Shocks @ Creighton and @ Drake This Week

[1972Shocker]

The Lady Shocks (14-6, 8-1) head to Creighton (11-9, 5-4) on Thursday at 7:00 and Drake (11-9, 5-4) on Saturday at 2:00 to open up the second half of MVC play.

It will be interesting to see if the Lady Shocks can continue their strong play in the conference the 2nd time through the schedule. Not only do they have 5 tough road games out of the remaining 9 games but all the teams now have had a chance to experience how the Shocks appraoch the game and should be more prepared than in previous meetings.

The Shocks defeated Creighton 65-58 at Koch Arena in a pretty tough game. They had an easier time with Drake winning 63-41, but I don't expect things to be so easy in Des Moines this time around.

Shocker game notes: http://www.goshockers.com/pdf8/82142...DB_OEM_ID=7500

Creighton game notes: http://www.gocreighton.com//pdf8/821202.pdf

Good luck, Ladies.

:poster_shocks:

[1972Shocker]

Creighton leading the Shocks 30-29 at the half. Creighton jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first 3:30 but the Shocks behind their pressure defense went on a 14-0 run to take a 16-6 lead at the 13 minute mark. Creighton then answered a 18-4 run of their own over the next 8 minutes to regain the lead at 24-20.

Shocks have forced 12 turnovers and only committed 4, but they are getting killed on the boards getting outrebounded 23-9 and have given up 8 offensive rebounds. The Shocks have 19 points off turnovers but as they tend to do their offense bogs down big time in the half-court.

Haleigh leading the way with 8 rebounds, but leading scorer Jessica Diamond was scoreless. Jasmine Jones took up the slack there with 7 points.

No real foul trouble for either team.

Shocks need to tighten up the rebounding and, hopefully, get Jessica going offesnively in the 2nd half.

:poster_shocks:

[1972Shocker]

Shocks fall in a close one to Creighton 61-59. Shocks had two shots in the lane at about the 10 second mark to tie but Jaz Gordon missed them both.

Shocks got outrebounded 47-22 so it was a miracle they were even in this game. Shocks only scored 10 points over the final 12 minutes of this game as Creighton's zone game them fits. Shocks should expect to see a lot of zone defense over the remainder of the year.

Shocks fall to 8-2 as they lose in Omaha by 2 points for the second consecutive year.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks (8-2) lead drops to 1 game over UNI (7-3) a 73-51 winner at home over SIU and Missouri State (7-3) a 69-66 winner at Drake.

With the way the Shocks struggle on offense I am not sure they will be able to hold off UNI and/or MSU but we will see. Shocks still have road games at Drake, MSU, ILS and INS and they could very easily lose all 4. RealTimeRPI.com is projecting that the Shocks will lose all 4 of these games.

[flyingMoose]

Drake 66-69 Missouri State

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

If it weren't for the FT's, Creighton would have scored less than 10 I think.

[1972Shocker]

If it weren't for the FT's, Creighton would have scored less than 10 I think.

By my count Creighton scored 17 points over the final 12 minutes of which 11 were from the line. Still they count.

However, the basket that put Creighton up 59-57 was described by Brian as an uncontested drive down the lane for a layup by Taylor Johnson. Haleigh followed that with an air ball from three. Creighton missed from the field on the ensuing possesion and Jazimen missed a short jumper with 13 seconds remaining, got the rebound and missed the put back. Johnson hit two free throws to put the game away. Haleigh hit a meaningless uncontested layup at the buzzer to close out the game.

The Shocks scored 10 points including 4 free throws and Haleigh's meaningless layup at the buzzer. So the Shocks really only scored 8 points in the final 12 minutes when it actually counted. Unfortunately, scoring droughts are all too common and perhaps the biggest achilles heel for this team, although their rebounding is becoming a very big concern lately.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

[QUOTE=1972Shocker;294854]By my count Creighton scored 17 points over the final 12 minutes of which 11 were from the line. Still they count.

However, the basket that put Creighton up 59-57 was described by Brian as an uncontested drive down the lane for a layup by Taylor Johnson. Haleigh followed that with an air ball from three. Creighton missed from the field on the ensuing possesion and Jazimen missed a short jumper with 13 seconds remaining, got the rebound and missed the put back. Johnson hit two free throws to put the game away. Haleigh hit a meaningless uncontested layup at the buzzer to close out the game.

The Shocks scored 10 points including 4 free throws and Haleigh's meaningless layup at the buzzer. So the Shocks really only scored 8 points in the final 12 minutes when it actually counted. Unfortunately, scoring droughts are all too common and perhaps the biggest achilles heel for this team, although their rebounding is becoming a very big concern lately.

I've said this before teams will pack in a zone on the Shoxs and dare them to shoot. They continue to pass the ball around the perimeter and then as the shot clock nearly goes off, burp up a shot. Kelsey was a big rebounder early in the season now she doesn't play. Must be deep in Jody's dog house. They must win Saturday and turn it around.

[flyingMoose]

Game story from the World-Herald.

[1972Shocker]

You can do a little tweaking here and there on offense, but sometimes you are what you are. It's no secret that the Shocks are not a good perimeter shooting team and that they struggle with their half-court offense which invites teams to pack-in a zone defense against them. Creighton used the zone very effectively last night and there is no doubt there will be more zones to come.

That makes defense and rebounding even more critical for the Lady Shocks. Unfortunately, over the last 6 games the rebounding differential for the Shocks has been -14. -1, -9, -9, +11 and -25. Not surprising that the Shocks best overall game in this stretch was the +11 game vs Indiana State. What is somwhat surpirsing is that they are 4-2 during this stretch including a road win where they gave up 22 offensive rebounds (SIU) and the fact that they only lost by 2 on the road at Creighton despite being outrebounded by 25. The Shocks outrebounded Creighton by 11 when they beat the BlueJays in Wichita earleir in the season. hard to say how much of last night's debacle was due to being out-worked and out-toughed by the BlueJays and how much was due to poor fundamentals. Either way rebounding is something that you should be able to fix to a significant degree, especially since the Shocks were outrebounding opponents an average of 2 per game before this stretch of games. The Shocks need to get this fixed.

There may have been a little Fool's Gold in the Shocks 8-1 start with the way the schedule fell and with the Shocks perhaps sneaking up on a couple of teams early on the road (UNI and Bradley). That element is gone now. The Shocks are now the hunted and will have everyone's full attention plus the schedule setup is much more difficult in the 2nd half of the MVC season.

The Shocks season may very well be at a tipping point at this time. Hard to predict which way it will go. We will find out a lot about this team and coaching staff over the remaining 8 games. Hopefully, we will be happy with the answers.

[flyingMoose]

Illinois State 78-67 Indiana State

[1972Shocker]

Illinois State 78-67 Indiana State

That moves Illinois State into a 3-way tie for 2nd with MSU and UNI all at 7-3 one game behind the Shocks. Illinois State has some nice looking players.

Shocks still have to play at ILS and MSU and they get UNI at home. They've got their work cut out for them to hold of this trio.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks with a very solid offensive 1st half of basketball lead Drake 37-28 at the half (and that was with Drake hitting a jump shot at the buzzer).

Game was very tight through the 1st 16:30 with the Shocks leading 26-24 at the point, but the Shocks closed out the half on a 11-4 run behind Jessica and Jazimen.

The big difference from the Creighton game. Jessica has 18 points on 8-10 shooting in 14 minutes of play after going scoreless against Creighton.

Shocks are hanging in on the boards trailing 13-15.

Drake's 6'3" Rachel Hackbarth with 10 points and 7 rebounds. About in line with her averages as the leading scorer in the Valley.

Hopefully, the Shocks can keep it up, although I'm sure Drake may make some adustments to try and limit Jessica's touches and looks in the 2nd half.

Not a lot of fouls called in the 1st half. 7 on the Shocks and only 4 on Drake. Haleigh and Chynna with 2 each. Kyndal Clark with 2 for Drake.

I did like that Jody played 10 players which might help with the legs later in the 2nd half.

:poster_shocks:

[1972Shocker]

Shocks need to come out in the second half and at least maintain the lead at or near the 9-point halftime advantage and not let Drake right back in the game.

Update #1: So far, so good. Shocks up 41-30 at the 1st media timeout. However, according to Brian Drake has just gone into a zone defense for the 1st time today. We will see how the Shocks handle that.

Update #2: Shocks doing OK against the zone. Alica with only her 5th 3-point make of the year and Jazimen with 7 second half points. Shocks lead 49-38.

Update #3: Haleigh makes her presence felt getting a steal and scoring 2 baskets within 30 seconds of the 2nd media timout. Shocks playing well and also picked up a basekt from Kelsey as a bonus. Shocks lead 61-43 at the 7 minute mark with Alex at the line for 2 coming out of the media timeout.

Update #4: Shocks up 68-47 at the final media timeout. Rachel Hackbarth at the line for Drake coming out of the timeout. Shocks with the youngsters in the game - Bugg plus 4 freshmen - Alex, Krystle, Kelsey and Molly. Molly gets her 1st Valley basket of her career and is fouled and makes the free throw. Nicole Wells and Brittany Taylor (walk-on) now in the game.

Final: Shockers 74 - Drake 56 (a couple of late treys by Drake starters against the end of the Shockers bench). Shocker walk-on Brittany Taylor out of Valley Center hits a trey to close out the scoring.

Jessica with 22 on 10-13 shooting, Jaz with 13 and Haleigh 12. Jessica also lead the Shocks with 5 rebounds. Haleigh had 5 steals. Krystle 4 assists and only 1 turnover. 12 Shockers played, 11 scored.

Very nice snap back from the Creighton game. If the Shocks can play like they have against Indiana State and Drake they are tough to handle.

[flyingMoose]

Creighton 55-63 Missouri State

UNI hosts Evansville later this evening.