The Shockers played a solid first half. They fouled too much and shot poorly. But they are in the game. Last season, WSU trailed by 15 at halftime.
SIU Arena, through the first half, isn’t nearly as intimidating as it has been in the past. The crowd is more subdued. The Salukis, at least in the first half, are not the defensive force they have been in past years. Still good, but not overwhelming.
WSU missed 16 of 23 shots. Some of that credit goes to the defense, which made the Shockers shoot a lot of threes _ 12. The Shockers also missed some open looks. P.J. Couisnard is 1 for 8, 1 for 6 from three. That has to change for WSU to have a chance. Fouls are also an issue. Ramon Clemente, Mantas Griskenas and Aaron Ellis have two. J.T. Durley picked up three fouls in four minutes.
The Shockers appeared to benefit from some favorable whistles in the first half. It is funny to hear the SIU crowd moan and boo about fouls called or missed. I think nine other Valley schools would say the Salukis are way ahead in the fouls-not-called scorebook over the years.
One Comment
Paul … Something that drives me a little batty is that Marshall is doing the same thing Turgeon did, on the perimeter he is having his defense stay behind the 3 point line about 2 feet instead of coming out more to contest the offense more (which SIU does, and other teams too). Seems to me, with us outrebounding other teams, that we should shut down the 3 point shots more, as that is usually what kills us in a game.