WSU VS. LOUISVILLE PREDICTIONS AND PREGAME DISCUSSIONS

[Sly Cards Fan]

Thanks for your service. I hope we have a game for the ages tomorrow night that they will talking about for years. Although not sure my heart can survive that.

Go Shocks!

I'm hoping for a good game too. And I thank you for your support of military service members.

[another shocker]

I do remember the alacrity (honestly had to look that one up, thought it was a misspell). I've got nothing but praise for your team, you all have definitely shown the world that you are not to be overlooked. I too am a little sick of the dissing the media and experts have thrown at you, especially the previews of this game where no one is really picking you guys. I of course want my team to win, but I'm not so arrogant to ever say a game is in the bag before it's played. Anything can happen, that's why we play the games. I wish I had seen more of the games WSU played this year, but with work and family consuming much of my free time I find it hard to even catch Louisville games. Good luck to you all, IF you guys win I will go out and buy some Shockers gear and wear it proudly and cheer you on in the NCG.

je ne sais quoi is what the shockers bring. so how can espn know that?

[ABC]

Go Shockers!

Photo shop much?

[another shocker]

Go Shockers!

is that in bad taste?

[KC Shox]

This needs to be the Shox's alternative motto, "Get some bacon"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqmipB2Ts1E

[Cuttyhunk]

Just an excellent post! I believe you are extremely accurate on describing Cards' players. I know little about your players, but have a couple questions. First, I had heard that your team is deep and Coach Marshall often uses 8-9 and even 10 players. Why did he change that rotation for Ohio State, where he essentially used 6 players? Secondly, for Louisville, you did not account for Harrell, Van Treese and Hancock. Each has played an impotant role in the Cards' success. One last question. I had heard that Ohio State had gotten back into the game with you in the second half by pressing. Do you consider the defense that OS used in the 2nd. half a pressing defense?

Peyton Siva vs. Malcolm Armstead
Both guys will look to penetrate the defense. Siva depend more of quickness to blow by, while Malcolm uses his strength to create space. Both guys will have shot blocking weakside help to aid them in defending the drive. Siva will want to make the pass to beat the shot blocker, while Malcolm will tend to shoot high over the shot blocker and let our offensive rebounders go to work. Malcolm is a better 3-point shooter than Peyton. Both guys have a history of forcing the action too much in certain games and getting turnover prone, but both make their team's offensive go. Louisville has eaten up people with their screen action for Siva, so how well we defend him will have as much to do with our bigs playing those screens well as it does Malcolm's D.

Russ Smith vs. Tekele Cotton
Smith has a lot of Iverson in his game - undersized but a dynamic scorer who isn't afraid to take it to the hole. He also keys a lot of their perimeter pressure on the other end of the floor and forces a lot of turnovers. Unlike Siva, he won't be looking to pass first. Our bigs will need to give good help to Tekele on screens and as shot blockers. Tekele has generally done a good job of denying the ball, which will be key along with forcing Smith to settle for jump shots. Like Siva and Armstrong, this is again a speed vs. power matchup. The danger for Tekele will be in picking up fouls on Smith's drives, putting Smith on the line where he is money. Tekele can even that up by being strong with the ball on the other end of floor and drawing foul's on Smith if he gets too aggressive going for the steal (along with our other guards). Tekele won't match Smith's scoring output, but he has a chance to win the efficiency battle. As good as Smith is, his shot selection is not always wise (and if Tekele does his job well and cuts off the easy shot, Smith has a tendency to jack up the shot anyway instead of reseting the offense). Tekele, on the other hand, has been very good about being selective and taking only very good shots, and hitting them.

Wayne Blackshear vs. Ron Baker
Blackshear gets the fewest minutes of any of UL's starters (less in fact than his backup Luke Hancock). This is UL's least glamorous position. Blackshear will run the system on both ends, but isn't the playmaker. Aside from Ron being a better scorer, Ron clearly has more a a playmaker role for us. Key stat: In 37 games, Blackshear has 24 assists; in 17 games Baker has 32 assists.

Chane Behanan vs. Carl Hall (this could be vs. Cle, but I'm penciling in Carl to start at the 4)
Both Behanan and Hall are undersized, but with good strength (Behanan goes 6'6" 250). In spite of his bulk, Behanan has good quickness. Behanan is good on the offensive glass and can hurt you with put back baskets, so the rebounding battle here will be key. Whoever starts, Behanan will see a good dose of both Cle and Carl, which should make him defend both inside and out, but he is capable of doing both (and generally does not committ many fouls). Behanan is a little hard to figure out because he can go off for huge games, but can also disappear at times. This is why it is particularly important for Carl to keep him off the offensive glass early so that he doesn't gain any rhythym.

Gorgui Dieng vs Ehimen Orukpe (once again could be Carl - and Carl will see time at the 5)
Both teams will depend on help side shot blocking out of their center to deal with the penetration of the opposition guards. Both Dieng and EO put up very good shot blocking and rebounding numbers. Dieng clearly has far more offense than EO. EO will need to both hedge well on picks and recover to close off passes to Dieng. Louisville also has the advantage that Dieng can hit the mid-range jumper which can pull our shot blocker away from the rim, while EO can't do the same. Even if you cut off Dieng's shot, he is a very good passer, so the team must be aware of cutting players when Dieng has the ball. On the other end, while EO won't put up a lot of offensive production, I think he can help in two ways: 1. with Dieng being aggressive on blocking shots, the opportunity for offensive rebounds will be there and 2. EO needs to screen the lane - which he is generally good at - to open up lanes for Armstead to attack.[/QUOTE]

[Cuttyhunk]

The Cards have never called off their press in the last two years because it was ineffective. I am not saying it has not been ineffective at times, but Pitino does not press just to get turnovers. He presses to reduce the seconds that you have to set up your offensive sets and he presses to reduce your capabilities in the second half due to weariness. He changes his press. We play several different presses. Duke handled our press pretty well in our first game with them and it did not give Pitino a thought of "calling it off".

WSU attacks the Cards press and scores consistently; the Cards call off the press. The real issue then becomes how do the Shockers handle the Cards match-up zone?

[Cuttyhunk]

Hey, we are insecure! We know you guys can beat us. And, we are probably showing a little too much of that insecurity. Your defense scares me. Quick hands. Quick to the ball. I have no idea whether we can penetrate or not. Your defensive fg % is amazing for the tournament. Thank you all for getting us better informed about The Shockers. We won't really know anything for a few hours! Sorry if we have been borish with our pride in our team.

It isn't so much the tone as the need to jump on any poster that dares to suggest that a Louisville player or the team as a whole has a weakness. It doesn't seem to matter how nuanced the criticism is, it doesn't seem to matter how much it is prefaced by saying how good Louisville is - it seems that every single time someone suggests that there is a vulnerability that WSU might be able to exploit, we have 5 Louisville posters immediately chiming in to explain that no weakness exists and that such comparisons are unfair.

I know this is the product of a long week for all of us to wait for the game to actually happen. I know that Louisville fans have been generally good (make no mistake, we are getting way more credit on their boards than we did from teams like Pitt and tOSU). But it just makes you look insecure if you can't let even the slightest criticisms of your team pass by without pouncing all over them.

[The Mad Hatter]

Hey, we are insecure! We know you guys can beat us. And, we are probably showing a little too much of that insecurity. Your defense scares me. Quick hands. Quick to the ball. I have no idea whether we can penetrate or not. Your defensive fg % is amazing for the tournament. Thank you all for getting us better informed about The Shockers. We won't really know anything for a few hours! Sorry if we have been borish with our pride in our team.

Good response. I have the same feelings going into this game. Confidence about my own team, but real concern about the game because Louisville is legit. I think that a full week to fret over the game has put everyone on both sides on edge a little bit. I know I still have plenty of respect for both your program and fanbase. During the UL-Duke game, I said that I thought that the match ups in a UL-WSU game would make for really interesting basketball and I stand by that. Tip off can't get here quick enough!

[WuDrWu]

I know many Shocker fans have been itching for the game to finally begin. Count me in a group that hates to see this week come to it's ultimate conclusion. I've loved every minute of it. Yesterday seemed to go by so fast, this whole week in fact.

We take the court tonight against a fantastic Louisville team, coached by a Hall of Famer. Winning seems to be little more than a pipe dream. I watched the 2 teams practice yesterday and our guys look ready for the challenge. What happens tonight.....I have no idea.

But I will tell you the same thing I've said for weeks. Our kids are in a good place. They are confident without being cocky. They have a gameplan to be successful. They have the talent and athletic ability to win.

And I am at peace with whatever happens because I know I am lucky to watch this team, these coaches, this program step onto the biggest stage in the basketball world and leave it all on the floor. They'll be great tonight. I've no idea if it will be enough to win, but I'm damned sure it will be enough for me.

My only concern is if I'll be able to see enough of it through the inevitable tears.

Good luck to everyone today and an extra good luck to Kevin Ware. Glad you're here young man and on the road to recovery.

Go Shocks!

[newshock1234]

I just woke up and I am about to have a panic attack lol Game day is finally here!!! Lay it all on the floor like you always do!!!! GO SHOX!!!!

[The 'hut]

I know many Shocker fans have been itching for the game to finally begin. Count me in a group that hates to see this week come to it's ultimate conclusion. I've loved every minute of it. Yesterday seemed to go by so fast, this whole week in fact.

We take the court tonight against a fantastic Louisville team, coached by a Hall of Famer. Winning seems to be little more than a pipe dream. I watched the 2 teams practice yesterday and our guys look ready for the challenge. What happens tonight.....I have no idea.

But I will tell you the same thing I've said for weeks. Our kids are in a good place. They are confident without being cocky. They have a gameplan to be successful. They have the talent and athletic ability to win.

And I am at peace with whatever happens because I know I am lucky to watch this team, these coaches, this program step onto the biggest stage in the basketball world and leave it all on the floor. They'll be great tonight. I've no idea if it will be enough to win, but I'm damned sure it will be enough for me.

My only concern is if I'll be able to see enough of it through the inevitable tears.

Good luck to everyone today and an extra good luck to Kevin Ware. Glad you're here young man and on the road to recovery.

Go Shocks!

DITTO WuDrWu! I was thinking of my game day post. Here it is. REU, TEU, GEHS!

[forevershockerfan]

I know many Shocker fans have been itching for the game to finally begin. Count me in a group that hates to see this week come to it's ultimate conclusion. I've loved every minute of it. Yesterday seemed to go by so fast, this whole week in fact.

We take the court tonight against a fantastic Louisville team, coached by a Hall of Famer. Winning seems to be little more than a pipe dream. I watched the 2 teams practice yesterday and our guys look ready for the challenge. What happens tonight.....I have no idea.

But I will tell you the same thing I've said for weeks. Our kids are in a good place. They are confident without being cocky. They have a gameplan to be successful. They have the talent and athletic ability to win.

And I am at peace with whatever happens because I know I am lucky to watch this team, these coaches, this program step onto the biggest stage in the basketball world and leave it all on the floor. They'll be great tonight. I've no idea if it will be enough to win, but I'm damned sure it will be enough for me.

My only concern is if I'll be able to see enough of it through the inevitable tears.

Good luck to everyone today and an extra good luck to Kevin Ware. Glad you're here young man and on the road to recovery.

Go Shocks!

Now this just may be my favorite all-time post of the Good Doc. There are moments that, because we have advanced so far, that today almost seems like a ruse. Then you pinch yourself and realize this is for real and our beloved Shockers that are representing us in Shocker Nation in front of record all-time witnesses, fans, and future Shocker recruits. Not only does this feel awesome to us on SN, but feels great to all the former Shocker players of times past that gave us their blood, sweat, and tears as well to help build this special Program. It is remarkable the amount of positive publicity we are getting and we are sure adding to our fanbase by the groves. Future potenial big-time recruits will be eyeballing us too. These bonus publicity perks would cost way too much to purchase, but come with the Final 4 territory.

Yes, today is as special as black and yellow days have been maybe ever to this point. As I said all Season long on here, this will be a Season to remember. Yesterday, I had a KU fan lecturing on just how good Louisville is. Of course I explained that our Shocks are far from chopped liver and we are not here today to be overwhelmed but rather to win. Let me think, since this is the Final 4, would we not expect stiff competition to the max. with awesome Coaching to boot? This reminds me of many moons ago when we played the Cardinals in the Valley Of Death. Those days in our distant past were not a cake-walk either.

Today, we could not be more proud of our Shocks. Today, they will enter the hardwood in Atlanta as prepared and ready as any team. Today, we will see our unsatisfied road warriors play angry and give their all in all efforts. If we execute and play our A-Game, today we will win and advance to the Ship. Final 4 Prediction threads are grand baybay. Can u dig it today? Grooovy graaavy with a pinch of black and yellow. This is Shocker SATURDAY at Atlanta in the Final 4. God bless America and Shocker Nation!!!!!!!

[Shocktoberfest]

Having a blast meeting Shocker fans from all over the country today here in ATL. The energy is palpable. And I'm just talking about the buffet line at the team hotel. Gonna be a fantastic day that we will never forget. The guys look calm yet confident.

And like the Doc said. I too am concerned about how much of the game I will be able to see through my tears tonight. What a great day to be a Shocker!!! Go Shox!!!

[I_Vector_Wu]

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS!!!!! I gotta' feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night, that tonight's gonna be a good good night!

The Shox have shown a quiet confidence all tourney long, that continues tonight. I'm curious to see how we match up with Mr Smith. Malcolm ArmSTUD. Another game, another venue, another team. Keep this year going Shox. "You got your city behind you"

http://vimeo.com/intakestudios/review/56050703/df0c8e97cd

Play this over and over and over, til your ears bleed baby!!

"Don't start no stuff won't be no stuff", OH there's gonna be some stuff

I AM STOKED (not that kind of stoked mind you), now it's off to find Dan P.

HERE WE GO!!!!