Tulsa game thread

[KC Shox]

1. Reaves is the total package. Just amazing that he was playing high school ball 7 months ago.
2. Willis is quickly becoming really likable. He has midrange game and he's insanely quick under the basket. He makes Shaq look like he's going in slow motion.
3. Speaking of Shaq, he will eat up the Valley and a lot of other teams we play. I think some officials are picking at him just because he's such a wall. The fouling needs to be remedied. Quickly.
4. And speaking of officiating, it still sucks. It sucked worse than last game. College basketball once again trying to tweak a product that's not broken. Stop trying to make the game like the NBA. Nobody wants to watch the NBA. Let the players PLAY. Damn. Oh, and the Austin Reaves non-charge call was about as bad as they come.
5. We definitely turn the ball over more than the last few years. I expect that with the youth and inexperience. One of these days it's gonna come back and bite us. But when we're clobbering people so badly, it's really not a major concern.
6. #0 on Tulsa is a straight-up THUG.
7. 3 straight blowouts with a 4th coming. Excitement is starting to flow. Let's hope this trend continues as we head towards the Bahamas. That's when the real barometer will be met.

I am more impressed each and every game.

All very good points, particularly needing Shaq when it counts and the turnovers. When we play Louisville and Michigan State in the winner's bracket :), we're definitely are going to need these two issues minimized.

[another shocker]

Great defense, and man is our bench deep. Over 50 points from the bench. Mcduffie and Willis had big nights. Shaq with 8 points, perfect from the floor. He just needs to stay out of foul trouble. Reeves is going to be a special player, just needs 20 lbs of muscle. Zach Brown had a nice night hitting a few 3's and taking it to the rim. For us to win going away and not having any production from our guards shows just how deep this team is. Also Nurger is showing us how much he's improved and will be an important part of our front line rotation.

you know, nurger did look good tonight. we'll see what happens in the depths of atlantis.

[Shocker-maniac]

Jon Rothstein via Twitter:

Wichita State pounds Tulsa by 27. One thing that doesn't enough ink? The culture in the Shockers' basketball program. Elite.

[another shocker]

Great defense, and man is our bench deep. Over 50 points from the bench. Mcduffie and Willis had big nights. Shaq with 8 points, perfect from the floor. He just needs to stay out of foul trouble. Reeves is going to be a special player, just needs 20 lbs of muscle. Zach Brown had a nice night hitting a few 3's and taking it to the rim. For us to win going away and not having any production from our guards shows just how deep this team is. Also Nurger is showing us how much he's improved and will be an important part of our front line rotation.

i like this post, but i don't think reaves needs 20 lbs of muscle. he needs 20 minutes per game and he'll be just fine. he'll be setting up willis, mcduffie and shaq. on and on.

[BostonWu]

Start Reaves. Connor coming off the bench might relieve some pressure.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

Once again, HOW GOOD IS AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY?

I'm gonna go ahead and pencil them in as Div II national champs

[AZ Shocker]

You and I was posting on here way back when on a work night at 2-a.m. before the roosters were crowing dreaming about the days we would have teams like Marshall has brought in here AZ. Back then, wins were not so easy to come by.

No they were not. Whew...many moons ago my friend. Many moons ago... :)

[shockmonster]

i like this post, but i don't think reaves needs 20 lbs of muscle. he needs 20 minutes per game and he'll be just fine. he'll be setting up willis, mcduffie and shaq. on and we are winning by 30 points, on.

Gregg said tonight that there isn't that much difference between these players. From what coach says, he isn't as enamored as many on here on who starts or the minutes players receive. He only cares about team chemistry and while we continue to win by 30 points, I don't foresee changes on the horizon. Gregg has said we have 10 starters and he will continue to get the most out of all 10 players.

[Eric]

Maybe coach can try an experiment Sunday night. "Shaq, you get as many minutes as you want tonight, except tonight you only have two fouls the entire game. After that you're done. Figure it out.!"

[proshox]

CF played a lot at the two which diminishes his effectiveness. If he is going to be on the court it needs to be as a point guard. He still moves the ball quickly and with purpose. A shooting percentage increase would be nice as well. It seems people on this board have a very short memory based on the calls for him to now start.

Very interesting team thus far. Every player has shown something that makes you excited about this year.

I am starting to wonder if HCGM needs to let Shaq foul out a few times. He is clearly taking away a lot more minutes from Shaw than the refs are at this point.

[WuDrWu]

That's a big young team. They aren't good now but they'll get better. I also heard something about one of there better players suspended by the NCAA for 2 games (pretty sure it's Jaleel Wheeler) and he'll return next game. Happy to see CHJ have a nice game, and even more so, come back from being basically carried off the court.

As others have said, pretty cool to do just a few things well....and still win by 27.

Reaves does need to add strength. He gets bumped around a lot. But man...that take to the hoop in the 2nd half with the reverse finish....damn.

This is a really fun team to watch.

[wusphlash]

Maybe coach can try an experiment Sunday night. "Shaq, you get as many minutes as you want tonight, except tonight you only have two fouls the entire game. After that you're done. Figure it out.!"

Shaq should never reach in on defense and remain stationary on offensive picks. Do those things and two fouls a game is a possibility.

[Kochaddict]

Quoting Bob Lutz:

It’ll get tougher than it has been. Wichita State is certain to run into heavy opposition in the Bahamas next week during the Battle for Atlantis. We’ve yet to see a battle yet, however. and the Shockers are providing a lot for everyone’s imagination.


The only thing holding us back from complete hysteria and hyperbole is the earliness of the season. And, to a lesser degree, the opponents. Do South Carolina State, Long Beach State and Tulsa provide a realistic barometer?


Has Bob jumped on the Shocker train?

[Dan]

I am starting to wonder if HCGM needs to let Shaq foul out a few times. He is clearly taking away a lot more minutes from Shaw than the refs are at this point.

I'm with you on this. Shaq plays first half up until 2 fouls. Shaq plays 2nd half until he fouls out, rotating with Nurger for breathers as needed. ONce he fouls out, we still have Nurger and Willis for the post, or even Hamilton for spot minutes.

[pinstripers]

Frankamp has shown little ability to hit a 3 in a catch and shoot situation. He's decent at creating space off the bounce to drain a 3. That's the way he became the City League's leading scorer of all time and how he got to be a top-50 HS player.

He really hasn't shown much ability to hit 3's when he's fairly open when receiving a pass on the perimeter. He seems to hang out way deep, so when he gets a lot of passes, he's too deep for a decent shot. Maybe it's the way he's coached, but Conner seems to set himself up to be the safe outlet, rather than the scoring threat.

this is totally accurate