Where will the Shocks be on 1/20?

[WuDrWu]

I posted this elsewhere.....I really believe the defining part of our season is in the next 5 games.

We have 5 tough games, with only UNI and CU at home (I don't think its a stretch to say we could lose 1 or both).

Any combination is possible, with 5-0 and then 4-1 the most unlikely (to me at least).

I'm just curious where everyone thinks we'll be the morning after playing a late game against UNI on Tuesday the 19th?

[1972Shocker]

Damn good question, Doc. Wish I had a good answer. I don't really have a clue.

If I am forced to pick a number I would say 3-2 over those 5 games.

However, I would not be a Shocked Shocker if we went 5-0 or 4-1. At worst I think we would go 2-3.

What I do know is the Shocks have a great opportunity to firmly plant themselves in the thick of the conference race after these 5 games.

:goshocks:

[Shocker85]

Re: Where will the Shocks be on 1/20?

I'm just curious where everyone thinks we'll be the morning after playing a late game against UNI on Tuesday the 19th?

I think the Shocks will go 2-3 in that stretch.

MoSt will be a loss. Until the Shocks demonstrate they can beat equal or better teams on the road, I'm not on board with road upsets from this fairly young team. Once they convince themselves they need to play 40 minutes of tough basketball on the road, the Shocks will steal a game like this.

sCUm at home is a WIN - no one on the team or in the arena will forget getting jobbed in the MVC Tournament last year and the roof might come off the place. Look for a Murry to Kyles alley-oop in the closing minute with the Shocks already leading by a dozen.

They will also win either IndSt or sCUm on the road, but probably not both. Both these teams are inferior to the Shocks, but MVC road wins are difficult.

Northern Iowa has won 11 games in a row at this point and are such a veteran team I don't see them folding at Koch. Close loss.

I am ready to be proven wrong.

--'85.

[ShockerFever]

Re: Where will the Shocks be on 1/20?

I'm just curious where everyone thinks we'll be the morning after playing a late game against UNI on Tuesday the 19th?

I think the Shocks will go 2-3 in that stretch.

MoSt will be a loss. Until the Shocks demonstrate they can beat equal or better teams on the road, I'm not on board with road upsets from this fairly young team. Once they convince themselves they need to play 40 minutes of tough basketball on the road, the Shocks will steal a game like this.

sCUm at home is a WIN - no one on the team or in the arena will forget getting jobbed in the MVC Tournament last year and the roof might come off the place. Look for a Murry to Kyles alley-oop in the closing minute with the Shocks already leading by a dozen.

They will also win either IndSt or sCUm on the road, but probably not both. Both these teams are inferior to the Shocks, but MVC road wins are difficult.

Northern Iowa has won 11 games in a row at this point and are such a veteran team I don't see them folding at Koch. Close loss.

I am ready to be proven wrong.

--'85.

Sorry to be uncreative but... this.

[KC Shox]

We could go 1 and 4 the next 5 and this is still an improvement to start conference play compared to last year. Rebuilding takes time, and as long as GM is making strides every year (which he is) I am satisfied. We will exceed our 17 win total from last year and more than likely get to 20 and I am confident in an NIT berth.

[The Mad Hatter]

Re: Where will the Shocks be on 1/20?

I'm just curious where everyone thinks we'll be the morning after playing a late game against UNI on Tuesday the 19th?

I think the Shocks will go 2-3 in that stretch.

MoSt will be a loss. Until the Shocks demonstrate they can beat equal or better teams on the road, I'm not on board with road upsets from this fairly young team. Once they convince themselves they need to play 40 minutes of tough basketball on the road, the Shocks will steal a game like this.

sCUm at home is a WIN - no one on the team or in the arena will forget getting jobbed in the MVC Tournament last year and the roof might come off the place. Look for a Murry to Kyles alley-oop in the closing minute with the Shocks already leading by a dozen.

They will also win either IndSt or sCUm on the road, but probably not both. Both these teams are inferior to the Shocks, but MVC road wins are difficult.

Northern Iowa has won 11 games in a row at this point and are such a veteran team I don't see them folding at Koch. Close loss.

I am ready to be proven wrong.

--'85.

I agree with you on everything except for UNI. Last season, UNI entered the game in Koch arena having won 12 of their last 13 games, but we beat them by 8. While I see every reason to doubt that we will win at UNI, I personally wouldn't chalk the game at Koch as a lose. UNI is good enough that they certainly could beat us, but I think we should be favored at home.

Hence, I'll go with 3-2 over the 5 game stretch.

[JaminShock]

We could go 1 and 4 the next 5 and this is still an improvement to start conference play compared to last year. Rebuilding takes time, and as long as GM is making strides every year (which he is) I am satisfied. We will exceed our 17 win total from last year and more than likely get to 20 and I am confident in an NIT berth.

I agree that HCGM has us headed in the right direction, but still KC, 'more than likely' get to 20? We're at 13 right now with 15 conference games remaining, plus a BB game, plus the conference tourney. So in order to hit 20, we need to go (at worst) 7-10 the rest of the way, which would include a first-round loss in the tourney.

I know you're not as optimistic as some, but that's a pretty bleak prediction.

[WuDrWu]

1) KC has us at 12 wins, not 13

2) 8-9 is pessimistic, but its not totally out of the question either. Today, I am still of the opinion that no road win is assured and with 10 left........................

[vbird53]

I think the next two will tell us quite a bit about what to expect through 1/20. I can't think any further out than that.

The games at Missouri State and vs. Creighton are pivotal to this season. Although a loss to the Bears wouldn't kill any postseason chances, a win would do wonders. I think it's a statement game for the Marshall era if we win. And we must keep the streak at home going. At this point, there's no excuse for losing to Creighton.

[molly jabali]

i know this is optimistic heresy, but I see a win at Missouri State...I think lessons were learned at Normal.

[WstateU]

4-1

[martymoose]

We could go 1 and 4 the next 5 and this is still an improvement to start conference play compared to last year. Rebuilding takes time, and as long as GM is making strides every year (which he is) I am satisfied. We will exceed our 17 win total from last year and more than likely get to 20 and I am confident in an NIT berth.

Don't get we got all googly eyed over inflated records thanks to below .500 teams. ;-)

[shockar25]

I am really not sure about these games. I stand behind my earlier prediction that we can go undefeated at home. Road games are tough to predict due to all of the reasons stated by others.

UNI will be very tough at home, but I truly believe we can win it. Creighton will also be tough regardless of their record coming in--again, winable.

The Mo. State game will help our chances but not necessarily eliminate our chances at contending. Especially if it's a hard fought game lost by a small margin.

[MikeShox]

Jan 20

Looks like the toughest 5 game stretch of the year.

MSU will be very tough at their house. They have not been this good in a while and we have not been able to compete in Springfield after a really good stretch for a while. A loss would not be anything to hang your head about as long as the team played hard and competed. However, if the team can defend without getting into foul trouble, they can win this game.

I cannot help but believe we take it to Creighton here. The wins have been so few and far between for the past decade that you cannot help but have some reservations, but I think we have a double digit victory.

Indiana State at Terre Haute is scary. I know that we should go in and whip them, and I sincerely believe we will. However, those games against Indiana State have hurt us in the past. I do predict a win.

Creighton in Omaha has long been horrible for the Shox. This is the year to finally get that monkey off our backs. When we sweep Creighton in Omaha, we will also finally get the monkey off our backs in St. Louis.

UNI at home. UNI is a really good basketball team. Even at home we need to be at our best to beat them. I believe we can and will.

Worst will be 3-2
Best will be 5-0

Scary, but I'm the eternal optimist.

[Snapshot9]

Realistically, probably a 3-2
Optimistically, a 4-1