I'm a Louisville fan, here's our scouting report, ask me anything...

[Cuttyhunk]

You absolutely can. And because Loo-evil also LOST to Duke this year, you can derive this:

WSU > Iowa > Virginia > Duke > Loo-evil

or you can go

WSU > VCU > FGCU > Georgetown > Loo-evil

or

WSU > Pitt > Georgetown > Loo-evil

Therefore we're gonna win!!!

What is the need for this Lou Evil crap?

[malicecooper]

But we're talking about turnovers. You guys continue to say your pressure is going to turn us over. Well, other teams play to turn us over and we've been very good against those teams in NOT turning it over. That IS A VALID look into how we handle pressure. It doesn't mean you play the same damn way. WHY IS THAT SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

According to you guys, you're the greatest team ever assembled and we shouldn't show up. Hell, according to you guys in all of your infinite wisdom you could win the NBA title this year. I'd bow down before your greatness except I think you're all full of ****.

"You guys" lumps us all in together, I personally never said that. I would have sworn we'd have turned Oregon over like crazy with how turnover prone they were, but we didn't. Then again, that wasn't our game plan against Oregon. We had 6 sick players that game, and our game plan was just to keep them in front of us. My personal feel in the Duke game was that we would do the same thing we did to Oregon, because Duke is a team that takes care of the ball very well. Instead what do we do? We pressure the hell out of them to try to force turn overs, and stole the ball 10 times. It's all a matter of what Pitino want's to accomplish against his opponent. One thing I did notice about how or defensive game plan changed against Oregon involved a potential of a few factors:

1) Oregon had depth
2) Oregon was quick
3) We had sick players who weren't 100% while on the court

If you looked at CSU and Duke, they had limited depth, played maybe 6-7 players, and had positions we could exploit by really digging into their legs (specifically the center position). We worked on their legs with pressure, had them running a lot, got them into foul trouble, and forced them into a lot of bad situations. Essentially, by the end of the game they couldn't counter us because they were too tired. We weren't going to be able to do that to Oregon because they go 8 or 9 deep on the bench. I look at WSU, and I think much the same thing. You all go 8+ deep on the bench, and our goal won't be to pressure the hell out of you to dig into your legs. We will apply some pressure to force you to speed up the game, and run some to try to tire some players out, but I feel like our game plan won't be intense pressure. I feel like our press will be slightly subdued, we will focus on our half court defensive set, and deny high percentage shots.

[malicecooper]

If Louisville intends to play primarily zone defense, do they have a back-up plan to grab rebounds?

This really hasn't been an issue all year. We've played that match up zone defense all season, average 37.5 rebounds per game (49th in the nation), and we out-rebounded the #1 rebounding team in the nation in CSU.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

I'm not a very smart man, so I take a more simplistic approach to games like this. I said something similar before the OSU game so I will say it again here: Louvull has won 14 in a row, and considering they're a man down, I'm not sure how long they can keep that up.

[deep3card]

"You guys" lumps us all in together, I personally never said that. I would have sworn we'd have turned Oregon over like crazy with how turnover prone they were, but we didn't.

It's okay malice. That kind of a response is a cop out from people who would just rather have opposing fans kiss their asses. I do respect the Shockers and their fans, and that's why I came over here, but we're all going to try to prove why we're going to win the game and not them, otherwise, why the heck would we be here? To just talk up how great they are and how worried we are?

I personally think this will be the toughest game we've had in the tourney. But, it also has the potential for being a runaway (albeit limited because they're athletic and well coached) if they completely play into our style. I'm nervous about the game because I'm nervous about all games where you lose and go home, but I still think it's a Louisville win, albeit by the lowest margin we've had so far in the tourney. WSU deserves our respect, and they have mine.

[SHOCKvalue]

What is the need for this Lou Evil crap?

Pretty sure he's just making fun of the pronunciation.

Anyways, threads like this are virtually always bound to get ugly, on both sides, no matter the fan bases. Too much on the line.

[malicecooper]

It's okay malice. That kind of a response is a cop out from people who would just rather have opposing fans kiss their asses. I do respect the Shockers and their fans, and that's why I came over here, but we're all going to try to prove why we're going to win the game and not them, otherwise, why the heck would we be here? To just talk up how great they are and how worried we are?

I personally think this will be the toughest game we've had in the tourney. But, it also has the potential for being a runaway (albeit limited because they're athletic and well coached) if they completely play into our style. I'm nervous about the game because I'm nervous about all games where you lose and go home, but I still think it's a Louisville win, albeit by the lowest margin we've had so far in the tourney. WSU deserves our respect, and they have mine.

I'm here to explain our team compared to theirs. I'm not rubbing in why I think we will win, I'm not telling them I expect a win out of the Cardinals, I'm discussing our game plan compared to their game plan. I'm also discussing what kind of game plan WSU would ideally need to execute to win, and what game plan Louisville needs to execute to win. I'm only doing a comparison of both teams, and although I think the Cardinals are better (I am biased), I don't automatically equate that to a win. We have to have our game plan, we have to execute, and we have to execute it well. If we don't impose our game on them, and let them dictate the game, let them impose their game plan on us, we lose. Plain and simple. They are a disciplined team, they know how to execute what their coach asks of them. Marshall is a very good coach, he will have a game plan to attack us and try to punch us in the mouth early. That's how I feel about this game.

If we get an early lead, go into half time up, I like our chances considering we are undefeated in games where we led at half time (29-0 or something like that). If we let them be the aggressor, and they establish a lead on us, they are a team that can keep their opponents out of a game.

[Cdizzle]

This really hasn't been an issue all year. We've played that match up zone defense all season, average 37.5 rebounds per game (49th in the nation), and we out-rebounded the #1 rebounding team in the nation in CSU.

It isn't about quantity; that is created by your good defense and bad shooting numbers. It is about percentages. Which say it has been a problem all year. Louisville ranks 242nd in Defensive rebound %, and will be up against a team that is 20th in Offensive rebound %. Out-rebounding CSU is impressive. I only saw part of that game, but the intensity and physicality level from both sides was tremendous.

This is not to say WSU will out-rebound Louisville. But it does poke a hole in the idea that the only way WSU can win this game is by hitting a high number and percentage of 3-pointers. I have found it interesting we have seen so little zone this post-season. I do think it is (or was before regaining Baker) a very effective way to guard WSU.

[ShockerFever]

From what I gathered from a couple UL fans is that Louisville is on a mission.

I guess that means WSU is just playing for shits and giggles?

[malicecooper]

It isn't about quantity; that is created by your good defense and bad shooting numbers. It is about percentages. Which say it has been a problem all year. Louisville ranks 242nd in Defensive rebound %, and will be up against a team that is 20th in Offensive rebound %. Out-rebounding CSU is impressive. I only saw part of that game, but the intensity and physicality level from both sides was tremendous.

This is not to say WSU will out-rebound Louisville. But it does poke a hole in the idea that the only way WSU can win this game is by hitting a high number and percentage of 3-pointers. I have found it interesting we have seen so little zone this post-season. I do think it is (or was before regaining Baker) a very effective way to guard WSU.

This is true, second chance points have a tendency to hurt us, but second chance points is also a strength of our team as well. Looking at offensive rebounding percentage both teams average about the same (37.6% and 37.7% to be exact) with Louisville having a .1% edge. Now, you all definitely have a vastly better defensive rebounding percentage, which is 76.2% on the season and good for the 9th best in the country. As I said, though, we kept the #1 overall rebounding team in check in CSU who had the second best offensive and defensive rebounding percentages in the country with 41% offensive and 78.4% defensive. Now, I know the transitive property doesn't work that way, but that game does prove when we are up against a team that averages very high percentages in rebounding, we can limit that. We have the capability to do so, but doesn't necessarily mean we WILL do it against WSU.

Nobody said that WSU can win by only hitting 3's (and if they did they are wrong). WSU has to hit threes to extend our zone or force us into man. Once that happens, then Wichita State has to start exploiting the interior when the zone extends too far or through ball screening and dribble penetration against the man defense. No game is won by a single dimension, but you have to exploit one area to open up others. Our team has a tendency to sag our zone and open up the 3 point line, we challenge you to shoot the 3 over us. Now, even though we sag our defense, we do close quickly and in many cases can at least get a hand in the face of the shooter. If the shots aren't falling, we continue to sag and force people to shoot over our defense from the outside and just try to keep closing on the shooter. If, on the other hand, the team is hitting those shots consistently we have to alter our defense to limit 3 pointers or at least defend the shot better. When that happens, it opens up the middle more and opens lanes to the basket.

[ShockerFever]

Most of the UL fans have been great. A couple are trying to be a bit douchey. Just remember what site you are posting on and that you are guests here.

[GOSHOX1]

Let's just get rid of all the Loserville fans, I for one am done coming to Shockernet and reading all this BS coming from their mouths. Beat IT Freaks!! Another thing I am sorry your dude broke his leg it was horrible but we have had a dude gone all year and he was a starter and our best 3 pt shooter. No one crying for him!! #WIN4WESSEL

[malicecooper]

Most of the UL fans have been great. A couple are trying to be a bit douchey. Just remember what site you are posting on and that you are guests here.

Hopefully I haven't been one of the perceived douchey bastages. I have actually been enjoying the back and forth discussions with most the Shocker fan base.

[Kung Wu]

What is the need for this Lou Evil crap?

It's "Loo", as in gotta use the loo. :)

I'm just a goofball and you should ignore 80% of what I post.

[SubGod22]

It's "Loo", as in gotta use the loo. :)

I'm just a goofball and you should ignore 80% of what I post.

Nobody should ever ignore anything you post.