The Bright Side

[Dan]

As disappointing as our performance was in St. Louis, I do think we'll still make the big dance and am still hopeful we can go out on a high note and make it to the 2nd weekend or further. UNI plays a style of ball that we probably will not face again this year. They slow it down, muddy it up and try to keep the game in the 50's or below. It's not a recipe to win a national championship but it is a style that can beat any team on any given night if the opponent has an off night shooting, which we did twice.

Once we get to the big dance, we won't see anyone play like that. The court will be open and we'll be able to play Shocker basketball. Other teams will have tape on us and might try to employ this strategy, but they don't practice it day in and day out like UNI. I'm still optimistic that we can do some damage. We have a good team, good coaches and veteran guards. Even last night when I was still angry about our performance, I was saying we are built to perform on a national level. Our conference foes know how to play us better than anyone and they have more practice against us. Fortunately for us, we won't have to play them again this year and we can show the country how the Shockers play basketball.

[Ricardo del Rio]

As disappointing as our performance was in St. Louis, I do think we'll still make the big dance and am still hopeful we can go out on a high note and make it to the 2nd weekend or further. UNI plays a style of ball that we probably will not face again this year. They slow it down, muddy it up and try to keep the game in the 50's or below. It's not a recipe to win a national championship but it is a style that can beat any team on any given night if the opponent has an off night shooting, which we did twice.

Once we get to the big dance, we won't see anyone play like that. The court will be open and we'll be able to play Shocker basketball. Other teams will have tape on us and might try to employ this strategy, but they don't practice it day in and day out like UNI. I'm still optimistic that we can do some damage. We have a good team, good coaches and veteran guards. Even last night when I was still angry about our performance, I was saying we are built to perform on a national level. Our conference foes know how to play us better than anyone and they have more practice against us. Fortunately for us, we won't have to play them again this year and we can show the country how the Shockers play basketball.

I would like to expand just a touch. I hate playing the Cats because their style and discipline seems to be too much for the Shockers to overcome.

Style

1. Low scoring - 50s ball game
2. Low fouls
3. Low turnovers
4. Excellent free throw shooters
5. Good to excellent three ball shooters
6. Good athletes, but not great athletes.
7. Very good defense.

The Cats are not going to beat themselves.

[choida]

As disappointing as our performance was in St. Louis, I do think we'll still make the big dance and am still hopeful we can go out on a high note and make it to the 2nd weekend or further. UNI plays a style of ball that we probably will not face again this year. They slow it down, muddy it up and try to keep the game in the 50's or below. It's not a recipe to win a national championship but it is a style that can beat any team on any given night if the opponent has an off night shooting, which we did twice.

Once we get to the big dance, we won't see anyone play like that. The court will be open and we'll be able to play Shocker basketball. Other teams will have tape on us and might try to employ this strategy, but they don't practice it day in and day out like UNI. I'm still optimistic that we can do some damage. We have a good team, good coaches and veteran guards. Even last night when I was still angry about our performance, I was saying we are built to perform on a national level. Our conference foes know how to play us better than anyone and they have more practice against us. Fortunately for us, we won't have to play them again this year and we can show the country how the Shockers play basketball.

It's a recipe that can at minimum take you into the big dance and then literally is any ones to take to the final 4

[KC Shox]

Screw this! While I will give you familiarity as a plus for them, NIU does nothing special schematically or athletically against us. They have one player on that team that could play for WSU (Washpun). You set up a one-on-one game at each position, Washpun is the only one who can make a game of it.

BYU, Iowa State, Richmond, New Mexico to name a few, all scored over 70 points against them, they're not defensive all-stars. They know they can't beat us physically or athletically, so they poke and prod at our achilles heal, perimeter shooting. Credit to them at beating us at psychological warfare. We're not even an average 3 point shooting team and they make the game where we have to beat them using our weakest weapon. We're the basketball equivalent of the Seattle Seahawks, give the damn ball to Marshawn, don't throw it!

[Dan]

I would like to expand just a touch. I hate playing the Cats because their style and discipline seems to be too much for the Shockers to overcome.

Style

1. Low scoring - 50s ball game
2. Low fouls
3. Low turnovers
4. Excellent free throw shooters
5. Good to excellent three ball shooters
6. Good athletes, but not great athletes.
7. Very good defense.

The Cats are not going to beat themselves.

You're exactly right. On the flip side, if I'm a Cats fan, I would hate to have to watch that style every night. You can wina lot of games this way, but you can also lose to anyone that gets hot shooting from the 3 or even has a decent shooting effort. Because they don't allow fast break opportunities, they always have to sprint back on defense and can't afford to spend a lot of effort on offensve rebounding and second chance points. They themselves won't score many points if they play a good defensive team. 3G and company need to come up with a better plan next year to beat UNI. We can't get by playing Shocker basketball, we have to alter our style to win this type of matchup.

[forevershockerfan]

Screw this! While I will give you familiarity as a plus for them, NIU does nothing special schematically or athletically against us. They have one player on that team that could play for WSU (Washpun). You set up a one-on-one game at each position, Washpun is the only one who can make a game of it.

BYU, Iowa State, Richmond, New Mexico to name a few, all scored over 70 points against them, they're not defensive all-stars. They know they can't beat us physically or athletically, so they poke and prod at our achilles heal, perimeter shooting. Credit to them at beating us at psychological warfare. We're not even an average 3 point shooting team and they make the game where we have to beat them using our weakest weapon. We're the basketball equivalent of the Seattle Seahawks, give the damn ball to Marshawn, don't throw it!

If I recall, UNI was very hot early this Season and at home they beat N.C., ranked #1 at the time and later defeated #5 Iowa State on the road. Then UNI went cold, very cold as noticed when we beat them at their barn. Soon thereafter, they got hot again and are on another winning streak. Thus, when they are hot, and getting some breaks along the way, they are Not chopped liver.

We are a better shooting team than displayed yesterday. Credit some of that to UNI having a good game-plan and played some solid D. on us. Maryland was very hot earlier this Season with a big ranking but being beat right now 78-62 by Indiana, a team we beat at the Dance. Indiana was a tougher match up for us than KU but we beat them both at the Dance.

Right now, I just hope we get in the Dance. If we do, we will see who we draw. I would have loved to win the Lew. I would much rather get some wins this Season at the Dance. Stay tuned but don't give up on these Shocks.

[forevershockerfan]

Next Sunday we just need good news that we are in the Dance.