How Shockers can avoid upset in Wichita State basketball game vs. Alcorn State

If the Wichita State men’s basketball team plays anywhere close to its potential, then Saturday’s game against Alcorn State should be nothing more than another tuneup.

But WSU coach Isaac Brown has seen on film what the all-out pressure of Alcorn State can do to opponents.

The Braves went to halftime trailing by just one point at Ole Miss on Monday, and the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champions put a scare into Texas A&M in the first round of the NIT last spring.

If Wichita State allows Alcorn State to create havoc, then Saturday’s 3 p.m. game at Koch Arena, streaming on ESPN+, could feature some nervous moments in the second half. But if the Shockers keep calm and handle the ball like they did in their season-opening win earlier this week, a victory could be in hand early.

“They’re going to pick us up 94 feet,” Brown said. “They’ve got a smaller team and they’ve got a point guard who is like Patrick Beverley and he’s going to pick you up 94 feet. If you get loose with the basketball, he will take it from you. So I think passing, meeting the basketball, catching, all of those things are going to be really valuable this game. We have to take care of the basketball and we have to be able to handle their pressure.”

Because Alcorn State plays such an aggressive style and likes to play 6-foot-7 rangy athletes at the power forward and center positions, the Shockers’ lone vulnerability from Game 1 — defensive rebounding — could be put to the test again.

Alcorn State ranked as a top-60 team in the country in offensive rebounding rate last season, and the Braves grabbed 13 second-chance opportunities in their season-opening 73-58 loss at Ole Miss.

“We’ve got to do a better job of checking out,” Brown said. “That’s something we worked on in practice (Wednesday) and something we’ll work on in practice (Thursday) and something we’ll go over in film. In order to be a good team, you’ve got to rebound, and Alcorn State is a really good offensive rebounding team.”

While Alcorn State plays in the SWAC, the lowest-rated conference by KenPom.com, the Braves do have one player with high-major talent: 6-foot-7 sophomore Keondre Montgomery, a former four-star recruit coming out of high school who played sparingly in his first season at Mississippi State.

Montgomery came off the bench in the season opener, but ended up playing 28 minutes. He finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals against SEC competition. He has the athletic ability to compete for rebounds, but also a sweet shooting stroke that makes him a threat on the perimeter.

WSU has yet to see a forward with that kind of versatility, which will be an early test on the defensive end for WSU’s rotation at power forward: Gus Okafor, James Rojas and Isaac Abidde.

“(Montgomery) is capable of getting 30 points in a game,” Brown said.

At the other end, because Alcorn State prefers to downsize its lineups, Brown wants to see the center combination of 6-foot-11 sophomore Kenny Pohto and 7-foot sophomore Quincy Ballard capitalize on their size advantage.

Ballard (10 points, five rebounds, two blocks) made a huge impression on the season opener off the bench, while Pohto (three points, five rebounds, one block) struggled to find a rhythm in the starting lineup.

Pohto missed three shots, all around the rim, shots that Brown said he was finishing all summer. The coach wants to see the Sweden native play with confidence and exert his will in Saturday’s game.

“This summer he was really scoring the basketball around the basket,” Brown said. “He’s just got to gather himself, take his time and try to get the ball off the glass. He had a tremendous summer. He’s been working his butt off and he’ll be fine. He’s got to continue to play with confidence. We’ve got a lot of confidence in him and he’ll definitely get some touches in this game.”

Two players Shocker fans shouldn’t expect seeing in Saturday’s game are junior guard Colby Rogers (Siena) and senior center Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler (Omaha), who are both still waiting to hear from the NCAA on a final ruling for their immediate eligibility this season as two-time transfers.

The Shockers’ third game of the season isn’t until next Thursday at Richmond.

“They are still practicing well and doing everything they need in order to keep themselves in tip-top shape,” Brown said. “I’m telling them that when we get that call from the NCAA, they’ve got to be ready to go. Right now we’ll focus on the guys that are eligible. We’ve got enough guys in the room to help us win.”

Alcorn State at Wichita State basketball preview

Records: ASU 0-1, WSU 1-0

When: 3 p.m. Saturday

Where: Koch Arena, Wichita (10,506)

Streaming: ESPN+

Radio: KEYN, 103.7-FM

Projected starting lineups

Alcorn State Braves

Coach: Landon Bussie, third season, 23-31

Wichita State Shockers

Coach: Isaac Brown, third season, 32-19

This story was originally published November 11, 2022 at 7:00 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.