Wichita State at UCF Pregame Discussion 2-8-22

[wichshock65]

UCF (13-8, 5-6 AAC) vs WICHITA STATE (12-8 3-5 AAC)
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 | 8:00 PM CT
TV: ESPNU
RADIO: KEYN 103.7 FM https://www.radio.com/keyn/listen
SERIES: Wichita State leads 8-0 (3-0 in Orlando)
LAST MEETING: January 26, 2022 in Wichita (WSU, 84-79)
GAME RECAP:

Ricky Council IV scored a career-high 31 points and well-rested Wichita State bested UCF, 84-79, at Charles Koch Arena.

Back in action for the first time in 10 days (health and safety protocol), the Shockers (10-7, 1-4) snapped a rare four-game losing streak and picked up their first conference win.

Council made 6-of-10 field goal attempts and went 16-of-20 at the foul line in WSU's first 30-point effort since Mar. 15, 2019 when Markis McDuffie scored 34 in an AAC quarterfinal win over Temple.

Only Cleo Littleton (22-of-25 in a 1955 win over Houston) and Dave Stallworth (18-of-23 in a 1963 win over Cincinnati) have made or attempted more free throws in a single-game.

Morris Udeze added 16 points and Dexter Dennis paired 13 points with a team-high six rebounds.

Brandon Mahan put up 20 points and 13 rebounds for UCF (12-6, 4-4), which fell to 0-8 against the Shockers (0-5 at Charles Koch Arena).

WSU shot exactly 40 percent from the field and made 9-of-23 threes (.391). UCF fared slightly better at 40.6 percent and made 10-of-26 from distance (.385).

Council's free points were the difference. The Shockers made 31-of-40 free throw tries to UCF's 17-of-23.

WSU led by 16 points (23-6) midway through the first half, helped by UCF's 1-of-15 shooting start.

The Knights battled to within 38-31 at halftime and to within three points at the 12:25-mark of the second half on a Darius Johnson three-pointer.

Council scored 22 points over the final 10:51 to keep UCF at bay. He was 5-of-7 from the field over that stretch with 10 free throw makes.

Council sank a pair with 1:08 to go (at which point he was a perfect 14-for-14 at the foul line) to make it a 77-65 game before missing 4-of-6 in the final minute.

UCF performed cometic surgery on the lead with 14 points in the final 63 seconds to spoil an otherwise excellent defensive effort.

[SubGod22]

I have no idea what to think of this team. I've always said the talent is there to be better, but the IQ has killed them. They show flashes, but so far this season haven't maintained good play and decision making. Until proven otherwise, I'm not sure I can believe they can put together back to back good games. There have still been glaring issues and I get the feeling that because the last game went fairly well, they will revert back to the team we've seen most of the year.

Hope I'm wrong because two of my best friends are in Orlando for business this week and are attending the game tomorrow. Tickets were quite cheap and I believe they have great seats.

Golden Knights - 74

Little less limp noodles - 70

[shocker43]

WSU - 77
UCF - 70

[Kel Varnsen]

UCF started the season strong (albeit against weaker competition), but they've definitely tapered off since then. They've dropped from 49 in KenPom to 101 while suffering bad home loss to Temple and a bad loss in general to a terrible USF team. Their other losses in conference haven't really been close. I know we've felt like our team has been reeling, but UCF has been 4-6 in their last 10 games.

I think we have the potential to win this one, even going away, but we have not been very consistent from game to game, so I'll believe it when I see it.

[TheShocktocles]

The Shockers do not have the potential to win this game. The Shocks will be destroyed. The reason is that our so-call 3 veteran players will choke. These 3 players have yet to play a game on the road like they should and lead this team. MU will foul out in the first half. He plays with low basketball IQ. Misses layups and makes stupid turnovers. DD clang!!!!!!! Missed layups and wide open 3 ponters. And then he will drive to the paint, turn it over, get stripped, or throw it out of bounds. TE is no Nigel Pack. Time for another 30 ft fade away jumper with 8 seconds on the time clock. Time for another sht for brain moment. Clang he just missed another wide open layup. And our guards will be destroyed by UCF guards. Bad enough we got a soft front line, but our guards play NO DEFENSE.

There is a reason Houston is the class in this conference. They have excellent guards that don't turn it over and can make layups and midrange shots. Their front line 8s a beast. Sorry but I got to tell the truth. Go Shocks.

[ShockTalk]

The Shockers do not have the potential to win this game. The Shocks will be destroyed. The reason is that our so-call 3 veteran players will choke. These 3 players have yet to play a game on the road like they should and lead this team. MU will foul out in the first half. He plays with low basketball IQ. Misses layups and makes stupid turnovers. DD clang!!!!!!! Missed layups and wide open 3 ponters. And then he will drive to the paint, turn it over, get stripped, or throw it out of bounds. TE is no Nigel Pack. Time for another 30 ft fade away jumper with 8 seconds on the time clock. Time for another sht for brain moment. Clang he just missed another wide open layup. And our guards will be destroyed by UCF guards. Bad enough we got a soft front line, but our guards play NO DEFENSE.

There is a reason Houston is the class in this conference. They have excellent guards that don't turn it over and can make layups and midrange shots. Their front line 8s a beast. Sorry but I got to tell the truth. Go Shocks.

Love the touch at the end.

[Kel Varnsen]

The Shockers do not have the potential to win this game. The Shocks will be destroyed. The reason is that our so-call 3 veteran players will choke. These 3 players have yet to play a game on the road like they should and lead this team. MU will foul out in the first half. He plays with low basketball IQ. Misses layups and makes stupid turnovers. DD clang!!!!!!! Missed layups and wide open 3 ponters. And then he will drive to the paint, turn it over, get stripped, or throw it out of bounds. TE is no Nigel Pack. Time for another 30 ft fade away jumper with 8 seconds on the time clock. Time for another sht for brain moment. Clang he just missed another wide open layup. And our guards will be destroyed by UCF guards. Bad enough we got a soft front line, but our guards play NO DEFENSE.

There is a reason Houston is the class in this conference. They have excellent guards that don't turn it over and can make layups and midrange shots. Their front line 8s a beast. Sorry but I got to tell the truth. Go Shocks.

Maybe they will have a long and prosperous career teaching typewriter maintenance at the Rocco Columbo School for Women.

[WstateU]

The Shockers do not have the potential to win this game. The Shocks will be destroyed. The reason is that our so-call 3 veteran players will choke. These 3 players have yet to play a game on the road like they should and lead this team. MU will foul out in the first half. He plays with low basketball IQ. Misses layups and makes stupid turnovers. DD clang!!!!!!! Missed layups and wide open 3 ponters. And then he will drive to the paint, turn it over, get stripped, or throw it out of bounds. TE is no Nigel Pack. Time for another 30 ft fade away jumper with 8 seconds on the time clock. Time for another sht for brain moment. Clang he just missed another wide open layup. And our guards will be destroyed by UCF guards. Bad enough we got a soft front line, but our guards play NO DEFENSE.

There is a reason Houston is the class in this conference. They have excellent guards that don't turn it over and can make layups and midrange shots. Their front line 8s a beast. Sorry but I got to tell the truth. Go Shocks.

[Dan]

MU in foul trouble is not a bad thing for our team. I like our chances.

[WstateU]

Guess we need a Nijel Pack thread… someone has a hard-on for that guy.

[Atxshoxfan]

UCF getting throttled by Memphis, is not going to help us one bit. Now they have 2 huge motivation tools against the shox.

But I'll give the shox an edge, maybe because of my hopes more than anything.
WSU 68
UCF 64

[Maizerunner08]

I honestly don't know what happens here. Which WSU team shows up?

[1972Shocker]

I think the Shocks have a punchers chance in this one especially if the D it up like they did against SMU. But UCF appears to be a team that runs hot and cold and if the Shocks catch them on a hot shooting night it probably won't go real well. I don't know how much the Shocks D had to do with UCF starting out 1-15 from the field in Wichita but I wouldn't count on that happening again.

Excluding Tyson the Shocks shot 47.6% from the field including 8-15 (53.3%) on three pointers. Tyson was 2-13 from the field and 1-8 on treys. I don't think ECU is going to let Ricky go off on them for 31 like he did in Wichita. So Tyson has to step his game up this time around. He has been looking better over the past few games.

Craig only played 22 minutes in the first game (he fouled out) and Monzy only played 5 minutes. We need both those guys on the court more than that in this game. At a minimum Monzy should play at least as many minutes as Joe.

[Atxshoxfan]

Careful 1972, telling TE to step up more may be counter productive.
He needs to play more like he has the last 2 games, or ride the pine. Both options are better for the team than most of his games this year.

[asiseeit]

I thought movement with and without the ball was better the first
thirty minutes vs SMU which created better shots. TE seems to
be handling the ball less now and playing the role of a true SG more.
That is a good thing for him and the team. I thought our defense
caused SMU problems. DD is a given but I thought the whole
team was better. I think it is a coin flip type of game that could
very well go down to the wire but believe we are at a disadvantage
in these types of games plus they are at home. UCF 64-62