‘College basketball is going to know about us’: WSU optimistic entering AAC opener

Two straight losses at Koch Arena haven’t dampened the spirits of the Wichita State men’s basketball team heading into American Athletic Conference Play.

After just three non-conference games, the Shockers (1-2) will begin conference play at 6 p.m. Tuesday against Tulsa (1-2) at the Reynolds Center with the game broadcast on ESPNU.

It’s been a challenging start to the season for WSU, which lost the first three games on its schedule following positive COVID-19 tests that forced the Shockers to exit the Crossover Classic. That not only left WSU playing its first two games undermanned, but also prevented the Shockers from practicing 5-on-5 for two weeks.

Considering the circumstances and that the team’s two setbacks have come against Missouri and Oklahoma State, who are a combined 11-0 with Missouri ascending to No. 16 in the nation on Monday, the Shockers are feeling optimistic entering AAC play with their full roster now practicing together.

“College basketball is going to know about us,” WSU sophomore Tyson Etienne said. “It’s December. It’s a long season. We were great last year in December and then we took a slide. This year I believe it’s going to go the other way.”

WSU’s players and interim head coach Isaac Brown have had no shortage of adversity this season.

Challenges have been frequent trying to practice during the coronavirus pandemic, as positive COVID-19 tests and required quarantines have wreaked havoc on WSU’s ability to practice since the team assembled in late summer.

On top of that, the Shockers had to go about their business during weeks of uncertainty during an investigation into the conduct of head coach Gregg Marshall, who eventually resigned on Nov. 17 — less than two weeks before their first scheduled game.

It’s been less-than-ideal circumstances to transition seven new players into the program, but WSU is confident it has the potential to be an NCAA Tournament team.

Players and coaches alike just need time together, which is beginning to happen.

“That (2019-20) team had experience and they got off to a really good start,” Brown said. “This right here is a young team. We’re basically a new team that’s really young and I think we’ll get better and better.”

The players were encouraged by the team’s performance in Saturday’s 67-64 loss to undefeated Oklahoma State, the first time this season WSU had its full roster available. The Shockers erased a seven-point deficit late and rallied to tie the game in the final 30 seconds before OSU superstar Cade Cunningham made a contested, game-winning three-pointer.

“That was our first test together down the stretch,” said Alterique Gilbert, a graduate transfer who is among WSU’s seven newcomers. “We went back and forth and competed with a really good team. It was our first opportunity, our first experience together as an entire group and we’re going to learn from it. We’ll have some young guys who are going to get in the mix and play well for us.”

Some of those newcomers showed flashes Saturday of what they can contribute to the team.

Ricky Council, a 6-5 freshman, didn’t score a field goal but grabbed five rebounds and has shown he has earned Brown’s trust to be on the floor in crucial situations; Josaphat Bilau, a 6-10 redshirt freshman from France, finished with two points, five rebounds (three offensive) and a steal in six, energy-filled minutes; and Craig Porter, a 6-2 junior-college transfer, had two flashy assists in his five-minute debut.

“Those guys showed today that they can play,” Brown said. “And we’ve got two other freshman (Chaunce Jenkins and Jaden Seymour) that I expect to play for us. They just weren’t able to get enough practices in for this game.”

A win Tuesday would prevent WSU’s first 1-3 start to a season since 1998-99. And the Shockers could grab an important swing game against a Tulsa team that was picked just in front of them in the preseason AAC poll. Tulsa is not allowing fans at the Reynolds Center for its December games.

Tulsa, which won a three-way share of the AAC regular-season title last season, returns three starters from that team. Brandon Rachal, a 6-6 wing, leads Tulsa in scoring through three games at 17.3 points, while the guard duo of Elijah Joiner (11.7) and Keyshawn Embery-Simpson (11.0) also average double-digits.

It will be the first game in 11 days for Tulsa, which paused basketball activities on Dec. 6 due to a positive COVID-19 test and postponed games against Arkansas (previously set for Dec. 8) and Oral Roberts (Dec. 12). The Eagle confirmed through a Tulsa spokesperson that the team returned to practice on Monday and Tuesday’s game is still on as scheduled.

“The guys are excited for it, almost like it’s a new season for us,” Brown said. “We’ve got to get off to a good start down in Tulsa. They’ve got a good basketball team and they’re well-coached. They’re going to play that matchup zone, and that’s something we’re going to work on in practice. We’ve just got to keep getting better and stick together.”

WSU lost last season’s game at Reynolds Center 54-51 on a game-winning three-pointer by Joiner as time expired. The Shockers won the return game at Koch Arena 79-57 in what turned out to be the final game of the 2019-20 season.

Wichita State at Tulsa

Records: WSU 1-2, 0-0; Tulsa 1-2, 0-0

When: 6 p.m.

Where: Reynolds Center, Tulsa (no fans)

TV: ESPNU

Radio: KEYN, 103.7-FM

Projected lineups

Coach: Isaac Brown, first season, 1-2

Coach: Frank Haith, seventh season, 117-78

This story was originally published December 14, 2020 at 11:05 AM.

Taylor Eldridge

The Wichita Eagle

316-268-6270

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