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Many teams start a basketball season with a goal to play fast and score big. Most of them settle for something less, giving in to the reality that it is difficult for players to speed up to score while not letting up on defense.
Wichita State tried last season with mixed success. This season, the Shockers are playing fast on offense without sacrificing defense. It is evident in traditional statistics and in the new breed of statistics. It’s also obvious to the eye, which sees the Shockers sweep downcourt for an open shot and immediately return to defense to start the process again.
“We preach that we can’t relax on the defensive end, even if we’re running fast,” guard Demetric Williams said. “Running fast on offense will get you tired on offense, so people on defense tend to relax. With what we’re trying to do on offense, we’ve also got to keep our principles on defense.”
WSU (18-3, 9-1 Missouri Valley) takes its eight-game winning streak on the road to Drake (12-9, 5-5) tonight. The Shockers are tied for first with Creighton, which plays last-place Bradley at home tonight. Keeping pace depends on WSU maintaining its fast pace on offense and fierce pace on defense.
“Last year was a learning experience, and this year we know what we can do,” WSU guard Toure Murry said. “It’s all about the guards. We’ve just got the guards to do it.”
The Shockers rank second in the MVC in scoring (77.9 points) and shooting percentage (48.4), and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). They don’t slack on defense, ranking second in points allowed (61.4), first in shooting defense (39.4 percent) and first in three-point defense (29.3). Playing at both ends adds up to an MVC-leading scoring margin of 16.5.
Advanced statistics love WSU’s efficient ways. College basketball statisical analyst Ken Pomeroy’s calculations rank the Shockers 12th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency (scoring 1.14 points per possession) and 16th in adjusted defensive efficiency (allowing 0.88 points per possession).
This season, WSU has scored 80 or more points nine times, the most since the 2001-02 team reached that mark 10 times over the entire season. The 2001-02 team didn’t hold an opponent under 50 points, something this season’s Shockers have done four times. The 2005-06 Sweet 16 team scored 80 or more points eight times in the regular season and held three opponents under 50.
“It’s a mindset thing, playing fast but still measuring possessions and getting the most out of every possession and then not letting the tempo of the game affect the way you guard someone,” WSU center Garrett Stutz said. “Sometimes we get caught in tough spots, but we always seem to come out of it OK.”
WSU coach Gregg Marshall wants to play fast to use his depth and athletic ability. The Shockers are running after the opponents score — as opposed to running set plays after walking the ball across halfcourt — more than in past seasons and his experienced guards handle that responsibility well. When the opponents miss shots or turn the ball over, the Shockers are devastating moving the ball to get open shots before the opponent can organize its defense.
“They’ve got maturity, and they’re able to push it up,” he said after Wednesday’s 86-74 win over Evansville. “Rarely do we give up 87 or more. So if we can score 86, we’re going to be tough to beat.”
WSU can play that way because of Stutz’s inside scoring, its depth and its four guards. Stutz gives the Shockers a high-percentage scorer and foul shooter who forces opponents to double team him. The depth allows players to stay fresh and avoid foul trouble.
The guards are experienced, fast and versatile. Williams, Murry and Joe Ragland are capable of leading the fast break and making the right decisions. David Kyles is expert at running to open spots for three-point shots. Murry averages 4.7 rebounds, which often allows him to start the break without waiting on an outlet pass. At the front of WSU’s presses, they are able to deflect passes and disrupt offensive sets with their length and quickness.
“It starts with us,” Williams said. “If we’re playing hard defense and we’re into it and we’re running and setting the tone from the beginning, all the other players follow the lead. We realize defense wins games.”
