NEXT SEASON

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Illinois State already loses a player. Freshman guard Terry Johnson to transfer from the Redbirds.

[MadDog]

I'm still not totally sold that we're as good as we need to be at 4/5. Durley and Stutz are solid. Blair will give us 6 pts a game which is ok, I guess. But I don't see the combination of Ellis/Orupke/Hamilton giving us more than 4 pts/game, and that might be generous. If we come across a high scoring 4/5, I wouldn't mind us taking him. This assumes, of course, that we get another point guard.

[The Mad Hatter]

I'm still not totally sold that we're as good as we need to be at 4/5. Durley and Stutz are solid. Blair will give us 6 pts a game which is ok, I guess. But I don't see the combination of Ellis/Orupke/Hamilton giving us more than 4 pts/game, and that might be generous. If we come across a high scoring 4/5, I wouldn't mind us taking him. This assumes, of course, that we get another point guard.

There is no way that I can see keeping 7 post players on the roster. That is over half of your scholarships for only 2 positions.

[JaminShock]

I'm still not totally sold that we're as good as we need to be at 4/5. Durley and Stutz are solid. Blair will give us 6 pts a game which is ok, I guess. But I don't see the combination of Ellis/Orupke/Hamilton giving us more than 4 pts/game, and that might be generous. If we come across a high scoring 4/5, I wouldn't mind us taking him. This assumes, of course, that we get another point guard.

There is no way that I can see keeping 7 post players on the roster. That is over half of your scholarships for only 2 positions.

Agreed- if anything, we are TOO deep at those spots, so much so that until his surge at the end of the year, a lot of people were wanting GS to redshirt to help unclog that situation.

[vancedave56]

If any of the 7 post players could play the 3 it would help, but I don't think I'm seeing it.

[forevershockerfan]

I have no clear feel as to what will become of the player evaluation process. This is what I do believe though. Coach Marshall will be totally honest with each and every Shocker. Some may not like what they hear but this honesty is exactly what players need to improve their game with hard work. This honesty could also result in some soul searching which is good to keep folk on the same page as to expectations and reality as to what improvements are needed from each Shocker to help our rising Program.

DW made the very best of his opportunities. An injury to DK and DW's ability to play both guard positions gave him a golden opportunity to earn more playing time. DW really came on at a time that we really needed a spark and his confidence begin to improve as the Season progressed. His quickness gave our offense some fizz at times rather than being flat.

Mostly what I hear here on SN is that we want a Juco point guard and if another ship was to arise, others seem to think we could also use a SF that could slash and score. Coach Marshall is a solid recruiter and I am eager to see who we sign. All in all, our depth should improve still again which we hope results in lots of wins.

[Snapshot9]

I think many of you have your yellow shades on. I don't expect the team next year to be much different than this year. Yes, we will lose Hannah (and look how much his scoring helped us this year), and Demetric will be better (but I don't think up to par with Hannah).

Stutz will improve, Durley will be about the same. We are still in need of a prolific shooter (we miss too many shots). Murry hasn't quite been the hero this year we were all hoping he would be. Kyles has potential but hasn't quite developed yet. Ellis could be scoring 16 a game if he could get his shots falling (because they really don't guard him much).

If we win the league next year, it will surprise me.

[wushock]

I believe you are in the minority including the coach and news media

[wu_shizzle]

I think many of you have your yellow shades on.

Ellis could be scoring 16 a game if he could get his shots falling (because they really don't guard him much).

Snap, you might check the mirror...

[ABC]

I think Hatch will have to work to keep his starting spot over Kyles.

WSU will be the preseason favorite to win the MVC and we should win in the MVC.

When did the #3 position shift from a small forward to a tall guard?

It seems that many moons ago, the #3 was a 6'6", 6'7" kind of players. Wasn't Larry Bird a "small forward" at 6'9"?

[SHOXAAC]

Snapshot9 you are right about Stutz, he will improve...Durley will improve with a steady dose of practicing post moves over the summer. Right now he is very predictable with his back-in post move. He needs to develop:
1) A turn around jumper immediately upon the entry pass.
2) An immediate spin move upon the entry pass.
Right now valley schools know his limited moves inside. When he learns to be creative and spontaneous (waow...my wife says the same thing about me...ouch) he will grow to the next level...GO SHOX!!!

[SpanglerFan316]

I'm in the camp that says Durley is (almost) maxed out. His athletic ceiling is much higher but the "mental aspects" of his game will limit him next year IMHO.

I don't think Hatch is maxed out. He needs to release his shot quicker while still shooting well. He needs to take better advantage of screens and the team needs to work harder to get him open shots. Look at the last game; Hatch was 3-5 from the three while everybody else (with one possible exception) was shooting poorly.

More than anything else, the team needs to shoot better. When WSU played UNI in MVC title game, that scoring drought killed us. Murry is an average three point shooter. Kyles? Nobody on the team is that "go to" player who will find a way to get a basket when it is really needed.

Our defense needs work; when Bradley's "Sammy" lights us up, something is wrong.

[shockerfan]

I'm in the camp that says Durley is (almost) maxed out. His athletic ceiling is much higher but the "mental aspects" of his game will limit him next year IMHO.

I don't think Hatch is maxed out. He needs to release his shot quicker while still shooting well. He needs to take better advantage of screens and the team needs to work harder to get him open shots. Look at the last game; Hatch was 3-5 from the three while everybody else (with one possible exception) was shooting poorly.

More than anything else, the team needs to shoot better. When WSU played UNI in MVC title game, that scoring drought killed us. Murry is an average three point shooter. Kyles? Nobody on the team is that "go to" player who will find a way to get a basket when it is really needed.

Our defense needs work; when Bradley's "Sammy" lights us up, something is wrong.

I think Williams could be our next good shooter. And it sounds as though Richardson is a pretty darn good shooter also. Truthfully, I think we will be ok (not Nevada good) at scoring next year. What we need to do is get back to defense and holding teams under 40% again.

[SHOXAAC]

Don't give up on Durley yet. His progression has increased each year. I have to believe the coaching staff will do their job in helping Durley see how full the glass can be with more improvement from him.

Hatch will put as much if not more work in the gym this spring, summer & fall. He will "stroke it like nun other" next year. His improvement needs to come in the "don't hold the ball on his left hip looking for the pass" move. Hold the ball above the head...create separation with the pivot. He needs not to be so predictable with the ball in his hands

[wufan]

Snapshot9 you are right about Stutz, he will improve...Durley will improve with a steady dose of practicing post moves over the summer. Right now he is very predictable with his back-in post move. He needs to develop:
1) A turn around jumper immediately upon the entry pass.
2) An immediate spin move upon the entry pass.
Right now valley schools know his limited moves inside. When he learns to be creative and spontaneous (waow...my wife says the same thing about me...ouch) he will grow to the next level...GO SHOX!!!

I think Durley has dozens of post moves and that he is difficult to stop. He could certainly do it quicker.