Shocker report: WSU 78, Missouri St. 35
Saturday’s box score
No. 16 Wichita St. 78,
Missouri St. 35
MISSOURI ST. | Min | FG-A | FT-A | OR-TR | A | PF | PT |
Gerring | 30 | 2-8 | 1-2 | 0-2 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
Roundtree Jr | 40 | 0-7 | 1-2 | 2-6 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Boone | 13 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 0-3 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
Kendrix | 23 | 2-5 | 3-4 | 0-1 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
McCullough | 27 | 1-6 | 0-0 | 3-6 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Ruder | 32 | 1-9 | 2-2 | 0-3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
Thurman | 35 | 4-13 | 0-1 | 0-7 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
Totals | 200 | 13-52 | 7-11 | 8-33 | 6 | 12 | 35 |
Percentages: FG .250, FT .636. 3-Point Goals: 2-14, .143 (Kendrix 1-2, Thurman 1-5, Gerring 0-1, Roundtree Jr. 0-3, Ruder 0-3). Team Rebounds: 5. Blocked Shots: 1 (McCullough). Turnovers: 16 (Roundtree Jr. 4, Thurman 3, Kendrix 3, Ruder 2, Gerring 2, Boone). Steals: 2 (Kendrix, Ruder). Technical Fouls: None.
WICHITA ST. | Min | FG-A | FT-A | OR-TR | A | PF | PT |
Wessel | 17 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 4-5 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Carter | 18 | 4-8 | 2-2 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
VanVleet | 24 | 4-9 | 1-2 | 2-10 | 11 | 2 | 10 |
Baker | 17 | 7-10 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
Cotton | 21 | 1-6 | 0-0 | 1-7 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Kelly | 14 | 1-3 | 1-2 | 2-6 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Henderson Jr | 16 | 3-7 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
Holland | 14 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Simon | 8 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
Walker | 5 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Nurger | 9 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
Wamukota | 8 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Morris | 15 | 4-7 | 2-2 | 2-4 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
Glass | 14 | 0-6 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Totals | 200 | 31-70 | 7-10 | 17-51 | 20 | 15 | 78 |
Percentages: FG .443, FT .700. 3-Point Goals: 9-21, .429 (Baker 3-6, Holland 1-1, VanVleet 1-2, Nurger 1-2, Simon 1-2, Henderson Jr. 1-2, Wessel 1-3, Cotton 0-1, Glass 0-1, Kelly 0-1). Team Rebounds: 5. Blocked Shots: 3 (Baker 2, Morris). Turnovers: 7 (Morris 2, Baker, Holland, Wessel, Carter). Steals: 12 (VanVleet 4, Baker 3, Simon 2, Wamukota, Carter, Cotton). Technical Fouls: None.
Missouri St. | 13 | 22 | — | 35 |
Wichita St. | 37 | 41 | — | 78 |
A—10,506. Officials—David Hall, Roland Simmons, Tim Fitzgerald.
On the numbers
Wichita State blocked three shots, stole the ball a season-high 12 times and forced 16 turnovers. It allowed 13 baskets, which made for a landmark defensive effort.
“We knew they were low stock in the point-guard position,” WSU guard Ron Baker said. “We intensified our pressure and got some easy baskets from it.”
The Shockers allowed their fewest points since a 53-34 win over Colorado State in 1980. It is the fewest points allowed in an MVC game since a 42-35 win over Tulsa in 1949.
Missouri State scored its fewest points since a 35-31 win over Northwest Missouri State in 1950. The margin of defeat is MSU’s biggest since a 52-point loss to Nebraska in 1983.
MSU coach Paul Lusk knew he faced a tough situation and he didn’t plan to watch the film.
“We need to bury it and move on and get ready for Evansville,” he said.
Joining the club
The Shockers spent a lot of time around the 1965 Shockers, who reunited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their trip to Final Four.
The old Shockers watched practices Friday and Saturday. On Friday, they attended a banquet and they were recognized at halftime of Saturday’s game.
The youngsters enjoyed it, as well.
“It’s been special,” WSU junior Fred VanVleet said. “To sit there and hear the stories, and hear those guys’ stats and the games that they played, it was amazing. What was even more special was reaching out to them and them giving the love right back. Those guys are legends in their own right and they don’t have to show love like that, but they did.”
Media circus
Saturday’s shoot-around featured a larger-than-normal contingent of cameras and talking heads.
Showtime camera men followed the Shockers throughout the workout, even running alongside them on the court during drills, to document the practice for its all-access show “The Road to March Madness.” The first episode airs on Feb. 17 and it continues weekly until March 16. The first four one-hour episodes are at 9 p.m. on Tuesdays with the final one on Monday after the NCAA Tournament bracket is announced.
ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla watched and talked with WSU coaches. He joined the usual Missouri Valley Conference crew of Mark Adams and Rich Hollenberg to serve as sideline reporter.
Worth noting
Wichita State freshman Zach Brown missed Saturday’s game with a concussion. He has played in 19 games and averages 2.9 points … MSU’s Austin Ruder drew a charging foul on Ron Baker in the first half. The previous charge drawn by the Bears was Dec. 20 against Eastern Michigan … WSU took a season-high 70 shots and grabbed 51 rebounds, its most against an NCAA Division I opponent this season.
Paul Suellentrop
This story was originally published February 7, 2015 at 10:54 PM with the headline "Shocker report: WSU 78, Missouri St. 35."