WBB: Shockers at Illinois State and Southern Illinois

[1972Shocker]

The Lady Shocks (20-4, 11-1) begin the home stretch of the Valley conference race with a trip to Illinois this weekend.

Tonight at 7:00 pm the Shocks take on Illinois State (1-23, 1-12) in what should be a warm-up to the main event of the weekend when the Shocks drop down to Carbondale on Sunday for a 2:00 pm contest with perhaps the hottest team in the league Southern Illinois.

Hopefully, the Shocks are sufficiently focused on tonight's task to take care of business against the Valley's worst team. A loss to the Redbirds would quite frankly be a disaster. But I there is a reason they play the games.

The Shocks and Drake are currently deadlocked at the top of the Valley at 11-1. Drake is home this weekend against Evansville (6-7) and Indiana State (6-7).

SIU (15-9, 8-5) and the winner of 6 straight including wins over Drake (11-1) and UNI (8-4) tangles with Missouri State tonight. A triple-overtime in that game would not hurt my feelings one bit.

The Shocks defeated SIU in Wichita 80-61 on January 25th. However, SIU was missing their leading scorer, 5-5 RSo. Rishonda Napier who averages 17.3 PPG for the Salukis. SIU has not lost since that trip to Wichita.

SIU also has a big size advantage inside with 6-2 Jr. post who is a strong, athletic player average a double-double at 14.9 PPG and 11.8 RPG. Azia Washington is an athletic 6-0 forward averaging 10.3 PPG and 7.1 RPG.

The SIU lineup is rounded out with lighting quick Cartaesha Macklin, a 5-6 RJr, who is averaging 9.7 PPG and 4.6 RPG and has improved her assist to turnover ration tremendously under Coach Cindy Stein and with 6-1 Fr G Kylie Giebelhausen who roams the perimeter looking for the 3-point shot (70% of her shots).

SIU is perhaps the one team in the Valley who can not only can match Wichita State's athleticism but they probably exceed it overall.

I am expecting a very, very difficult game with SIU on Sunday.

[1972Shocker]

I anticipate that Drake will win both of its games at home this weekend. I think the Shockers have a tougher task of winning both of their games this weekend with SIU being a very difficult game on Sunday.

In any case, next weekend is shaping up to be a really big weekend for Shocker basketball. Not only will the Shocker men square of with UNI on Saturday which may very well determine the men's champion but the Shocker women play Drake next Friday which also might determine the women's champion.

Of course, both the men and the women each have two games between now and then to make that be all that it can be.

[1972Shocker]

Wichita Eagle report on this weekend's road trip.

http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article10692059.html

[Shocker-maniac]

Anyone know if either game is available to stream (video) on the Internet?

[flyingMoose]

Kelsey hits both ends of a one-and-one with 16 seconds to play to give the Shockers a four-point cushion and they sneak away with a win.

Illinois State 41-46 Shockers

[NolenKemp]

Hope they play better on the next game. Looked like they were tired and then we take a timeout that cost us 2 points when we were tied. Not a good showing at all.

[flyingMoose]

Other Scores

Southern Illinois 57-73 Missouri State !!

Northern Iowa 64-29 Indiana State

Drake 78-69 Evansville

Bradley 66-57 Loyola

[1972Shocker]

Kelsey hits both ends of a one-and-one with 16 seconds to play to give the Shockers a four-point cushion and they sneak away with a win.

Illinois State 41-46 Shockers

I just arrived home and was unable to follow the Lady Shocks tonight. Maybe that was a good thing. I about swallowed my tongue when I saw the score. Is this a sign of a tired team? I don't know for sure but if you had told me Alex would score 17 points on 7-12 shooting, grab 9 rebounds, with 5 steals, 4 assists and a blocked shot, that Kelsey would have chipped in 12 points on 5-7 shooting, and that Michaela had grabbed a game high 13 rebounds including 5 offensive rebounds I would have guessed a score closer to 71-41.

Jamillah and Alie appear to have been no shows. Looks like Jamillah ran into foul trouble. Jamillah and Alie 2 for 16 from the field for a total of 5 points in a combined 59 minutes of play. Jamillah, Allie and Michaela a combined 0-12 from 3-point territory with Aundra throwing up a miss for good measure.

At least Jaleesa appears to have given us a little bit of something off the bench. Not a lot of production in 21 minutes, 4 points on 2-4 FG's but it doesn't appear she did not hurt us too bad.

I don't know if the Shocks were simply looking past the Redbirds to SIU or if it is just their usual late season swoon. I suppose it is possible they took tonight's game for granted. However, they will be heading into Carbondale to face a team that is much, much better than Illinois State, who will be unhappy about dropping a game at home to MSU tonight. At least Alex got a little rest. Oh wait, she played 40 minutes again. Well at least she can rest on the bus ride to Carbondale, although it is possible she will be driving the bus.

If the Shocks put in this kind of performance on Sunday vs SIU it will probably not end well at all.

Hopefully, the Lady Shocks have a big bounce back left in their arsenal.

[1972Shocker]

Other Scores

Southern Illinois 57-73 Missouri State !!

Northern Iowa 64-29 Indiana State

Drake 78-69 Evansville

Bradley 66-57 Loyola

Missouri State beating SIU does not surprise me that much, athough the margin of victory does. What in the world has happened to Indiana State. The turn around from the non-conference season is unbelievably bad.

[WuDrWu]

What in the world has happened to Indiana State. The turn around from the non-conference season is unbelievably bad.

Why can't the men's team ever do that?

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

I just arrived home and was unable to follow the Lady Shocks tonight. Maybe that was a good thing. I about swallowed my tongue when I saw the score. Is this a sign of a tired team? I don't know for sure but if you had told me Alex would score 17 points on 7-12 shooting, grab 9 rebounds, with 5 steals, 4 assists and a blocked shot, that Kelsey would have chipped in 12 points on 5-7 shooting, and that Michaela had grabbed a game high 13 rebounds including 5 offensive rebounds I would have guessed a score closer to 71-41.

Jamillah and Alie appear to have been no shows. Looks like Jamillah ran into foul trouble. Jamillah and Alie 2 for 16 from the field for a total of 5 points in a combined 59 minutes of play. Jamillah, Allie and Michaela a combined 0-12 from 3-point territory with Aundra throwing up a miss for good measure.

At least Jaleesa appears to have given us a little bit of something off the bench. Not a lot of production in 21 minutes, 4 points on 2-4 FG's but it doesn't appear she did not hurt us too bad.

I don't know if the Shocks were simply looking past the Redbirds to SIU or if it is just their usual late season swoon. I suppose it is possible they took tonight's game for granted. However, they will be heading into Carbondale to face a team that is much, much better than Illinois State, who will be unhappy about dropping a game at home to MSU tonight. At least Alex got a little rest. Oh wait, she played 40 minutes again. Well at least she can rest on the bus ride to Carbondale, although it is possible she will be driving the bus.

If the Shocks put in this kind of performance on Sunday vs SIU it will probably not end well at all.

Hopefully, the Lady Shocks have a big bounce back left in their arsenal.

In Jody's post game radio interview, a very displeased Jody said it was all Alex and the rest didn't show up. I watched the game, Alex played well, not great she had five turnovers, Kelsey was good on offense and should have been more aggressive as her touch was quite good, but didn't rebound with fire. The rest of the team was way out of rhythm. Dap had nice looks and takes inside, they just didn't fall. She was a beast on the boards. Three of Alex's TO's were on travels of which I think her pivot foot doesn't move, she is just too quick for our less than stellar officials. She and Kelsey both made some nice passes that our tired players should have caught, but didn't, hence Kelsey and Alex combined for 8 turnovers. In summary: A decent Alex, a fair Kelsey and Dap and I didn't recognize the rest of the team; especially Bonner with close range airballs; though the Shocker Radio guy did say she was playing with some sort of illness. We need to regroup, get positive and come out Sunday with a win. I'm sure Jody will not have much positive to say to her team, so the team needs to take it upon themselves to get positive and edgy and blast SIU.

[flyingMoose]

In Jody's post game radio interview, a very displeased Jody said it was all Alex and the rest didn't show up. I watched the game, Alex played well, not great she had five turnovers, Kelsey was good on offense and should have been more aggressive as her touch was quite good, but didn't rebound with fire. The rest of the team was way out of rhythm.

Recently, UConn blasted South Carolina in a 1-2 matchup. Auriemma noted in the post game that all four of his offensive threats did well when normally he gets only two of the four with a good night. We had two with decent nights, but the other three had miserable nights. There was a stretch recently when we were having four players with good offensive outings.

[1972Shocker]

Recently, UConn blasted South Carolina in a 1-2 matchup. Auriemma noted in the post game that all four of his offensive threats did well when normally he gets only two of the four with a good night. We had two with decent nights, but the other three had miserable nights. There was a stretch recently when we were having four players with good offensive outings.

True. Earlier in the year it was usually 2 or maybe 3 would show up. Then we went through that stretch where we consistently had 4 in double figures and were close to 5 several games. Last night we reverted back to 2 or maybe 3. The problem is if any of our starters have an off game we have nothing in reserve to fall back on although Jaleesa gave us good caretaker minutes against SIU.

[1972Shocker]

As anticipated the Shocks RPI, despite the road win over Illinois State, jumped from 55 to 60. That's just the way the math works when you play the three 300+ RPI teams in the Valley twice each. And we may get one more of those games in the Valley Tournament which is becoming more and more the only avenue to the NCAA Tournament for Valley teams.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

As anticipated the Shocks RPI, despite the road win over Illinois State, jumped from 55 to 60. That's just the way the math works when you play the three 300+ RPI teams in the Valley twice each. And we may get one more of those games in the Valley Tournament which is becoming more and more the only avenue to the NCAA Tournament for Valley teams.

Hopefully all five starters are clicking and a threat to score. We'll need four out of five bringing their "A" game.