WSU notes: Shockers ease up on physical contact in basketball workouts

Wichita State basketball coach Gregg Marshall knows his roster possesses tough players. He saw them prove it last season with a 16-1 finish to the season and a last-second loss to Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.

He doesn’t need to see banging bodies and one-on-one drills this summer. He watched players such as Rashard Kelly and Zach Brown dive on the floor for loose balls and stay in a defensive stance, just as players such as Evan Wessel and Ron Baker did in previous seasons.

“We had a lot more contact (last summer), because we knew we were losing very good and tough guys,” Marshall said. “We were worried about defense and toughness.”

Summer workouts, which started in early June, are not needed to measure and cultivate those traits. The Shockers, working in small groups with coaches, are largely refining offensive skills.

“This year, because I’m not worried about that, as much with this particular group … we’re developing as many advanced skills as we can,” Marshall said. “Have them work on their off hand, or become better handlers or shooters on the move or off the bounce.”

Workouts include fewer one-on-one rebounding drills or three-on-three defensive grinders than in June 2016.

“We did rely a lot on Ron and Fred (VanVleet), and they leave, so (last summer) we’ve got to develop everybody as a team instead of individual workouts,” sophomore guard Landry Shamet said.

This summer puts the individual back in individual workouts. They feature more dribbling, shooting and passing to turn players such as Darral Willis into a better scorer with his weak hand and develop guard C.J. Keyser into a more complete player.

“We’re working on fundamentals,” forward Markis McDuffie said.

Ask MVC coaches for advice — The American Athletic Conference benefits from the Big Ten’s desire to play in Madison Square Garden in 2018.

The Big Ten moved its tournament up a week, starting Feb. 28, because it wanted to play in New York and the Big East reserves the Garden later in March. The move vacates the Big Ten’s traditional championship game slot on CBS that leads into the NCAA selection show.

The American will take that spot for one season.

Facing a week or more of idle time before NCAA bids are announced is routine for Missouri Valley Conference coaches. There’s no evidence the time off is much of a factor. If anything, the rest and rehab is regarded as a plus by Wichita State coaches and players.

Big Ten coaches, however, are worried. According to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, coaches are considering scrimmaging other conference schools or scheduling a game against a mid-major or NCAA Division II team during the break.

“We’re coaches,” Purdue coach Matt Painter told ESPN. “We don’t like to have to change our routines.”

The tournament ends March 4 (same as the MVC). The selections are on March 11.

“There have been a lot of ideas that people have floated out there to us,” Indiana coach Archie Miller told ESPN. “But there are ramifications to all of them.”

Canada competition next — Breanne Borman, who completed her senior season at the NCAA Championships in early June, will compete in the heptahlon for the United States in the Capital Cup on July 3-4 in Ottawa, Canada.

She is part of the six-person team (three men, three women) that competes against Pan American countries in a multi-events competition. She finished 11th in the NCAA meet with 5,405 points.

WSU track and field coach Steve Rainbolt said WSU’s Hunter Veith, a senior-to-be who finished sixth in the NCAA Championships decathlon, will not compete this summer, instead choosing to rest.

Veith is passing on the USA Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif., starting next week.

Former Shocker Austin Bahner will compete in the decathlon. Current Shocker Austin Corley will run the 400-meter hurdles.

WSU freshman Kendra Hendry will compete in the heptathlon in the USATF junior meet, also next week in Sacramento.

Worth noting — Former Shocker pitcher Austin Gardner was drafted in the ninth round by the Yankees. Gardner transferred to Texas-Arlington after one season at WSU and one at Cisco (Texas) College. Gardner, brother for former Shocker Kris Gardner, compiled a 2.42 ERA as a reliever for Texas-Arlington. … WSU men’s tennis player Haru Inoue finished the season No. 98 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association singles rankings. … WSU’s Gabriela Porubin is a member of the Moldova team in the Fed Cup. Moldova won their pool in the Europe/Africa group and was scheduled to play another pool winner on Saturday in Chisinau, Moldova.

This story was originally published June 16, 2017 at 4:38 PM with the headline "WSU notes: Shockers ease up on physical contact in basketball workouts."