2014/15 WBB Predictions

[Shocker-maniac]

I love watching the lady Shockers play. They are a defense oriented team. They are tough and gritty, and they go all out on every possession.

Coach Adams seems to think that they have the potential to be good enough to get an at large berth in the tournament. They have what I think might be the toughest OOC schedule in the history of the program. The numbers on the roster are down a bit due to a couple of off season personnel issues.

So, how do you think they will do this season? Non-conference record? Conference record? How does the conference look this year? Stronger or down? Can the Shockers advance in the tourney this time?

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

I love watching the lady Shockers play. They are a defense oriented team. They are tough and gritty, and they go all out on every possession.

Coach Adams seems to think that they have the potential to be good enough to get an at large berth in the tournament. They have what I think might be the toughest OOC schedule in the history of the program. The numbers on the roster are down a bit due to a couple of off season personnel issues.

So, how do you think they will do this season? Non-conference record? Conference record? How does the conference look this year? Stronger or down? Can the Shockers advance in the tourney this time?

It will be at least half way through the season before the new players contribute. I think we go six maybe seven deep. Bonner, Alex and Kelsey are as good as it gets in Valley. Dap, when hot really contributes. I think we will win the Valley, be at least .500 in the pre-season and win our first NCAA game.

[Shocker-maniac]

It will be at least half way through the season before the new players contribute. I think we go six maybe seven deep. Bonner, Alex and Kelsey are as good as it gets in Valley. Dap, when hot really contributes. I think we will win the Valley, be at least .500 in the pre-season and win our first NCAA game.

I like that prediction a lot because it shows continued progress for the program. I wonder if this is the year that Dap can be more of a consistent contributor.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

I like that prediction a lot because it shows continued progress for the program. I wonder if this is the year that Dap can be more of a consistent contributor.

Dap has a very nice game. I don't why she waits until the playoffs get hot. I think she might launch a few two many 3's and needs to balance her game. The coaches have asked Kelsey to stretch her game and she is shooting longer range shots which will open up the defense and attacks to the rim. Alex is just plain solid. Allie can shoot the 3, just needs to be consistent. I don't think anyone will touch us in the Valley.

[1972Shocker]

I think we can go 9-3 in the preseason and 15-3 in the Valley if we play consistently well and avoid injuries. Winning the Valley post-season tournament is always tough because the Valley's only dance ticket usually depends on winning that tournament and everyone is always fired up. If the Shocks can go 24-6 in the regular season and get to the championship game in the Valley tournament they may have a shot at an at-large berth although I would prefer not to depend on that.

We pretty much know that Alex, Jamillah and Kelsey (if she can stay injury free) will be key components. We need consistent play from Michaela over a full season and we need her and Alie to be able to keep defenses from sagging too much against us. Hopefully, Jaleesa, Moriah and Kayla are ready to step up their games a notch as sophomores. Anything we get from Aundra Stovall and Brittany Martin would be icing on the cake. Hopefully, we will be able to go 8 deep on a consistent basis. Foul trouble is something will want to avoid as much as possible.

In particular I would like to see Alex cap off a great Shocker career with a fantastic Senior season that will earn her the Valley POY honors that she should have won last year. Drake's Kyndall Clark, a good player but not in a class with Alex, won that award last year and will return for Drake. Personally, I would take Drake's Lizzie Wendell, last year's co-freshman of the year, over Clark. Drake may well be our primary competition this season as I think Indiana State will be down. UNI and Evansville could also be tough. UNI probably has the best size in the league as they have two 6-3 players and two 6-2 players.

I think those will be the 4 teams at the top of the heap in the Valley when the dust settles. It will be interesting to see what the coaches think when the pre-season polls are released.

[Shocker-maniac]

In particular I would like to see Alex cap off a great Shocker career with a fantastic Senior season that will earn her the Valley POY honors that she should have won last year.

That would be a great thing!

[1972Shocker]

Shocker women picked to repeat as Valley Champions in the MVC Pre-Season poll collecting 36 of the 40 first place votes.

Alex Harden was named pre-season POY even though the reigning POY, Kyndal Clark of Drake is also on the preseason All-Conference team. I'm still more than a little steamed about that outcome last year.

The 4 teams at the top of the poll are in line with my expectations. I think it will be a good valley race this year.

:poster_shocks:

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

Shocker women picked to repeat as Valley Champions in the MVC Pre-Season poll collecting 36 of the 40 first place votes.

Alex Harden was named pre-season POY even though the reigning POY, Kyndal Clark of Drake is also on the preseason All-Conference team. I'm still more than a little steamed about that outcome last year.

The 4 teams at the top of the poll are in line with my expectations. I think it will be a good valley race this year.

:poster_shocks:

I too agree with these predictions. We will be short on depth so as long as we stay healthy and out of foul trouble, we should take the Valley. Hopefully our younger and newer players will develop and make a contribution on this 10 player roster.

[1972Shocker]

Lady Shocks, not surprisingly, have focused on rebounding in practice:

ST. LOUIS — Wichita State’s women’s basketball team returns four starters, but lost leading rebounder Michelle Price.
There is no mystery on which skill coach Jody Adams is pushing hardest in practice. Every rebound is charted. So are box-outs. Players and teams win drills by earning points for those efforts, in addition to points or defensive stops.

“Our coaches always say every drill is a rebounding drill,” senior center Kelsey Jacobs said.

WSU, as it did last season, will rely on a team effort on the boards. Guard Alex Harden averaged 5.7 rebounds a game. Jacobs contributed 4.4 and guard Jamillah Bonner added 4.2. WSU’s guards are athletic enough to battle bigger players on even terms.

“You not only challenge your bigs, you challenge your guards,” Adams said. “With eight returners, our philosophy of defense is set. The rebounding emphasis has been taken to another level to fill that void.”

Price averaged 7.3 rebounds, fifth in the MVC. Jacobs wants to improve her rebounding numbers. Sophomore center Brittany Martin, a transfer from Northwest Florida State College, is WSU’s tallest player at 6-foot-2.

While the Shockers aren’t big across the front line, Adams sees them as capable of making rebounding about boxing out, quickness and hustle instead of size.

WSU’s work against taller, quicker male practice players is good preparation for surviving in the lane without overpowering size.

“If we do the details right, we will be able to pick up for Michelle,” Adams said. “Kelsey and (forward Michaela Dapprich) are very aware of the challenges. With their size, they’re going to do it by detail.”

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/sports/college...#storylink=cpy

[Shox1979]

It doesn't surprise me at all the ladies are picked to win the Valley again this year. Losing Michelle could be a huge blow. She was one of the most active Lady Shockers I've ever seen play. I've seen girls with way more natural talent come and go that didn't have the impact she did based clearly on her dedication. I worry about the depth of our team. Hopefully we can stay injury free, and don't get worn down late in the season as we seem to have done the last few years.
I think in a better league against better coaching our lack of depth and size would be used against us greatly. However our players and staff are clearly the class of the Valley so if we play like we are capable I think we should be fine. I know its been mentioned that the Valley could be a two bid league this season but I have trouble seeing that. A team would have to have an outstanding record and lose in the Tournament to have any kind of shot. Hopefully we have that kind of regular season and go ahead and win the tourney anyway.

[1972Shocker]

I know its been mentioned that the Valley could be a two bid league this season but I have trouble seeing that. A team would have to have an outstanding record and lose in the Tournament to have any kind of shot. Hopefully we have that kind of regular season and go ahead and win the tourney anyway.

I agree that for the Valley to get two bids to the dance the best team in the league would have to not win the auto bid. This kind of happened in 2013. WSU and Creighton were regular season co-champs at 15-3. I believe CU lost in the semi-finals of the Valley Tournament and the Shockers won the auto-bid. CU who finished the season at 24-7 did receive an at-large bid and I believe they even won their opening game in the NCAA Tournament before bowing out. CU finished with an RPI of 41 that year.

The Shocks are capable of building an adequate at-large resume this year and have the schedule that gives them that opportunity but winning the auto-bid is always the best way to go for Valley teams. Not sure if any of the other teams have the firepower or schedule to build an adequate resume or not.

Last year the Shocks had the only sub-100 RPI in the Valley at 83. Obviously, that won't be good enough for an at-large berth.
2 games really hurt the Shocks last year. One was the game the OT loss at home to #22 RPI St. Joseph's after blowing a big second half lead. The other was a loss late in the season to #336 RPI Southern Illinois.

There is very little margin from error for the Shocks to build an at-large worthy resume.

[tgcshock]

My prediction is that Alex will average 40 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 steals a game and lose out in the Valley POY race to someone couldn't make the team at WSU.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

My prediction is that Alex will average 40 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 steals a game and lose out in the Valley POY race to someone couldn't make the team at WSU.

Though it is an exhibition against a Div. II today, we should have some indication of how we look and who will contribute. Creighton, will be the true test.