Here’s what WSU can learn from its worst offensive showing of the Marshall era

In his opening statement following one of worst offensive performances in Wichita State history, coach Gregg Marshall began to congratulate South Florida coach Brian Gregory on a “nice” 54-41 victory at the Yuengling Center on Tuesday.

Then he stopped and decided he was giving too much credit to the Shockers.

“I don’t know how nice it was when we didn’t put up much of a fight,” Marshall continued. “I’m kind of embarrassed to say. We were not very good... at all.”

Measured on a possession-by-possession standard, it ranked as WSU’s second-worst offensive performance. The Shockers mustered 41 points in 67 possessions for 0.61 points per possession on Tuesday, which was separated by the hundredths from the program’s worst efficiency measure set in a 58-36 loss to Utah in 1991.

WSU either tied for or posted a season-low in field goals made (15), field-goal percentage (28.3), three-pointers made (two), three-point percentage (11.1) and free-throw percentage (40.9). The Shockers were one under their season-highs in turnovers (20) and fouls (25).

The Shockers didn’t score on 13 of their first 14 possessions. There didn’t seem to be a sense of urgency coming out of halftime, either. WSU was just as poor to open the second half, failing to score on 12 of the first 14 possessions.

“It was pretty bad,” Marshall said. “I’d have to go back and look to see one that bad. But you have to give them credit. I want to credit South Florida. I’ll have to look at the tape. I don’t know what else to tell you.”

While it can be true South Florida defended WSU well, it can also be true that WSU made life easy on the Bulls.

Too many possessions wilted away while WSU’s players went 30 seconds without executing a single dangerous action. Not a single cut, screen or dribble penetration were accomplished with vigor. The end result, more times than not, was a contested heave from the perimeter just to beat the shot clock.

According to StatHouse Analytics, WSU was scoring at 0.64 points per possession in the final five seconds of the shot clock, the worst mark in the American Athletic Conference. That number will plummet following Tuesday’s game.

What makes the performance even more disheartening is considering the opportunity that was at stake for the Shockers.

They had a chance to funnel their anger and frustration from Saturday’s loss to Cincinnati into an inspired effort on the road in one of the least-hostile road environments in the conference. While much improved this season, USF is still trying to change its culture after finishing last or next-to-last in every season since it joined the AAC.

Just last year, WSU led USF by 31 points at halftime and drubbed the Bulls by 38 at Koch Arena. Only two players from each team who played in that game returned this season. Tuesday’s game mirrored the direction each team has gone this season, as USF (13-6, 3-4 AAC) equaled its win total from last season and WSU (8-10) dropped to 1-5 in conference play and 0-5 on the road.

“They’re trying to get their footing a little bit, but I knew they would come out here and compete because that’s what Gregg Marshall teams do,” USF coach Brian Gregory said. “It’s a great win for us because of the respect myself and my players have for Wichita State and what they’re all about. It won’t be too long before those guys get a feel for each other. They haven’t played as well on the road and that’s what happens sometimes when you have a bunch of new guys.”

Perhaps WSU’s biggest failing in this game was allowing South Florida to set the tone early.

In fact, USF established it on the first play when it won the tip and Laquincy Rideau immediately turned on attack mode. He dribbled past WSU’s Samajae Haynes-Jones without much resistance, then bumped into Jaime Echenique, sending the 6-foot-11 center to the ground before scoring on a layup 13 seconds into the game.

But maybe even more demoralizing were the bunnies WSU missed at the rim. Echenique failed to convert near the basket on WSU’s first possession. Shortly after, Dexter Dennis did well to attack the basket but missed a point-blank layup when he reached his final destination. Making matters worse, Asbjorn Midtgaard grabbed the offensive rebound, missed the follow, then did the same thing over again.

Less than three minutes into the game and Marshall was already left shaking his head with how his team was squandering can’t-miss opportunities.

“Good players make those plays,” Marshall said. “They put it on the glass. We were trying to swish those four-foot jump hooks. We’re taught to put it on the glass and put it on the square. We don’t listen very well. I don’t think you can blame all of our inadequacies on that, but it certainly started it.”

WSU also squandered one of its best defensive showings of the season, something this team can’t afford to do. The Shockers dominated the glass (22-15 advantage) in the second half, held USF to 30 percent shooting and coaxed the Bulls into 18 turnovers.

That should have been enough for a win; instead it shows how far from adequate WSU’s offense was that the Shockers lost by 13.

But when WSU reeled off an 11-0 run late in the second half and trimmed USF’s lead to five points with five minutes remaining, the Shockers couldn’t produce a defensive stop. USF scored 10 of the next 12 points to secure the victory.

The Shockers also committed 25 more fouls on Tuesday, which increases their AAC-leading average to 22.8 fouls per game which has resulted in their opponents shooting an average of 27.8 free throws.

“It seems like every game we’ve got somebody or two people in foul trouble,” Marshall said. “We’ve got to learn how to play defense without fouling. Guys start driving and instead of pushing back and showing our hands, we attack them and put our hands on them. We do the exact opposite of what you’ve got to do. It’s pretty frustrating, but it is what it is. You can’t trade anybody. You can’t make any moves on the waiver wire. We’re just going to have to ride it out.”

Another problem WSU is facing is finishing defensive possessions. Too many times they were second to the floor against South Florida, as the Bulls won the vast majority of the 50-50 balls available for taking.

The Shockers’ lack of aggression was never more obvious than when WSU freshman Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler grabbed a defensive rebound, only for Rideau to rip it away and put it in for two points.

It’s a performance WSU will want to forget, but Marshall isn’t likely going to let them. It can serve as a learning experience for a young team and a lesson on how to handle adversity. Marshall was left flying home from Tampa wondering if Saturday’s emotional loss to Cincinnati had somehow impacted his team’s play three days later.

“I think we may have lost two games because of that game,” Marshall said. “Maybe that’s the reason. I’m not taking anything away from South Florida. We weren’t beating anybody tonight.”

As Marshall has stated this season, there are no reinforcements on the way for the Shockers, at least not for this season. WSU will have to pick itself back up and try again in four days, as it looks to win its first road game of the season against a Connecticut team that is going through its own struggles.

This story was originally published January 23, 2019 at 5:14 AM.