Bob Lutz: Shockers’ Fred VanVleet has another day to remember

The first place Fred VanVleet’s eyes go to on a box score is the turnovers column. He had three Sunday afternoon against Evansville and it made him mad.

“So silly, some of the plays I turn the ball over on,” VanVleet said. “But it happens. I’m just trying to make plays for guys.”

It’s important to mention VanVleet’s three turnovers Sunday for the sake of balance. Because everything else the Shockers’ junior point guard does turns to gold.

He became WSU’s all-time assists leader with five against Evansville, moving him to 431 for his career and one ahead of Toure Murry.

VanVleet scored 22 points and, at 6-foot, had eight rebounds with a couple of steals thrown in.

VanVleet’s offensive explosion in the first half, which included an array of shots ranging from floaters to high-archers to step-backs, fueled a sluggish Shockers’ offense and led to a 16-point halftime lead.

WSU eventually beat Evansville, 62-43, and held the Purple Aces to 84 points in two meetings.

But back to VanVleet and this turnover problem he’s having.

OK, not really. In fact, he’s averaging about 3.3 assists for every turnover and has more steals (51) than turnovers (46).

“I have a good feel for the game so I pretty much know if I’m having a good game as far as assists go,” VanVleet said. “Assists are a big part of the equation for me, but overall the thing that means more than anything is wins and losses. I don’t care if I have zeroes across the board as long as we win.”

A lot of players might say that. VanVleet means it. It’s obvious he takes a personal responsibility in what his teammates are doing and how they’re performing.

Watch him on the bench sometime, when he’s supposed to be resting. His eyes are peeled on the action and he’s up almost as much as WSU coach Gregg Marshall, giving instruction or praise or raising an eyebrow.

And the thing Shocker fans love most about VanVleet is that he’s just a junior. There’s another year of Fred.

“We have a handful of games or more left this season,” Marshall said. “He’s going to put that (assists) number so high that it’s going to be really difficult to touch. I hope I can get a point guard who can one day break that record that is going to be put up because it’s going to be an incredible number. It’s going to be really special.”

VanVleet is a perfect point guard, really. He understands the game and has come to know Marshall’s complex and demanding offensive system like the back of his hand. He has what appears to be sonar relationship with fellow junior Ron Baker, who also happens to be the Shockers’ best scorer. He’s smart, humble, focused and competitive.

“One of the most competitive young people I’ve ever been around,” said Marshall, who has a competitive bone or two in his body, too. “A fine young person, a gentleman and someone who is mature beyond his years. He’s precocious and a great leader who is constantly talking to our guys and constantly putting them in the right positions. He’s always getting their chins up and encouraging them. I haven’t coached anyone like him.”

Every coach who comes through Wichita gushes about VanVleet. Evansville’s Marty Simmons is the latest, speaking longingly about the Shockers’ point guard during his postgame news conference Sunday.

Simmons would love to have a player like VanVleet. So would a list of coaches too long to mention here. For Missouri Valley coaches, especially, VanVleet is the apple of their eyes.

He was so good Sunday that people almost forget Baker’s 18 points and career-high 15 rebounds. Baker, one of the best players in the country, has another guy his equal on the same team in VanVleet.

With all due credit to the rest of the Shockers, and especially senior defensive whiz Tekele Cotton who once again made life miserable for Evansville’s D.J. Balentine, Baker and VanVleet are becoming one of the best duos in Shocker history.

They’re up there with Carr-Levingston, McDaniel-Sherrod, Stallworth-Bowman, Armstrong-Washington, Evans-Perez, Johnson-Elmore, Benton-Harris, Pete-Thompson and Littleton-Hodgson.

Sunday, they combined for 40 points and 23 rebounds. And they’re guards.

What guards do that?

The Shockers are backing up a Final Four season in 2012-13 and a 35-0 run in 2013-2014 with a 25-3 record this season.

“Some people are jumping off buildings thinking we’re not as good,” Marshall said. “Well, our record’s not as good. To me, it’s irrelevant, there’s nothing we can do about last year. Last year was a wonderful, joyous ride. It was magical. But this year is pretty doggone good, too. There are probably about 337 Division I schools that would like to have it.”

With VanVleet running the show, who knows how far the Shockers can go. He’s pretty wondrous and magical himself.

But to be balanced, what about those three turnovers . . .

This story was originally published February 22, 2015 at 6:41 PM with the headline "Bob Lutz: Shockers’ Fred VanVleet has another day to remember."