to say it - my apologies)...Houston, we have a problem!

[bleednblackngold]

I'm speaking over a couple of games...the defense was atrocious on Thursday night..and has been suspect through stretches of this season...not Shockers basketball. Turnovers, today, were atrocious! They kill you in so many ways...ruin momentum...and get into the heads. Bad basketball.

Completely agree. That did not look like a HCGM team in many ways this week.

[Dan]

I agree about Landry at point. I really think next year the best move would be to start Lomax at point (if we can get him ready) and have Landry and Austin on the wings. McDuffie at the 4 and let the big guys battle it out as to who starts but he 5. That can be a pretty good lineup. And yes, I think Landry comes back. The more games he plays like this, the more the NBA will realize he’s not ready to go against grown ass men.

[Topshock]

If those guys are here I love that lineup.