How Wichita State basketball is preparing for ‘rock fight’ game with ECU Pirates
In order to build its first winning streak of the year, the Wichita State men’s basketball team will likely have to find a solution to a problem it hasn’t faced all season.
The Shockers (11-6, 1-3 AAC) don’t have much experience against a zone defense, as just 5% of the team’s 1,130 halfcourt possessions this season have come against a zone, per Synergy. In fact, no opponent has tried to zone up WSU outside of a handful of possessions each game.
That will likely change in Saturday’s 6 p.m. game against East Carolina at Koch Arena and streaming on ESPN+. After beginning the season as a mostly man defense, the Pirates (9-9, 1-4 AAC) have adopted a matchup 2-3 zone for 57% of their defensive possessions in American Athletic Conference play.
With school still out, WSU head coach Paul Mills has capitalized on the additional time with 2-a-day practices and three days of prep to prepare his team.
“With no school, I don’t know what else you would be doing,” Mills said. “If it isn’t practice, film, games, sleep, repeat, I don’t know what else we’re doing.”
WSU has fared “average” by Synergy’s standards in its limited sample size against zone defenses. The Shockers have made 45.7% of their shots, which has translated to 0.93 points per shooting possession.
Limiting turnovers was crucial to WSU ending a 3-game losing skid in a 68-59 win over Charlotte on Tuesday and should once again be vital against an ECU team that swept the Shockers in last season’s meetings and has won three of the last four meetings.
Not only did fewer turnovers result in better offense for the Shockers, but more importantly, it prevented the team from constantly playing “disadvantage basketball” as Mills calls it. ECU struggles to score in the halfcourt setting and relies heavily on juicing its offense through transition opportunities, so avoiding live-ball turnovers will be critical for WSU.
Holding ECU to one shot will be another key, as the Pirates have thrived this season attacking the offensive glass. ECU ranks No. 41 in offensive rebounding rate (35.1%) and 10th nationally in 8.6 points per game scored off offensive rebounds. WSU has collected at least 77% of available defensive rebounds its last three games, an elite mark, but Mills quipped “we haven’t had to rebound because we haven’t made anybody miss.”
“We need to be able to make (ECU) miss and limit them to one shot,” Mills said. “That’s easier said than done.
“Man, they are physical and they send four to the glass. They’re going to try to beat you up and make it a game of, ‘This is a rock fight and we throw rocks harder than you do.’”
Mills once again reported WSU has had a good week of practice leading up to Saturday’s game, but also noted he has said that before and it hasn’t translated to games.
After an 0-3 start to conference play, the Shockers have the opportunity on Saturday to steady themselves with a 2-0 week in the Roundhouse.
“We’re not going to let three games, it’s 10% of your season, so we’re not going to let 10% of the season define the other 90%,” Mills said. “We knew we didn’t play well. We owned it. We need to course correct and it needs to be sustained. We’re not in a position to hit the panic button. This is about being locked in the moment and doing the right thing in the moment and not getting so caught up in the result. The result is a byproduct of doing things right in the moment.”
Wichita State vs. ECU basketball preview
Records: ECU 9-9, 1-4 AAC; WSU 11-6, 1-3 AAC
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Koch Arena (10,506), Wichita, Kan.
How to watch: ESPN+ (Shane Dennis with Bob Hull)
Radio: KEYN, 103.7-FM (Mike Kennedy with Dave Dahl)
Series history: WSU leads 7-3 (3-2 in Wichita)
Betting line: No odds yet
KenPom says: WSU 76, ECU 71
Projected starting lineups
Wichita State Shockers (10-6)
Pos. | No. | Player | Hometown | Ht. | Wt. | Year | Pts. | Reb. | Ast. |
G | 11 | Justin Hill | Houston, Texas | 5-11 | 191 | Sr. | 13.5 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
G | 1 | Xavier Bell | Wichita, Kan. | 6-2 | 192 | Sr. | 14.6 | 3.2 | 1.4 |
G | 20 | Harlond Beverly | Detroit, Mich. | 6-5 | 185 | Sr. | 9.3 | 3.9 | 2.9 |
F | 6 | Corey Washington | Little Rock, Ark. | 6-5 | 188 | Jr. | 13.2 | 7.1 | 0.7 |
C | 15 | Quincy Ballard | Syracuse, N.Y. | 6-11 | 251 | Sr. | 10.7 | 8.3 | 0.3 |
Coach: Paul Mills, second season, 26-25
East Carolina Pirates (9-9)
Pos. | No. | Player | Hometown | Ht. | Wt. | Year | Pts. | Reb. | Ast. |
G | 1 | Cam Hayes | Greensboro, N.C. | 6-3 | 190 | Sr. | 9.5 | 2.5 | 3.8 |
G | 3 | R.J. Felton | Aurora, Ill. | 6-3 | 214 | Sr. | 18.2 | 7.1 | 2.4 |
G | 12 | Jordan Riley | Jacksonville, Fla. | 6-4 | 209 | Sr. | 13.5 | 5.7 | 1.7 |
G | 0 | Jayshayne Woodard | Tbilisi, Georgia | 6-7 | 180 | Jr. | 5.8 | 3.9 | 1.7 |
| F | 14 | C.J. Walker | Greensboro, N.C. | 6-8 | 214 | Sr. | 16.9 | 7.2 | 0.5 |
Coach: Michael Schwartz, third season, 40-44
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