Wichita State vs Temple Pregame Thread

[wusphlash]

Side note. If we can play long enough for Asbjorn to get 7 more made field goals, assuming his current make rate, he would become the holder of the best single season field goal percentage in Shocker history. He is currently shooting at .672. Bret Wise shot .663 in 2003/2004. Minimum of 50 makes is required for the record book.

[1972Shocker]

ABOUT TEMPLE:

***Temple (23-8, 13-5 American) defeated No. 25 UCF in its regular-season finale to claim the No. 3 seed.

***The Owls posted their ninth 20-win season in 13 years under head Fran Dunphy and are a top-three seed for the second time in The American.

***Temple ranks 14th nationally in both steals (8.8) and turnover margin (+3.8).

***First team all-conference pick Shizz Alston is tied for the conference scoring lead at 19.7 points and also tops the league leaderboard in free throw percentage (135/149, .906) and minutes-per-game (37.2).

***Quinton Rose (16.5 ppg, 2.1 spg) was named second team all-conference, and Nate Pierre-Louis (13.4 ppg) shared the Most Improved Player award..

MATCHUP MASHUP:

***Gregg Marshall (497) and Fran Dunphy (580) have combined for 1,077 wins. Dunphy (270-160 in 13 seasons at Temple) is coaching his 30th and final season.

***Temple sophomore Justyn Hamilton and WSU freshman Jamarius Burton were teammates at Independence High School in Charlotte, N.C. (or at least that was the plan). Shortly after transferring to Independence, Burton tore his ACL and missed the entire 2016-17 season. He returned for his senior year and led Independence (minus Hamilton, who had already graduated) to North Carolina's 2018 Class 4A state title.

***Markis McDuffie is the only current Shocker who saw minutes in last year's WSU-Temple American Tournament clash. He finished with seven points in 16 minutes off the bench.

***McDuffie's sister, Sierra, spent the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons as a graduate manager for Temple. She played Division II hoops at Felician University.

https://goshockers.com/news/2019/3/1...th-temple.aspx

[shockerfan]

Temple is in a "cant lose" mode seeing how they are so close to the bubble. Add to it I am sure they want Dunphy to end his coaching career in the big dance and they will be even more inspired.

That said, our guys have nothing to lose and are playing for Bardo.

I say WSU wins 72-67

[1972Shocker]

I didn't think the Shocks played all that great against ECU despite the easy win although the stats were skewed by the saving our legs strategy in the 2nd half. Hard to get much of a guage against a team like ECU. But I'm not sure facing ECU, Tulane, ECU in our past 3 games has exactly hardened the Shocks for what is coming. I will say last night was certainly better than the showing in the previous game vs Tulane.

With Temple having the advantage of not playing in the 1st round I'm surprised the betting line is as narrow as it is. If the Shocks have been holding back something in reserve this would be a good time to cut it loose. The Shocks really haven't played all that great since the stomping of Tulsa on the road on February 20th (3 weeks ago).

No prediction. Just hope the Shocks have the Wu Juice tonight.

[WstateU]

I like that... the "Wu Juice". Hhmmm, a new craft beer, a new soft drink, etc.

[1972Shocker]

Oh oh, I better get that trademark filed now that I let the cat out of the bag. BTW, their are not cat parts in WU Juice.

[Triticum]

Side note. If we can play long enough for Asbjorn to get 7 more made field goals, assuming his current make rate, he would become the holder of the best single season field goal percentage in Shocker history. He is currently shooting at .672. Bret Wise shot .663 in 2003/2004. Minimum of 50 makes is required for the record book.

Here's hoping he gets in by making 2 per game!

[wusphlash]

That scenario would give Gregg his 500th. That works for me.

[Shox The Revenant]

Temple wins by 13. We will need to knock down our 3 point shots tonight to win, but the Shox having shot, 28, 24, 20 and 25 percent from the three point line against AAC bottom feeders that past four games doesn't exactly lead me to believe tonight will be any different. Temple will probably play some zone forcing us to beat them with our weakest offensive threat.

[Woodrow]

Man dude, you're a downer. Go Shocks

[WstateU]

Thanks, we needed that! Two thumbs up... way up!

The old KCShox might be using his reverse jinx... he’s very good at it.

[Kung Wu]

Now we are certain to win!

[im4wsu]

The seniors have to shoot better than 2/10 & 3/8 from last night. I agree with the idea that Temple will likely pack the paint and see if we can beat them outside. If ES can get hot, or the seniors can shoot it better than they have the last month, WSU has a good chance to win. The fact that the Shox are playing much better defense now than they were will help out, but I would bet a pretty good $$ that Temple tries to play down hill and get Alston/Rose/Pierre-Louis to the FT line as much as possible. The challenge will be playing without your hands on defense and getting good looks on offense. Last night was pick & roll offense, tonight will have to be pick & pop offense.

If they don't panic and they trust each other, I think they come out on top. WSU- 74 Temple- 71

The box score shows MM as 2-6 and SHJ 3-6 for 5-12.

[Kung Wu]

I hope by having one game under their belt, the Shox will play more loosely tonight. That would make them particularly dangerous. Let's go Shox!!

[shockrah]

Shox by a lot!!

[California Shocker]

Weird. One sportsbook has us at -1 and the other at +1.5.

templeline.jpg

Atleast somebody have some faith in us. Haha

[California Shocker]

I hope by having one game under their belt, the Shox will play more loosely tonight. That would make them particularly dangerous. Let's go Shox!!

Or too confident . We are a very young team.

[Jhook89]

I think we have a real shot to win, if our seniors don’t shoot us out of the game by taking selfish, guarded shots.