WSU Versus Illinois State Predictions and Pregame Discussions

[Phantom]

You wouldn't happen to be one of these football school believers would you @Phantom:?

I don't see why we can't have regular success in both sports. UNI and SIU have done so, no reason we can't either. I like to believe we are, right now, good in both. Football has been to the playoffs 4 straight years, and although hoops has been well above .500 in that same stretch, there's still no NCAA tourney to show for it. Until that happens, there will be struggles to consistently fill the arena, even for big games like this.

[60Shock]

Except in predicting season records prior to the start of the season, I haven't predicted a Shocker loss in a long, long time prior to the start of a game, so I might just have to think about this game a wee bit longer.

Like after the final whistle is blown.

[SHOCKvalue]

Rodney @KnuppelRodney


3:15 - @DanMuller of ISU Basketball will join us to talk about the biggest game at Redbird Arena in a couple decades on @ESPNPeoria



Weird. I would think having the #5 team in the country come to your place in 2014 or even the #15 team in the country in 2015 would be a bigger game than an unranked squad. I suppose getting your @$$&$ handed to you in those games (although 2015 was a close ballgame) would take the shine off of those really quickly.

But what do I know?

That seems like a tad bit of an exaggeration.

[WheatShock]

Except in predicting season records prior to the start of the season, I haven't predicted a Shocker loss in a long, long time prior to the start of a game, so I might just have to think about this game a wee bit longer.

Like after the final whistle is blown.

LOL. That's about the only way to be half @$$ accurate on your march madness bracket too, fill it in after the games are over.

[Phantom]

Yeah, I really don't think those were Muller's words. It's just an exaggeration to get people to listen in.

[ShockerFever]

Rodney @KnuppelRodney


3:15 - @DanMuller of ISU Basketball will join us to talk about the biggest game at Redbird Arena in a couple decades on @ESPNPeoria



Weird. I would think having the #5 team in the country come to your place in 2014 or even the #15 team in the country in 2015 would be a bigger game than an unranked squad. I suppose getting your @$$&$ handed to you in those games (although 2015 was a close ballgame) would take the shine off of those really quickly.

But what do I know?

Biggest game in a couple of decades?

lol, not a Super Bowl.

[atlwsu]

Where ia a good place for dinner before the game

[1972Shocker]

Where ia a good place for dinner before the game

A restaurant.


Sorry.

[Aargh]

I'm skeptical of the Shox post players willingness or ability to track down McIntosh and Hawkins out past the 3-point line. If this team had demonstrated an ability to overcome adversity at any time this season, I'd be more optimistic, but I'm not thinking this is going to be the game where they turn it around.

Extending the lead after Loyola cut it to 4 in CKA wasn't an example of overcoming adversity. I thought it was more of a demonstration of trying to coasst to another easy win.

[1972Shocker]

I'm skeptical of the Shox post players willingness or ability to track down McIntosh and Hawkins out past the 3-point line.

I think that is a valid concern if our big guys find themselves matched up on McIntosh and Hawkins. I see Markis, Zach and Rashard being tasked with guarding McIntosh and Hawkins for the most part.

[Aargh]

I think that is a valid concern if our big guys find themselves matched up on McIntosh and Hawkins. I see Markis, Eric and Rashard being tasked with guarding McIntosh and Hawkins for the most part.

Uh...words escape me.

[1972Shocker]

Uh...words escape me.

Oops, I meant Zach. I actually had posted this earlier in the thread. Do you disagree that Markis, Zach and Rashard will be the mostly liikely to paired against Hawkins and McIntosh?

[Bluzrover]

I'm not sure how our bigs will handle the Redbird defense in the paint and that may put pressure on our perimeter game. I don't know that we win this game if we have to rely on our outside shooting alone. This game offers a stiff defense that will keep the game close.

I didn't see us sweeping the Valley this year and this is one of the games I predicted we'd lose. As well as both teams are playing, it could go either way and I'll be happily pleased if we come out of Normal with a win. It will be interesting to see if they feel the pressure of a must win game.

First to 65 wins.

[1972Shocker]

Size-wise the Shocks have a big advantage among post players. Phil Fayne is a 6-9, 200 lb So. transfer from Western Nebraska College (Juco I assume). He plays about 25 minutes a game and has not attempted a 3-point shot this season. Mikyle McIntosh at 6-7. 234 and Deontae Hawkins is 6-8, 220. No doubt those guys can hurt you both inside and outsdie and they would be tough guards for Darral, Shaq, Rauno and Eric if it would come to that.

I suppose Illinois State might play 7-0, 215 So. Center David Ndiaye although he has only played in 8 games this year and has not been that productive. Not sure he is even available at this point.

The Shocks bigs go 6-9, 221 + 6-8, 265 + 6-10, 238 + 6-8, 230. Whether they can figure out how to use that size to their advantage remains to be seen. Darral, of course, can play the 4 but as @Aargh: points out he is not exactly proficient at guarding the perimeter and he would most likely be on McIntosh or Hawkins if he does play the 4. I don't see that as being something 3G will want to do a lot of if he can avoid it.

[Dave Stalwart]

Uh...words escape me.

Oops, I meant Zach. I actually had posted this earlier in the thread. Do you disagree that Markis, Zach and Rashard will be the mostly liikely to paired against Hawkins and McIntosh?

If Eric does in fact play head to head against those guys, I hope they wear pads. On second thought, maybe Eric can play the same role as John Wilkins did against Garrett Stutz a few years back. You know...take a play right out of the Redbirds handbook. They should be fine with it.