Shox Vs UNCC Game Thread

[WuDrWu]

Were we able to get somewhat of a take on Lufile?

Very athletic, runs great, especially for a big guy. Thinks his game is a little more guard oriented than it really is. Decent defender. He'll definitely help us down the road. Wide as a truck.

[SHOXAAC]

I am not as pessimistic about the VCU game as some on SN. No, I don't expect us to win, but I don't think we're going to get it handed to us either. Have faith Shocker fans. Remember, VCU has to play us as well. We have weapons. We have a good coach. Tonight's game is over. Tuesday our team wants to win. Let's let it play out.

[WuDrWu]

I'm not sure what we'll see at VCU besides them eating us alive. We could really shorten the bench and improve the chances of winning (which will be small either way), or keep playing the young'ns and let them live and learn.

[forevershockerfan]

It seems as though our D is stingy the 1st half and more lax the 2nd half so far. VCU may be the toughest D we play all Season and these are the games that prepare us to learn to be a successful team. VCU will be trapping us like a covey of agitated gnats and we better be ready. They will get their steals but hey, why don't we play the D solid for as close to 40 as we can right back at them? We can ill afford to play "milk toast soft" in that game versus their tenacious D. and traps or they will route us. D-Willl found out about their traps the last time we played them. Kyles and Hall played tough against them. They made the tough shots at the end and we did not.

George Mason beat us twice and then we went to their yad and beat them. However, they did not still have all the 3 guards that could make 25' shots blind-folded all night long back by then. Beating VCU will take our A game on D and on Offense at their place. No, I am not betting the farm!!!!!!! Tuesday at 6 baby!!! Our Shocks will NOT back down!!!

[SHOXAAC]

I'm not sure what we'll see at VCU besides them eating us alive. We could really shorten the bench and improve the chances of winning (which will be small either way), or keep playing the young'ns and let them live and learn.

Define "eating alive?"

[CBB_Fan]

I am not as pessimistic about the VCU game as some on SN. No, I don't expect us to win, but I don't think we're going to get it handed to us either. Have faith Shocker fans. Remember, VCU has to play us as well. We have weapons. We have a good coach. Tonight's game is over. Tuesday our team wants to win. Let's let it play out.

The problem is that they have a team and a strategy that targets what I believe to be our biggest weakness at this point. We simply haven't had enough time to really start to roll offensively. My guess is that we won't play a large rotation, but a team like VCU that brings back a lot of experience and has a really tough press will be a mismatch for us.

Talent wise, I don't think we are at a deficit. Coaching wise, I think we are equal. But right now, they have experience on their side.

[Ricardo del Rio]

good day so far watching the aggies knock off Bama. Now go Shocks!

Gig 'em.

[another shocker]

I'm not sure what we'll see at VCU besides them eating us alive. We could really shorten the bench and improve the chances of winning (which will be small either way), or keep playing the young'ns and let them live and learn.

No. We'll need Armstead and Williams, for starters.. Baker and everybody else, fill the lanes. Wiggins.. it's all there

[WuDrWu]

Eating us alive = VCU will force us into 20+ turnovers, many of which will turn into easy baskets. There will be multiple possessions where we barely (or don't at all) beat the 10 second count and countless passes to the wings will be deflected.

I understand we have talent. Really good talent. But their strength is turning teams over, and our weakness is too many players are new and not on the same page.

I'm not saying we can't win. We have plenty of talent to win, I just don't think we're ready for what VCU is cookin'. I'd love to be wrong.

[GoShockers89]

Eating us alive = VCU will force us into 20+ turnovers, many of which will turn into easy baskets. There will be multiple possessions where we barely (or don't at all) beat the 10 second count and countless passes to the wings will be deflected.

I understand we have talent. Really good talent. But their strength is turning teams over, and our weakness is too many players are new and not on the same page.

I'm not saying we can't win. We have plenty of talent to win, I just don't think we're ready for what VCU is cookin'. I'd love to be wrong.

+1 to all of this. VCU is a team we could very well beat in March, but it's gonna be damn tough to pull one out at their place in November for this squad.

[WuDrWu]

Mal, Ron, Evan, Carl, Ehimen, Cotton, Early & DWill. Anyone else sees the floor for more than quick rest for one of these 8 and something has gone tragically wrong.

[WuDrWu]

+1 to all of this. VCU is a team we could very well beat in March, but it's gonna be damn tough to pull one out at their place in November for this squad.

And there isn't a damned thing wrong with that. We need to be tested and learn what great teams do to be successful.

[another shocker]

Eating us alive = VCU will force us into 20+ turnovers, many of which will turn into easy baskets. There will be multiple possessions where we barely (or don't at all) beat the 10 second count and countless passes to the wings will be deflected.

I understand we have talent. Really good talent. But their strength is turning teams over, and our weakness is too many players are new and not on the same page.

I'm not saying we can't win. We have plenty of talent to win, I just don't think we're ready for what VCU is cookin'. I'd love to be wrong.

For the third time, NO. Shockers will crash the boards. VCU steals Shockers board- do you understand that part of it? Shockers will fight (on the boards, first).

[SHOXAAC]

Mal, Ron, Evan, Carl, Ehimen, Cotton, Early & DWill. Anyone else sees the floor for more than quick rest for one of these 8 and something has gone tragically wrong.

Not a great matchup for EO. This will be a high energy, fast paced game. EO can handle high energy, but not so much the fast pace...he tends to panic at pressure. We all know VCU will throw a heavy dose of pressure. White will be a much better option for more minutes. Poised ball handlers will be key for the Shockers. Throw FVV in that category. We may see combinations that might not be customary. Whatever combinations we see, they better value the basketball. We can not fall into panic mode. Our players will be properly warned and prepared for VCU's pressure...they must execute.

[C0|dB|00ded]

We played a very tenacious team tonight and boy did they have it out for Wessel. It became very clear after they forced two consecutive turnovers on him that the opposing coach had clear orders to "smother the white kid with the fro" the second he touches it. HCGM mercifully pulled him. Hopefully Wessel learned his lesson. Hopefully the team learned their lesson. Space it out and move the ball. Once our team started snapping the passes, the traps became less effective. This was the perfect team to play before VCU.

It's clear our team lost focus halfway through the game. Beast has mentioned that it is hard to keep pushing when the game is in hand. They need to fix that issue.

Ron Baker is a mother@#$#%@$r! We are simply lucky to have the kid.

EO: 6pts, 7 boards, 1 steal, and at least 4 blocks in 16 mins of action. One block on the south end of the floor is the highest I have ever seen a Shocker defender soar. I'm thinkin' EO's hand was getting close to top-of-the-backboard territory. EO's tip in was sweet and he had two more that just barely missed. He definitely pulled a couple retard passing moments, but also made some good ones. He could have had a million turnovers against this team if he wasn't careful. EO is doing a great job not committing silly fouls. He is way ahead of where I expected him in the foul area.

The Beast. Enough said.

Cotton is the real man of steel. His dunk was so sick.

Armstead: 6:1 assist to turnover ratio.

CJ Lufile is a very mobile big man. In fact, he is so mobile he decided to break the press himself going coast to coast. I was laughing my ass off as once he reached the other side of the court, he was unable to turn his engines off and fumbled the ball away. It's kind of nice to know that we have a 6'9" 250lb power forward who can single-handedly break a full-court press, but I bet he won't be doing that again. The team will be LOL'ing over that one when they review the tape.

You can tell that our team is still trying to figure things out. They got a taste of some real defensive pressure tonight and that was good. I want to see Wiggins get more involved. He's trying to figure out how to use his offensive talent to help the team. Cle' hasn't quite got it yet, but he still scored a very quiet 10 pts. When Cle' finds his groove... yikes.

FVV had his first D1 wake up call tonight when the press got nasty.

Soo much talent and athleticism on the floor. It will be interesting to see how big our rotation is going to be this year.


T


...:cool: