ILS Game Thread

[shockmonster]

They didn't show the start of the handshakes after the game, so can anyone who was at the game give an update on the head coaches handshake? Was it the usual quick and move on type between the two?

Nothing special. No pats on the back or lingering. No attitudes or disrespect either. Just a handshake and moving on.

[ShockerFever]

They're a very young team. Six of their eight players are underclassmen.

Illinois State has all the makings to become our rival -- the games are intense and the fans and coaches legitimately dislike each other. The only missing component has been competitive results. We've got that now, and they're going to beat us again soon. If we go undefeated against IlSt in the next two years, I'll be extremely surprised.

That's their first win over us since 2012 and they haven't beaten us in the regular season in about a century. They played above their average while we played below ours. It's nothing close to competitive.

Wake me up when they do something meaningful, besides pounding their chests after beating us. That's pretty much the only thing they have going for them since the Clinton Administration.

[shoxlax]

Alright, I am ready for both psychiatric care and drug testing after I say this but here goes. Was anybody else wanting to see a little more of Bush Tom early in the second half besides me?

Two reasons: he is getting moderately better (tough to admit) but the main reason is know one knows how to scout him because he has played so little. They don't know he rolls off of screen a little different than Shaq or Darius. They don't know if he will go for the shot fake or not. They have no idea whether he is better at hedging than the other bigs or not.

I think that is why he had some success against Tuttle. They didn't know what to make of him.

When you have played all of these teams and their players a bunch of times over the years, the element of surprise is gone.

[mjbaker84]

was there a post game press conference?
if so what was asked of coach marshall?

[shockmonster]

Alright, I am ready for both psychiatric care and drug testing after I say this but here goes. Was anybody else wanting to see a little more of Bush Tom early in the second half besides me?

Two reasons: he is getting moderately better (tough to admit) but the main reason is know one knows how to scout him because he has played so little. They don't know he rolls off of screen a little different than Shaq or Darius. They don't know if he will go for the shot fake or not. They have no idea whether he is better at hedging than the other bigs or not.

I think that is why he had some success against Tuttle. They didn't know what to make of him.

When you have played all of these teams and their players a bunch of times over the years, the element of surprise is gone.

ISUR played exclusively zone and largely took away screen/roll offense in the second half. Bush would not have been effective on offense. He was playing mainly defensive possessions.

[shockmonster]

The hard part is that we haven't improved since December. Same weaknesses, same strengths. When we hit 3s, everything clicks and when we don't we have nothing else. We don't have size, we don't have penetration. We need to hit 3s, and unlike most Valley teams we don't have legions of cloned white boys born and raised for the task. For a team whose offense relies on one shot, we can go absolutely dead cold. All teams do when we miss is pack the paint and play zone, stopping both our drives and our posts. We aren't good in late-game situations because we don't run any plays except "watch Fred shoot a 3" and every team knows that. We have no consistent producers from the bench as well, not even Shaq.

We still have a really high level of play when we are hot, but we are not consistent. In the dance you need to play well every game to win, but only have to play bad once to lose. Luckily good backcourts usually do well in the dance, and Wichita State has the best, but unluckily we also have the smallest frontcourt in the tournament. Any team with a single quality post player can give us tremendous fits, and we'll have to really amp it up to win a game or two let alone go further. However, it says something that after ending in a crappy way we will get at least a 6 seed and make the tournament for the 4th year in a row for the first time.

Man. Can you get off how bad this team is. On Mvcfans.com a fan from Mo State had to lecture you that our team just won the MVC Championship. Man are we lucky to have a team as good as the Shox. Be a little thankful.

[podunkboy]

Amazing that we've come to the point that 28-4 and a yearly spot at the Big Dance table is something to debate. It's St. Louis, we got hosed/beaten by a team who needed the win more, and the Shocks are still in. That being said, I have exactly zippy interest in who wins tomorrow. At least there's no Creighton around...

[shoxlax]

ISUR played exclusively zone and largely took away screen/roll offense in the second half. Bush would not have been effective on offense. He was playing mainly defensive possessions.

Good point. I really was thinking more about Lynch just shooting over our guys...at least he would've had to think about it.

[shockerofandover0943]

Man. Can you get off how bad this team is. On Mvcfans.com a fan from Mo State had to lecture you that our team just won the MVC Championship. Man are we lucky to have a team as good as the Shox. Be a little thankful.

Par for the course with him. I seem to remember his doom boner being quite large during the Final 4 season. Let's just move on and get ready for another trip to the NCAA tournament and be thankful for how good this program is right now.

[FlyingWheat]

was there a post game press conference?
if so what was asked of coach marshall?

I haven't seen a video, but there was an interview on the radio at least.

[ShockerFever]

Par for the course with him. I seem to remember his doom boner being quite large during the Final 4 season. Let's just move on and get ready for another trip to the NCAA tournament and be thankful for how good this program is right now.

This is true. It's a CBBfan tradition. He only awakes from his slumber after a WSU loss. He expects WSU to go 34-0 every year, otherwise, they suck. Talk about a fan that doesn't get it.

Thankfully, we've only had to endure these moronic lectures 5 times in the last two years.

[pinstripers]

We missed Jans again last night.

[1972Shocker]

Nothing special. No pats on the back or lingering. No attitudes or disrespect either. Just a handshake and moving on.

3G didn't really linger with anyone this weekend because of not feeling well. Against SIU he just lightly fist pumped Barry and his boys and tried not to breath on them.

[Shock Top]

We missed Jans again last night.

Hopefully they make they tourney and are in the same region as WSU. Maybe we can sneak Jans onto the bench; for old times sake. ;)

[SHOXAAC]

We missed Jans again last night.

We missed X & Carr as well... Move on.