Wichita State vs Abilene Christian Pre-Game Discussion

[WuShock Reaper]

Description: WICHITA STATE VS ABILENE CHRISTIAN
When: DEC 29 (SUN) 2:00 P.M.
Where: WICHITA, KAN. CHARLES KOCH ARENA
Radio: KEYN 103.7 FM https://keyn.radio.com/
TV: YURVIEW https://www.yurview.com/abilene-chri...tball-12-29-19

The Abilene Christian University Wildcats were voted to finish third in the Southland Conference this season. The Wildcats are coming off of a second place finish in the regular season and their first Southland Conference Tournament championship which earned the team a berth in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. While the team will look to build off of that success, they will have to replace several key figures from the 2018-19 team. ACU lost 73 percent of their offense from last season and return just one starter, Payten Ricks, who was named to the preseason Southland first-team.

Odd Makers:
Vegas: WSU 20.5
DRatings: WSU 99% by 21.0
ESPN: WSU 90%
INCCSTATS: WSU 97% by 19.0
KenPom: WSU 97% by 20.5
Massey: WSU 95% by 21.0
Nolan: WSU 21.0
Sagarin: WSU 20.6
Torvik: WSU 98% by 22.0
Wilson: WSU 98% by 21.3

[DUShock]

I am the first in with a +10 vote.

If the Shocks are the team we all believe they are, this should be a game to strengthen rotational relationships as well as to develop the end of the bench.

Go Shocks!

[WuDrWu]

They are better than you think or expect. I smell a trap.

[Dan]

They are better than you think or expect. I smell a trap.

you should know better than that with this team

[WuShock Reaper]

They are better than you think or expect. I smell a trap.

Me too...

Abilene Christian - Its a trap.jpg

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

[wichshock65]

its-a-tarp.jpg

[kcshocker11]

Shocks by 20+

[flatlander]

I think we will give up 61 points but we will score 78 ... go shocks

[shoxlax]

They have won five in a row and their two best players are from Kansas and will be fired up to come back. They won’t be VCU but they won’t be Central Arkansas either.

[60Shock]

Looking for a nice relaxing game whereby I don’t have to utter one single cuss word. Shocks by somewhere around 25 points.

[1972Shocker]

Just about any game can be a trap game if a team is not mentally prepared. However, the Shocks with the exception of Dex, seem to be in a pretty good place right now mentally. Hopefully, Dex will be back refreshed and re-energized soon.

Abilene Christian lost at fellow AAC member, SMU, at the end of November 51-70. They are 3-5 in D-1 games with a non-conference SOS of 270.

Abilene Christian's stats are a little be skewed by the fact the have played 4 games against Non-D1 opponents. For example, including those games they are averaging 77.8 PPG. Against their 8 D-1 opponents (again SOS of 270) they are averaging 68.2 PPG.

ACU has 11 players who has played in all 12 games. ACU generally starts 1 senior, 2 juniors and 2 sophomores. The senior is Payten Ricks, a 6-2 guard out of Maize South High School, who leads ACU in scoring at 13.6 PPG. ACU also has size starting in the post in 7-0, 240lb Jr. Kolton Kohl who is averaging 10.9 PPG and 4.5 RPG. They have smallish point guard in 5-7, 140 lb Damien Daniels who doesn't score a lot but is averaging 3.5 assists vs 1.45 turnovers per game. I suspect he will be very quick. Joe Pleasant, a 6-8, 220 lb So. F out of Blue Valley NW Highs School, is averaging 11.1 PPG and 4.5 RPG. Rounding out the starting lineup is 6-0, 190 lb. Jr. G Coryon Mason who is averaging 7.0 PPG.

6-6, 220 lb So. F Clay Gayman leads the reserves with 9.7 PPG and 4.2 RPG.

Again keep in mind these stats include 4 games against Non-D1 opponents. In fact, one of those opponents Howard Payne is NCAA Division III. The other 3 opponents were Arlington Baptist, Champion Christian and Dallas Christian who all play in division II of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).

If Shocker fans show up in numbers and in full throat it is pretty much a certainty that the environment will be one ACU is not used to. Of course, how they respond to that is difficult to predict.

[Shocker_Power]

My question is, why is this not the first game of the season, where it belongs? It would have been nice for the schedule to keep increasing in intensity.

[1972Shocker]

My question is, why is this not the first game of the season, where it belongs? It would have been nice for the schedule to keep increasing in intensity.

I think it is a really good game to have coming off of a tough stretch where 5 of the last 6 opponents were South Carolina, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and VCU plus coming off of finals and Christmas break.

A good opponent along with ECU to bet back into the swing of things before taking on Ole MIss and then facing Memphis at home, UConn on the road, Temple on the road and Houston at home which is anything but an easy stretch of games.

All of the Shocks probably were due for a little break to recharge their batteries.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

6-6, 220 lb So. F Clay Gayman