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Shooting slumps happen. Why not fouling slumps?
If they exist, Wichita State center J.T. Durley is in one. He can't stay on the court, largely because fouls put him on the bench.
"It's something I've got to clean up," he said. "In my mind, I feel like I was playing good aggressive defense. But the referee sees something that I don't see every time."
Durley, a starter, played 11 minutes in Monday's win over 87-52 Alcorn State. He picked up two fouls in five first-half minutes. He played 13 minutes against Iowa after fouling twice in seven first-half minutes. Against Cleveland State — two fouls in six first-half minutes and 20 total.
Durley isn't the only Shocker big man in foul territory. Aaron Ellis, Gabe Blair and Garrett Stutz each had their moments of foul-induced rest in WSU's six games. In the Alcorn State game, Blair and Ellis ended the first half with three fouls; Stutz with two. Stutz fouled out in 13 minutes in the opener against Fairleigh Dickinson.
The big men don't deserve all the blame entering tonight's game against Texas Southern. WSU's defense is more aggressive in the passing lanes, which makes helping a defender more difficult. It is resulting in more steals, but also allows more drives to the basket. The Shocker guards can help by clamping down on penetration, which puts the centers and forwards in danger.
"That's basically what it is," senior guard Clevin Hannah said. "We've been working on that in practice the last day-and-a-half. We've got to keep guys in front of us so our big men don't pick up cheap fouls."
Coach Gregg Marshall sees a combination of problems. The inside players must avoid needless fouls.
"They've got to be a little smarter... they can't chop down," he said. "They've got to understand that they can get there and take a charge or not."
Durley said he may need to play a little less aggressively. He thinks fouls that don't get called in Missouri Valley Conference games are drawing whistles. The past two games have been called by some of the officials who regularly work MVC games. Durley wishes they would call games as they do in January and February.
"It's funny, because in the Valley you can beat them up with your body as long as you're showing your hands, and that's what I do," he said. "But (officials are) saying I'm too aggressive."
Durley averaged 15 points a game in WSU's first three games. He totaled 16 in the next three. The four-man rotation is deep enough that fouls haven't fatally hurt the Shockers yet. Durley knows his team needs more production from him.
"You sit down for so long, and then you come back and you're not the player that you are," he said. "You're playing a smaller role. A shot I normally would shoot, I might not shoot because I'm not in a rhythm."
Fortunately for WSU, Stutz is a growing as a scoring and rebounding factor and Blair is an instant jolt coming off the bench. That gives Durley time to adjust his game.
"I'm trying to keep my mind out of the negative," he said. "That's what you have to do when you're in a little slump."
