Bluejays @ Shockers Game Thread

[wsushox1]

Photo Gallery of this afternoons game. Well worth a look at all 42 photos.

http://www.kansas.com/2013/01/19/2643031/shockers-get-big-win-over-creighton.html

[RandomJaysFan]

Thanks for your sentiments, I think. We were so glad we had Carl Hall back for this game because your Jays are tough, Doug deserves the credit he gets, and you are ranked high, and rightly so.. Here is a random thought for ya for some perspective. What if Doug M. and 2 more of your starters missed multiple games? What do you think your record would be about now? Welcome to our world.

That's hard to say. Part of it would depend on who went out.

First, we have lost Josh Jones, and while he wasn't a starter he had a decent dribble drive/jumper combo that our team really needed to bust zones. So we have lost someone of stature, even though he wasn't out there at the tip, and while that hasn't put us over a barrel it's moved us closer to its edge.

Obviously if we lost Doug we'd be in all kinds of deep shinola, but that's not an indictment of anyone else we have. Doug carries us at times, and the hurt would come when we would go through the inevitable lulls that we'd suffer without him. Any team with a guy like him on it should utilize him to the max, and we do. If he got hurt, well, then that sucks. But it's tough to compare it to the Shockers who even though you lost Hall, had Early in reserve; Early's game is more of a shoot-and-slash type of game but at least you had someone capable of picking up the lost minutes. We would not. Wragge would start but we'd run things a lot differently, I'd imagine.

If Manigat were to get injured, Dingman could step in and we wouldn't lose a lot, but where it'd hurt is the minutes that would have to be played by someone else. Nevin Johnson is a terrific athlete - a true above-the-rim player - but he's been so out of synch with the exception of the last two weeks that it's hard to say what you'd get from him. It's possible we'd go to a more athletic dribble drive style with Chatman, Dingman, and Nevin all capable of playing that way (Dingman is naturally such a player and not the spotup shooter he's been with us).

If Greg got hurt we'd be hurting on the defensive end. Artino can come close to equalling his offensive production - his per-minute numbers are actually pretty good - but we'd have no backup C at all that's ready, plus his D is not nearly the same.

I guess in conclusion we'd be significantly worse, which I'm guessing was the point of the question. But we'd still be second best in the Valley and would still have an ability to shoot our way out of any situation if we had to.

[moshock]

My admiration for Dougie has no qualfications, no limitations, no reluctance, no exceptions, no lucky conditions. None of that.

He is just a stud duck, scoring machine.

The Blue Bird fans do not like to hear me describe the Blue Birds as a one man team, but that is exactly what they are. If Dougie goes down, the Blue Birds are in deep bird do-do.

Fixed

[jocoshock]

It was little surprise that a game between last season's regular-season champion, Wichita State, and tournament champion Creighton would come down to the wire. They have played 29 games decided by 12 or fewer points since 1994-95

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268753/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=gqaMziJu

[Kung Wu]

My admiration for Dougie has no qualfications, no limitations, no reluctance, no exceptions, no lucky conditions. None of that.

He is just a stud duck, scoring machine.

The Blue Bird fans do not like to hear me describe the Blue Birds as a one man team, but that is exactly what they are. If Dougie goes down, the Blue Birds are in deep do-do.

I thought Echinique was impressive. VERY impressive. HUGE improvement over last year.

[Ta town]

The only negative thing I will say is that the "shocker" symbol quit being funny in about 2006, but I'm sure you all have had your own debate on that one.

It's a W symbol not a shocker symbol. Get over it or don't but quit acting like it's vulgar. If the non wheat shocker fans think shockers and assume its a shocker symbol who cares. Engineer overalls got old in 1880 but I couldn't care less what creighton fans do.

[wsushox1]

Shocker Women get a big W tonight as well.

[Steeleshocker]

Cotton's D was amazing but he needs to be given a red light from outside of 10 feet. Seriously. Those 10 missed shots were not close and were essentially turnovers. I've said it time and time again. TC is not a jump shooter. Grade A defender, good slasher, NOT a jump shooter. Make some FT's and some 3's and we win by about 15.

SO GLAD FOR THE WIN! LOVE THIS TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that last miss by Wragge STUNG, BJ fans. LOVE IT!

Cotton had a bad game shooting the ball, but you could tell it just got into his head after they started sagging off him. He's got good form and never took a bad shot. I give him the green light, one of these days he will save us with a 3. I also thought he should have just shot the wide open three instead of dribbling in for a 18 footer. It totally took him out of rhythm.

[ShockTalk]

Wow!! What a game! Just now had a chance to go through this thread.

First, the atmosphere was great! I kept thinking that this will be a boost for the Valley as it must look great on TV......well it looked better in person!!!!

Basically, a close game throughout with the Shocks bending at times, but not breaking or allowing the Jays to get any kind of control on the game. Not sure when the last time was I watched a Shock's game, as close as this one, against a top notch opponent, and our boys stayed in control throughout the game from front to back.

Yes, we don't win this game without THE BEAST!! However, his 1-6 throws during the late part of the game was the first time I think he looked like a frail human, not because he missed the throws, but how you could read on his face how terrible he felt about it. However, the team rallied around him and brought the win home and you could see his huge relief that he didn't cost WSU the game with the misses.

Cotton did a great job on D. His shot was off and CU knew it. They were playing him very loose outside. I was a little surprised in the second half when our offense was sputtering, we had a lead, and their was a number of dead balls, that HCGM didn't sub him for Wiggins and force CU to come out more. Then put Cotton back in for D.

Two most nervous moments: One, I've already mentioned, was Hall's throws. The other was our position after the FTs on the T. We had 3 opportunities on that position and came up empty. Whew! We weathered it.

We had a very balanced attack with many contributors. Early with 13 points, Williams with 10 and nice penetration drives, Hall 17 points 13 boards 6 offensive, Armstead with 15 points 6 rebounds, 5 assists only 2 TOs. Cotton did it on D. Jake did well off the bench as did FVV.

Just how good can this team be??? Well, we won this game beating a top ranked team with Early having NO rebounds, Williams 0-4 from 3 and 0-2 FT, Hall 1-6 FTs, Armstead was 5-14 FG 2-8 from 3, Cotton 0-10 FGs, and Wiggins 1-5. Just what could this team's ceiling be if they start playing offense as well as D??

[RoyalShock]

Photo Gallery of this afternoons game. Well worth a look at all 42 photos.

http://www.kansas.com/2013/01/19/264...creighton.html

I love this one:

[ShockerPrez]

I thought Echinique was impressive. VERY impressive. HUGE improvement over last year.

I also thought Echinique was great. He has an NBA body and is a load down low.

[forevershockerfan]

The Big E. with smeared specticles with the assist from EO. This is a classic!!!

[GarH]

Definitely a game that merited some 12 year old Redbreast and a good cigar. Might just have a few tumblers of Redbreast.

[jocoshock]

[newshock1234]

Wow What a Win!!!! I went over the Creighton board and they all act like the refs were the difference in the game. Do they not realize their Golden Boy get NBA all star treatment. You cannot hardly touch the guy or a foul will be called. Plain and simple we were tougher and had more heart.