Saint Lewis Game Thread

[wusphlash]

Bringing earplugs Wednesday night.

[ShockerFever]

Wednesday sets up to be the best atmosphere in a while.

- Fred back
- Conner probably playing
- Back on a winning track
- Good opponent

Ingredients are there. I think the place will be rocking

You forgot ESPN2 game where the commentators will be calling the game from a studio in Charlotte.

[Blackmag]

UNLV will be a handful for sure, but we will be going in with some confidence and our floor general. Ron gets to be guarded with only one defensive player and it looks like Conner gets to start a game earlier. If we can get some sort of inside game I like our chances. Having more ball handlers in the game only helps open things up for Brown and Morris. Should be fun.

[KC Shox]

Shaq, I'm proud of you. Hope this is a sign of better things to come. I'm even more impressed that you only had one PF in the 19 minutes you played. Well done kid.

[CBB_Fan]

I liked the W. I liked even more that it we played our best and second best halves of the season, by far. Morris and Brown had the best games of their Shocker career, JR Simon showed that he is a capable back-up PG at the D1 level, Ron was Mr. NBA, and almost every aspect of our game was improved. In Orlando we had defensive gaps and the ball was sticking in our guards hands for seconds at a time. Today, ball movement was not just good, it was great. Even without Fred, Ron and JR Simon were keeping the ball moving, and the gameplan was noticeably better with all the cuts (Nurger, looking at you). I was a little anxious playing Fred, but he looked better and more comfortable as the night went on. We are night and day better with him on the court, even when he is going 70% and just trying to flex his muscles.

All in all, we needed this. This is the first game I truly felt we were playing Shocker basketball. Say what you will about Saint Louis as a team, we'd have won three games in Orlando if we played like this. With Fred hopefully 100% and the rest of the guys back on track we are set for a really great time against UNLV and Utah.

[ShockerPhi]

Man I really wish I could make it to the Wednesday game to welcome the team and Fred back. But I'll be there for Saturday! Gonna be an exciting week. Go Shocks!

[CBB_Fan]

I also just want to mention how well Marshall coached that game. The team was well prepared from the top to the bottom of the lineup. He started Shaq, gave him confidence, and whatever he told him clearly worked. His plays and substitutions were on point, I can recall two examples really clearly. One time late in the first half we had a Ron isolation play that turned into a vintage Kobe turnaround jumpshot; that play was set up by Marshall bringing the other players to the opposite side of the court with a screen play, and reversing through Fred if I recall correctly. End result, Ron in a 1v1 with no other Saint Louis players on that entire side of the court.

And then to start the second half, I was puzzled when Marshall started a weird line-up (Ron, Wessel, McDuffie, Brown, Shaq or Wamukota) and then brought Fred in. Then I realized that Marshall was just adding about 8" of height to our defensive lineup for one possession, which resulted in a defensive stop. The difference between a good coach and great coach can be a single possession, and Marshall earned that possession completely through his decision. It was a small thing that almost no other coach would even think to do to start a half. And I have to commend his other substitution calls. He gave Nurger, Shaq, and JR Simon major minutes and boy did they deliver.

The players earned this win by playing well, but we should also recognize just how special Marshall is.

[forevershockerfan]

We have a win now in St Louis and 3 more later. The Shocks were solid with 2 All Americans on the floor. Shaq is back and Nurger played tough versus the team he had his best game against last year. Home su-weet home now finally for our Shocks!!!

[BOBB]

Thanks to St Louis for the slumpbuster

[forevershockerfan]

Shaq and our bigs salivate now that FVV is back on the court dishing out assists like candy at a parade. FVV did not force shots and let the game just come to him and he still had 11 points if I recall and 7 assists. Soon he will be clicking on all cylinders and 100% healthy. Missed not seeing much of TT and Hamilton tonight. Now enter Frankamp and later Shamet and hopefully Grady if they get healthy and we will be cooking in olive oil.

Every time Baker and FVV are on the court together I relish every solitary moment knowing this is our first set of All American guards playing on our team at the same time. Our Shocks confidence feeds off of both of them they play great together.

[Cdizzle]

Comfortable road wins (or road wins of any kind) should never be taken for granted. Glad they grabbed this one.

Fred started to trust his leg more and more in the 2nd half. Started driving more and straining more on defense. Interesting to see if he is sore tomorrow. If not, he may be in pretty good shape, and may have rebuilt some trust in his leg. He sure is fun to watch.

[forevershockerfan]

How about the 2 angled kiss off the backboard shots by Shaq? Was it Sam Jones with the Celtics that used to ace that type of shot many moons ago? Good to see Nurger and Shaq both play good tonight.

[Shocktoberfest]

How about the 2 angled kiss off the backboard shots by Shaq? Was it Sam Jones with the Celtics that used to ace that type of shot many moons ago? Good to see Nurger and Shaq both play good tonight.

Karl Papke!

[Eric]

I am not sure anyone used the glass better than Gus Santos. His bank shots from the wing were money!

[newshock1234]

Tim Duncan is the king of that shot now