No one is better at winning ugly than WSU, which will try again Thursday vs. Temple

Wichita State has already hit the 20-win pinnacle with four games remaining in the regular season.

But the three-game (and counting) improvement over last season isn’t because the Shockers are shooting the ball better this season. After shooting 40.8% from the field last season, ranking No. 327 in the country, WSU is shooting 40.4% from the field this season, ranking 328th.

Yet, WSU continues to win games “ugly” because of a defense that ranks top 10 nationally in advanced metrics. In fact, WSU leads the nation over the last two seasons with 15 wins in games where it has shot worse than 40% from the field.

Right now the Shockers will take any win, ugly or pretty, in a crucial four-game stretch that will decide if they are a worthy NCAA Tournament team. WSU (20-7, 8-6 AAC) hosts Temple (14-13, 6-8 AAC) at 7 p.m. Thursday with the game being broadcast on ESPN.

“We emphasize forcing tough, contested jump shots and limiting them to one shot,” WSU coach Gregg Marshall said about the way he preaches defense. “We do that as well as anybody in our league right now. Houston might be the best, but we’re right there every year and this year is no exception.”

WSU’s defense ranks in the top 30 in two-point percentage defense (43.8%, 17th) and three-point percentage defense (29.7%, 26th). The Shockers force an above-average amount of turnovers and rank 40th in the country in limiting offensive rebounds.

Add it all up and opponents are scoring just 0.87 points per possession against WSU’s defense, which is the ninth-best mark in the country. According to KenPom, which has adjusted efficiency, WSU ranks No. 8 in the country, which would be the second-highest finish by the Shockers in the Marshall era.

But when asked for the coach’s perspective, Marshall said WSU still had another level to go before it caught the likes of defenders like Ron Baker, Fred VanVleet, Tekele Cotton and Evan Wessel.

“We’ve got all freshmen and sophomores on the perimeter right now,” Marshall pointed out. “I think we can get there, but we’re not there yet. When you’re comparing us to Fred and Ron and Tekele, that is an elite backcourt. That was probably a backcourt for the ages from a Missouri Valley standpoint and a Wichita State standpoint. We’re not anywhere close to that, but we’re pretty good and we have a chance to get better as these kids get tougher and stronger and a little bit meaner when the game is on the line.”

Marshall is correct in that there are nit-picks to be made about WSU’s elite defense.

For starters, this WSU team fouls more than almost any other team in the Marshall era. The Shockers are averaging nearly 19 fouls per game, which is leading to 21.6 free throw attempts per game and the No. 304 defensive foul rate in the country. If WSU wasn’t giving up so many freebies at the line, its defense could be even better.

Another specific area Marshall has noticed lapses occur is in transition defense. According to Synergy, WSU has the eighth-best halfcourt defense in the country but it ranks No. 145 in transition defense.

“I know the metrics say we’re really good, but I don’t know,” Marshall said. “There’s times where I feel like we could defend better and be more tough at the point of attack and keeping the ball in front. I hate when we give up easy baskets in transition and we do that a little bit too much.

“Again, the numbers bear out that we’re a really, really good defensive team for the most part. But I still see room for improvement. We’ve got to continue to lock down every time down and get matched up and communicate great and play as hard as you possibly can.”

Temple seems to bring out the best in WSU, as the rivalry has produced several high-scoring, entertaining games. But the last meeting, a 65-53 grind-it-out affair in Philadelphia in January, is much more likely how Thursday’s game will turn out.

It was that loss that snapped WSU’s nine-game winning streak and sent the Shockers into their spiral that saw them lose five of seven games. Marshall said WSU will have to do better against Temple’s pressure this time around to avoid another poor offensive showing.

“We need to attack their pressure better,” Marshall said. “They had a little (full-court) nuisance press that just slowed us down. We were very timid against it and we’ve got to try to attack it better. If we want to do that, then we’ve got to be more aggressive. Reverse the ball and take the shot and play opportunity basketball.”

Temple at Wichita State

Records: WSU 20-7, 8-6 AAC; Temple 14-13, 6-8 AAC

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Koch Arena (10,506), Wichita

TV: ESPN

Radio: KEYN, 103.7 FM

Series: Temple leads 9-3 (3-1 in Wichita)

Projected starters

Coach: Aaron McKie, first season, 14-13

Coach: Gregg Marshall, 13th season, 328-120

Taylor Eldridge

The Wichita Eagle

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Wichita State athletics beat reporter. Bringing you closer to the Shockers you love and inside the sports you love to watch.