Wichita State returns to the road, hoping to bring defense along
In early January, Wichita State rolled to a 13-0 lead against Bradley on its way to a 100-66 win at Koch Arena.
Three days later, WSU led Drake 8-0. It won 90-65.
The Shockers didn?t trail in either game. Why take either rematch seriously?
Bradley showed the reason on Sunday. WSU, frazzled by aggressive double teams in the post and poor shooting, struggled through a 13-turnover plague and trailed at halftime.
Now it?s Drake?s turn. The learning process on the road continues for Wichita State (19-4, 9-1 MVC) on Wednesday against the Bulldogs (7-15, 5-5).
At Bradley, the Shockers ignored their numerous offensive failings ? nine errant three-pointers among them ? and defended with enough skill to keep the game close in the first half. Maintaining defensive intensity amid the frustrations of missed shots is a sign of maturity.
?Defense travels,? Shocker guard Conner Frankamp said. ?You?re not going to make shots away all the time.?
The Shockers held Bradley to 25 points on 33.3-percent shooting in that half and trailed by five points.
?Thank goodness we had that, because the offense was terrible,? WSU coach Gregg Marshall said. ?That?s what we try to instill in these guys all year long, is defense and rebounding have to be constant.?
Sunday?s defensive effort continued a trend for WSU?s defense since it allowed Illinois State to make 10 of 22 three-pointers in its 76-62 win at Redbird Arena. In the next four games, opponents made 16 of 73 threes (21.9 percent). The Shockers are better organized on defense and communicating better than they did during stretches against Illinois State.
Little from the first game suggests Drake is much of a threat. The Shockers can?t slip into that trap. The Shockers gave Bradley an opening and the Braves didn?t score enough to open a significant gap. Drake?s shooting prowess at home suggests the Bulldogs might pose more problems.
Drake is 4-1 in MVC home games. It averages 85.6 points at home and 64.8 on the road. It makes 46.2 percent of it shots at home, 38.2 percent from three-point range.
Those home edge is more pronounced in the past six games, all since Jeff Rutter replaced Ray Giacoletti, as coach. Drake averages 88.2 points in those games, shooting 41 percent from three-point range.
?It?s hard to win on the road, no matter where you go,? WSU guard Landry Shamet said. ?Anytime we play on the road, (the home team is) going to have a lot more confidence and a little more swagger.?
The Bulldogs lost at home Sunday, 71-63 to Northern Iowa, and made 6 of 29 threes. In it previous five home games, it scored 87 or more points in each.
Rutter also worries about his team slumping defensively when its offense suffers.
?We, at times, have a tendency to allow our identity to be whether we?re making or missing shots,? Rutter said. ?Things really got away from us in the first half at Wichita. Now, all of sudden defensively, we?re not playing as well.?
In both the Bradley and Drake home games, guard Daishon Smith gave the Shockers a boost in the opening minutes with his defense. Smith?s contributions and playing time faded in recent games, especially away from Koch Arena. He played eight minutes at Bradley and a season-low six at Evansville. He is scoreless in three of the past four games.
?Daishon has not played with a great deal of effiency or confidence in the last couple of games,? Marshall said. ?He can say ?Well, I just don?t feel like you guys have confidence in me,? and I can turn around and say ?Well, why would I?? You have to play well for us to have confidence in you and you have to produce.?
WSU freshman guard Austin Reaves remains sidelined with a dislocated right shoulder, removing a player from the back-court rotation. That means Smith will get another chance to harass ball-handlers, take charges, deflect passes as he did more often earlier in the season.
?We certainly need him,? Marshall said. ?He knows the things that he can do to help our basketball team. Play with more confidence. He?s got to push the ball in transition. He?s got to be a pesky defender.?
In early January, Wichita State rolled to a 13-0 lead against Bradley on its way to a 100-66 win at Koch Arena.
Three days later, WSU led Drake 8-0. It won 90-65.
The Shockers didn?t trail in either game. Why take either rematch seriously?
Bradley showed the reason on Sunday. WSU, frazzled by aggressive double teams in the post and poor shooting, struggled through a 13-turnover plague and trailed at halftime.
Now it?s Drake?s turn. The learning process on the road continues for Wichita State (19-4, 9-1 MVC) on Wednesday against the Bulldogs (7-15, 5-5).
At Bradley, the Shockers ignored their numerous offensive failings ? nine errant three-pointers among them ? and defended with enough skill to keep the game close in the first half. Maintaining defensive intensity amid the frustrations of missed shots is a sign of maturity.
?Defense travels,? Shocker guard Conner Frankamp said. ?You?re not going to make shots away all the time.?
The Shockers held Bradley to 25 points on 33.3-percent shooting in that half and trailed by five points.
?Thank goodness we had that, because the offense was terrible,? WSU coach Gregg Marshall said. ?That?s what we try to instill in these guys all year long, is defense and rebounding have to be constant.?
Sunday?s defensive effort continued a trend for WSU?s defense since it allowed Illinois State to make 10 of 22 three-pointers in its 76-62 win at Redbird Arena. In the next four games, opponents made 16 of 73 threes (21.9 percent). The Shockers are better organized on defense and communicating better than they did during stretches against Illinois State.
Little from the first game suggests Drake is much of a threat. The Shockers can?t slip into that trap. The Shockers gave Bradley an opening and the Braves didn?t score enough to open a significant gap. Drake?s shooting prowess at home suggests the Bulldogs might pose more problems.
Drake is 4-1 in MVC home games. It averages 85.6 points at home and 64.8 on the road. It makes 46.2 percent of it shots at home, 38.2 percent from three-point range.
Those home edge is more pronounced in the past six games, all since Jeff Rutter replaced Ray Giacoletti, as coach. Drake averages 88.2 points in those games, shooting 41 percent from three-point range.
?It?s hard to win on the road, no matter where you go,? WSU guard Landry Shamet said. ?Anytime we play on the road, (the home team is) going to have a lot more confidence and a little more swagger.?
The Bulldogs lost at home Sunday, 71-63 to Northern Iowa, and made 6 of 29 threes. In it previous five home games, it scored 87 or more points in each.
Rutter also worries about his team slumping defensively when its offense suffers.
?We, at times, have a tendency to allow our identity to be whether we?re making or missing shots,? Rutter said. ?Things really got away from us in the first half at Wichita. Now, all of sudden defensively, we?re not playing as well.?
In both the Bradley and Drake home games, guard Daishon Smith gave the Shockers a boost in the opening minutes with his defense. Smith?s contributions and playing time faded in recent games, especially away from Koch Arena. He played eight minutes at Bradley and a season-low six at Evansville. He is scoreless in three of the past four games.
?Daishon has not played with a great deal of effiency or confidence in the last couple of games,? Marshall said. ?He can say ?Well, I just don?t feel like you guys have confidence in me,? and I can turn around and say ?Well, why would I?? You have to play well for us to have confidence in you and you have to produce.?
WSU freshman guard Austin Reaves remains sidelined with a dislocated right shoulder, removing a player from the back-court rotation. That means Smith will get another chance to harass ball-handlers, take charges, deflect passes as he did more often earlier in the season.
?We certainly need him,? Marshall said. ?He knows the things that he can do to help our basketball team. Play with more confidence. He?s got to push the ball in transition. He?s got to be a pesky defender.?
