Defense, defense, defense — Wichita State’s breakdowns change tone of exhibition trip in Canada

Landry Shamet knows the point of Wichita State’s exhibition tour of Canada is to learn. The Shockers aren’t devoting all resources to winning, because organizing and evaluating those resources is what really matters.

Getting thumped by 25 points however, isn’t anybody’s plan, regardless of the circumstances. WSU (1-1) has two games remaining on its exhibition tour in Canada and regrouping after Sunday’s 100-75 loss at Carleton University in Ottawa starts Tuesday at McGill University.

“I don’t think any of us will put this score away,” Shamet said. “We know the real stuff that matters is coming in the near future, but as competitors we don’t want to get beat by 25.”

There is no mystery as to what the Shockers will focus on the rest of the trip. While it’s important to put Sunday’s game in context, WSU’s defense fell apart to the tune of allowing 54.7-percent shooting and 14 offensive rebounds. The Ravens handed out 21 assists on their 35 baskets, indicating they ran their offense with little objection from the Shockers.

“We’ve got some guys who have no idea what they’re supposed to be doing,” WSU coach Gregg Marshall said. “I’ve had 10 practices and I need about 30 more. They’re behind. Thank goodness this is Aug. 7 and not Nov. 7.”

WSU didn’t scout the Ravens and it showed. WSU also played without three of its most experienced athletes for most of the game. Junior center Shaq Morris started the game with a strong post move for a basket and foul shot. Minutes later, he picked up an offensive foul that Marshall strenuously objected to and Morris didn’t score again. Saddled with foul trouble, he played six minutes. Sophomore guard Peyton Allen played four minutes before fouling out. A knee injury sidelined sophomore forward Markis McDuffie.

“Those guys have to play better,” Marshall said. “They didn’t do anything today because they fouled every time they got out there.”

While coaches expect to field a rotation nine or 10 deep, the Shockers aren’t ready to absorb such a deficit against a good team. That left Marshall with a group lacking in experience and cohesion. Carleton showed what happens when two or three defenders do the right thing and the others are a step slow.

It showed with poor box-outs on rebounds, sloppy closeouts on shooters and a general lack of understanding about where to be on defense from several Shockers. When the Shockers handled Carleton’s initial movement, breakdowns away from the ball hurt.

“They were driving the ball and we had help defense, but we didn’t have the help defense that helps the help defense,” WSU center Rauno Nurger said. “We are known for our defense and we did not play that way.”

Carleton hurt the Shockers early with plays run out of a set commonly called “horns,” which places two screeners at the foul line and allows the guard to run his defender through a maze of screens. Those plays, WSU’s Zach Brown said, are similar to ones often used by Northern Iowa.

“We weren’t ready for it and when we did talk about it, people weren’t mentally ready for it,” Brown said. “Five guys need to be together defensively for us to think about winning.”

WSU’s issues started immediately. Newcomer Darral Willis watched Carleton’s Kaza Kajami-Keane drive past for a play that resulted in an offensive rebound and basket. Morris missed a boxout on the free throw and Kajami-Keane followed by running Conner Frankamp off a screen and driving into an open lane for a three-point play. Those breakdowns continued, especially in the critical first and third quarters. Carleton outscored WSU 29-14 in the third to break a 47-all tie at halftime.

Shamet knows what to expect when coaches go to school on Sunday’s defeat.

“Communication, pick and roll defense — all that stuff,” Shamet said. “Defense, defense, defense.”

The Shockers came to Canada confident about their ability to press and that aspect provided Sunday’s best moments. The Shockers outscored Carleton 27-21 in the second quarter by forcing six turnovers, many thanks to presses. WSU made 9 of 17 shots in the quarter, helped by easy baskets after steals.

“That five-minute segment was really what Wichita State basketball is,” Shamet said. “We were really aggressive in our traps and their first sight of it probably caught them off-guard.”

WSU’s offense stalled when faced with creating against Carleton’s set defense in the halfcourt, rushed by the 24-second clock. Morris’ absence robbed WSU of inside scoring. Point guards Daishon Smith and Frankamp had little success getting WSU into its offense. Guards were often forced into desperation shots as the shot-clock ticked away. That’s an issue that will go away in NCAA play with the 30-second clock. In Canada, the Shockers agree that six seconds seems like a lot of time.

“We settled for a lot of jumpers,” Shamet said. “That was definitely an issue. Finding a way to get more paint touches with that short clock will be a big thing.”

McGill loses opener — WSU will face another team eager to fire away from behind the FIBA three-point line on Tuesday. McGill made 12 of 34 three-pointers in Sunday’s 80-65 loss to Stetson at Love Competition Hall.

Guard Avery Cadogan scored 17 points and made 4 of 5 threes for McGill. Stetson, which lost to Carleton (85-76) and defeated the University of Quebec at Montreal (72-67), made 50 percent of its shots and committed eight turnovers.

McGill is 3-15 vs. NCAA DIvision I opponents since 2011.

Canada’s claim to the game — Basketball inventor James Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario, about 30 miles from Ottawa.

Dave Loney, director of marketing for the Naismith Basketball Foundation, watched Sunday’s game. As is his tradition, he delivered a Naismith coin, minted from brass and nickel, to the coaching staff from the United States team.

This story was originally published August 8, 2016 at 12:30 PM with the headline "Defense, defense, defense — Wichita State’s breakdowns change tone of exhibition trip in Canada."