Shockers v Northern Iowa (Friday) and Drake (Sunday)

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers are home for the second weekend of conference play, meeting the Panthers at 7pm Friday followed by the Bulldogs at 2pm Sunday.

Northern Iowa are a preseason pick for third in the Valley. They have a current record of 6-7 with a 1-1 mark in conference. They have three players averaging double digits: Madison Weekly (First Team All-Valley last year) at 16.4, Amber Sorenson at 14.5 and Jen Keitel at 10.0. Their shooting percentages are 36.6 and 29.7 from beyond the arc.

Drake are a preseason pick for second in the Valley. With a 1-1 record in conference, their overall record is 8-5. The Bulldogs also have three player averaging double digits. Lizzy Wendell (First Team last year and Preseason Conference POY) averages 20.7 with Maddy Dean (First Team last year) at 13.4 and Sara Rine at 11.7. Caitlin Ingle, another First Teamer last year, averages 9.9 ppg. As noted by @molly jabali:, Sammie Bachrodt, a stalwart at KMC, is a freshman at Drake and has started all thirteen games, averaging 5.9 ppg. As a team, Drake shoots 44.8% from the floor with a 31.1% mark on their threes.

Rangie at 13.3 ppg and TaQuandra at 11.8 ppg lead the Shocker scoring. Shooting percentages from the floor for the Shocks are 39.1 and 30.6. Their W-L record is 3-10 for the season and 0-2 in conference.

The game notes from Northern Iowa are here.

For the Northern Iowa game, the LiveStats are here and the video is here.

[ShockdaWorld]

The UNI game Friday night will be the first women's game I've seen, and I will be there with my 8 year old and her best friend. Any suggestions on where to sit? Also, is the SASO lot that's closed for men's games open for the women's game? Wondering how early we should be there.

[1972Shocker]

Despite the egg laid by the Lady Shocks last weekend I still see no reason why they can not be competitive in most of there Valley games. From what I have seen of the Valley women this year and granted that's not a lot, I have not been overly impressed.

SIU, DU and MSU look to be the top tier of the Valley.

UNI, INS and LOY would be in the middle tier and ILS, BU and EVN would make up the bottom tier in my estimation.

Not sure the Shocks have enough to knock of any of the top 3. I suppose based on their performance to date the Shocks would have to be place in the bottom tier group. That said I think they are talented enough to beat any of these teams except perhaps the top 3. I guess will find out Friday against UNI.

In their most recent game Madison Weekly scored 28 of UNI's 60 points in their 5-point home loss to SIU. At the end of the 1st Quarter it was SIU 16 - Madison Weekly 13. Looks like UNI is vulnerable if you can keep Weekly under control.

Drake OTOH has a more balanced offensive attack to support Lizzy Wendell who can really fill it up if she gets going.

[1972Shocker]

Question about Rangie Bessard?

When the Shocks announced the transfer of Rangie Bessard from Minnesota at the end of the 1st semester last year they reported that she played in 7 games for Minnesota and would have 3 years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2nd semester of last year and the 1st semester of this year.

The Shocker roster on GoShockers.com lists Rangie as a Freshman. I have seen no mention of any injuries at Minnesota that might qualify her for a medical redshirt and I thought she was a sophomore eligibility-wise this year. Does anyone know if that roster listing is accurate and, if it is accurate, how that came about?

[flyingMoose]

The UNI game Friday night will be the first women's game I've seen, and I will be there with my 8 year old and her best friend. Any suggestions on where to sit? Also, is the SASO lot that's closed for men's games open for the women's game? Wondering how early we should be there.

There are some reserved sections for season ticket holders - I think the two sections behind the Shocker bench and the two sections across from the Shocker bench. The rest of the arena is GA. The parking spaces immediately west of the area are reserved for season ticket holders. The north part of that lot is open and the part of the lot south of the "exit lanes to the west" is open. There are parking lot attendants to make sure you don't get in the wrong spot. :) Arriving by 630pm should be good. Give you a chance to get your tickets and hit the concession stand. :)

[flyingMoose]

Question about Rangie Bessard?

When the Shocks announced the transfer of Rangie Bessard from Minnesota at the end of the 1st semester last year they reported that she played in 7 games for Minnesota and would have 3 years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2nd semester of last year and the 1st semester of this year.

The Shocker roster on GoShockers.com lists Rangie as a Freshman. I have seen no mention of any injuries at Minnesota that might qualify her for a medical redshirt and I thought she was a sophomore eligibility-wise this year. Does anyone know if that roster listing is accurate and, if it is accurate, how that came about?

I think it is inaccurate. I have heard Steve Strain, the play-by-play guy, refer to her as a sophomore.

[1972Shocker]

The UNI game Friday night will be the first women's game I've seen, and I will be there with my 8 year old and her best friend. Any suggestions on where to sit? Also, is the SASO lot that's closed for men's games open for the women's game? Wondering how early we should be there.

I think there are only two sections of reserved seating on each side of the arena. I think those are the lower bowl in Sections 106 and 108 on the West side and the lower bowl in Sections 121 and 122 one the East side. The ushers can tell you for sure. Otherwise, everything else is GA seating. You should not have any trouble at all finding great seats about anywhere in the arena.

As far as parking goes, and if it is the same as they have done it in the past, they have some reserved parking for season ticket holders on the north and west sides of the arena along Hillside and 21st. Otherwise parking should not be an issue and you should be able to park reasonably close to the arena in the lots on Hillside just to the South and West of the arena. I think you should be fine if you get there 15 to 20 minutes before game time depending on whether or not you want to stop at the concession stand. Note that they may only have one concession stand open.

[flyingMoose]

Despite the egg laid by the Lady Shocks last weekend I still see no reason why they can not be competitive in most of there Valley games.

The Shocks got off to a good start with their press against ILS. However, the Redbirds soon adapted. Later, there were stretches where the Shocks looked totally lost. As Jaleesa and Aundra are bringing the ball up in the backcourt. they manage to throw the ball out of bounds with no pressure being applied. Diamond is the bringing the ball up and it just squirts away from her. Again, absolutely no pressure. Bumping into each other while trying to run their offense. Very discouraging to watch. I am hoping playing at home helps, but they are very unlikely to come close to either of these teams this weekend - well, maybe UNI.

Sabrina started both of the games, but she is still way rusty and contributed very little. She has one rebound per nineteen minutes of play. I know the staff is high on her though. Hmm, I think I will stop and start working on my positive game face and hope I am wrong about the weekend. :)

[ShockTalk]

Despite the egg laid by the Lady Shocks last weekend I still see no reason why they can not be competitive in most of there Valley games. From what I have seen of the Valley women this year and granted that's not a lot, I have not been overly impressed.

SIU, DU and MSU look to be the top tier of the Valley.

UNI, INS and LOY would be in the middle tier and ILS, BU and EVN would make up the bottom tier in my estimation.

Not sure the Shocks have enough to knock of any of the top 3. I suppose based on their performance to date the Shocks would have to be place in the bottom tier group. That said I think they are talented enough to beat any of these teams except perhaps the top 3. I guess will find out Friday against UNI.

In their most recent game Madison Weekly scored 28 of UNI's 60 points in their 5-point home loss to SIU. At the end of the 1st Quarter it was SIU 16 - Madison Weekly 13. Looks like UNI is vulnerable if you can keep Weekly under control.

Drake OTOH has a more balanced offensive attack to support Lizzy Wendell who can really fill it up if she gets going.

It is very early in conference play and we were on the road last week. However, getting beat by a combined 47 points by what you describe as a middle tier and lower tier team seems to be a pretty good reason about them not being competitive in most of their Valley games. They have played much better games than those 2 this season, so that's something to point to. Also, having so many new players, we should see much more team improvement than normal. I'll hang my hat on those. If they don't split this weekend, a .500 season will be tough to reach, even with their "improvement ceiling". Probably more like 7-11 at best.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks got off to a good start with their press against ILS. However, the Redbirds soon adapted. Later, there were stretches where the Shocks looked totally lost. As Jaleesa and Aundra are bringing the ball up in the backcourt. they manage to throw the ball out of bounds with no pressure being applied. Diamond is the bringing the ball up and it just squirts away from her. Again, absolutely no pressure. Bumping into each other while trying to run their offense. Very discouraging to watch. I am hoping playing at home helps, but they are very unlikely to come close to either of these teams this weekend - well, maybe UNI.

Obviously, they need to take care of the ball a little bit. They won't win if they turn the ball over 30+ times as they have in 2 of the last 3 games. In those 2 games the Shockers had a total of 64 turnovers. The sad thing was their opponents had 57 turnovers. Perhaps even sadder is that the only team involved in those two games that had less than 30 turnovers was D-II Oklahoma Christian with 27. The Shocks had 33 against OCU and 31 against Illinois State who themselves had 30 turnovers in that game. Those are not he kind of games that fans will enjoy watching.

[1972Shocker]

It is very early in conference play and we were on the road last week. However, getting beat by a combined 47 points by what you describe as a middle tier and lower tier team seems to be a pretty good reason about them not being competitive in most of their Valley games. They have played much better games than those 2 this season, so that's something to point to. Also, having so many new players, we should see much more team improvement than normal. I'll hang my hat on those. If they don't split this weekend, a .500 season will be tough to reach, even with their "improvement ceiling". Probably more like 7-11 at best.

I can't really argue with that. I was really surprised we lost so badly especially to Illinois State who may not win another game this year. Kind of reminds me of the Jane Albright days when the Shocks would regularly get demolished on the road. We knew coming into this year that this Shocker team had very little D-1 experience and perhaps that is mostly what is at play.

BTW, speaking of Jane Albright. Her Nevada Wolfpack team is 1-13 with their only win against D-II San Francisco State. So I guess things could be worse.

[flyingMoose]

BTW, speaking of Jane Albright. Her Nevada Wolfpack team is 1-13 with their only win against D-II San Francisco State.

Clearly she need to open a consulting business about being a world-class interviewee. That is her true calling. I mean, I think she could convince Donald Trump to hire her.

[Shox1979]

Clearly she need to open a consulting business about being a world-class interviewee. That is her true calling. I mean, I think she could convince Donald Trump to hire her.

I always had to laugh when after getting trounced at home she would take the mic, thank the fans and end with "keep the faith".
I still say it after every home game when Jody speaks over the sound system for the radio as a nod to the JA days.

[flyingMoose]

The Shocker site now has game notes for UNI.

[1972Shocker]

Clearly she need to open a consulting business about being a world-class interviewee. That is her true calling. I mean, I think she could convince Donald Trump to hire her.

In Jane's defense her resume looked pretty solid when WSU/Jim Schaus hired her. 188-107 in 10 years at Northern Illinois and 161-107 in 9 years at Wisconsin (a 0.617 winning %) which at the time made her the winningest women's BB coach in school history at both of those schools. Unfortunately, she could not get it done at WSU (48-95, 0.336 in 5 years) and after an okay 1st three years (57-41) at Nevada her teams are only 43-93 (0.316) in the last 4+ seasons. Her last 2 gigs have turned her resume from solid to somewhat soiled. That said it was hard not to like Jane on a personal level.