WSU weak on boards

Finding a replacement for Michelle Price from last season’s team was a task the Wichita State women’s basketball team knew about before the season begun.

But replacing that type of rebounding production, particularly on the defensive end, has been a struggle all season for the Shockers. Being 19-4 and 10-1 in the Valley doesn’t indicate such, but the problem has been masked by WSU’s strength in offensive boards.

Entering Sunday’s game against Bradley at Koch Arena, Wichita State ranks last in the Valley in the percentage of defensive rebounds it snags at just under 64 percent.

“Our defense is great, so the biggest thing for us is coming up with the board and making it easier for ourselves,” WSU senior Alex Harden said. “It’s something we work on all week and we really get after each other during games about.”

Despite allowing so many offensive rebounds, Wichita State remains the premier defensive team in the Valley thanks to its half-court defense.

Against a team like Loyola Wichita State can get away with giving teams second chances, because they don’t necessarily result in points. In fact, the Shockers grabbed 23 of 27 possible defensive rebounds in their victory over the Ramblers on Friday, a rate of 85 percent, the highest mark this season.

But Adams can see through results like that .

“It’s the high-tempo teams that crash the boards that get us out of our stances and move us out of position to box,” Adams said. “Those are the ones that really give us a challenge. I can’t say that Loyola really challenged us in that area (Friday).”

When Price graduated, Wichita State was left with a tall-but-thin post in Kelsey Jacobs and a short-but-strong post in Michaela Dapprich. There isn’t a towering center in the lane that can snag rebounds at will for WSU.

That means WSU has to outwork its opponent, as positioning becomes crucial for a typically under-sized squad.

“Right now that’s one of our biggest focuses,” Dapprich said. “Just staying active, reading where the ball is going, and finding the defensive player and boxing them out. We just have to carve those rebounds out.”

This story was originally published February 14, 2015 at 8:18 PM with the headline "WSU weak on boards."