Official WSU vs Loyola (IL) game thread

[WSUwatcher]

Nice impact in the KenPom numbers from WSU's second half performance. Shocks gained about 2/3 of a point in AdjEM, bringing them up to 16th overall, and barely behind #14 Duke and #15 Wisconsin.

Cherry-picking stat of the day: by coming in at exactly 20th in both AdjO and AdjD, WSU is one of only seven teams in KenPom's top 20 on both offense and defense. I'm pretty sure Jerry Facepalm wouldn't have any trouble projecting the other six (Gonzaga, Villanova, the Virginias, Kentucky, and Purdue) as comfortably tournament bound, but then he isn't a big fan of these newfangled statistical mumbo jumbo metrics anyway.

Edit: one more bit of newfangled statistical mumbo jumbo shows WSU moving up to #20 in ESPN's BPI this week. The signs are starting to appear that WSU will once again be the team no one wants to see opposite their name come Selection Sunday.

[Ricardo del Rio]

Casual observations from the lounger...
1) Shaq is a bad dude when he puts his mind to it. Really glad to see him shake off the ankle turn and get right back out there. Not sure he would have a couple months ago.
2) CF is now able to be CF cause he is hunting his shot. His body language is totally different now that the PG lunacy is toast. Still trying to find all of the SNers who pushed him as PG to come out of their bunker.
3) RK hit the trey yesterday and looked good doing it. He has stopped trying to be a slasher and instead is a 6'7" rim attacker.
4) MM does a lot of things that do not show up in a box score. His rebound late in the 2nd half and getting fouled was strictly due to his leaping ability and length. He is an athletic freak.
5) Nice adjustments by coaching staff at halftime. Do not under value the influence of CJ.
6) Shamet is smooth, smooth and more smooth. His length on defense frustrated the **** out of Custer, who can shoot the lights out if left open.
5) The 4 & 5 rotation of Shaq, RN, MM, & RK is working, but they still need DW to be a big part of any tournament run. It matches up well with Valley teams, but against the big boys in March will be a different story. He needs to get with the program and understand exactly the way HCGM wants things done.
6) Still think Keyser can be a big time player. Not hard to see the guy has some serious ability.

That is all.

I love all of your bullet points.

I particularly agree about CJ. His runners are so smooth and accurate.

We will be guard stout for the next few years.

[pie n eye]

Shamet, Frankamp, Morris, McDuffie, Brown, Kelly, Nurger. A lot of those guys are playing their best ball of the season but what I like most is the consistency they're developing. Less rollercoaster from game to game more Cadillac on I70. It took a while but guys seem to be settling into their roles and it's easier to know what to expect from which player game in and game out. Defense, rebounding, and ball control is a common thread with those guys. What else did we expect from a Gregg Marshall team?

I feel like Daishon continued his climb back to relevancy. Still needs to watch the TO's but I thought he was playing really hard on the defensive end.

Let's just get Reaves to the post season in one piece. He's got the potential to pull a Fred/Ron in the tournaments.

With the exception of Shamet and McDuffie it seems like most of the guys on the team have hit a low point where I felt like they should just watch from the bench. Conner, ZBrown, Rashard, Shaq, ... So far all those guys have responded by playing the best basketball of their careers. I can't see any reason the same won't happen for Willis and Smith. No doubt they are both talented.

[Ricardo del Rio]

I seriously thought Mitch was about to croak…

Someday you are gonna kill me.

[SHOCKvalue]

Less rollercoaster from game to game more Cadillac on I70.

Broke down on the side of the highway, with 22" spinnerz, illegal window tint, and 14 air-fresheners shaped like a tree hanging off the rear-view mirror?

Weird analogy, if I'm being honest.

[1972Shocker]

I like Mark Adams and I really like his enthusiasm for the Valley, and particularly for the Shockers. But damn, there was a point I just wanted Mitch to croak out anything just so I didn't have to hear Mark blather on.

I think part of that on Sunday is that Mark was carrying water for Mitch whose talking needed to be minimized as much as possible to save what was left of his voice. No doubt though that Enthusi-Adams' act is more than a bit over-the-top.

[ShockingButTrue]

I love all of your bullet points.

I particularly agree about CJ. His runners are so smooth and accurate.

We will be guard stout for the next few years.

Big guards too!

[Shocker Mama]

I am sure this was not a foul. IMG_0562.jpg

[Cdizzle]

I am sure this was not a foul.

Only because Janssen wasn't there to call the obvious illegal screen on Shaq.

I remember this happening last night, and commented on it. Thanks for the screen grab.

[SHOCKvalue]

I am sure this was not a foul. [ATTACH=CONFIG]4393[/ATTACH]

You might say that was a matchup problem. Shaq looks like he's about to lift up one of his elementary school-aged cousins from the armpits for a fond embrace.

[ArtVandalay]

I am sure this was not a foul. [ATTACH=CONFIG]4393[/ATTACH]

Can Loyola only afford one size of shorts? And if you're short, you just roll up the 3XL?

[Shocker Mama]

Can Loyola only afford one size of shorts? And if you're short, you just roll up the 3XL?

Ha! Maybe they think he isn't done growing.

[Shocker Mama]

Nm

[Shocker_Power]

Can Loyola only afford one size of shorts? And if you're short, you just roll up the 3XL?

You must not be of my age or grew up in my economic conditions where you wore an older relative's hand-me-downs until you "grew into them".

[Stickboy46]

These were all posted by other people and I reposted them into one thread on MVCFans, but thought they fit there. Several of Conner's insane shots against Loyola.

https://twitter.com/KWCHWill/status/830925090481115137

https://twitter.com/Shox_KCfan/status/831245044829020162

https://twitter.com/Shox_KCfan/status/831249394225803265