Missouri State

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

I would be careful about saying the cupboard will be too empty going into next season. You should see Diamond Lockhart play before making those assumptions. There are other possibilities too that could be promising. There may never be another Alex, but I'm enjoying what this season produces and will wait and see who is here and what they bring to the table next fall.

VOTS: We're all enjoying this season and what might be at the end of the season. I too like Diamond and have seen her play; quite good. We're all just arm chair coaches and fans who comment on the past, present and guess the future. Bottom, line we're all fans and continue to give our speculative views.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

The stats I am finding on the Valley website show Evansville's Sara Dickey leading in average minutes played at 37.5 mpg. Alex is #2 at 36.5 mpg, Kelsey is #6 at 33 mpg, Alie is #9 at 32.5 mpg and Michaela is #10 at 31.7 mpg. Jamillah can't be too far out of the Top 10 at 30.4 mpg.

Outside of WSU, Evansville is the only other team with more than 1 player in the Top 10 list. Mallory Ladd is #4 at 33.9 ppg.

In any case, you will rarely see a team with 5 players averaging 30+ mpg. I think we will continue to see this when we play Drake, UNI, Evansville, Indiana State and MSU. I am hoping the 6 games with Illinois State, Bradley and Loyola will provide and opportunity to reduce the minutes for the starters.

I should have been clearer. In the Valley, I meant in MVC play, not overall. They keep Valley stats and overall stats. The reason I pointed this out is I already assumed we wouldn't use our bench in Valley or playoff play. So far, unfortunately, I'm correct.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

I should have been clearer. In the Valley, I meant in MVC play, not overall. They keep Valley stats and overall stats. The reason I pointed this out is I already assumed we wouldn't use our bench in Valley or playoff play. So far, unfortunately, I'm correct.

Here is Valley play:

1. Harden, Alex-WSU 3 116 38.7
2. Jacobs, Kelsey-WSU 3 115 38.3
3. Dickey, Sara-UE SO 3 113 37.7
4. Napier, Rishonda-SIU SO 2 75 37.5
5. Decker, Alie-WSU 3 110 36.7
6. Smith, Becca-LUC JR 3 104 34.7
Ladd, Mallory-UE SR 3 104 34.7
8. WINGE, Katy-ILS SR 2 68 34.0
9. Weekly, Madison-UNI SO 3 101 33.7
10. Bonner, Jamillah-WSU 3 100 33.3

[1972Shocker]

I would be careful about saying the cupboard will be too empty going into next season. You should see Diamond Lockhart play before making those assumptions. There are other possibilities too that could be promising. There may never be another Alex, but I'm enjoying what this season produces and will wait and see who is here and what they bring to the table next fall.

The cupboard going into next season is what you will be bringing back. We know what that is. I do expect that Diamond Lockhart will probably be our starting point guard. However, as a freshman at Texas Tech she averaged 4.3 ppg with 39 assists to 48 turnovers so she has a ways to go. Michaela and Alie are nice players who can get you 10-12 points per game assuming they aren't the focus of the defense. The 5 bench players are contributing 5.6 ppg and 5.5 rpg collectively after 15 games. Brittany Martin has nice length and is capable of blocking shots and rebounding but little else at this point. Alex, Jamillah and Kesley are by far ourt best defensive players and clearly they provide the leadership on this year's team.

When Jody took the WSU position she inherited a core group of Seniors Marcy Sudbeck and Daria Frazier, Sophomore Jacie Hoyt and Freshman Haleigh Lankster. Granted she only had a limited opportunity to supplement that group in her first year but she did bring in Jr. Marisah Henderson to run the point. I think this core group was every bit as good or better than what we return next year. That team went 13-18 (4-14).

But for arguments sake less say the players Jody is bringing in next year are equivalent to her first full recruiting class that came in her 2nd year (2009-10) which included Freshmen Jessica Diamond, Jasmine Gordon, Michelle Price and Chynna Turner plus Juco transfers Sheena Johnson, Morgan Boyd and Alicia Sanchez. Lankster and Henderson were back but Hoyt and several others left the program. If that is the case then perhaps a better comparison is Jody's second year. That team went 18-15 (8-10). That team was 1-1 in the Valley tournament and 1-1 in the WBI tournament.

Based on what the cupboard holds going into next year and based on what I would generally expect from D-1 newcomers (freshmen and Juco's) a finish comparable to that 2009-10 team would be in line with (and perhaps at the top of) my expectations for next year. Due to the uncertainty of how D-1 newcomers will perform at the next level even that level of expectations is at risk.

Of course, a team's record is greatly influenced by the strength of the schedule. This year's non-con schedule was decent. Not sure how wise it would be to duplicate that next year but that may already be pretty much set. The Valley is currently ranked #16 in RPI and #20 in NPI (Nolan Power Index) among 32 conferences. I would not expect that to change a whole lot next year but I have not looked at that too closely. The Shocks will probably be down and Indiana State is also losing a boatload of seniors.

[1972Shocker]

Here is Valley play:

1. Harden, Alex-WSU 3 116 38.7
2. Jacobs, Kelsey-WSU 3 115 38.3
3. Dickey, Sara-UE SO 3 113 37.7
4. Napier, Rishonda-SIU SO 2 75 37.5
5. Decker, Alie-WSU 3 110 36.7
6. Smith, Becca-LUC JR 3 104 34.7
Ladd, Mallory-UE SR 3 104 34.7
8. WINGE, Katy-ILS SR 2 68 34.0
9. Weekly, Madison-UNI SO 3 101 33.7
10. Bonner, Jamillah-WSU 3 100 33.3

Pretty small sample size at this point (3 games). Jody has always shortened her bench against the tougher teams and so far the Shocks have not played any of the real weak sisters in the Valley. It will be interesting to see what happens next week against Bradley and Loyola. If our bench can't compete against those teams then we truly do not have a bench.

Actually, our next 3 games @ Bradley, @ Loyola and home vs Illinois State will hopefully give Jody a window of opportunity to get some work for the bench players and reduce the minutes the starters are playing.

After that we host SIU before heading on a very tough road trip to UNI and to Drake. In recent years SIU would have also been an opportunity to work the bench but that may very well not be the case this year. SIU seems to be much improved.

Looking ahead he toughest portion of the Shocks Valley schedule is the last two weeks we get Drake and UNI at home and then travel to Evansville and Indiana State to finish up.

[flyingMoose]

Brittany Martin has nice length and is capable of blocking shots and rebounding but little else at this point.

Well, there is fouling a lot. :(

[1972Shocker]

Well, there is fouling a lot. :(

8.8 per 40 minutes of play. Is that too many?

[VOTS]

VOTS: We're all enjoying this season and what might be at the end of the season. I too like Diamond and have seen her play; quite good. We're all just arm chair coaches and fans who comment on the past, present and guess the future. Bottom, line we're all fans and continue to give our speculative views.

I understand. I've just seen comments indicating there may be a drastic downfall after this season, and even some suggestions this season may be the "end of our run". I would not go nearly that far as the staff is hard at work to keep this team the top in the Valley, but that statement was made somewhere in this forum.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

I understand. I've just seen comments indicating there may be a drastic downfall after this season, and even some suggestions this season may be the "end of our run". I would not go nearly that far as the staff is hard at work to keep this team the top in the Valley, but that statement was made somewhere in this forum.

i hope this run continues for as long as this old guy can continue to enjoy the Lady Shox. I will continue to express my thoughts which I hope are based mostly on fact. You too keep giving your opinion and thoughts on our team.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

8.8 per 40 minutes of play. Is that too many?

She is getting better at not swatting at the ball and going straight up. I'm sure the coaches are working on that as well as at least one offensive post move without travelling.