When good health arrived, Wichita State turned into something intriguing

At various times over the past six weeks, Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall worried about his team’s lack of leaders, criticized practice habits and expressed little confidence in its defense.

Some of those concerns are expected coaching caution. It’s also true, however, that Marshall so rarely saw his team at full strength that he couldn’t be sure what he had.

“It was impossible,” Marshall said. “There’s no way we could have a view of the present team, where everyone is healthy.”

Freshmen Austin Reaves and C.J. Keyser missed summer workouts, exhibition games in Canada and parts of the fall with injuries. Sophomore Markis McDuffie rehabbed from late August knee surgery. Landry Shamet, Shaq Morris, Darral Willis and others missed fall practices with injuries.

Over the past three weeks the fully formed Shockers appeared. The results are intriguing and far from definitive. WSU (2-0) plays host to Tulsa (0-1) on Wednesday at Koch Arena after winning its first two games by an average margin of 41.5 points.

“Even at full strength we had no idea what we’d look like coming into these games,” WSU junior Zach Brown said.

Things will change. Tougher challenges await, although the Shockers dismissed Big West favorite Long Beach State with surprising ease. Opponents will come along with more size, more desire to defend and a better plan to make things uncomfortable. The Shockers will trail on the scoreboard, a circumstance yet to occur.

“These are only two games,” Brown said. “We need to continue to be who we are, and show that mental intensity and toughness and effort.”

Maybe that team is Tulsa. Maybe it will happen in the Battle 4 Atlantis. The Shockers go to an opponent’s court for the first time on Dec. 3 at Colorado State.

“It’s still early,” Marshall said. “There will be a road test coming up soon. There will be a neutral (court) contest. This game (vs. Tulsa), could be the one. They’ll switch up defenses. We’ve got to recognize, organize and attack.”

In two home games, the Shockers proved that when defenses allow them to run their offense, they can score. WSU is shooting 51.3 percent from the field with 37 assists and 24 turnovers. After shooting poorly from three-point range in the opener, the Shockers made 10 of 20 on Sunday against Long Beach State.

“I knew we had a lot of talented players,” Marshall said “I wasn’t sure that all these guys would be healthy at this point … we’re pleasantly surprised a little bit with the margin in these first two games against teams that I think are pretty good.”

As was the case last season, the Shockers thrive because they take care of the ball. They committed 10 turnovers in an 85-39 win over South Carolina State. On Sunday, they committed three in the first half on their way to a 10-point lead over Long Beach State. They committed 11 in the second half, but nine came after they lead ballooned to 20.

Brown, who 39 assists and 48 turnovers during his first two seasons, has seven assists and two turnovers. Newcomer Daishon Smith has seven assists, matching Brown for the team lead, and one turnover.

“Hours in the gym,” Brown said. “I’ve really focused on taking care of the ball. Making smart plays, smart passes. Basketball players make plays that eventually turn into assists.”

Brown hasn’t always been that kind of player. His work on ball-handling, making quick straight-line drives that reduce mistakes, and passing are showing. Against Long Beach State he made the kind of play that wings need to make to help the offense run. He dribbled into the lane and found Conner Frankamp open for a three across the court. That Frankamp missed didn’t matter — the ball movement worked.

“Shot fake, one dribble, two dribble,” Brown said. “A play like that, that’s not only me. That’s on Conner for getting to the right position.”

WSU lost five seniors from last season, which is a minor rebuild compared to Tulsa. The Hurricane lost nine seniors from a team that played in the NCAA First Four. Three players with Tulsa experience are on the roster, joined by 10 newcomers. One of those newcomers is guard Corey Henderson Jr., who played one season at WSU before transferring to Blinn (Texas) College and Tulsa. He made 3 of 9 three-pointers and scored 15 points off the bench in Tulsa’s 84-73 loss to Jacksonville State on Friday.

Forward Junior Etou, a transfer from Rutgers, gives Tulsa a strong inside-out threat. He made 4 of 6 threes in the opener to score 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. He averaged 6.4 points and 5.7 rebounds in two seasons at Rutgers.

“He can shoot the three,” Marshall said. “The kid can post up and rebound. We'll throw some bodies at him.”

This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 6:35 PM with the headline "When good health arrived, Wichita State turned into something intriguing."