2016-17 Predictions and Expectations

[WuShock Reaper]

OOC: 10-3
MVC: 14-4
Arch Madness: 1-1
Total: 25-8
NCAA: 12 seed (last four in)

[OregonShocker]

This is the year that WSU is finally proven to be the program I have expected; no talent, Marshall has overachieved, and the MVC passes them by.
OOC: 5-8
MVC: 9-9
AM: 2-1
NIT: 0-1

-Doug Gottlieb

Just playing. I couldn't predict other than I imagine it will be another fine year in Wichita for players, coaches, and fans!

FIFY

[ShockerPhi]

I'm gonna go ahead and make my prediciton based on what I saw in Canada because really that's all I have. I think our team is full of talent, but it's still so young that there isn't really any glue yet. Hopefully that glue is being made during practice before this season starts, but I'm not as optimistic as some are. Granted, I think this will still be an incredibly fun team to watch. I almost think it will be similar to the Final Four year (NO I DO NOT PREDICT A FINAL FOUR RUN). But that team won games with guts (at IlSU) and lost games they shouldn't have (at SIU), but still shocked the world in the end. This team is capable of both I think.

OOC: 9-4
MVC: 14-4, Barely finishing first in the league
MVC Tourney: 1-1 (I will forever be pessimistic about St. Louis)
NCAA Seed 9 through 11

[Dave Stalwart]

All I know is Illinois State will beat WSU 5 times this year. -Dan Muller

[Cdizzle]

All I know is Illinois State will beat WSU 5 times this year. -Dan Muller

The real kicker is that Garrett Stutz will be the one that gets ejected for it.

[pogo]

I PREDICT that my EXPECTATIONS will be met.

[Aargh]

I called up a psychic.

She said, "That will be $25 for the first 5 minutes".

I said, "That seems awfully steep. Isn't that a bit high for a psychic reading"?

She replied, "Others may be cheaper, but my readings are guaranteed. If anything I say doesn't come to pass, you will get a 100% refund of any money you pay me".

I thought that was great, so I gave her my credit card number and paid the $25.

She said, "You're going to be disappointed", and hung up.

[AZ Shocker]

Prediction in mid-September...

North of a .500 overall record. Growing pains galore. Especially in the beginning of the season. A 22 plus win season I believe hinges on two players. A redshirt freshman (Shament) and a target for the refs (ShaQ). Those two perform at a highly mature level...we'll be sniffing March.

A wild-card for me is McDuffie. Big-time potential obviously. Just kinda think he'll really feel too much pressure in his sophomore season believing he "has to" be the man.

If Conner plays at another level we are hoping for...then that is a bonus in my opinion. Not looking for him to be a hero savior type. Just steady but yet attack when appropriate.

Willis will be a pleasant surprise and I think we will all really like his game at the power forward position.

This is a young group. It'll take some time to develope the confidence...but Coach Gregg Marshall wouldn't surprise me in the least bit by putting together another 30 win season. Go SHOCKS!!!

[molly jabali]

Rarely have I had a poorer idea of what to expect from a team...undeniable talent, but the chemistry remains to me a huge part...not whether they like each other, but whether they FIT with each other.

I really think Marshall is THE TOTAL KEY....he may be tested in his ability to bring them along as patiently as they may need because of what he has grown used to.

No numbers, but I predict the Shockers will be much better at the end than beginning...and that should be sufficient for a very good year.

[Dan]

We saw a glimpse of the Shockers in Canada. For several of the guys, they were just "winging it" since they had such limited time to learn the system. Based on that glimpse, this is what I think we'll see this year: 1) A much more aggressive and confident Conner Frankamp, 2) an athletic and talented leader in Landry Shamet - his defense at the 2 will be huge, 3) another foul prone year for Shaq, but improved offense with more range, 4) leadership and driving skills from Zach Brown, 5) McDuffie will be a star, 6) Willis will be a workhorse down low, 7) the rest of the guys will be who we thought they were.

I didn't see anything new or exciting from anyone other than the 6 guys mentioned above. I don't expect much more than bench support from the the remaining cast, so we will will go as far as our top 5 or 6 can take us. Staying healthy will be a key for these guys. Since our top 5 is still superior to the rest of the league, I predict we win the Valley by 1-2 games with a max of 4 losses. I won't predict the Conference Tourney but history is not in our favor. We will be a bubble team this year unless we can pull off a couple big upsets in the OOC.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Prediction in mid-September...

North of a .500 overall record.

Bold!

[WSUwatcher]

Aargh, why should you be so worried about a tough exempt tournament without FVV?

Last year when the Shockers faced that problem, they didn't just lack experience, they lacked numbers: Shamet was already out with what ultimately became a season-ending injury, and Frankamp wasn't allowed to play yet, so the backup PGs were Ty Taylor, who was less experienced overall than either Smith or Frankamp this year, plus JR Simon, and Baker. And the backup SG for when Baker was wearing himself out filling in for Fred and playing nearly 40 minutes a game with max attention from USC, Bama, and Iowa was ... Zach Brown?

This year, there's no Fred and there's no Ron, but there are plenty of bodies for both guard spots, including some serious talent (second only to Illinois State's, of course), all older and more mature than Ty Taylor was -- so many guys, in fact, that people can talk about Reaves and Keyser as possible redshirts knowing that even if one (or both?) of those two sit a year, there's still depth in the backcourt. And no need for Zach Brown to move out of position.

Now if some of the frontline guys get hurt (again), it could be a bit of a different story, but even that might just mean more action for Reaves and Keyser sooner than expected.

[capnkirk]

I called up a psychic.

She said, "That will be $25 for the first 5 minutes".

I said, "That seems awfully steep. Isn't that a bit high for a psychic reading"?

She replied, "Others may be cheaper, but my readings are guaranteed. If anything I say doesn't come to pass, you will get a 100% refund of any money you pay me".

I thought that was great, so I gave her my credit card number and paid the $25.

She said, "You're going to be disappointed", and hung up.

I once dated a psychic, but she Broke up with me before we met...

[Shocker1976]

I am praying the starting five evolves through the course of the season as follows:

The Season Opener Starting Five:

PG- Conner
SG- Landry
SF- Zach Brown
PF- Markis
C- Shaq

First five off the bench: Darral, Rashard, Peyton, Rauno and Daishon

The MVC Opening Starting Five will be tall, athletic, physical and dominating:

PG - Austin: as he is a true point guard and will have learned the system and earned the start
SG - Landry
SF - Markis
PF - Darral: as he will have morphed into Carl Hall v2.0
C - Shaq

First five off the bench will be Conner, Zach Brown, Rashard, Peyton and Rauno

By the start of Arch/March Madness CJ will have demonstrated he is TC v2.0 and average more than 8 minutes playing time per tournament game.

And, if God answers my prayers, the experience laden 2017-2018 Shocker roster will deserve a Top Ten Ranking in the AP Poll and play in a conference other than the MVC.

[Aargh]

Aargh, why should you be so worried about a tough exempt tournament without FVV?

try it this way:

Why should you be so worried about a tough exempt tournament with a PG without any D1 experience?

First-year PG's have never looked good early in the season. That includes Hannah, Ragland, and VanVleet.