- Wichita State's men's basketball team still has the same three leaders, but, undoubtedly, has taken a few steps forward since finishing 17-17 last season.
Toure' Murry, last year's top scorer for the Shockers as a freshman, is back at it again at 12.7 points per game. Backcourt mate Clevin Hannah, the Missouri Valley Conference's player of the week Dec. 21, is right there with him. Forward J.T. Durley has hiked his 3-point percentage more than 35 percent from last season, when he made only 2-of-26, and become an all-conference candidate.
The 6-foot-7, 240-pound Durley, who will likely start against Southern Illinois University center Gene Teague at 7 p.m. tonight, is shooting 50.5 percent from the floor (92-of-182) and 81.5 percent at the free-throw line (53-of-65). Last season, Durley shot 67.7 percent at the stripe (67-of-99) and wasn't nearly as consistent.
Teague, a 6-9, 290-pound freshman center, is coming off his first career double-double at 11 points and 13 rebounds.
"Obviously, Durley, he's made the biggest improvement," SIU coach Chris Lowery said. "Clevin Hannah was always a good player, but Durley's consistency has really made them a much better team."
The first of two matchups in the second half of the league season between the Salukis (12-8, 4-6 MVC) and Shockers (18-4, 7-3 MVC) can be seen on ESPNU tonight. Fans are asked to wear white as a promotion for the nationally televised game.
WSU coach Gregg Marshall saw a lot of improvement in Hannah, a 5-11, 164-pound senior, from last year. Hannah has cut his turnovers in half from last season, from 87 to 39, and has 92 assists in 19 games. Wednesday night at home against Illinois State, Hannah had 22 points, five assists and two turnovers in 35 minutes in the Shockers' 74-66 win over Illinois State.
"He runs our team, and when he's not on the floor, it's not the same efficiency, for sure," Marshall said. "He shoots the ball very well. He makes his free throws. He's a much better defender than last season."
SIU has taken six straight against WSU, including 11 straight at SIU Arena. The Shockers have been unbeatable at home, where they are 13-0, but have dropped two of their last three away from Koch Arena. WSU lost Jan. 23 at Drake, at Creighton a week before and beat Indiana State, 84-73, at Hulman Center.
"We did everything we needed to do," Dillard said. "We rebounded and everything. We didn't make free throws down the stretch, so, we just got to be a little bit more mentally ready for the games and not give teams runs like that in the middle of the game, and we'll be fine."
Toure' Murry, last year's top scorer for the Shockers as a freshman, is back at it again at 12.7 points per game. Backcourt mate Clevin Hannah, the Missouri Valley Conference's player of the week Dec. 21, is right there with him. Forward J.T. Durley has hiked his 3-point percentage more than 35 percent from last season, when he made only 2-of-26, and become an all-conference candidate.
The 6-foot-7, 240-pound Durley, who will likely start against Southern Illinois University center Gene Teague at 7 p.m. tonight, is shooting 50.5 percent from the floor (92-of-182) and 81.5 percent at the free-throw line (53-of-65). Last season, Durley shot 67.7 percent at the stripe (67-of-99) and wasn't nearly as consistent.
Teague, a 6-9, 290-pound freshman center, is coming off his first career double-double at 11 points and 13 rebounds.
"Obviously, Durley, he's made the biggest improvement," SIU coach Chris Lowery said. "Clevin Hannah was always a good player, but Durley's consistency has really made them a much better team."
The first of two matchups in the second half of the league season between the Salukis (12-8, 4-6 MVC) and Shockers (18-4, 7-3 MVC) can be seen on ESPNU tonight. Fans are asked to wear white as a promotion for the nationally televised game.
WSU coach Gregg Marshall saw a lot of improvement in Hannah, a 5-11, 164-pound senior, from last year. Hannah has cut his turnovers in half from last season, from 87 to 39, and has 92 assists in 19 games. Wednesday night at home against Illinois State, Hannah had 22 points, five assists and two turnovers in 35 minutes in the Shockers' 74-66 win over Illinois State.
"He runs our team, and when he's not on the floor, it's not the same efficiency, for sure," Marshall said. "He shoots the ball very well. He makes his free throws. He's a much better defender than last season."
SIU has taken six straight against WSU, including 11 straight at SIU Arena. The Shockers have been unbeatable at home, where they are 13-0, but have dropped two of their last three away from Koch Arena. WSU lost Jan. 23 at Drake, at Creighton a week before and beat Indiana State, 84-73, at Hulman Center.
"We did everything we needed to do," Dillard said. "We rebounded and everything. We didn't make free throws down the stretch, so, we just got to be a little bit more mentally ready for the games and not give teams runs like that in the middle of the game, and we'll be fine."
