Wichita State posts thrive in weeklong battle (+video)

Two games, two future NBA centers in the opposing lineup.

Two Wichita State wins.

After staring down UNLV’s Stephen Zimmerman Jr. and Utah’s Jakob Poeltl in the span of four days and coming out on top both times, it’s fair to say WSU’s post triumvirate of Bush Wamukota, Shaq Morris and Rauno Nurger have been more than up to the challenge.

In fact, they’ve thrived against elite competition in both Wednesday’s 56-50 win over UNLV and Saturday’s 67-50 win over No. 25 Utah at Intrust Bank Arena.

“For us, it’s just going to make it a better game to know (the other center) is coming and they’re considered elite,” Wamukota said. “So we just try as much as possible to push each other in practice every day because we know we have a good post player we’re going to face.”

WSU coach Gregg Marshall stuck with the same plan in both games — start the 6-foot-8 Morris, then bring Wamukota, 6-11, and Nurger, 6-10, off the bench, then start Wamukota in the second half and bring the other two off the bench.

Both possible lottery picks in next June’s NBA Draft, neither center made much of an impact against the Shockers. Zimmerman was held to 11 points and 6 rebounds in 31 minutes and Poeltl to 11 points and 9 rebounds in 31 minutes. Poeltl came in averaging 21.3 points and 9.9 rebounds. Zimmerman came in averaging 10.3 points and 9.1 rebounds.

And it’s all been done by the Shockers without who they imagined would be their top post player entering the season, senior Anton Grady, who is still out after suffering a spinal concussion in a loss to Alabama on Nov. 27.

And while the WSU trio’s stats aren’t eye-popping — none of them scored in double figures either game — the results are.

“To rotate in three different players with three different styles and body types makes it hard for them to get in a groove,” Wamukota said. “Then you just try to knock them down a little bit in the post, make sure they don’t get easy catches. That’s the emphasis.”

Marshall, during an ESPN behind-the-scenes segment leading up to the Utah game, told his posts that Poeltl was going to “sign a $50 million contract” during a WSU practice. That turned into stark motivation.

“To go against somebody with that NBA status or whatever, you want to hold them to less than their average, which thank God we have the last two games,” Morris said. “When you step on the court, all the attention is on them and you get to go against them. When you’re in this game, you want to play against the best.”

“It’s exciting to face guys like that,” Wamukota said. “I wish every center we played against was a (future) NBA guy. That’s fun.”

This story was originally published December 12, 2015 at 7:09 PM with the headline "Wichita State posts thrive in weeklong battle (+video)."