How Wichita State basketball players are keeping team culture intact during losing streak
A losing streak puts extra strain on any college basketball team.
Wichita State is no different in that regard, as there was a somber postgame atmosphere as the players filed out of the locker room at the Liacouras Center following a fourth straight loss, this time a 68-61 setback at Temple on Sunday afternoon.
First-year head coach Paul Mills and his staff pride themselves on building a strong team culture, a belief that is currently being put to the test after WSU lost for the sixth time in the last seven games.
Losing enough can sometimes splinter a locker room, especially in a new situation like the one the players find themselves in this season, but team leaders like Colby Rogers and Xavier Bell say the team’s bond is strong enough to withstand the pressure.
“If we see someone put their head down, we do a good job of helping them pick their head right back up,” Bell said. “We stay in close communication on and off the court and just find little ways to stay close together. In moments like these, it would be easy to venture off and go into everyone’s own little personal circles and stuff like that. But this group is like a close-knit family.”
Like any team working through a losing streak, there’s frustration on how things are playing out on the court.
WSU’s offense has sputtered for largely a month straight now, producing less than 1 point per possession in all six losses since December. Shot selection continues to be a work in progress for the Shockers, as does limiting live-ball turnovers that have directly sparked fast-break offense for the opposition.
There are serious issues for the team to work through to reach its potential, and it will take perseverance and willingness from the players to pull it off. It’s clear Mills would like to see more progress to this point, but he says the buy-in from the players is what matters and that’s still there.
“I’ve been a part of a team (2014 Baylor) that was 2-8 in conference play and went on to the Sweet 16,” Mills said. “And it was because guys showed up every day and they continued to work and continued to get better, and that’s what we have to do. I don’t think there is a player who watches film who says they can’t tighten up this area or that area.
“Now it’s about, ‘Can we make those free throws? Can we knock down those shots in the future? Can we secure the ball once we’ve gotten the stop?’ I think every player is going to answer yes.”
No player has faced more frustration lately than Kenny Pohto, who seemed on the verge of a breakout junior campaign but hit a serious slump that has coincided with WSU’s skid.
Mills brought the 6-foot-10 big man off the bench for the first time this season on Sunday, a change that seemingly spurred a more aggressive Pohto; he delivered a team-high 14 points, six rebounds, a block and two steals against Temple.
If the negativity swirling around on social media had infiltrated the locker room, Pohto doesn’t think his bounce-back game on Sunday would have been possible. He said the only way his mindset was ready was through the support he has received from teammates and coaches for the past month.
“It’s all mental. When you get good shots and they don’t fall, you’ve just got to fight through it,” Pohto said. “Just keep working and trust in the work. We do a good job of encouraging each other and keeping everyone’s head up. If someone has a bad game, we tell them, ‘You’re good, man. Don’t worry about it. Next game.’”
With the offense stuck in a rut, it may be ideal timing for WSU to have a week off in between games where the team can string multiple days of watching film and practicing together uninterrupted.
The bad news is WSU’s next game is against No. 15-ranked Memphis, currently on an eight-game winning streak and ascending up the national rankings. And after that? A road swing to Florida to take on Florida Atlantic, the preseason favorite to win the conference, and South Florida.
Things like staying connected and keeping the vibes high inside the locker room are important, but so is progress on the court. And the Shockers understand they need to begin putting a better product on the floor.
“We’re bringing the right attitude to practice every single day,” Bell said. “We’re giving it our best effort. We know it’s a long season and it’s only two games in so far. We’re just trying to pick things up and we’re just looking to go 1-0 each day.”
This story was originally published January 8, 2024 at 5:03 AM.
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