#12 WSU @ #18 UNI - Game Thread

[SHOCKvalue]

I like UNI a lot. I don't even consider them rivals because they are pretty far away. I'm really just happy they are in the MVC. I'm not dogging on them seriously at all and I don't really think anyone is.

The RESPECT I already had for UNI has a lot to do with why I think the win seems over hyped. This @jegbomb52: guy is right. They have been good for a long period of time. So why dont the rest of the fans up there realize that? Didn't you expect to win this game? I can tell you that I had it down as a loss in my head all year. I did make a pie in the sky prediction that didn't at all reflect my true thoughts but that was for fun.

WSU fans are nothing other than HAPPY to have UNI doing so well. The MVC needs it so much. Not sure why there's a guy here complaining about us laughing at the picture thing. It is just an odd thing for us to find from the other best program in the current MVC.

I have nothing specifically against UNI either; they are certainly not the elitist, trust-funded a-holes from Omaha, nor are they the Appalachian-style bumpkins from several other MVC foes. Overall, they seem like well-balanced, grounded sports fans. And their basketball program is fairly respectable in a consistency manner.

What I have an issue with (and what I have been reacting to in this thread primarily) is the David v Goliath hype they ran with prior to the game, the "biggest home game in UNI history" vibe during the game, and this really freaky lionization of the game afterwards what with the commemorative poster, tribute video, etc. This all for regular season home game against a conference mate with nearly the same rankings/RPI/kenpom. It is like a dichotomy of logic. As a WSU fan it all feels a bit like we somehow got sucked into a home game with Lehigh, and lost, even though UNI as a program, fanbase, and profile is MUCH better than that. It is like their program deserves more credit than they are giving it with their reactions to the WSU game.

[SHOCKvalue]

They are more than welcome to do that. It was a cool day for them, no doubt. It's kind of like that time we beat ranked Texas Tech at CKA a few years ago and we had that commemorative photo made for it...

I have no idea what you are talking about with the TTU photo, and I was at that game. A google image search gives me no joy either.

Regardless, the analogy just isn't there. TTU was in the top 20 at the time, and WSU was just starting to show some life out of the 3G hire. We were coming off of a couple pretty stinky years in the conversion from Turgeon to 3G ball. We were nowhere near the top 25, and we were just hoping to get an invite - anywhere - in the postseason. UNI today is considerably ahead of where WSU was during that acute period in our history. WSU was clearly expected to lose the TTU matchup, whereas many analytics had UNI as the expected winner of the WSU matchup.

[SB Shock]

UNI walked the walk tonight. Short turnaround, and won fairly easy against a semi-dangerous ISUB.

[Dave Stalwart]

I have no idea what you are talking about with the TTU photo, and I was at that game. A google image search gives me no joy either.

Regardless, the analogy just isn't there. TTU was in the top 20 at the time, and WSU was just starting to show some life out of the 3G hire. We were coming off of a couple pretty stinky years in the conversion from Turgeon to 3G ball. We were nowhere near the top 25, and we were just hoping to get an invite - anywhere - in the postseason. UNI today is considerably ahead of where WSU was during that acute period in our history. WSU was clearly expected to lose the TTU matchup, whereas many analytics had UNI as the expected winner of the WSU matchup.

Exactly. We didn't make a photo. We were a proud team who had recently played in the sweet 16, had a couple down years and fully expected to be competitive again, just like UNI. That was my point entirely. It wasn't a super bowl for us. It was a regular season game. I have no idea why it is a super bowl for them unless they are not as proud as they ought to be.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

Exactly. We didn't make a photo. We were a proud team who had recently played in the sweet 16, had a couple down years and fully expected to be competitive again, just like UNI. That was my point entirely. It wasn't a super bowl for us. It was a regular season game. I have no idea why it is a super bowl for them unless they are not as proud as they ought to be.

Exactly. It appears some of us have more respect for UNI than UNI's fans do.

It was a regular season game against two conference heavyweights. We gladly welcome UNI's challenge, and we're grateful somebody has finally stepped up to the plate and is giving us some worthy competition. But if they're going to sell commemorative posters and treat Saturday's game like they have, then my respect for them has been greatly reduced. UNI is capable of doing great things in the post season, their fan base needs to put on their big boy pants and step up their game.

[Ricardo del Rio]

UNI walked the walk tonight. Short turnaround, and won fairly easy against a semi-dangerous ISUB.

Yep. UNI only won by 6 at their place. I had hopes of an upset in Terre Haute. No luck.

[Dave Stalwart]

UNI being good helps us a lot. They turned a conference road loss that would have been a problem into an okay loss by being a respected team this year. This loss barely hurts us at all and we will be stronger for it later on.

The next big thing will be for ILL St to keep developing. If UNI and the Redbirds find a way to stay strong next year and we get a little outside help from the brewing senior class in Evansville plus Loyola rallying around Milton Doyle, the MVC could be very strong next year.

[pie n eye]

Silver lining- if both teams go undefeated until Feb 28th maybe College Game Day finally comes to Wichita for the deciding game of the MVC regular season.

Edit: tried to find that thread but couldn't.

[ShockerPrez]

UNI fans.

Please show your awesomeness by selling out the rest of your home games and show some respect for your own top 25 program. Don't take 5th place in the Valley next year after Tuttle leaves, and win a game this year in the NCAA.

Then we can talk about the torch that is sitting like Excaliber in the stone at Hillside and 21st

[Dan]

Tuttle, Buss, Mitchell and Singleton are all seniors. Washpun is a junior. They lose a lot of firepower and the gauge of any good program is how they come back. We've done quite well after losing heavy senior-laden classes, so let's see how UNI does next year.

[Dave Stalwart]

Tuttle, Buss, Mitchell and Singleton are all seniors. Washpun is a junior. They lose a lot of firepower and the gauge of any good program is how they come back. We've done quite well after losing heavy senior-laden classes, so let's see how UNI does next year.

And we are very much rooting for them. This thing where they think we are being condescending or whatever that visitor's problem was isn't even a reality. We stand ready to throw a party for any team in this conference who succeeds in creating a sustained strong program. If beating us is the ticket, then more power to you. Let a true rivalry create itself. Dont pretend there is one just because we are good lately. Don't act like we are doing anything wrong just by existing and taking note of the embarassing super bowl stuff that keeps taking place. This conference has got to be better than that.

As far as the torch passing stuff... Somebody needs to be more concerned about picking up Creighton's torch that is still laying in the ground. Let's get that accomplished first before we start comparing manhood with WSU.

If you don't want us to say that, sell out ALL your games, not just ours. Beat good teams more often and don't commemorate regular season conference games unless you striped your arena and its more about the cool photo than the win itself or maybe if you did some kind of other unique thing. Surely the unique thing here wasn't the fact that the arena was actually sold out. Tell your fans not to rush the court, etc.

I'm really looking forward to a time when 5-6 teams are good all at once. I do think that day is coming.

[Fozzy]

Here's my take on the whole photo, passing the torch, etc. stuff. It's a flashback to days of doing case studies in business classes at WSU. Just the summary though - I'll spare you the graphs, slides, and SWOT analysis :)

What's happening at UNI is all based on salespeople trying to get the disposable income of students, alumni, and fans. The university does it to get people to buy tickets, donate money, send future generations to UNI, etc. Companies will come along to sell things like the panoramic photo and they have to hype it and get people to want to buy something they really don't need. Both have to do it while things are fresh in the minds of those who want to part with their money and while the team is good.

Personally I have no problem with what the university and companies pushing the merchandise are doing - all the universities do it when the time is right and I've seen so many different t-shirts with WSU stuff on them at Dillon's that if I bought them all I wouldn't have to laundry shirts for a couple weeks. It's the land of opportunity and that opportunity can be fleeting if the product on the court goes bad. A injury or two can wipe out the season, so they have to act quick, and beating WSU was the high point so far of their season and they'll try to build on it. Most fans will buy stuff early on, like after the UNI / WSU game, but then realize they're wasting money on every single thing that comes along and unfortunately the hype then just gets bigger to try to regain sales.

Finally, fans are salespeople by proxy and are always trying to sell others on their university. I like the opposing fans who come on here to discuss things in a civil manner, but the ones who come on here to mainly try to sell me on their university can take a hike. Telling me it should have been a super bowl for us as well, or listing what your college has done in the past like trying to sell a used car, is as irritating as listening to a pesky salesperson or telemarketer. Just move on to someone else who'll buy what you're selling - I'm not interested because I'm already sold on the Shox.

[Dan]

Kinda like my Sweet 16 shirt from 2 years ago - it doesn't go with my final 4 hat

[SHOCKvalue]

The 2012-2013 season gave me a bunch of brand-new, rather expensive (for what they are) shirts for working around the house. The F4 ones are for special occasions; the rest are just sort of pointless.

[WuShock16]

Kinda like my Sweet 16 shirt from 2 years ago - it doesn't go with my final 4 hat

Worse than that, my wife went out and bought us Elite 8 shirts on that Friday between the Los Angeles games. I kinda scolded her on that, saying that if WSU won the next night, that shirt instantly would become obsolete. Sure enough...