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It's Sunday, which isn't a true day of Lent (Ash Wednesday to Easter is 40 days not counting Sundays), so I'll allow myself one post.
Has any player since UNI's other Jacobson with his last-second three some years ago done as much to mess up the Shockers as Daishon Knight did this year?
First he missed the front end of a one-and-one in Normal to allow UNI to escape there with a one-point win on a late three. If he hits that FT and the second, as he certainly would have yesterday (by the way, IllSt was 6-11 as a team from the line against UNI that day), the Criminals-to-be* probably finish the league 12-6 and a clear third, which means their game yesterday would have been a rubber match against the UNIs, while WSU would have had a far more comfortable game against the Indiana State-Evansville winner. Then instead, facing WSU, he went off and hit everything in sight, including the go-ahead three late while the Shocks couldn't hit anything, to lead his team to the upset and sit WSU down prematurely.
Personally I don't think this is a disaster; I've been rooting for a #3 or 6 seed all along but didn't see that WSU would likely get up to #3 or fall to #6 Now they may fall to #6 after all, plus they get an extra day to recover instead of another really tough game, plus they have the motivation to avoid finishing on a two-game losing streak, which is probably all FVV and Baker and Cotton need (along with some rest, and some extra shooting time for Baker and Cotton). Yesterday also highlights the need for Carter to play smarter and avoid excessive fouling, and for Zach Brown to get more minutes.
Meanwhile, at the risk of having them totally embarrass me for saying so, I'm expecting IllSt to win today, too. They're talented enough, the have they revenge motive for the loss in Normal, and it's do-or-die for them. In fact, I've thought for the last couple of weeks they were the most likely winner of the tournament for all those reasons, although I didn't post it because of my self-imposed embargo. Even though they're obnoxious, I also HOPE they win today -- yes, really -- because doing so will validate them a little bit more. Most people already know that WSU's close loss to them wasn't a bad one, but if they finish with 22 wins (should have been 23, Daishon) including one each over both WSU and UNI, it will be even more apparent.
So win one for the Ghost of Rick Lamb, guys.
*For a number of obvious reasons, although calling them Criminals isn't unique: Yuma (Arizona) High School's teams are officially known as the Criminals.
Has any player since UNI's other Jacobson with his last-second three some years ago done as much to mess up the Shockers as Daishon Knight did this year?
First he missed the front end of a one-and-one in Normal to allow UNI to escape there with a one-point win on a late three. If he hits that FT and the second, as he certainly would have yesterday (by the way, IllSt was 6-11 as a team from the line against UNI that day), the Criminals-to-be* probably finish the league 12-6 and a clear third, which means their game yesterday would have been a rubber match against the UNIs, while WSU would have had a far more comfortable game against the Indiana State-Evansville winner. Then instead, facing WSU, he went off and hit everything in sight, including the go-ahead three late while the Shocks couldn't hit anything, to lead his team to the upset and sit WSU down prematurely.
Personally I don't think this is a disaster; I've been rooting for a #3 or 6 seed all along but didn't see that WSU would likely get up to #3 or fall to #6 Now they may fall to #6 after all, plus they get an extra day to recover instead of another really tough game, plus they have the motivation to avoid finishing on a two-game losing streak, which is probably all FVV and Baker and Cotton need (along with some rest, and some extra shooting time for Baker and Cotton). Yesterday also highlights the need for Carter to play smarter and avoid excessive fouling, and for Zach Brown to get more minutes.
Meanwhile, at the risk of having them totally embarrass me for saying so, I'm expecting IllSt to win today, too. They're talented enough, the have they revenge motive for the loss in Normal, and it's do-or-die for them. In fact, I've thought for the last couple of weeks they were the most likely winner of the tournament for all those reasons, although I didn't post it because of my self-imposed embargo. Even though they're obnoxious, I also HOPE they win today -- yes, really -- because doing so will validate them a little bit more. Most people already know that WSU's close loss to them wasn't a bad one, but if they finish with 22 wins (should have been 23, Daishon) including one each over both WSU and UNI, it will be even more apparent.
So win one for the Ghost of Rick Lamb, guys.
*For a number of obvious reasons, although calling them Criminals isn't unique: Yuma (Arizona) High School's teams are officially known as the Criminals.
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