MVC notes: Wichita State women turn to offense without sacrificing defense (+video)

ST. LOUIS – Wichita State won three straight women’s Missouri Valley Conference titles — regular-season and tournament — with a defense that suffocated opponents and led to easy baskets.

The Shockers were picked fifth in Tuesday’s poll, not an unexpected drop for a team that lost five starters. Opponents should know coach Jody Adams considers this her best offensive team, the natural growth of improved recruiting as the program grew in stature. Opponents should also know she is determined not to slip on defense.

“Defense lives with us, that’s our bread and butter,” WSU sophomore forward Rangie Bessard said. “If offense is not there, we know by playing great defense, it will create better offense for us.”

The Shockers lost two disruptive defenders in Alex Harden and Jamillah Bonner. While the Shockers don’t have on-ball defenders of their stature, Adams is pleased with the team defense.

“Those were two athletes who made a lot of individual plays,” she said. “I don’t know that we’ll ever fill those shoes with this team, unless somebody hops into that role. As far as our team defense … I think we do a very, very good job of it. They just need reps.”

WSU’s offense should be characterized by forwards who can shoot from the outside and guards who can drive to score or pass.

“We’re very versatile,” Bessard said. “Our (forwards) can really stretch the floor, shoot three and go inside. Our guards are high-motor and can stretch the floor, as well, with their shots.”

Adams sees a team that can spread defenses and work off screens more effectively than in the past. Center Brittany Martin could give WSU a post-up threat.

“There’s a lot of IQ there, with Rangie being one of these guys who can (dribble) it, pass it, she can make reads, she’s good in on-ball screen action,” Adams said. “She can catch it and shoot three. Then you have point guards like Diamond (Lockhart) and Aundra (Stovall) that can maneuver that on-ball screen, and both in very different ways, and that’s what we haven’t been able to do in the past.”

Defense is still at the top of the list, as demonstrated in their G (greatness) R (rebound) I (intensity) N (next play) D (defense) motto.

“That’s what started the winning tradition, defense,” junior Jaleesa Chapel said.

Coaches never forget — Indiana State men’s coach Greg Lansing changed his team’s locker room combination to 8153 after last season’s 81-53 loss to Loyola in the MVC Tournament.

He told that story during last spring’s conference call with coaches. The combination changed soon after to deter theft. The Sycamores are still reminded of that game regularly.

“When we go in our locker room, there are definitely reminders,” Sycamores guard Devonte Brown said. “He’s never going to let us forget it, and I don’t want to let us to forget it. And I don’t want to forget it. That’s extra motivation.”

Who voted for the Ramblers? — WSU’s men were the unanimous favorite in 2014, receiving all 40 votes. In the past two seasons, one vote eluded them.

Loyola received one first-place vote in the poll. Coach Porter Moser denied voting for his own team, wondering if famed Loyola rooter Sister Jean Schmidt had a vote.

Illinois State coach Dan Muller, who caused a minor stir last season when he voted for the Redbirds, said he didn’t vote for Loyola. Neither did Shocker coach Gregg Marshall.

WSU is the first team to earn the status as favorite three straight times since the poll began before the 1985-86 season. The Shockers are on top for the sixth time and the fourth since the 2010-11 season. The Shockers finished second after being picked first three times and won the regular-season title in 2014 and 2015.

Back to the top — Evansville joined the MVC with high expectations in 1994. It won the MVC men’s title in 1999 and was picked second in the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 preseason polls.

Since then, the Aces slipped into the middle of the pack and worse. With five starters back, expectations are again significant. The Aces are picked second and a return to the NCAA Tournament is on the agenda for preseason All-MVC picks D.J. Balentine and Egidijius Mockevicius.

“It feels really good,” Balentine said. “You can’t take too much into it, but it’s a good gauge just to know where people think we’ll be at. It gives us motivation to be No. 1.”

The Aces won the CollegeInsider.com Tournament last season and their roster features three seniors and eight juniors.

On the bench — Northern Iowa is picked third after finishing last season 31-4, winning the MVC Tournament and defeating Wyoming in the NCAA Tournament.

The Panthers will rely on guards Wes Washpun, Paul Jesperson, Jeremy Morgan and Matt Bohannon to help inexperience big men adjust. Klint Carlson, Ted Friedman and Bennett Koch are all third-year sophomores with little game experience.

“All three of them are good players and have a chance to be very good in our league,” UNI coach Ben Jacobson said. “The physicality it takes to defend and rebound and be effective in our league and nationally, they aren’t nearly there yet. They haven’t been in those battles on game night.”

Jacobson considers Carlson his most skilled offensive big man, capable of making mid-range jumpers and inside. Koch can score around the basket. Friedman is a defender who can play post defense.

However, Carlson will miss UNI’s first three games — against Colorado State, Stephen F. Austin and North Carolina — after he was charged with operating under the influence in June. Jesperson has missed most of fall workouts with a foot injury and may return soon to practice.

Bachrodt all over the court — Freshman Sam Bachrodt, from Wichita, is pushing for playing time with Drake’s women’s team. In fact, it seems as if the push is over.

Coach Jennie Baranczyk sees Bachrodt helping the Bulldogs at both guard spots, at forward and guarding centers.

“She’s going to play a lot,” Baranczyk said. “She’s kind of become our player — because of her high basketball I.Q. — where we’re going to find a way. We’re going to put her in different positions offensively, different positions defensively. She really has a great feel for the game and being part of a team.”

Bachrodt was a 2015 All-State player at Kapaun Mount Carmel, where she averaged 19.8 points and 7.3 rebounds.

This story was originally published October 27, 2015 at 3:53 PM with the headline "MVC notes: Wichita State women turn to offense without sacrificing defense (+video)."