Where will the Shocks be on 1/20?

[ShockerPrez]

We need to beat UNI at home. If we don't, then we can't lay claim to anything. 1-4 would be a disaster, but I don't see that happening. I think our benchmark this year has to be winning all our home games and shooting for .500 on the road. So we can afford to lose to MSU on the road, but definitely not the Sycamores, and borderline on CU.

If we can't beat MSU on the road, I can live with it, but seriously, if we can't sweep CU this year, we haven't taken the next step. They aren't what they used to be apparently. We need to drill them while we have the chance, before they potentially heat up.

[MTXE]

Where are all the cheerleaders and the predictions of - at worst - a third place finish? We beat Tech remember? :)

[Anthroshock]

Where are all the cheerleaders and the predictions of - at worst - a third place finish? We beat Tech remember? :)

Shocks finish, at worst, third place. We beat Tech remember?

MoSt and UNI may be better than Tech, especially at home.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

The Shox could go 0-5, or go 5-0. The thing is, IMO, this stretch of games is not as important as the last 6, the ones you also mentioned elsewhere.

IF we go 0-5 the next 5, we are at 2-6 in the Valley. IF we win our last 6, that brings us to 8-6. Toss in those middle four at 2-2, that leaves us 10-8, chances are out of the play-in, and having won some road games and building some confidence.

[Ashockalypse]

Jamin, don't get to wound up about what KC says. He is just (tr)ucking with us anyway. He wants to say we might get 20 and act like that is a positive thing i.e. condescend to us that 20 is what we should be fine with. No matter who we have played so far, 20 would be disappointing at this point. We should win all of our homes and we should beat at least Drake, Evansville, ISU Blue and the blujobs or Bradley on the road. Its time for fans and players alike to man up and expect something out of our team or we can just expect to be mediocre. I expect us to win 25.

[KC Shox]

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........................

Bingo, I and the NCAA do not count non-D1 wins come tourney selection and RPI time.

[KC Shox]

Jamin, don't get to wound up about what KC says. He is just (tr)ucking with us anyway. He wants to say we might get 20 and act like that is a positive thing i.e. condescend to us that 20 is what we should be fine with. No matter who we have played so far, 20 would be disappointing at this point. We should win all of our homes and we should beat at least Drake, Evansville, ISU Blue and the blujobs or Bradley on the road. Its time for fans and players alike to man up and expect something out of our team or we can just expect to be mediocre. I expect us to win 25.

How would 20 be disappointing? In a sense yes, I can see where it would be. But in the grand scheme of things, GM has taken this team from 11, 17 to 20 wins is a positive thing.

Now I will agree given our unimpressive schedule, it will take 24-25 wins for this team to sniff an outside shot of an at-large bid to the NCAAs but would definitely sew up a NIT bid.

Given our history of road woes and unimpressive showings in St. Louis I am not too out of line.

[ShockerFever]

Jamin, don't get to wound up about what KC says. He is just (tr)ucking with us anyway. He wants to say we might get 20 and act like that is a positive thing i.e. condescend to us that 20 is what we should be fine with. No matter who we have played so far, 20 would be disappointing at this point. We should win all of our homes and we should beat at least Drake, Evansville, ISU Blue and the blujobs or Bradley on the road. Its time for fans and players alike to man up and expect something out of our team or we can just expect to be mediocre. I expect us to win 25.

I love the optimism. I really do, and I hope your prediction comes to fruition.

However, have we ever gone undefeated at home? Even with our *great* teams? You have to expect at least 1 slip-up, maybe 2. I have a feeling UNI will be a bit tougher than when we got em last year.

It's easy saying that we'll win on the road, but reality is another thing. We have proven we can win against bad Cleveland State and UMKC teams on the road (although the UMKC game barely qualifies as a true road game).

However, we have not proven we can win on the road in the Valley. Until our team steps up and proves me wrong, I have to expect losses at this point. Illinois State is still fresh in my mind.

I think expecting 25 wins is begging for disappointment.

Somewhere between 20-25 would be ideal and a success for this year.

[shockerfan]

If we can't at LEAST go 3-2 during this stretch we won't be a top 3 team unless it's a tie for 3rd and the 4th or 5th seed in the tourney IMHO. And I will be very dissapointed.

[ShockCity]

@ Springdump = W
CU = W
@ Sycs = W
@ Quiet Center = L
UNI = W


...stay thirsty my friends...

[kcshocker11]

3-2 win at home and Indy St

[JaminShock]

Jamin, don't get to wound up about what KC says. He is just (tr)ucking with us anyway. He wants to say we might get 20 and act like that is a positive thing i.e. condescend to us that 20 is what we should be fine with. No matter who we have played so far, 20 would be disappointing at this point. We should win all of our homes and we should beat at least Drake, Evansville, ISU Blue and the blujobs or Bradley on the road. Its time for fans and players alike to man up and expect something out of our team or we can just expect to be mediocre. I expect us to win 25.

I love the optimism. I really do, and I hope your prediction comes to fruition.

However, have we ever gone undefeated at home? Even with our *great* teams? You have to expect at least 1 slip-up, maybe 2. I have a feeling UNI will be a bit tougher than when we got em last year.

It's easy saying that we'll win on the road, but reality is another thing. We have proven we can win against bad Cleveland State and UMKC teams on the road (although the UMKC game barely qualifies as a true road game).

However, we have not proven we can win on the road in the Valley. Until our team steps up and proves me wrong, I have to expect losses at this point. Illinois State is still fresh in my mind.

I think expecting 25 wins is begging for disappointment.

Somewhere between 20-25 would be ideal and a success for this year.

I would agree. 20 is a disappointment; 25 is a best-case scenario. If I was a betting man, I would say 23.

[ShockerWheelSU]

@MSU-?. I think this game is a key to this 5 game streak. If we win this, it would carry a lot of momentum into the rest of the conference season. It is a very capable game to win. The main key is playing defence and getting the ball inside early.

CU- W. I think the Shockers will win this game especially with the MVC tourney from last year. The Shockers need a big win over Creighton.

@ISU Blue- W. WSU should be able to win this game, especially if we beat MSU on the road. If we cannot beat the Sycamores on the road, I question how mentally strong we are and good we are.

UNI- ?. This game will be huge. When you look at our schedule at the start of the season there are certain teams in the valley that at best we can split with. UNI is one of these teams probably along with SIU, CU, MSU, Ill St. We beat this team last year. Both teams are much improved from last year. The starting five for UNI is the most experienced and probably the best in the Valley. We need to make them go to their bench and make them try to prove it.

@CU- ?. I think we can beat CU on the road in great fashion, but the major part to beating them is beating them demandly in Koch Arena a week before that. If we dominate and punch them in the mouth in Koch, it will give us a huge mental advantage in this game. I would love to see us beat them at their place because i am so tired of seeing us choke away leads at the Qwest Center.

I think for WSU to win these game they need to show off our deep and talent post players. I think we have the best overall front court in the valley and i think we need to show it off. I also think we have to play amazing defence. We need to hold teams under 60 and amazing things will happen.

Best case scenario- 5-0
Worst case scenario- 1-4
What i think will happen- 4-1

Jamin, don't get to wound up about what KC says. He is just (tr)ucking with us anyway. He wants to say we might get 20 and act like that is a positive thing i.e. condescend to us that 20 is what we should be fine with. No matter who we have played so far, 20 would be disappointing at this point. We should win all of our homes and we should beat at least Drake, Evansville, ISU Blue and the blujobs or Bradley on the road. Its time for fans and players alike to man up and expect something out of our team or we can just expect to be mediocre. I expect us to win 25.

I think 25 wins is asking for a disappointment. I think 20 wins is reasonable goal and anything on top of that is a huge bonus.

[WuDrWu]

I'm pretty sure I predicted 23 wins at the start of the season. The bad news is imho this 5 game stretch screams 2-3 or 1-4. The good news is even at 1-4 I still think we get to 23 wins.

[ShockBand]

If we win against MoSt tonight, I say we go 4-1 or 3-2. Lose tonight and its probably 2-3 or 1-4 if it puts us in a funk. Tonight's game looms large as a proving ground for this team.

GO SHOX!