Still ranked?
I was stunned to still see Wichita State ranked in the Coaches Poll yesterday. The coaches were hesitant to rank them initially, now they don’t want to get rid of them. It can be argued that the ranking is a show of respect for the brand that has become Shocker basketball—or maybe there just aren’t that many teams out there worthy of a ranking. Wichita State certainly needs to look more like a ranked team tonight at SIU than the one that has been offensively inept in consecutive losses.
Good match up---
Southern Illinois may have pushed the Shockers at home last month, but they’re a generally good matchup for them. The Salukis don’t start a player over 6’5, the Shockers will enjoy a huge size advantage down low. In their first meeting Cleanthony Early had 39 points, Ehiman Orupke blocked nine shots and Carl Hall didn’t even play. The one thing Southern had success with was driving to the basket and I would imagine that’s what they’ll do tonight. Wichita State needs to keep their guards in front of them, if they can do that it shouldn’t be a very taxing night--although any game can be taxing when you’ve lost two straight.
‘Cats go to Lubbock---
It’s hard to imagine K-State failing at Texas Tech tonight, that is until you remember that the Raiders upset Iowa State at home last month. The Wildcats have become a very good road team winning seven of their last eight away from home. This want always the case—through the first ten years of the Big 12 KSU was a woeful 10-70 on the conference road. Over the last seven seasons they’re 27-25. Considering some of the clubs they’ve had of late, I was surprised to find out that they’re 17-4 start is the program’s best in fifty years. Kansas State isn’t always pretty (although winning always looks good), but they’re one of only four teams in the country with four wins over top 35 RPI teams. I think next Monday’s visit into Lawrence has a chance to be more interesting than most people would think.
Signing day---
If you thought the hype for the Super Bowl was sickening, just wait for tomorrow’s national Signing Day. I hate the way that we’ve (yes, those of us in the media) glorified high school kids casting their lots with football programs. As if the fate of a program hangs in the balance of a name on a dotted line. It’s a ridiculous by product of the 24-hour news cycle and the need to fill time, even if we fill the time by breathlessly drooling over some kid who just started shaving. There are exceptions—those talents that can make an immediate impact on the next level, but those are rare. When it comes to recruiting classes I subscribe to the Bill Snyder school of thought; get back to me in three years.
