Landry Shamet scores career-high 30, wills WSU to win at Oklahoma State

This was a game Landry Shamet would not let Wichita State lose.

No. 6 Wichita State had more turnovers than points 12 minutes into the game, but Shamet pulled his team out of its funk and scored a career-high 30 points to help deliver a 78-66 victory over Oklahoma State at Gallagher-Iba Arena on Saturday. WSU improved to 8-1, while OSU (7-2) lost just its eighth non-conference game at home since 1989.

Shamet has produced several standout performances the past two seasons, but his competitive spirit and will to win were on display Saturday.

“He’s a monster,” Darral Willis said.

“That boy can play,” Zach Brown added.

“He’s an NBA guard,” Rashard Kelly stated.

“He got that hyena in him,” CJ Keyser tweeted.

On a team with six seniors, Shamet, a redshirt sophomore, is becoming the go-to force.

That’s a role he feels like he’s earned.

“I know what I do every day and I work hard and the guys respect me and I respect them,” Shamet said. “It’s mutual and it’s ever-growing, really. I feel more and more comfortable vocally and with my play I just try to be aggressive and lead by example.”

WSU coach Gregg Marshall was searching for an example of anything positive in the first half, as the Shockers played their worst stretch of offense of the season in the opening 14 minutes.

After 23 possessions, WSU had 12 turnovers and nine points. But even with that brutal start, WSU never trailed by more than eight points.

WSU needed a spark. It needed a leader. So Marshall challenged Shamet.

“There were times out there where we weren’t even getting shots up because of turnovers,” Marshall said. “Point guards have got to settle them down and make sure we get a good shot at that point, whether it’s through his voice or his actions.”

Shamet responded by scoring the final five points of the half, delivering the go-ahead three-pointer to give WSU a 26-23 halftime lead — despite WSU playing its worst half of offense of the season.

Shamet was even better in the second half when OSU made several challenges at the WSU lead.

The Shockers never trailed for the final 10 minutes.

“We have really good resolve, I’ve always thought that about this team,” Shamet said. “In adversity, we don’t crumble or lay down. There were a lot of opportunities where we could have said, ‘Things aren’t going our way’ and lay down or give up. We don’t have any guys like that on this team. They come back stronger and more poised.”

Poise was the key word for the second half — WSU’s ball handlers showed more of it after struggling with OSU’s pressure in the first half. The Cowboys hugged everyone on the perimeter, played aggressively to deny all passing lanes, and caused havoc when WSU picked up its dribble.

That led to 12 first-half turnovers and 14 points off turnovers for Oklahoma State.

“We just had to settle down,” Marshall said. “We’ve got guys who even though they’ve played a few years still feel rushed sometimes to make a decision. They don’t have to make a decision. I’m not sure we’ve had a 5-second count the entire season. That’s why I kept telling them I’d rather do that than throw the ball to the other team.”

Marshall switched from his preferred motion offense, which relies on quick passes around the perimeter (the kind that were being denied), to a ball screen-heavy offense that gave the ball handler a middle screen and let him attack the defense. When WSU cut out its passing and started attacking off the dribble, the offense thrived.

The Shockers finished with their most efficient half of offense in the second half, as they scored 1.49 points per possession. WSU made 12 of 23 shots, including 8 of 14 from beyond the arc, and added 20 of 25 foul shooting in the second half.

Conner Frankamp scored 14 points, while Darral Willis added 12 points off the bench. Kelly finished with five points, seven rebounds, and three steals. WSU out-rebounded its opponent (36-26 over OSU) for the 14th straight game, while holding the Cowboys to 40 percent shooting and forcing 15 turnovers.

OSU cut WSU’s lead to 65-61 with 2:38 remaining, then Shamet extended the lead with two free throws and Austin Reaves delivered the dagger with an end-of-shot-clock three-pointer to push the lead to 70-61.

“The guys continued to answer,” Marshall said. “Every time they made their move, we had a counter. That’s what it takes to win here.

“Obviously we know the history around here and how difficult it is to win here.”

Shamet finished with 23 of his 30 points in the second half, but also showed off his fire on the defensive end by moving his feet and being in position for two charges.

WSU assistant coach Isaac Brown, who came up with the scouting report for OSU, beamed with pride after watching Shamet execute what he fed him before the game.

“Landry is a smart, intelligent player and he knows what guys’ strengths and weaknesses are,” Brown said. “He’s one of those guys if you tell them something on the scouting report, he’s going to execute it on the court for you.”

Now WSU fans can play a guessing game about how high the Shockers will move up in the Associated Press poll Monday afternoon after No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Kansas and No. 5 Florida all lost this week.

It wouldn’t have been possible without Shamet.

“Obviously we needed him,” Marshall said. “Every bucket, every assist, every great defensive stop.”

This story was originally published December 9, 2017 at 5:26 PM with the headline "Landry Shamet scores career-high 30, wills WSU to win at Oklahoma State."