Darral Willis plays through pain to help WSU during his senior season

Playing basketball with plantar fasciitis is not a fun experience. Just ask Wichita State senior Darral Willis.

Willis developed the condition, described as a stabbing pain near the heel of a foot, in December. The senior from Madison, Wis., said it feels like he’s stepping on needles every time his right foot plants.

“It feels like my tendon is tearing every time I jump,” Willis said. “It kind of sucks. Some days I feel good and when it feels good, you can tell a difference on the court.”

Willis said this has been a good week for him, as No. 17 Wichita State (16-4, 6-2 American) prepares for a rematch with Tulsa (11-9, 4-4) on Sunday at Koch Arena. He is working closely with trainer Todd Fagan and is more diligent about stretching, which can ease the pain.

Rest is the best cure, but time away isn’t something Willis can afford as a senior. He’s averaging 11 points and 6.3 rebounds in just under 20 minutes per game.

“You can tell any kind of bump, it’s hard on him,” WSU senior Rashard Kelly said. “But he’s fighting through it to be out there for us and that’s what we all want to see him do these next few weeks.”

Willis said he can usually tell if he will be able to play through the pain. Like on Thursday, when he scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds off the bench in an 81-62 win over Central Florida.

Then there are games, like last weekend at Houston, where the pain is greater and his play suffers. Willis scored seven points, but had just one rebound in 13 minutes and traveled three times.

“This is really the first time I’ve ever had an injury happen to me,” Willis said. “Some days I will be feeling pretty good and I play pretty well. Houston, I wasn’t feeling good at all. So I played like crap. You can tell, but I’m getting through it. I feel good (Saturday).”

Willis will be needed against a Tulsa team that WSU feels like it can exploit down low. After spraining his ankle in the second half of the UCF game, Shaquille Morris practiced on Friday and Saturday and should be available for Sunday’s game, although no official word has come from coach Gregg Marshall.

Tulsa made 12 three-pointers and shot 46.2 percent from beyond the arc and took the Shockers down to the final minute in a 72-69 WSU win. WSU is making three-point defense a priority for Sunday’s rematch.

“We didn’t pressure them very well,” WSU guard Landry Shamet said. “We let them get comfortable on catches and backed off a little bit. So just trying to not back up, keep your heels above the three-point line and force the guy to put it on the floor and rely on your help defense.”

Following a two-game losing skid last week, WSU has responded with a good week of practice and the 19-point win over UCF.

“We’re more focused,” Shamet said. “It’s a one-game season from this game out. That’s how we’re approaching it. We’re not looking forward or backward. All of the focus is on the task at hand and trying to get another win.”

This story was originally published January 27, 2018 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Darral Willis plays through pain to help WSU during his senior season."