WSU's David Kyles
Style points aren’t all that important until a team really, really earns them. Before Christmas, Wichita State slipped past LSU and Tulsa – neither NCAA-quality teams – in the final seconds. A win’s a win, but some are more soothing than others. Read More »
WSU 91, UE 57 – Final. Smith leads WSU with16 points. Durley and ragland add 12. Ryan leads UE with 18. Read More »
WSU distance runner Tonya Nero.
Last week, I picked Wichita State’s appearance in the title game of the MVC men’s basketball tournament as the top story of 2010.
WSU’s history in St. Louis is poor, sometimes embarrassing. To make the title game for the first time since 1987 – yes, 1987 – represented a big step. To be a consistent force in the MVC, a team must win in St. Louis. The Shockers know more about doing that now.
That wasn’t the only important story in 2010. What’s your nomination? Here are a few others that deserve discussion.
- WSU volleyball returns to the NCAA Tournament for a fifth time, only to see an injury to senior Sarah McGee damage their shot at advancing.
- WSU’s men’s basketball team wins 25 games and plays in the NIT.
- A lack of quality victories, road losses to Evansville and Drake and a weak non-conference schedule keeps the men’s basketball team from building an NCAA Tournament at-large resume. The Shockers raise hopes by getting to 19-4 before losing four of their next seven games.
- The Shockers reestablish their home-court advantage, going 17-0 at home during the regular season and beating two ranked teams.
- WSU women’s cross country wins its sixth straight MVC title.
- WSU distance runner Tonya Nero finishes 16th at the NCAA national cross country meet and 17th in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA outdoor meet.
- WSU track and field excels by sweeping the MVC indoor titles and winning the men’s outdoor championship. The men’s indoor title is the first for WSU.
- Dustin Garza leads the men’s golf team to a third straight MVC title and a return to the NCAAs. Garza is named a Golf Coaches Association of America All-American, capping one of the best careers in Shocker history.
- WSU baseball misses an NCAA regional after a 17-8 loss to Illinois State in the MVC Tournament title game at Eck Stadium.
- WSU outfielder Bret Bascue, who didn’t hit better than .256 in three previous seasons, hits .421 with 10 home runs as a senior. Bascue starts the season as a platoon player before forcing his way into everyday duty.
- WSU pitcher Jordan Cooper sets a school record with a scoreless streak of 32 1/3 innings.
- WSU’s women’s basketball team defeats Akron in the Women’s Basketball Invitational, the program’s first post-season win in the NCAA era.
- WSU hires Bridgette Gordon, a Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame member and an Olympian, as an assistant coach.
- The Shockers win their fourth MVC women’s tennis title in five seasons and advance to the NCAAs.
Here’s what’s at stake in Wednesday’s game against Evansville – since 1993-94, only one team won or shared the MVC regular-season title after an 0-1 start. Fifteen of the past 16 champions or co-champions started 2-0. Northern Iowa lost to Indiana State to start the 2008-09 MVC schedule and then ran off 11 straight wins on its way to sharing the title with Creighton.
So there’s the news – good teams usually win.
- WSU coach Gregg Marshall is pleased with his team’s classwork. Nine of the 16 players are on the honor roll (3.00 GPA or better). The team GPA of 2.86 is its highest since the 2002 spring semester.
- WSU will probably try several defenders on Aces guard Colt Ryan, who averages 17.2 points. Whether it’s Toure Murry, Graham Hatch or David Kyles, they will be prepared for a challenge. “He’s going to come off, probably, 200 screens, over the course of the game, maybe more,” Marshall said. “Three, four, five six screens per possession. It’s just a brutal night. If you can give him a lot of space, he can shoot it.”
- The Aces are last in the MVC in shooting defense (allowing 44.8 percent). They are capable of better, such as when they held then-No. 23 Butler to a 20-of-60 night (33.3 percent) on Butler’s court. The Bulldogs managed a mere seven baskets in the second half. “Butler had chances to score, but just putting a body on those shooters, even around the basket just really chesting up aggressively, Butler couldn’t finish,” Marshall said. “Evansville was being physical and strong and tough and made it difficult for them to finish.”
- Practices are tough for the Shockers. Marshall doesn’t want this team satisfied with its effort in compiling a 9-2 record. “There’s a lot of things we can do to get better – that’s why grind every day,” Marshall said. “That’s probably why they’re not real happy with me right now. We’re just pounding them – here’s what we’re not doing well, and it’s going to catch up with us if we don’t correct it.”
- While the Shockers are shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from three, Marshall has some players in slumps. Toure Murry has dropped to 31.4 percent from three-point range after going 0 for 6 against LSU and Tulsa. Murry started the season hot (making 8 of 16 in three games) before cooling off. He is 3 of 19 from three in his past eight games. Ben Smith is 6 of 21 from three. Joe Ragland is 7 of 23 and Demetric Williams is 3 of 14. Marshall considers all those players capable of better accuracy.
Wichita State practiced Sunday night and returned to Koch Arena on Monday morning for film and a light practice. Monday afternoon, they were scheduled for a more serious workout. Read More »
WSU fans at Intrust Bank Arena for Tuesday's game.
The Shockers played 11 pre-Christmas non-conference games and are where they need to be. Losses to UConn and San Diego State prevent them from being nationally ranked. The nine wins keep them on track for being in the NCAA at-large discussion. Read More »
WSU 82, Tulsa 79 – Final Read More »
For Shocker fans of a certain age, Tulsa is THE rivalry. But it’s been awhile since the teams played, and even longer since the series had a lot of sizzle. Both teams peaked during the 1980s. Since then, when one is good, the other slumps.
Regardless, Tulsa is one of the few non-conference opponents around with a nasty history with the Shockers.
If you need a history lesson, or if you want a refresher on why you hated the Hurricane so much, here are 12 stories from the archives to give you a flavor for the rivalry.
Not to be too dramatic, but it’s quite possible the tone of the season hung on Garrett Stutz’s shot. If he misses, and the Shockers lose then it’s likely the non-conference portion of the schedule is remembered for blowing a 17-point lead against LSU and a nine-point lead against UConn in Maui. Read More »
WSU 70-69 Final Read More »