WSU VERSUS PITTSBURG PREDICTIONS AND PREGAME DISCUSSIONS

[BOBB]

I think Baker is our guy. No way they are gameplanning for him. If he can pull a Wragge and get lost for a few in a row then I really like our chances. I would expect their D to focus on Cle and Carl and forcing Mal to shoot off the dribble.

One more thing. I hope we press. A lot.

[Capitol Shock II]

I'm hoping that we avoid a slow start and going 1-9 to begin. Let's put pressure on them to score and see what happens. Let's not run clock and get into a posession for posession game. Let's instead see how many posessions we can get.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

I think Baker is our guy. No way they are gameplanning for him. If he can pull a Wragge and get lost for a few in a row then I really like our chances. I would expect their D to focus on Cle and Carl and forcing Mal to shoot off the dribble.

One more thing. I hope we press. A lot.

I too think that's key. They're going to be all over "Marcus", Carl and Cle like a fat kid at a cake buffet. They'll know about Nick too but I think they're too good defensively for him to go off. But they won't have a lot of film or info on Baker. If their coaches at any point in the game frustatingly yell at their players, "Would somebody like to guard freakin' Ed Monix out there?!" then I like our chances.

[AZ Shocker]

I don't know if I can ever remember the Shocks winning east of Colorado. Plus the thinner air in Utah. Plus the EARLY start.
Dang it...just not feeling too confident about this one. Brick city I see. Hope we can get lucky and hit shots from outside at a pretty good clip. Pitt's 3 bigs will kill Carl as Hall doesn't have enough "up's" for this match-up. And EO has no offensive game to speak of to take pressure off of Hall. We MUST shoot better than average from outside to have a chance. GO SHOCKS!!!!

Pitt - 67
Shocks - 64

[Dan]

Last year against VCU, we came out nervous and were just waiting around to see what VCU was going to do. We need to come out relaxed and dictate the pace of the game from the tipoff. If we do that, we can win. If we come out tentative, we're toast.

[ShockerFever]

I'm a Wichita State fan....? I was just saying how our teams key isn't stopping Tray Woodall. Also, there hasn't been one person on our board who picked Pitt to win so we're doing the same thing.

IP address check, please.

[Shocktoberfest]

One positive is that our seeding should place no undue pressure on us. We have zero pressure on us as the higher seed. Last year, as a 5, we were tight. We just could not shoot for sh@*. This year, no pressure. Nobody is expecting us to win. Pitt still a 4.5 fav. 70% of Sportacular users are picking Pitt. No pressure baby! Just let it all hang out.

[WstateU]

Shox loading up and getting ready to depart about 12:45, I wished them well. Mrs Vector and I will depart this evening in the family truckster (complete with simulated wood grain side panels, good thing we're not going through E St Louis):excitement:. This is what it's all about. Let's take this one!!! Shox win 68-66.

Safe travels in the 'Family Truckster'... and Go Shox!!

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=HA0413-150057&entryRow=9&lottype=&startRow=1

[newshock1234]

the time thing would be more of a adjustment for Pitt than us, as they are in the Eastern time zone

[SubGod22]

I don't think the time zone thing would matter much unless it were a late game. Being early shouldn't cause too many problems for either. Early games would be more of a problem for those from the West playing in the East

[jocoshock]

Keys to the game:
40% and Steven Adams

Shox have only lost a few games when making more than 40% of their shots and are undefeated when holding their opponents to under 40%
Pittsburgh's frosh Steven Adams who is 7-feet seems to be athletic. Hall and Orukpe need to establish dominance and be bruising beasts.

Two similar playing styles.
Going with a tight game score:

WSU - 55
PITT - 54

Edit: Pitt did not play ANY OoC road games this year. They finished 6-3 road in conference and were 2-2 on neutral courts. This is a definite advantage to WSU. Additionally, I hope Pitt loses to further establish that the teams in the so-called major conferences need to schedule tougher OoC road games in order to better prepare their team for the NCAA tournament.

Pitt ramks 18th in FG % at just under 48%. Don't know if that is good outside shooting or crappy outside with lots and lots of second chance points. Either way we need to be in their face on the perimeter and control the boards....

[1979Shocker]

I don't know if I can ever remember the Shocks winning east of Colorado. Plus the thinner air in Utah. Plus the EARLY start.
Dang it...just not feeling too confident about this one. Brick city I see. Hope we can get lucky and hit shots from outside at a pretty good clip. Pitt's 3 bigs will kill Carl as Hall doesn't have enough "up's" for this match-up. And EO has no offensive game to speak of to take pressure off of Hall. We MUST shoot better than average from outside to have a chance. GO SHOCKS!!!!

Pitt - 67
Shocks - 64

If the thin air and early start time is going to affect anyone at all, it should affect Pittsburgh more.

[ShockerPrez]

Damn! I really want the Shox to win this game.

Really, really, really want them to win this game!

[Cdizzle]

Did Cle play a good game when the bright lights were on this year?

[AZ Shocker]

If the thin air and early start time is going to affect anyone at all, it should affect Pittsburgh more.

It'll be an hour or two later in the day for Pitt. Their bodies will be more AWAKE than central time zone Shocks. We'll see.
Hoping for the BEST obviously!!!! GO SHOCKS!!!!