WSU Versus Evansville Predictions and Pregame Discussions

[wuhog]

[QUOTE=Stickboy46;614118]Fun quote from the aces board. They sure are confident after beating up on the bottom third of the NCAA.

[QUOTE]
In all seriousness....I believe the only way The ACES can lose this game, is if they beat themselves.
They're definitely the better team this season, than SHOX.
SHOX has the 10-12 point advantage, in a lot of games, because they wear black and their recent historical swag.

The ACES are better conditioned, more accurate in shooting and passing. (Even with The ACES atrocious Free Throw shooting exhibition the past two games, still have a better FT% than SHOX and have made more FT's than SHOX has even attempted)

The ACES just need to shut out the 10k Auntie Em's and Uncle Henry's and play their game. Don't tense up and feel intimidated by the banners, in Koch. Get the ball into EMO and let him dunk on Shaq, Grady, Kelly, or Wamukota a few times.
Adam, Mislav, Blake, & JayB play their games.
And DJ, will just be DJ and refuse to allow them to take this season away from him, EMO, and Adam.
Come back to the FC, with a 14-2 (3-0) record and watch the Evansville community clamor for tickets.[\QUOTE][/QUOTE

This article had to be quoted from "The Onion" cause it's to far out there to be real. I'm not saying it won't be a good game, but this sounds like the Shox have NO chance.

[kcshocker11]

WSU 82
EU 73

[WstateU]

[QUOTE=Stickboy46;614118]Fun quote from the aces board. They sure are confident after beating up on the bottom third of the NCAA.

In all seriousness....I believe the only way The ACES can lose this game, is if they beat themselves.
They're definitely the better team this season, than SHOX.
SHOX has the 10-12 point advantage, in a lot of games, because they wear black and their recent historical swag.

The ACES are better conditioned, more accurate in shooting and passing. (Even with The ACES atrocious Free Throw shooting exhibition the past two games, still have a better FT% than SHOX and have made more FT's than SHOX has even attempted)

The ACES just need to shut out the 10k Auntie Em's and Uncle Henry's and play their game. Don't tense up and feel intimidated by the banners, in Koch. Get the ball into EMO and let him dunk on Shaq, Grady, Kelly, or Wamukota a few times.
Adam, Mislav, Blake, & JayB play their games.
And DJ, will just be DJ and refuse to allow them to take this season away from him, EMO, and Adam.
Come back to the FC, with a 14-2 (3-0) record and watch the Evansville community clamor for tickets.[\QUOTE]

[WuDrWu]

The one thing that definitely IS in UE's favor is the manner in which the game is called. The Aces don't play particularly good defense, partly because the can't afford to get into foul trouble.

Also, their players ARE good shooters and take quality shots. That's why they're in the top 10 or so in FG%. If the game becomes horse, we're probably in trouble.

We need to make them play defense, limit Mock's touches and force turnovers (something we've done a very good job at lately).

[Stickboy46]

The one thing that definitely IS in UE's favor is the manner in which the game is called. The Aces don't play particularly good defense, partly because the can't afford to get into foul trouble.

Also, their players ARE good shooters and take quality shots. That's why they're in the top 10 or so in FG%. If the game becomes horse, we're probably in trouble.

We need to make them play defense, limit Mock's touches and force turnovers (something we've done a very good job at lately).

I have a hard time comparing any stats to UE though. I mean facing a Top 10 SOS vs playing a 250+ SOS is going to drastically change how your stats look. Are they really that good of shooters? or have they consistently gotten easy looks due to no one knowing how to play defense?

I guess we will find out Wednesday.

[WuDrWu]

I have a hard time comparing any stats to UE though. I mean facing a Top 10 SOS vs playing a 250+ SOS is going to drastically change how your stats look. Are they really that good of shooters? or have they consistently gotten easy looks due to no one knowing how to play defense?

I guess we will find out Wednesday.

Very fair point, but the fact remains, they are skilled shooters, and the people that can shoot the best are the ones taking the lion's share of the shots.

You're never going to see their "Rashard Kelly" for instance 2-8. They are disciplined enough to know what's a good shot and what isn't. That doesn't mean that they cannot be forced into situations where they have to take bad shots, or just shots they'd rather not take. THAT'S the goal.

[Stickboy46]

Very fair point, but the fact remains, they are skilled shooters, and the people that can shoot the best are the ones taking the lion's share of the shots.

You're never going to see their "Rashard Kelly" for instance 2-8. They are disciplined enough to know what's a good shot and what isn't. That doesn't mean that they cannot be forced into situations where they have to take bad shots, or just shots they'd rather not take. THAT'S the goal.

I wonder how many circles Baker is running these next two days in order to prep him for the 3,432 screens he will have to fight through Wednesday.

[jdshock]

Very fair point, but the fact remains, they are skilled shooters, and the people that can shoot the best are the ones taking the lion's share of the shots.

Agreed, HCGM has talked about his fascination with their offensive schemes. It's tough to defend.

Luckily, we have a great scouting team, and I feel pretty good about our chances with Baker guarding DJ. Mock is gonna be tough to defend, but we've got a lot of fouls to give in the post.

[WuDrWu]

Agreed, HCGM has talked about his fascination with their offensive schemes. It's tough to defend.

Luckily, we have a great scouting team, and I feel pretty good about our chances with Baker guarding DJ. Mock is gonna be tough to defend, but we've got a lot of fouls to give in the post.

Lotta fouls, schmalotta fouls. We need to play great defense and help down, dig and double all day long. Fouls will put Giddy at the line, and he's very, very good there.

[jdshock]

Lotta fouls, schmalotta fouls. We need to play great defense and help down, dig and double all day long. Fouls will put Giddy at the line, and he's very, very good there.

His FT shooting percentage this season is just slightly higher than his overall FG percentage. Good defense in the post (this season or any really) frequently results in fouls. FVV (and MM very clearly last game) has been getting called for reach-ins on his post strips that have really benefited our post-defense over the last few years. My point is that we have enough big bodies to send at him to give a 100% effort every minute on the floor. We don't have to rely on one guy with 4 fouls to loosely guard him so that player stays in the game.

[WSUwatcher]

If WSU can guard Poeltl effectively, they can guard Mock (as they've done successfully in the past).

[Heinro]

I watched both of EU's losses. They got controlled by Providence and Arkansas pretty much the entire game. EU is the same team as they have been. Balentine didn't shoot well. If Balentine shoots well it could, emphasis added, be close. Otherwise 20 point win.

[Heinro]

If WSU can guard Poeltl effectively, they can guard Mock (as they've done successfully in the past).

We handled Mock pretty effectively last year. I recognize we have some concerns down low, but defense has been pretty good, and better than last year. Main concern is fouls.

[Stickboy46]

We handled Mock pretty effectively last year. I recognize we have some concerns down low, but defense has been pretty good, and better than last year. Main concern is fouls.

This is why i'm MUCH more concerned with the trip to Evansville, rather than at home. The foul differential from home and away has been eye opening.

[jdshock]

We handled Mock pretty effectively last year. I recognize we have some concerns down low, but defense has been pretty good, and better than last year. Main concern is fouls.

One of the interesting things about the games last year was how different they were for Mock. He fouled out with only 2 points in one of them. In the other, he only had one foul and a double double.

FVV hasn't been getting the block calls in the lane the last few games. Maybe his luck will change this game?