Dexter Dennis addressed the Shockers after practice with an ‘astute’ message
On Dec. 21, Wichita State announced Dexter Dennis had taken a personal leave from the team. Less than two months later, Dennis addressed the team ahead of perhaps the Shockers’ most important game.
“Hey, guys, we were in the same position last year, and we got better,” WSU coach Gregg Marshall said, quoting Dennis. “We can do the same this year and make the NCAA Tournament if we get better instead of being relegated to the NIT.”
Marshall gave Dennis praise for his maturity after practice Monday. Marshall said he was impressed because it wasn’t a message funneled from a staff member; it came straight from Dennis.
“It was very mature of him and a great step forward in terms of leadership,” Marshall said.
Saturday, WSU lost 54-51 at conference leading Tulsa on a buzzer-beater. The loss sent the Shockers tumbling to fifth place in the AAC. Thursday, they play Cincinnati, the team in third.
After the Tulsa loss, senior Jaime Echenique and freshman Tyson Etienne said it was just one game. Tuesday, Marshall reminded everyone of the Shockers’ record.
“We are still 17-4,” Marshall said. “When you go 15-1 to start, you can lose a couple and still have a really good record. We’re the 25th youngest team in the country, so we can’t lose faith in these guys.”
Marshall said he is hopeful the Shockers will turn fortunes around as they did last year in route to a trip to New York City and the NIT semifinals.
At this time last season, WSU was 11-11. The Shockers finished with 12 wins in their final 16 games
WSU hasn’t beaten Cincinnati in its past four tries. The Shockers’ most recent win in the series came Feb. 18, 2018, on the road. The most recent home win over the Bearcats was Dec. 5, 1981.
A loss Thursday would send WSU to 5-4 in AAC play with all four conference losses coming in just over three weeks. The urgency is on, especially for players like Echenique.
“There’s very few nights off in this league,” Marshall said. “We will have to bounce back.”
For rising stars like Dennis, that pressure is clearly there, too. Since returning to the team Jan. 1 against East Carolina to open conference play, Dennis has steadily improved into one of WSU’s most consistent players.
Only Echenique’s 95 points have been more than Dennis’ 59 over the past six games dating to WSU’s overtime win at UConn in which Dennis dropped 16.
WSU took an 11-point home loss to Houston the most recent time it played a team with the physicality Cincinnati presents. As of Tuesday, Cincinnati has the No. 3 rebounding offense, No. 1 rebounding defense and is No. 2 in the AAC in rebounding margin since the start of conference play.
Bearcats redshirt senior Tre Scott is No. 3 in individual rebounds, first in defensive rebounds, ninth in blocks and tied for third in steals in AAC play. And he has scored 16 points in three of his past four games.
Marshall used words like “athletic, skilled, talented” to explain the way Cincinnati plays, but he said the necessary focus was at Monday’s practice.
“We just need to play the way we practiced yesterday,” Marshall said.