Where we stand

[RoyalShock]

When you look at our conference schedule prior to the UE game you'll see that we hadn't played any teams with winning conference records. Now, part of that is due to them losing to us. However, the point is that besides UNI, we eeked out three close wins against bottom-half MVC teams. A team that is often "finding a way to win", is often finding itself in a lot of close games. A loss was bound to happen, especially down three starters.

I'd be lying if I wasn't at least a little concerned, even if it's still early for who is top-half and who is bottom-half to have shaken out. What is encouraging is that it happened on the road, without Hall, to a team who's only loss is at Creighton. And it took an uncharacteristically high number of turnovers to do us in. We should at least consider that Evansville just might be that good right now. They are loaded with seniors and finally have some size inside.

Wednesday night should be interesting. I like that we're coming off a loss and might have Carl back, but I don't like playing a winless team with the individual talent of ISU, who has to be super-hungry for a win. It's an unstable confluence of factors. With CU looming a few days later I'm really hoping for a convincing, double-digit win.

[rrshock]

I believe that the season will be filled with many close games. That's just how it appears this teams likes games.

[ShockerFever]

An abnormally large amount of paralyzing turnovers is what's done us in the last couple of games. Eliminate those abnormally large and obscene numbers and we beat SIU by about 20 and take down EU by about 10. It's been that bad.

Clean up the moronic free possessions to the other team and everything else will play itself out. I dunno if it's playing down to your competition, or just a mid-season lull, or maybe some fatigue. Whatever it is, it's on us. Fix it up and we're back tied for 1st at the end of the week.

[KC Shox]

All valid points. Our non-non and MVC schedule up to this point, hasn't exactly been at world beating level. I predicted a three game losing streak starting with EU and am convinced this will still happen. Is ISU a trap game? They are winless in the MVC - will the Shox look past them and start thinking about the biggest game of the year with Creighton? Despite ISU currently being haunted by demons, those players haven't all of a sudden had their talent taken away from them. I believe they will exorcise these demons against us.

This is a gut check for the guys and once we get healthy and our newcomers adjust to MVC style of play and officiating, we'll bounce back.

[ShockerFever]

All valid points. Our non-non and MVC schedule up to this point, hasn't exactly been at world beating level. I predicted a three game losing streak starting with EU and am convinced this will still happen. Is ISU a trap game? They are winless in the MVC - will the Shox look past them and start thinking about the biggest game of the year with Creighton? Despite ISU currently being haunted by demons, those players haven't all of a sudden had their talent taken away from them. I believe they will exorcise these demons against us.

This is a gut check for the guys and once we get healthy and our newcomers adjust to MVC style of play and officiating, we'll bounce back.

Give yourself a nice pat on the back for the EU prediction. It's about time you called one right. Now, let's see if you can get the trifecta.

[capnkirk]

WSU is playing and winning without their best player. Lets see Creighton do that. Or even Evansville for that matter.

When CH comes back, he will not need to set the world on fire to make a difference, he just needs to be our stable inside presence(a security blanket). Once teams have to respect that again, the guards will see less double teams and will open up the outside shots.

And GM has to do better at coaching. This is the first time I have complained about him this season. I kept waiting to see WSU turn up the heat and full court press against UE. I never saw it until the last couple of minutes and it almost won us the game.

WSU will be fine, there will be no 3 game losing streak.

For the worry warts in the group, let me give you something you need to look at. The last 5 games on the schedule.
@ ILL ST, @ IND ST, bracketbuster(which we never seem to win), EU and @ CU. But I say bring em on!

[ShockerFever]

Katz is a voice of reason today in his recent article, a far cry from the ledge some posters are jumping from:

• Losing a road Missouri Valley Conference game isn't such a big deal. That's why no one should get down on the short-handed Shockers after Wichita State lost at now fellow 4-1 Evansville on Sunday.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/8842613/monday-musings-10-big-ten-postseason-awards-more-college-basketball

[RoyalShock]

I noticed Bilas also still has us in his ESPN top-25. Those guys get it. Too bad AP voters don't.

[Shock-Til-U-Drop]

Why would you predict such idiocy? Especially with 2 out of 3 of those games at home?

[RomeoCrennel's Belly]

While it's nice Katz & Bilas give us some love, the committee will not. It's the same thing year after year with mid-majors or non-BCS teams. They're well thought of by the pundits but the committee does not think anything close to the same. I think we can afford 3-4 more conferences losses (that's including Arch Madness). They have left out plenty of well-deserving teams like us in the past with records like 25-6 or what not.

[ShockerFever]

While it's nice Katz & Bilas give us some love, the committee will not. It's the same thing year after year with mid-majors or non-BCS teams. They're well thought of by the pundits but the committee does not think anything close to the same. I think we can afford 3-4 more conferences losses (that's including Arch Madness). They have left out plenty of well-deserving teams like us in the past with records like 25-6 or what not.

We are not Belmont or Murray State.

[rrshock]

We are not Belmont or Murray State.

I agree. However we all know how the committee thinks sometimes.

[Ricardo del Rio]

An abnormally large amount of paralyzing turnovers is what's done us in the last couple of games. Eliminate those abnormally large and obscene numbers and we beat SIU by about 20 and take down EU by about 10. It's been that bad.

Clean up the moronic free possessions to the other team and everything else will play itself out. I dunno if it's playing down to your competition, or just a mid-season lull, or maybe some fatigue. Whatever it is, it's on us. Fix it up and we're back tied for 1st at the end of the week.

I love this quote in spades. I do have a touch of disagreement.

If we had kept the turnover and foul combo to 30 or less, we would have kicked the Aces' butt by a lot more than 10 points.

In the loss to Tennessee, the Shockers' combo number was 44. Tennessee's was 37.

In the loss to Evansville, the Shockers' combo number was 46. Evansville's was 23.

In the tight game with Air Force, the Shockers' combo number was 42. AF's was 22.

There are games in which the Shockers' combo number was greater than 30, but still won the game. In those games, the opponents' combo number was higher than the Shockers' combo number.

[DUShock]

Nice data points Ricky.

[ShockerFever]

Spot on RDR