Who Are These Guys?: Morehead and the Shockers
The college basketball landscape is a vast, vast countryside with rolling meadows, open plains, treacherous cliffs, and other various biomes ripe for hyperbole. 35seconds would like to help everyone explore this random land of wonderment by bringing to light some lesser known programs. Whether they have bracket-busting aspirations, interesting back stories, or just give good mascot, there’s always room for some mid-major lovin’.
Morehead State Eagles (4-7, 2-2)-RPI: 292, currently unranked
Notable Wins: Western Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Alice Lloyd College
Notable Losses: at Bowling Green, at Oklahoma, at Louisville
Nestled twixt the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Park in Rowan County, the town of Morehead Kentucky is home to the Eagles of the Ohio Valley Conference. Known for little more than its unfortunate moniker, the co-educational university was named to US News And World Report’s “Top 25 Schools in the South” and is also home to one of only four colleges to offer degrees in “space science.” Notable alumni include game show hosting legend Chuck Woolery (outfits furnished by Botany 500), former football Giants quarterback Phil Simms, and Hannah Montana’s dad. Coached by Donnie Tyndall, Eagles class of ‘93, the squad lost almost all of their experience from last season. Only four players on the current roster have played D-I minutes. Led by senior guard Nikola Stojakovic (7 assists/game) , Morehead State looks to get the ball to its young offensive talents, sophomore Maze Stallworth (13 points/3 rebounds per game) and freshman Kenneth Faried (10/7). Junior transfer Lee Simmons should also bring his experience into the mix at forward. To get to the dance, Morehead will have to get past SE Missouri St. and Austin Peay in the OVC and improve on last year’s RPI of 133.
Wichita State Shockers (7-4, 0-0)-RPI: 117, currently unranked
Notable wins: Illinois-Chicago, LSU, UAB
Notable Losses: Baylor, at Monmouth
It was only a matter of time before our duty to sophomoric humor brought us to the Shockers. Located in Wichita, Kansas and named after a farming term for wheat harvesting, WSU has fast won over the hearts and minds of hipster basketball fans everywhere with their mid-major pluckiness and pop-culture hand signal. While the university openly discourages the use of the “traditional shocker” as seen in more lurid contexts by its cheerleaders and fans, the association still proudly exists in the free-spirited underbelly of the campus pep culture. Notable Shocker alumni include former Toronto Blue Jay Joe Carter and the WWE’s Big Show, Paul Wight. Led by senior forwards PJ Cousinard and Phillip Thomasson (each avg 11pts/game), WSU remains focused on senior leadership and experience. Fellow senior Matt Braeuer also contributes 10 points a night with 4 assists. The Shockers bring their blogtastic hand signals to Missouri Valley Conference play this Saturday, hosting their first game against Drake University. WSU will have to harvest their way past the Bulldogs as well as Creighton, Illinois State, UNI, Bradley, and SIU if they want to get out of the formidable MVC.
1
Damn. How can you forget The Xavier McDaniel?
I spent Christmas in Wichita and the paper (The Wichita Eagle. I still don’t get it) is sending vibes that the UAB and LSU wins signal an upswing. I can’t find a reason not to think the guys might… might be coming together. How that translates into MVC play, I do not know.
Fun fact… you know how T. Boone Pickens runs the OkSt athletic department. Same true with WSU as they have the super-ultra wealthy Koch family behind them. They are dumping massive amounts of money into the program.
And, as a KU fan, I think KU is being cowardly in refusing home and homes with WSU.
Comment by KC Resident — December 27, 2007 @ 4:53 pm
2
Morehead at Bowling Green? Where the fock was I?
Comment by fallex — December 27, 2007 @ 4:58 pm
3
Didn’t The BTK Killer also attend Wichita State?
Ahhh - we could have a Mass Murder Off between WSU’s BTK and Western Carolina’s Eric Robert Rudolph.
Comment by Eric — December 28, 2007 @ 2:20 pm
4
Indeed, #1, the X-Man was an egregious oversight. And given the innuendo involved with his college’s nickname, it makes his outstanding cameo in the movie “Singles” all the more appropriate, wouldn’t you say?
“I don’t go out there to hurt nobody, I just play hard and play the game physical…”
Comment by Papa Lou BSU — December 30, 2007 @ 10:59 pm
5
BTW, Morehead State’s entry deserves a mention of Dick Fick, who coached the team in the mid-90s. In addition to being one of the all-time great coach names in hoops history, was one of the game’s all-time colorful characters. His sideline antics were the stuff of legend, and even opposing fans quickly took to the guy.
Sadly, Fick died a couple years ago from the severe alcoholism he battled his entire adult life, broke and estranged from his family while coaching at a junior college in Joliet, Ill.
But not even a cursory glance at Morehead State hoops would be complete without an inclusion of his name.
Comment by Papa Lou BSU — December 30, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
6
Walt Terrell is an alumni of Morehead as well. Played in the majors for 11 years (Mets, Tigers, Padre’s, Pirates). Holds the all-time record for Most innings pitched in a season while playing in the Cape Cod League.
Comment by Yeager — January 22, 2008 @ 6:24 pm