What prepared Craig Porter to deliver in a big moment for Wichita State basketball

Five seconds remained on the shot clock in a crucial late-game possession for Wichita State in Tuesday’s road game at Tulsa when Craig Porter scooped the ball up near half-court.

Porter stole a glance at the shot clock at the other end of the floor to start the internal clock in his head and then went to work. He took three dribbles forward to send his defender back-pedaling before planting his right foot, hopping back behind the three-point line and letting fly a three-pointer that swished through the net just as the shot clock expired.

It was Porter’s first points as a Shocker and WSU’s last field goal in its 69-65 road victory over the reigning conference champions. For many WSU fans, it was a surprising and exciting way for Porter to introduce himself.

Watching from his home in Vincennes, Indiana, Todd Franklin just smiled and shook his head. He was anything but surprised after coaching Porter for two years at Vincennes University, where Porter helped the team to a 62-7 record and the program’s first NJCAA championship in nearly five decades.

“All of our games are big. We were ranked top five in the country. We played in a national championship. We’re everybody’s biggest game,” Franklin said. “So Craig has played under pressure for the last two years. Good players perform under pressure and Craig and proven time and time again that he’s a good player.”

In Porter’s mind, it did not compute that he had yet to make a shot at the Division I level. To him, Tuesday’s clutch shot was no different than the many ones that came before it during his time at Vincennes.

“It really felt the same,” Porter said. “I had a lot of pressure (at Vincennes) being the youngest on my team and being a starter. I’m used to tough situations and I know how to make the right play and being able to deliver for my team is something that’s natural to me.”

Against Tulsa, Porter made winning plays of all varieties on the offensive and defensive end. His final stat line — four points, six rebounds, five assists (a team high), one steal and one block in 25 minutes — is exactly the type of performance that WSU envisioned from him.

But no one on WSU expected Porter to be able to deliver as much this early in the season after the 6-foot-2 junior guard missed 42 days of practice due to COVID-19 protocol. Porter missed the first two games of the season, then played just five minutes in his debut last Saturday against Oklahoma State.

Tuesday’s game at Tulsa was the first time Porter has been able to play unabridged in months.

“I could definitely tell because he’s just not moving the same way he’s capable of,” Franklin said. “He’s got this different level of athleticism. It’s an easy athleticism, real smooth. You don’t realize it and then all of a sudden he’s up there blocking a shot or dunking on somebody. He’s still got another level or two in him.”

That missing burst was evident on certain plays like when Porter had a jumper blocked late and when he couldn’t elevate the same way to block a layup in transition and was instead whistled for a foul in the final minute.

But even without being armed with 100% of his athleticism, Porter has already earned the trust of interim coach Isaac Brown because of his mind. Against Tulsa, Porter was on the floor for every second of the final seven minutes.

“He’s a winner and he’s a big part of our team,” Brown said. “He can affect the game without scoring. He can guard, he can rebound, he can create shots for others. He’s just a winner.”

That’s what makes Porter such an appealing option for the Shockers late in close games. He’s a good enough shooter to space the floor and force defenses to respect him off the ball and if the offense stalls out, he’s capable of creating shots for himself or others. Plus, Porter (6-2) defends bigger than his size, which allows WSU to play him along side guards Alterique Gilbert (6 foot) and Tyson Etienne (6-2) in crunch time.

Franklin said Porter’s poise and skill set are what teams want on the floor in the game’s most decisive moments.

“When games come down to the crunch, you need guys that can make plays, but you also need guys who don’t make negative plays,” Franklin said. “Some guys can do that and some guys can’t and Craig is one of those players who can do it all for you. Your team is going to be better off if he’s one of the five guys on the floor for you.”

Porter’s emergence highlighted drastically improved bench play for WSU against Tulsa just one game after the bench combined for just five points on 2 of 11 shooting against Oklahoma State. Porter, Ricky Council, Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler, Josaphat Bilau and Clarence Jackson combined for 33 points on 12 of 26 shooting against Tulsa.

WSU’s bench should receive the most opportunity yet in this season during Friday’s 6 p.m. game against Division II foe Emporia State at Koch Arena (streaming on ESPN+). The game, which was added to the schedule earlier this week, will count as a regular-season game for WSU (2-2) but an exhibition for ESU (3-0). The Shockers return to American Athletic Conference play on Tuesday with a road trip to South Florida, which is off to a 5-2 start and coming off a road upset over Cincinnati.

Friday’s game against Emporia State will likely be treated as a glorified scrimmage by both teams. It’s a difficult stretch for ESU, which plays key conference games on Thursday night and Saturday afternoon and plan to put their starters on a minutes restriction for Friday’s exhibition game against the Shockers.

“Wichita State is a really good team and Coach Brown has got those guys playing so hard and they’re playing for each other and for him,” ESU coach Craig Doty said. “It’s going to be a huge challenge for us, but it’s one we’re excited for. We’re going to go down and compete against top-level competition in an outstanding venue and it’s an exciting opportunity for our guys.”

Emporia State at Wichita State

Records: ESU 3-0, WSU 2-2

When: 6 p.m. Friday

Where: Koch Arena, Wichita (10% capacity)

Streaming: ESPN+

Radio: KEYN, 103.7-FM

Projected starters

Coach: Isaac Brown, first season, 2-2

Coach: Craig Doty, third season, 27-34

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.