Shockers v Bradley (Friday, 7pm) and Loyola (Sunday, 2pm)

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers host the Braves and the Ramblers this weekend with a good chance for a home court win against Bradley.

Bradley is now 2-9 in the Valley with home wins against the Shocks (50-44) and Evansville. The Braves average 50.6 ppg in conference play with their opponents doing ten points better. Their shooting percentage from the floor is 33.3% with the opponents at 39.8%. Their high scorers are Whitney Tinjum at 9.2 ppg and Anneke Schlueter at 7.9 ppg.

The Shockers are also 2-9 in conference play. Rangie at 14.9 ppg and TaQuandra at 11.5 ppg continue to lead the scoring in Valley games. The Shocks average 51 ppg and shoot 35.7% from the floor. Their opponents' numbers are 64 ppg and 43.5%.

The streaming video is here. The LiveStats are here.

[1972Shocker]

Agreed that they have a good chance for a win over Bradley. A win at home over Loyola would be tough but is possible. Loyola only beat the Shocks by 5 in Chicago a month ago.

6th place Indiana State could easily lose both of its home games this weekend against UNI and Drake. A pair of wins by the Shocks would move them to with 1.5 games of the Sycamores and perhaps give them at shot at avoiding the play-in round in the Valley Tournament. That is probably what this team should set their sights on as a goal.

[flyingMoose]

Game day article about Hannah

[1972Shocker]

TaQuandra Mike lead the Shockers with 25 points, the Shocks turned the Braves over 22 times and Bradely hit only 9 of 25 free throws.

Shocks 50 - Bradley 55

Kind of hard to believe. Rangie had an off-night missing all 8 of her FG attempts and fouling out of the game. Bradley shot 49% from the field to only 34% for the Shocks and the Braves outrebounded the Shocks 39 to 31.

One huge difference between this Shocker team and the Alex Harden-lead teams is that this team gets very few fast break points and break outs after steals. The Shockers Valley championship teams made a living of that.

[flyingMoose]

In this game, the Shocks went with Sabrina and Elle and Jyar on the interior with Rangie, using Brittany only when foul trouble required it. Given this stage of Brittany's career and this stage of the Shocker season, that seems a reasonable decision. As a consequence of the youth, our interior defense and defensive rebounding were both pretty weak. Our own free throw shooting was below par, and we missed four buckets from right underneath, including two breakaways of the type @1972Shocker: referenced. Most of the time Rangie received the ball, she was out near the arc. I am sure that was part of the offensive plan tonight, but that is not where she starts her offense on her effective nights.

Well, I think my prediction of four conference wins is not to be exceeded and probably not even achieved. Sigh.

[flyingMoose]

Other Friday Scores

Illinois State 58-98 Drake

Missouri State 91-81(OT) Loyola
The Bears sank a three with four seconds to play to send this to OT.

Indiana State 45-61 Northern Iowa


Missouri State and Northern Iowa remain within one game of Drake.

[flyingMoose]

Shocker Game Notes and Loyola Game Notes

The game day article is about Sabrina.

The Ramblers continue to be led by Taylor Manuel, the Valley Player of the Week last week, at 15.6 ppg and Taylor Johnson at 14.6 ppg.

LiveStats are here and the Valley on ESPN3 is here.

[flyingMoose]

Shockers 65-62(OT) Loyola

[flyingMoose]

Other Sunday Scores

INDIANA STATE 68-53 Drake
The Sycamores jumped out to a seven-point first quarter lead and the Bulldogs never got closer than five. Given the Sycamores were playing at home, the result may not be surprising, but the margin is.

MISSOURI STATE 59-56 Bradley
Trailing by fifteen at the half (and eight at the third quarter), the Bears came roaring back in the second half to get the win.

Southern Illinois 66-63 EVANSVILLE

Northern Iowa 61-35 ILLINOIS STATE


There are now three teams with a 10-3 mark (Drake, Missouri State and Northern Iowa) with Southern Illinois 1.5 games back at 8-4.

[1972Shocker]

Personally, I think the Indiana State win over Drake was a surprising outcome. The margin of victory made it a very surprising outcome.

Even the MSU and SIU wins by such close margins was surprising. OTOH, these kind of results provide some hope to the bottom half of the Valley that they may have some hope when Valley Tournament time rolls around.