Shocker guards regroupfor Northern Iowa visit

It wasn’t coach Jody Adams-Birch’s plan for the Wichita State women’s basketball team to start four guards in Friday’s Missouri Valley Conference opener, and in the immediate aftermath of an 83-78 loss to Drake, the lineup was difficult to evaluate.

The Shockers had their third-highest scoring night of the season and got 32 points from forward Rangie Bessard, who often took advantage of the spacing while playing with four perimeter players.

But the addition of Jeliah Preston and Aundra Stovall with regular starters TaQuandra Mike and Keke Thompson created some defensive mismatches and didn’t always provide the offensive spark Adams-Birch was looking for.

WSU plays host to Northern Iowa at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

The four starting guards combined to make 14 of 36 shots and 3 of 11 three-pointers. The Shockers were at their best with forward Angiee Tompkins, who asked out of the starting lineup, playing alongside Bessard.

“(Preston) was in the lineup because of her shooting percentage (46.6 percent),” Adams-Birch said. “She didn’t knock down open threes or shots. She didn’t shoot the ball well again today – she was 1 of 7 from three.

“You don’t see that from teams that are winning. So you’ve got to get in the gym. Got to work on your shot.”

Bessard and Tompkins combined for 44 points and 19 rebounds and led WSU’s third-quarter rally from an early deficit. The Shockers made 30 baskets but had 12 assists, 10 fewer than Drake on the Bulldogs’ 32 baskets.

Many of WSU’s points came on second chances from its 19 offensive rebounds. Each guard contributed, but not across the board. Stovall had five assists but three turnovers.

“Aundra is vocal,” Adams-Birch said. “Whether she’s really, really right or really, really wrong, she gives these guys a voice. She gives them confidence that she knows what’s going on, where people should be.”

Mike had eight rebounds but missed, like Preston, 8 of 12 shots. Thompson scored eight points, her most in four weeks, but had one assist.

Drake started three players 6-foot or taller and scored easily in transition as WSU sent four players to try for offensive rebounds and couldn’t always recover defensively.

“Couldn’t ask for anything more from Angiee, couldn’t ask for anything more from Rangie,” Adams-Birch said. “The guards have got to get tougher. Got to get tougher.”

This story was originally published December 31, 2016 at 5:35 PM with the headline "Shocker guards regroupfor Northern Iowa visit."