WSU @ ISU-red

[ShockerGorilla]

I think the only thing keeping us from running them out of the gym is their ability to hit the trey. If they don't, they have no chance to beat us.

HCGM with another extended period to prepare will have this team ready to step it up and make a statement out of the block.

HCGM is on a mission this year. It's to take the Valley belt, bend over every team and spank them with it.

Not saying they won't hit 3's against us, but they are the worst 3pt shooting team in the Valley

TT isn't a 3-point shooting team, either, but look what they did to us in the 2nd half. Teams tend to get hot shooting the 3's against us the last few years.

[shockerfan]

I think the only thing keeping us from running them out of the gym is their ability to hit the trey. If they don't, they have no chance to beat us.

HCGM with another extended period to prepare will have this team ready to step it up and make a statement out of the block.

HCGM is on a mission this year. It's to take the Valley belt, bend over every team and spank them with it.

Not saying they won't hit 3's against us, but they are the worst 3pt shooting team in the Valley

TT isn't a 3-point shooting team, either, but look what they did to us in the 2nd half. Teams tend to get hot shooting the 3's against us the last few years.

That was an abberation...I mean really they only hit alot of 3's in the last minute. For 38 mins or so they weren't a good 3pt shooting team.

Now they still ended with a good percentage...just sayin it's a little misleading. I mean some of the circus shots they made they probably couldn't hit again to save their lives. It was just "one of those things"

I also hear that we are so horrible at guarding the 3pt shot, but this year our 3pt shooting defense is actually pretty good to this point. Only 3 teams have shot over 40% from 3 against us while 7 have shot below 30%. We have held MOST teams to below their average for the year.

[Aargh]

I have to be one of these "realist" posters for this game.

I've looked at rosters, depth charts, and how each team has been winning their games. I see some bad news - for IlSU.

If you look at the match ups, it looks like WSU has more potential for shutting down what IlSU does, than for IlSU to shut down what WSU does.

Both are good rebounding teams, and controlling the boards could be critical in this game. That's an edge to IlSU just because they're home, where it's easier to control the boards.

I think WSU is better equipped to limit IlSU's scoring than the other way around. WSU has more potential weapons. I think IlSU will limit some of WSU's offense, but not be able to maintain enough pressure at enough locations to effectively slow WSU on offense. That requires that more than 3 or 4 WSU players are able to score that night, because I think IlSU can handle 3 or 4 guys on the court who can score. It's going to be the last guy or 2 who's going to have to put up some points.

I think WSU can be more successful at slowing down IlSU's offense, which is why, as a "realist", I have to give the nod to WSU.

72 - 67.

[wsushox1]

Hey Shox fans. Well, it's that time again for our squads to fight it out. This is gonna be a tough game for both teams I think. I said many times long before the season started that you guys would be very dangerous and so far you're proving me right. We're gonna have to have a full team effort when you guys come to Normal next week. After collapsing in the 2nd half vs. Niagara, and then not showing up at all @ Ohio, we put together our best game of the season @ Utah. Then we destroyed Grambling last night as we should have. Now comes you guys. Last time we had a week between games, we laid an egg. We certainly can't do that against you or you'll run us out of our own arena.

I look for a 5-7 point game (or less) either way. You're definately our toughest opponent to date so it'll be interesting to see how prepared our guys are. This is also the first time in several years (5 or more I wanna say) that we've opened up conference play at home. Not sure what kind of crowd to expect, but hopefully it's decent. Just wish we hosted you guys when our students weren't on break. No matter what, let's hope for a safe, enjoyable game. I think we all can agree it's gonna be a tough one as ISU/WSU games almost always are. I'm sure I'll comment more as the game gets closer.

Until then, hope everyone in Shox Nation has a good Xmas.

Merry Christmas to you too! Thanks for stopping by. Illinois State fans are the nicest fans in the valley in my opinion. Should be a good game.

[emmitt]

I think we step it up, Shox 74-ISU 65 after putting together a few late threes only to make it look respectable.

[Ghost of Rick Lamb]

Hello Shocker Friends

I'd like to echo Phantom's sentiments regarding our rivalry. I love it!!! Always a battle and you guys are the ones I hope win the Valley every year if the Birds can't.

As for our game next week I see it being the best game of all the Valley games that night. I think this is a pretty even match-up. WSU is a team I need to look more closely at. I saw your dismantling of Iowa on TV and I know how talented Murry, Hatch, Hannah and Durley are. I like Stutz a lot too and love his step-out/face up game. They present all kinds of match-up problems.

I saw where the Birds' 3-point shooting was referenced and the fact is, the Birds don't shoot it very well out there after Eldridge. Phillips shoots a poor percentage and after those 2 guys, no one has made 10 3's all year.

This year's Bird team is at it's best going to the hole and drawing fouls. They average 24 trips to the line per game. They play better when they make it a point to go inside to the 4 post players (Odiakosa, Carmichael, Lewis, Thornton) The Birds are much deeper than they've been in many years at the 4-5 spots. I believe Dinma Odiakosa to be not only the Birds most consistent player, but the most underrated player in all the Valley. He's been in double figures in all but 1 game and has 4 double-doubles. This is the best rebounding Birds team in many a moon.

It's hard to surmise much from the Birds weak schedule. They split games against its two best teams (Niagara and Utah). The rest of the teams they played (including their other loss to Ohio) are not very good. For the 1st 9 games the Birds defense was inconsistent at best and downright weak at its worst. The last 2 games they played defense the way they did for most of Jank's 1st 2 seasons in Normal. That's the only defense they can afford to play to win this game or any games in the Valley.

The starters are:

Eldridge--you guys know him
Phillips--shoots a lot for a PG
Rubin--good defender and 'glue' guy
Carmichael--impressive freshman
Odiakosa--one of my all-time fav Birds, incredibly strong

The bench guys are:

Thornton--inside-outside game, athletic
Lewis--rebounder, physical
Hill--slasher, physical defender on perimeter, nagging achilles injury
Johnson--runs point....freshman
Clark--freshman hasn't found shot yet

I am excited to see the Shockers in person. This is both Marshall and Jank's 3rd year so it's getting closer to being all their own players. I expect the Shockers to be very tough, well-coached and easily the best opponent the Birds have played thus far. I think this game is far bigger for the Birds. They need to defend the home court. If the Shockers lose it's a tough road game and not a harmful loss. I don't see any road team winning at Koch Arena this year so you gotta beat the Shox at home. I'll revisit as the game gets closer.

[Rosewood]

This year's Bird team is at it's best going to the hole and drawing fouls.

Well crap!

(Thanks for the awesome breakdown post. I'm pretty sure Ill St is the only valley team I don't have a beef with. Actually, I even have a bit of love for the total smack down Ill St delivered against sCUm last year in St Louis. )

[Phantom]

This year's Bird team is at it's best going to the hole and drawing fouls.

Well crap!

(Thanks for the awesome breakdown post. I'm pretty sure Ill St is the only valley team I don't have a beef with. Actually, I even have a bit of love for the total smack down Ill St delivered against sCUm last year in St Louis. )

And on that very note, while we all know you guys have no love for CU, I will say that ALL Redbird fans appreciated the way the Shox fans stood up & cheered all game long when we took CU to the woodshed in the semis. From the second our team ran out of the tunnel all the way until the final buzzer, there was a noticeably large group of yellow-clad and noisy fans cheering for us that day. Not to mention the great time we had with a bunch of Shox fans at the bar before the game at Union Station. Very cool indeed! :)

[shockerfan]

This year's Bird team is at it's best going to the hole and drawing fouls.

Well crap!

(Thanks for the awesome breakdown post. I'm pretty sure Ill St is the only valley team I don't have a beef with. Actually, I even have a bit of love for the total smack down Ill St delivered against sCUm last year in St Louis. )

Yeah I may have to predict a loss now. The dribble drive has killed us alot this year and our bigs like to foul alot....

[Aargh]

This year's Bird team is at it's best going to the hole and drawing fouls.

Well crap!

(Thanks for the awesome breakdown post. I'm pretty sure Ill St is the only valley team I don't have a beef with. Actually, I even have a bit of love for the total smack down Ill St delivered against sCUm last year in St Louis. )

Yeah I may have to predict a loss now. The dribble drive has killed us alot this year and our bigs like to foul alot....

We may need Mason Felter for this game. Did he ever become eligible?

[shocker22]

NDSU did alot of dribble penetration and I think we have improved our D in that area. However, the birds have much more talent so we might be in for trouble.

[SubGod22]

This year's Bird team is at it's best going to the hole and drawing fouls.

Well crap!

(Thanks for the awesome breakdown post. I'm pretty sure Ill St is the only valley team I don't have a beef with. Actually, I even have a bit of love for the total smack down Ill St delivered against sCUm last year in St Louis. )

Yeah I may have to predict a loss now. The dribble drive has killed us alot this year and our bigs like to foul alot....

We may need Mason Felter for this game. Did he ever become eligible?

Good question. I don't think he was suited up for NDSU...

[shocker22]

He is not eligible until grades are posted, however they should be submitted before the Ill St. game so it will be HCGM decision if he suits.

[capnkirk]

I saw the potential in Dinma Odiakosa last year when WSU played them. Or maybe WSU just made him look good?

WSU needs to keep the rebounding and free throw attempts close. I am becoming more optimistic about this team, but winning on the road in the valley is not easy.

WSU 74
ISU 75

I sure hope i'm wrong.

[newshock1234]

He is not eligible until grades are posted, however they should be submitted before the Ill St. game so it will be HCGM decision if he suits.

Grades were all posted on Monday Night