WSU Versus Illinois State Predictions and Pregame Discussion on Senior Day

[Cdizzle]

When a team has a gameplan that involves nut-punching my team's player, I'm probably not going to like that team any more.

When a preponderance of fans of said team seem to think it was a good gameplan, or at best do not disagree with is as deplorable, I'm probably not going to like those fans any more.

You reap what you sow. It does suck for the great ISUr fans that have been on this board of the years, like @Phantom: and GoRL.

[WuDrWu]

Hey Shocker friends

Best of luck tomorrow. Not that you need it.

I don't understand all the hate against a team you have dominated the last several years. Seems strange and misguided to me. As great as WSU is why does a team like ISU bother you? Clearly you outclass us in every way. I would imagine we are at most an afterthought. Unless you all have Blue Jay withdrawal and are despertaely trying to manufacture conference hatred wherever you can find it. Makes no sense to me. But there are many things in life I don't understand and I'm old.

I think tomorow will be the most physical game the Valley has seen in a long time. The faint of heart prob shouldn't suit up. I don't expect the Birds to win but I certainly don't expect to be run out of the gym either. WSU is a better team for sure but after reading your board as I do I'm also convinced that ISU is much better than you think they are. Fortunately for you, your coach is smart enough to not overlook the Redbirds. At least not twice in the same month.

I expect a very close and hard fought game. Should be great for TV. One of these years I'd like to come out and see a game at your venue. Always looks great on TV.

Be well friends.

GORL

Always great commentary from @Ghost of Rick Lamb:! The celebratory spectacle in 08 or 09 was uncalled for and really rubbed me the wrong way.

As @WuShock16: said, the incident with Stutz, a player that means a LOT to me personally, also carried a lot of weight.

But I can't dismiss ISU as being irrelevant or anything close. They are talented. At their peak they are very capable. I don't think they are as good as WSU but they aren't Indiana State either. So there's added reason to be concerned.

At least that's how I see it.

I can also say without reservation that @Ghost of Rick Lamb: and @cpamel and @Phantom: are 3 of my favorite non WSU posters. Very good people.

[Yellow Bellied]

For decades of going to arch madness, Illinois St fans were second only to our own and I enjoyed their presence very much.....That perception was unfortunately changed overnight.

[Kung Wu]

Hello again Shocker fellas,

Well, here we are in the finale. We're playing well lately but no doubt you guys will be extra amped up for this one and the environment will be crazy. With the way some of our guys (notably Lee and Hawkins) have stepped up lately we've become a factor which is great considering the way Nov-Dec went. I'm optimistic we make a game out of it, and the National TV audience is treated to a good game at one of the best atmospheres in all of college hoops, as Koch has become over the years. This will be a huge challenge for us to say the least. I like you guys by 10, hopefully in a well-played, safe game.

Hoping we can keep it competitive and give you guys a good game. We've been playing really well for awhile now (besides first half at UNI) but tough to win on the road, especially at Wichita where you guys rarely lose. Congrats to your seniors on their excellent careers I will not miss them haha I'll predict wsu to win 60-52

75
74

[Tman87]

Correct me if I'm wrong here...

WSU players on next year's roster who were top 100 recruits (not necessarily consensus):

Frankcamp (actually was consensus top 50)
Brown
McDuffie
Shamet
Keyser

Plus the #9 and #21 players out of the 2016 JC ranks.

Man... we are gonna suck.

I don't think CJ Keyser is top 100. At least not by any of the top recruiting websites. I could be wrong though

[ShockdaWorld]

I don't think CJ Keyser is top 100. At least not by any of the top recruiting websites. I could be wrong though

I'm not sure about top 100, but I'm pretty sure he was the kid that was a 4 star (which I believe is Top 100) until the day he committed to us and was immediately dropped to a 3 star.

[Dan]

Ill State is the closest team in the Valley in terms of athletism/talent and have the potential to be an annual contender. All the things already listed add fuel to the fire, not to mention punching us out of St. Louis last year - and I was sitting in a section surrounded by Redbird fans to boot. I need revenge to make me feel better about that.

[shocksrbest]

For me, aside from the 2013 incident, the Redbirds left a bad taste in my mouth after one incident at CKA where a Redbird set a screen and appeared to thrust his shoulder into Baker's face. He goes down to the ground, and the player appeared to go to the Redbird bench to celebrate that he had just leveled him.

It was Banyard. He said to his bench after wards, "I got him". Pretty classy huh?

[shocksrbest]

I'm curious. Have you ever visited redbirdfan.net? Because it sounds like you either haven't or are ignorant of your own fanbase. Do you lecture your own fans about their hateful feelings and physical violence threats that are busted out on the daily over there?

Seems weird to come over here and act like it's a one-way street. Unless you think your fanbase is the insecure little fish that's supposed to hate big brother. If that's the case, then nevermind.

Their board is way worse than ours. While we want to win the game, it seems their aim and delight is for our players to get hurt.

[ShockerFever]

Their board is way worse than ours. While we want to win the game, it seems their aim and delight is for our players to get hurt.

The Normal, Illinois dump has less trash in it than that place.

[ShockerEngineer]

It was Banyard. He said to his bench after wards, "I got him". Pretty classy huh?

I remember hearing about the guy saying "I got him" after... But, I was starting to think I misremembered, because I couldn't imagine they could be that classless.

[ShockerFever]

It was Banyard. He said to his bench after wards, "I got him". Pretty classy huh?

It's par for the course for that entire program.

They should make that statement their motto.

Trash.

[Rollbird5]

It was Banyard. He said to his bench after wards, "I got him". Pretty classy huh?

It was Will Ransom, Banyard had to sit out last year because of him transferring to us. It was a legal screen, refs even reviewed it. Ransom's man should've told Baker the screen was coming

[shocksrbest]

It was Will Ransom, Banyard had to sit out last year because of him transferring to us. It was a legal screen, refs even reviewed it. Ransom's man should've told Baker the screen was coming

The screen may have been legal from a technical standpoint. But lowering the shoulder to maximize the impact was intentional and classless...not to mention the glowering comments to the bench when Baker was hurt. What a *****.

[ShockerFever]

It was Will Ransom, Banyard had to sit out last year because of him transferring to us. It was a legal screen, refs even reviewed it. Ransom's man should've told Baker the screen was coming

But more importantly, did you hang a banner for it? I mean it sounds like that's one of Illinois State basketball's shining accomplishments. Gotta fill up those rafters somehow.