Shocks V. Panthers Gamethread

[newshock1234]

I came away thinking we are the better team out of the 2, we hit our normal FT %, we wins this game hands down. I hope we meet these guys in the finals in St. Louis.

I honestly got the same impression. However, one team is 11-1 and another is 8-4. There is a difference.

and IMO why that is, is because one Team is a senior Laden team who has been together a lot more, they know how to win on the road consistency and the other is just now starting to come around, with 1 senior on their team and just starting to learn how to be tough on the road.

[kcshocker11]

KC11 is still upset the officials didn't help WSU win the game.
He probably expected the officials to shoot the FT's for WSU, so they could have a 'do over' in case they missed some.

I think you just made your top ten!
8) :goshocks:

[SpanglerFan316]

Ouch...that was tough to stomach.

IF, I say again, IF the guys learn from tonight then they will be a handful come March, and not just for the other Valley teams.

'Fever, honest question; why is USU the most important game the rest of the way? You don't think we have any chance for an at large (I don't either fwiw).....it seems to me that either of our Valley road games would be the most important....just sayin.

While the USU game might be the BEST game until St. Louis, I happen to think right now it is the least important. Maybe it's just me.

No doubt the guys have to wear this loss. Getting out toughed on the boards and missing free throws doesn't cut it, period. I did like our fight and aside from the T and JT's terrible shot at the end, I liked our composure.

I do have to take up with those defending the refs.....I thought the game was fairly called, and WSU can look at many reasons of their own doing that led to the loss. But I am really sick of the "don't blame the refs, you had your chance" comments.

So if a team makes every shot, gets every rebound and still gets fouled down 1 on the last play of the game, they then get the call because they didn't make any mistakes until then? If it's a foul, it's a foul and not being "bailed out" by the refs.

I'm not bitching about the no call, and in fact watching the replay, I am not 100% convinced it was a foul. However Murry was fouled on the 3 he made earlier and should have shot the and 1.

I just don't like the "they had their chance so don't blame the missed call late" defense. Those guys have tough, thankless jobs and that crew tonight is as good as it gets, period.

One question I do have on the Murry shot. If he jumps into Kwazdo, instead of straight up and there is a colision (which there would have been) does he get the call there? I ask only because Kujo wasn't going straight up in the situation...trying to compare to the no call against PJ late in the Syracuse game.

Learn from it, get better, get ready to win in St. Louis.

I believe even more today that WSU is the most likely winner of the MVC tourney in March. Not saying they will win (yet) but I believe they are more likely than anyone else. God knows we are due.

Nice post. The Shocker players lost the game, in my opinion because of mental mistakes as much as missed free throws, etc. I don't know if Murry was fouled at the end or not but that was the wrong shot to take. Hannah could have been more agressive and tried a fewmore threes IMHO. Blair got the ball near the basket a few time and backed off rather than take it to the defender, especially since he was somewhat unguarded on some of the occasions. Stutz's pass to nobody and his other errors were tough to watch. Durley's defense was bad at times; I hate to hear Durley called "lazy" by the broadcasters as Shrek goes for another easy basket. Hatch needs to learn to take and make contested threes once in a while. Williams needs to get better. Ellis wasn't too bad; he played within himself and fought hard. Kyles? Did he play? Did we try any backdoor plays?

[SpanglerFan316]

Maybe I should add that we're three games out of first place and three games out of ninth place. We could still end up playing on Thursday. Mental toughness will be required and the Shocker supply of toughness seems limited.

[shockerfanmas]

First I have to say, to whoever it was that said Kennedy wasn't biased and that you believe everything he says... get a clue! Mike Kennedy is the most biased announcer I have ever listened to on the radio. He is the main reason I try my best to avoid listening to Shocker broadcasts on the radio, because he spends more time abusing the officials than calling the action. He has no clue what a foul is and isn't.

That being said, I think the officiating was pretty solid, but my personal opinion is, if you're going to call 3 ticky tack fouls on Northern Iowa in the opening minute of the second half, then PLEASE call fouls when BOTH teams are trying to kill each other in the post. Post play was way too rough in my opinion tonight, and it should have been handled better.

That was definitely not a foul at the end of the game. Toure took a stupid shot to begin with, and then backed away from the contact, like the Shockers did most of the game. Instead of going strong and drawing contact, they backed away from it all game. The Shox definitely didn't deserve a foul call on the last shot of the game. You can blame the officials all you want, but they didn't let Northern Iowa grab offensive rebounds all game long, they didn't take poor shots all game long, and they sure as heck didn't miss free throws from the line. Good free throw shooters make free throws despite the pressure, and Gabe Blair was the only good free throw shooter I saw for the Shox tonight.

The Shox lost this game because they couldn't take advantage of their opportunities. You can't win when you get pounded on the boards, can't play defense against a sub par player who just happened to have a hot night, and can't make the easiest shot in the world, a free throw. They have nobody to blame but themselves for this loss. That being said, I'm still not convinced that UNI is the better team, and I'm still not convinced that WSU's chances of an at-large bid are over.

I think everybody can admit that this is a much improved basketball team compared to last year, and that anything less than the NIT this year would be a huge dissapointment. Final comment: Adam Koch has to be the sorriest excuse for a human being I have ever seen in a long time. He whines all the time, and he is a dirty player. He got away with elbows all game long. I wish somebody would have put him on his ass where he belongs.

[ShockerFever]

You may need to sit down, but fanmas, I agree with EVERYTHING in your post. EVERYTHING.

[shockerfanmas]

WHAT?? Shockerfever, are you feeling ok? Come on now, don't go soft on me, you are my #1 hater. lol. I'm the first one to admit that I don't always think before I post, but I actually took the time to think things through before I posted this time. It gets tiring having petty arguments and meltdowns with people on here every time the shockers lose. I decided its time to start posting with my head instead of my heart. Glad you and I see eye to eye on this one.

[WuDrWu]

Maybe I should add that we're three games out of first place and three games out of ninth place. We could still end up playing on Thursday. Mental toughness will be required and the Shocker supply of toughness seems limited.

I have read several posts similar to this one.....not every team that loses a game is on the immediate path to meltdown or failure.

Yes the Shocks lost last night and certainly they had it in their hands to win. Even the most loyal UNI fan had to walk away knowing the Panthers were a little more than fortunate to win. I understand we lost last night....and I understand that it is possible WSU could finish 9th. However, there is NOTHING to indicate that's going to happen. These kids played hard, tough defense that not one team in the Valley, other than UNI, has showed ANY interest in handling this season for any length of time.

Projecting any losses at home the rest of the way is a stretch to say the least.

I guess my point is the team got better last night, again. They played a TOUGH team....nobody else has figured out UNI and last I checked 6 of the teams behind us still have to play them again. Yes they did a few uncharacteristic things like the free throws that is bothersome, but they played hard and the defense was great and in a brutal atmosphere against a really, really good team, the Shocks led for most of the game and had every chance to win.

That they didn't, to me, says as much about how good UNI is as anything it exposes about our Shocks. People (fans) don't often enough give enough credit to the opposition.

I look forward to meeting them one last time in St. Louis for all the marbles, as it should be. Let's just focus on continuing to improve over the next 4 weeks, take care of our business at home and let the chips fall where they may.

One last note....labotomizing the Panthers next season will be very enjoyable. I suspect that's the last victory for UNI against the Shocks for some time to come.

[SpanglerFan316]

Doc: I agree that the Shocks improved in some regards but they regressed in other ways. They were not mentally tough when UNI increased defensive pressure; the Shocks quit playing organized offense, made silly turnovers, took poor shots, etc. I don't recall any backdoor cuts (although Stutz's pass out of bounds might have been intended for a cutter?) when UNI was overplaying us.

In the Valley tourney, other teams are going to pressure us; I don't know how well the team will respond. It takes only one "WSU@DU" game or one "mental errors" game in St. Louis to end our season out of the big dance. This team is too good overall to end the season in the NIT or CBI or ??.

[ShockRef]

Doc,
Answering your contact/foul question...

If the defensive player has a legal guarding position and the offensive player initiates contact, it's either an offensive foul or nothing.

Typically, if the offensive player initiates the contact and by doing so negatively affects his attempt, we let it go as nothing.

If the offensive player initiates contact and it's considered excessive, it's an offensive foul.

The only time an offensive player can initiate contact and have a foul called is when the defensive player has his arms extended above the offensive player.

Quite simply, the defensive player does not have a legal guarding position and the offensive player has the right to go up vertically.

The key word here is vertical and not at an angle. 8)

[newshock1234]

First I have to say, to whoever it was that said Kennedy wasn't biased and that you believe everything he says... get a clue! Mike Kennedy is the most biased announcer I have ever listened to on the radio. He is the main reason I try my best to avoid listening to Shocker broadcasts on the radio, because he spends more time abusing the officials than calling the action. He has no clue what a foul is and isn't.

not saying Mike Kennedy is biased, but i wouldnt say he is the most biased, you should listen to the Drake guys.

[SubGod22]

First I have to say, to whoever it was that said Kennedy wasn't biased and that you believe everything he says... get a clue! Mike Kennedy is the most biased announcer I have ever listened to on the radio. He is the main reason I try my best to avoid listening to Shocker broadcasts on the radio, because he spends more time abusing the officials than calling the action. He has no clue what a foul is and isn't.

not saying Mike Kennedy is biased, but i wouldnt say he is the most biased, you should listen to the Drake guys.

And I don't remember when that was posted but it was definitely tongue in cheek.

Kennedy does a great job and when I have listened to him he hasn't been that bad at going after officials. You also have to remember the vantage point he's viewing the game things will look different than they do on TV or from where the officials are standing. Kennedy does a GREAT job and is very knowledgable.

[lawmaker]

Kennedy has been the same for the last 30 years. Great announcer but talks about the refs waaaay too much.

WSU needs to win the MO VALLEY tourney and I think they have a great shot at it. But if they do not win it, then at least they will have a NIT game at home.

[rZ]

Kennedy is absolutely fantastic. He's not just some announcer calling a game because its his job. He is a true fan who eats, sleeps, and breaths Shocker athletics. While some may call is outright bias, I think it demonstrates the passion he has for this university.

But whatever you call it, it sure as hell beats listening to "The Bruce" talk about how bad WSU is while praising the opposing team with a seemingly endless string of compliments as to their greatness. Last night, "The Bruce" couldn't say enough about how great uni was, while being astounded that WSU carried a lead into the half.

[Ricardo del Rio]

When UNI had 5 personal fouls in the first 4 minutes of the second half, I was almost delirious. All we had to do was stay out of foul trouble and make free throws. What was I thinking? I am going to rehab right away.

If there was a stat categoy for dumb fouls, I am sure the Shockers would be leading the conference and nation. Gabe Blair had a foul near the far sideline. I saw the action and all I could think was "What in the hell is he thinking?"

UNI does not shoot that well from the perimeter. I wished we had played more zone, but that is just me. Just sayin'.

Having your two of the best players on the bench with foul trouble is not helpful.

I was so bummed out last night. Teresa hid all sharp objects, which were in the house.

We have a shot in STL. Get your tix and reservations.