WSU VERSUS VCU REMATCH

[wavevcu]

Our fans are not looking at this as a cakewalk - quite the contrary. We barely escaped by the skin of our teeth from your place last year so why would we expect anything different this time ? One of our most knowledgeable and long time fans today said "i think we have a chance." - that is respect. There is a ton of respect for this program and for the missouri valley. Every Valley team we have played in bracketbuster has been a quality squad - Bradley 4-5 years ago. You guys last year. UNI this year. This is gonna be a war. we know it. we have to shoot well from the 3 point line to have a chance.

btw - i found out that the whole Carl Hall thing was blown way out of proportion by one of our disgruntled fans who apparently thought it would be fun to start a rumor about Carl switching his committment because of being paid. again - sorry for the previous post about that. I dont know why people create stuff like that when they have no proof of anything or just because they are mad that we lost a recruit. anyway - i did hear from a reliable source that this was not the case at all and was a rumor created by one of our fans last year after his recruting process ended. hope this puts it to rest once and for all.

[thegalen]

Our fans are not looking at this as a cakewalk - quite the contrary. We barely escaped by the skin of our teeth from your place last year so why would we expect anything different this time ? One of our most knowledgeable and long time fans today said "i think we have a chance." - that is respect. There is a ton of respect for this program and for the missouri valley. Every Valley team we have played in bracketbuster has been a quality squad - Bradley 4-5 years ago. You guys last year. UNI this year. This is gonna be a war. we know it. we have to shoot well from the 3 point line to have a chance.

btw - i found out that the whole Carl Hall thing was blown way out of proportion by one of our disgruntled fans who apparently thought it would be fun to start a rumor about Carl switching his committment because of being paid. again - sorry for the previous post about that. I dont know why people create stuff like that when they have no proof of anything or just because they are mad that we lost a recruit. anyway - i did hear from a reliable source that this was not the case at all and was a rumor created by one of our fans last year after his recruting process ended. hope this puts it to rest once and for all.

Nope, it actually does the opposite of putting it to rest. Can an admin please edit wave's comment? Sorry guys!


I do, however, agree with his first graf. We have a ton of respect for you even if as with any fanbase there are homers that tag along to your boards. You guys are the favorite for this game, and with good reason. That said, we like being an underdog (also with good reason). Should you beat us, the Shockers will have a lot of Ram fans cheering y'all along the way. That said, I expect Shaka and our squad to come prepared. May the best team win. And if it doesn't, may you guys make a deep run in the tourney :beguiled:

[shockmonster]

Agree, if Stutz can have a good game against VCU we should win a close one.

If Stutz can have a good game against VCU maybe we'll start seeing the confident, Paul Miller esque Stutz from earlier this year. If I knew that guy would show up to evey game in this tournament I would pick us to win the whole thing.

Part of that pick would be my confidence in how good this team can be and the other part my yellow and black underwear.

ames.I didn't like seeing VCU pop up during the selection show. That team makes me nervous. But, if we can pull out a win and get on a roll then watch out.

I'm not sure that this kind of a matchup (full court press) that is the best for Garrett. Maybe he'll be the difference but in this type of game, more often than not, he won't be as effective. I'm glad we have Carl Hall. The good thing about this team is that we can be effective in different types of games.

[wufan]

I think the feeling that this will be a difficult game is mutual on this board. We have a lot of respect for the Rams, Shaka, and what you accomplished last year. We (as with your fans) also believe in our team! Nobody will be suprised if VCU is a 12-5 upset. No matter the outcome or how the game looks on television, it will be an entertaining game of contrasting styles! Hopefully both teams bring it and may the best team win!

[1972Shocker]

a 20+ point win would not shock me.

That would very much surprise me. Pleasantly, but still an unexpected result.

[1972Shocker]

I'm not sure that this kind of a matchup (full court press) that is the best for Garrett. Maybe he'll be the difference but in this type of game, more often than not, he won't be as effective. I'm glad we have Carl Hall. The good thing about this team is that we can be effective in different types of games.

I was kind of thinking the same thing. But as you said if it's not a good matchup for Garrett we fortunately have the ability to adjust.

[shockrah]

Let's have some fun together...CAPTION THIS![ATTACH=CONFIG]229[/ATTACH]

I've got my head so far up this birds rear end, when he opens his mouth, all you can see is me!

[SHOXAAC]

Not making a statement, because this is a different year and Garrett has done better with 'on paper adverse matchups," however last years stats vs. VCU...5 points on 1-2 FG, 3-4 FT; 6 rebounds; 1 PF; 11 minutes.

[GoShockers89]

Not making a statement, because this is a different year and Garrett has done better with 'on paper adverse matchups," however last years stats vs. VCU...5 points on 1-2 FG, 3-4 FT; 6 rebounds; 1 PF; 11 minutes.

Pretty good line for 11 minutes of action.

[KC Shox]

I really hope you were drinking when you made this post. A bait like this on your home board at this juncture would be especially weird if you were sober.


T


...:cool:

Nope, no drinking here. I made this prediction solely based on the match-up as I fully expect a defensive battle. We are 0 - 5 when held to 65 points or less. VCU specializes in keeping the score low. I also believe they will use the ISUred loss as a blueprint on how to get our bigs in foul trouble and disrupt the shooting flow of our guards. However, I did say that if we get past the first game, I do think we will win the second game regardless if it is IU or NMSU.

You know I don't and won't conform to the happy-go-luck Shocker fan sensibilities. Emotions are tossed aside when making predictions. I'm sorry some SNers take it personal, but the SN Gestapo will not influence how I make predictions and those internet tough guys who use verbal judo to call me every name under the sun, or attempt to disparage me to make themselves feel good, are conducting an exercise in futility.

I will be donning my Shocker gear on Thursday, rooting hard for the Shox, trying to keep the blood pressure down and sweating bullets during the game. If I'm wrong, I will eat crow and read all the comments regarding my wrong prediction. I can take my medicine.

[Dan]

Almost everyone we play tries to slow us down. VCU appears to be taking the opposite approach. Call me crazy, but i think that plays into our style. We have the athletes and can go about 8 deep at guard if we have to. I bet our guys would love to get into a running/pressing type game for a change.

[The Mad Hatter]

Just for the record, for all the talk about VCU's defense, WSU actually ranks ahead of VCU in Ken Pomeroy's adjusted defense (#18 to #26). Furthermore, VCU has only faced 4 teams in the top 100 of Pomeroy's adjusted offense, and none in the top 50 (Dexel being the best at #59). WSU is #10 in adjusted offense in the nation. In other words, VCU hasn't seen anything like our offense.

On the other hand, we have faced 8 top 100 efficiency defenses, including 3 in the top 50. Alabama (who beat both WSU and VCU - albeit early in the season for both) has a more efficient defense than either WSU or VCU at #9 in the nation. UNLV, whom we blew out by 19 is only two slots behind VCU in adjusted defense at #28. In other words, WSU has seen defenses as good or better than VCU's.

Does this mean an easy victory for WSU? Absolutely not. VCU is a quality team and in the NCAAs there is no such thing as a gimmie outside of the 1-16 match up. What it does mean, however, is that (as @WuDrWu said earlier) if both teams play the best game, or both play their average game, WSU will win.

For quantification sake, Raymond Cheong's ranking system, which has rated out as one of the best at predicting NCAA games, predicts a 9 point margin of victory for WSU. Sagarin's Predictor, which has been less accurate than Cheong (but more than predicting by seed or RPI) predicts an 8 point margin of victory for WSU.

[vancedave56]

I am looking for DK to go off and be hot for the entire tournament. It is time.

[1972Shocker]

I am looking for DK to go off and be hot for the entire tournament. It is time.

If not now, then when? Time to go out in a blaze of glory young Skywalker!

[wavevcu]

just throw out the #'s related to our defense for a minute. sometimes its easy to get paralysis by analysis of numbers. what our defense does often is force the other time to use so much of the shot clock to get into their half court set that they often have to force a shot or take a shot they dont want to because the shot clock has gone under 10 and they have to get a shot up. Our backcourt of theus, weber and brandenburg when they are on the floor together, is very hard to simulate in practice because teams dont have the type of quickness we have especially in weber and brandenburg. thats why we are different from last year because you didnt see any of those guys last year except theus for a few minutes. I dont remember brandendburg playing much at all last year vs. you guys. I think that kind of effect does not show up anywhere except in our field goal % defense. to my knowledge they dont keep stats on how many times a teams possession goes under 10 on the shot clock ! :). They probably will starting next year though !