2-1 at a star studded Maui Tournament

[The Mad Hatter]

Hanging arround the food booths I found fans from other schools were highly impressed with the Shockers. The Shockers are leaving Maui with a lot of respect around the nation.

Were any of those people selection committee or media members?

Not to my knowledge but I'm sure they were here. I bet they feel the same.

Yeah, just because Bilas (and you can't spell Bilas without Bias) couldn't see the obvious, lots of people saw this tournament and most will recognize that we played UCONN better than anyone else (and every team UCONN played won their other two games).

Just to play devil's advocate, the other two teams got two halves of Kemba Almighty. We got one.

True, although several other things are true. If we are going to play the officiating card, the refs may have called a couple on Kemba, but they also allowed other teams to body up Kemba a lot more than in our game. At most, them losing Kemba for a half was a wash with the huge free throw advantage they gained from the officiating. Plus, in the half that Kemba played, UCONN only scored 3 more points than us.

[Kung Wu]

No Shocks on the 1st team all tournament team...but the kid from DII Chaminade makes it?

Thinking if Toure wasn't made an example of by coach, he would surely have made it. But the media personnel saw him benched, so what are they to think?

DK surely would have been in the conversation as well, but doesn't get the media attention yet.

[Kung Wu]

Hanging arround the food booths I found fans from other schools were highly impressed with the Shockers. The Shockers are leaving Maui with a lot of respect around the nation.

Were any of those people selection committee or media members?

Not to my knowledge but I'm sure they were here. I bet they feel the same.

Yeah, just because Bilas (and you can't spell Bilas without Bias) couldn't see the obvious, lots of people saw this tournament and most will recognize that we played UCONN better than anyone else (and every team UCONN played won their other two games).

Just to play devil's advocate, the other two teams got two halves of Kemba Almighty. We got one.

Didn't Toure's tight D draw both of those early fouls? I'll have to go back and watch.

[Capitol Shock]

Our team and fans should be proud of their performance this trip. We handled the tournament winner for 37 minutes before getting shafted by the officiating. The tournament winner defeated some of the best teams in the nation with less difficulty than the shocks.

Our fans showed up big and were classy. If this isn't a confidence builder for our program, I don't know what is.

[SHOXAAC]

No Shocks on the 1st team all tournament team...but the kid from DII Chaminade makes it?

Thinking if Toure wasn't made an example of by coach, he would surely have made it. But the media personnel saw him benched, so what are they to think?

DK surely would have been in the conversation as well, but doesn't get the media attention yet.

The great issue with our team is that our depth provides zero opportunity for the opposition to get a consistent feel for any individual. The bad issue with our team is that our depth provides little opportunity for any one player to gain "All-Anything" accolades.

This is new territory for any of us, including HCGM. I have been following WSU basketball since I was a toddler (no time period included here to protect the innocent). Even though back in the early 80's we had awesome starting talent, we didn't have the quality depth we have today. We aren't used to all of the features this cadillac has to offer, but watching it sail up and down the road sure is a pleasure worth watching...stay tuned!!!

[Kung Wu]

No Shocks on the 1st team all tournament team...but the kid from DII Chaminade makes it?

Thinking if Toure wasn't made an example of by coach, he would surely have made it. But the media personnel saw him benched, so what are they to think?

DK surely would have been in the conversation as well, but doesn't get the media attention yet.

The great issue with our team is that our depth provides zero opportunity for the opposition to get a consistent feel for any individual. The bad issue with our team is that our depth provides little opportunity for any one player to gain "All-Anything" accolades.

This is new territory for any of us, including HCGM. I have been following WSU basketball since I was a toddler (no time period included here to protect the innocent). Even though back in the early 80's we had awesome starting talent, we didn't have the quality depth we have today. We aren't used to all of the features this cadillac has to offer, but watching it sail up and down the road sure is a pleasure worth watching...stay tuned!!!

Absolutely. If we had to make a choice about:

a) Have one Jason Perez on your team with the same supporting cast from the 90s, or

b) Have a very solid squad that _should_ get you into the NCAA tourney each year but no Jason Perez super-human.

I think it's very obvious which we would choose.

Now, if you could combine b) with a Jason Perez it would be AWESOME, but I'll settle for a b) every day of the week given our current situation.

[SHOXAAC]

No Shocks on the 1st team all tournament team...but the kid from DII Chaminade makes it?

Thinking if Toure wasn't made an example of by coach, he would surely have made it. But the media personnel saw him benched, so what are they to think?

DK surely would have been in the conversation as well, but doesn't get the media attention yet.

The great issue with our team is that our depth provides zero opportunity for the opposition to get a consistent feel for any individual. The bad issue with our team is that our depth provides little opportunity for any one player to gain "All-Anything" accolades.

This is new territory for any of us, including HCGM. I have been following WSU basketball since I was a toddler (no time period included here to protect the innocent). Even though back in the early 80's we had awesome starting talent, we didn't have the quality depth we have today. We aren't used to all of the features this cadillac has to offer, but watching it sail up and down the road sure is a pleasure worth watching...stay tuned!!!

Absolutely. If we had to make a choice about:

a) Have one Jason Perez on your team with the same supporting cast from the 90s, or

b) Have a very solid squad that _should_ get you into the NCAA tourney each year but no Jason Perez super-human.

I think it's very obvious which we would choose.

Now, if you could combine b) with a Jason Perez it would be AWESOME, but I'll settle for a b) every day of the week given our current situation.

But don't you think we have a few Jason Perez' on this team?

[another shocker]

Bilas is making excuses for the WSU-UCONN game from ignorance of a sort.

UCONN simply couldn't keep WSU off the boards, and that was no fluke. WSU is looking DOMINANT on the boards this year.

I also believe that WSU has a good chance to break their record for 3-pointers made in a single game (Hatch, Ragland, Murry, Kyles, Smith and Williams, when he comes around.. not to mention Stutz and Durley).

[Kung Wu]

But don't you think we have a few Jason Perez' on this team?

I'm not smart enough to know that. I can look at the stats at the end of a players' career and throw out an opinion. :)

I want to believe it, but Jason Perez was a very special player. I mean what Jason Perez did with the talent around him was nothing short of phenomenal, and he performed at a very high caliber all four years.

Toure would be the closest, for sure -- he had a great freshman year.

[SHOXAAC]

But don't you think we have a few Jason Perez' on this team?

I'm not smart enough to know that. I can look at the stats at the end of a players' career and throw out an opinion. :)

I want to believe it, but Jason Perez was a very special player. I mean what Jason Perez did with the talent around him was nothing short of phenomenal, and he performed at a very high caliber all four years.

Toure would be the closest, for sure -- he had a great freshman year.

I'm with you Wu...my fan board IQ is as questionable as it comes. That being said nobody every confused me with somebody without an opinion. I agree Jason was not only a special player, but one of the most popular players of all-time. With all the s*!t going on around him during his career, he never once almost complained about anything. In addition to Murry, I believe Kyles & believe it or not Ben Smith jump out as special players. The thing is Jason's end of career stats are going to stick out more than the players we have mentioned because he was the only consistent player with the qualities we are considering. People are shaking their head about me putting Smith in this conversation. I can't put my finger on it, but as Ben Crenshaw said about the 1999 Ryder Cup team's chances before Sunday's singles "I've got a feeling (about Ben Smith)." Stay tuned.

[another shocker]

Smith is a beast. He clears out under the boards.. he doesn't miss bunnies.. and he strokes the three. Wasn't he the all time leading rebounder and scorer at his juco? It's showing here.

[ShockerFever]

Hanging arround the food booths I found fans from other schools were highly impressed with the Shockers. The Shockers are leaving Maui with a lot of respect around the nation.

Were any of those people selection committee or media members?

Not to my knowledge but I'm sure they were here. I bet they feel the same.

Yeah, just because Bilas (and you can't spell Bilas without Bias) couldn't see the obvious, lots of people saw this tournament and most will recognize that we played UCONN better than anyone else (and every team UCONN played won their other two games).

Just to play devil's advocate, the other two teams got two halves of Kemba Almighty. We got one.

Didn't Toure's tight D draw both of those early fouls? I'll have to go back and watch.

I don't think Kemba's fouls were offensive? Were they?

And I don't think Toure had tight D that game based on the starting lineups for the next game.

[im4wsu]

Hanging arround the food booths I found fans from other schools were highly impressed with the Shockers. The Shockers are leaving Maui with a lot of respect around the nation.

Were any of those people selection committee or media members?

Not to my knowledge but I'm sure they were here. I bet they feel the same.

Yeah, just because Bilas (and you can't spell Bilas without Bias) couldn't see the obvious, lots of people saw this tournament and most will recognize that we played UCONN better than anyone else (and every team UCONN played won their other two games).

Just to play devil's advocate, the other two teams got two halves of Kemba Almighty. We got one.

Didn't Toure's tight D draw both of those early fouls? I'll have to go back and watch.

I don't think Kemba's fouls were offensive? Were they?

And I don't think Toure had tight D that game based on the starting lineups for the next game.

Right, each was committed on WSU rebounds (Stutz and Durley).

[Kung Wu]

Hanging arround the food booths I found fans from other schools were highly impressed with the Shockers. The Shockers are leaving Maui with a lot of respect around the nation.

Were any of those people selection committee or media members?

Not to my knowledge but I'm sure they were here. I bet they feel the same.

Yeah, just because Bilas (and you can't spell Bilas without Bias) couldn't see the obvious, lots of people saw this tournament and most will recognize that we played UCONN better than anyone else (and every team UCONN played won their other two games).

Just to play devil's advocate, the other two teams got two halves of Kemba Almighty. We got one.

Didn't Toure's tight D draw both of those early fouls? I'll have to go back and watch.

I don't think Kemba's fouls were offensive? Were they?

And I don't think Toure had tight D that game based on the starting lineups for the next game.

Right, each was committed on WSU rebounds (Stutz and Durley).

Thanks, I couldn't remember but I plan on watchin the game again. I was trying to watch Toure fairly close at the start of the game to get a sense of how he would do, and I thought he played fine for the small amount of time Kemba was in.

I don't remember seeing Toure back off Kemba and let him have freebies in the second half until he was in foul trouble himself. I definitely remember a couple other guards letting up midway through the second half though.

[wufan]

Smith is a beast. He clears out under the boards.. he doesn't miss bunnies.. and he strokes the three. Wasn't he the all time leading rebounder and scorer at his juco? It's showing here.

I like Smith too. There is something about him that screams future All-MVC. Maybe next year he'll get his chance, but then again, he won't get 30 minutes per game next year. For now I'll relish in bringing him in off the bench (along with Blair) and thinkingto my self, our poor opponent really has no idea what kind of man stepped on to the court to make their life miserable!