The RoundHouse | 12/31/2017 10:20:00 AM

Roundhouse review: No. 8 Wichita State 72, Connecticut 62
 
By Paul Suellentrop
 
Key stats: Wichita State outscored the Huskies 36-9 from three-point range and out-rebounded them 47-34. That was enough to make up for 14 turnovers and a 4-for-12 performance from the foul line.
 
Topper: UConn struggles to score. Defending well against the Huskies is something a good team should do and it is exactly what the Shockers did.  
 
Wichita State needed a strong defensive effort after slippage in the non-conference and it got what it needed on Saturday. The Shockers talked on defense, played with a connection for assignments and played solid man-to-man defense without fouling.
 
"Even when you can't score, you've got to count on defense and rebounding," Shocker center Shaq Morris said. "Our defense was a big key. We got stops."
 
The word the Shockers kept using was "connected." They handled UConn's attempts at running guard Jalen Adams off ball screens. He often was forced into guarded shots in the lane or long two-pointers. The Huskies got little against Wichita State's half-court defense.
 
"We worked a lot on transition defense and it paid off," Shocker guard Austin Reaves said.
 
Wichita State held UConn to .88 points per possession, according to kenpom.com, which is comparable to what other top teams did to the Huskies. UConn hasn't scored more than .92 in its six losses, with Michigan State at .851 leading the way. Wichita State held the Huskies to 41.1 percent effective field goal shooting (which adds value for three-pointers) – in their own gym – which is better than Arkansas, Arizona and Michigan State managed in their wins over UConn.
 
The Huskies shot 38.7 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from three-point range in their first home loss of the season. In wins so far, they often make up for poor shooting by getting to the foul line. The Shockers didn't win the free throw battle, but they kept UConn from making it a major factor by drawing charges and obstructing shots without hacking.
 
Assistant coach Kyle Lindsted handled the scouting report and the Shockers knew exactly how the Huskies would try to attack. Reaves took two charges.
 
"(Charges) are one thing that coach really loves," he said. "He preaches it all the time and he takes pride in all of the little things. That's what us as players try to do to get more minutes.
 
The Shockers will face better constructed offenses over the next two months, but the look of their defense on Saturday is a good sign.
 
 
Lineup check: Forward Markis McDuffie played 16 minutes and scored four points with four rebounds. Those numbers don't hint at what his healthy presence will continue to add to the Shockers.
 
While he didn't get credit for a steal or a block, he helped create a turnover in the first half by knocking the ball away from Adams as a help defender. Later in the half, he and Landry Shamet defended a shot at the rim that Shamet was credited for blocking. McDuffie can make plays, offensively and defensively, that the Shockers missed over the first 12 games.
 
That's history: The Shockers understood, to varying degrees, the history of the moment. They've heard about the significance of the move to the American Athletic Conference for almost a year.
 
Playing at UConn on CBS stands as one of the major markers.
 
"We wanted to make a statement," Shocker senior Rashard Kelly said.
 
"It's huge," Morris said. "It's a big move and we know the expectations. Our expectations are to come into this conference and do big things."
 
UConn coach Kevin Ollie referenced Wichita State's experience and maturity after the game.
 
The Shockers handled the hype of the debut and a sellout crowd of 15,564. The Huskies took a 43-42 lead in the second half and responded with a 7-0 run. The crowd roared again when UConn tied it 49-all with 9:25 to play. The Shockers responded with a putback by Morris and Shamet's three and led the rest of the way.
 
"I expected the UConn fans to be like they were," Shamet said. "They came out in big numbers and were loud and passionate and it was a cool atmosphere to finally start playing in conference."
 
The Shockers also ignored Friday's disruption to the schedule. A mechanical issue with the charter plane delayed their departure and kept them from practicing Friday night at the XL Center. The Shockers first saw the arena on Saturday morning.
 
"You have to deal with adversity on the road, that's why they're called road games," Coach Gregg Marshall said.
 
 
Numbers: Reaves turned in one of his best performances as a Shocker and one stat stands out – no turnovers. He entered the game with 17 assists and 17 turnovers. On Saturday, he scored 11 points, making 3 of 4 threes, with four rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes.
 
Reaves, Shamet and Conner Frankamp combined to make 11 of 17 threes, key to beating UConn's zone defense. The Shockers moved the ball against the zone and the guards took advantage of over-aggressive closeouts by the Huskies to pump-fake their way to open shots.
 
 
Worth noting: Kelly grabbed career rebound No. 500 and now has 509, 208 of which are on the offensive glass. His season offensive rebound percentage of 19.2 ranks second nationally behind Michigan State's Nick Ward (20.9) . . . The Shockers improved to 44-6 on the road since the start of the 2013-14 season. Its road winning streak of nine is the nation's longest after Villanova (which had been tied with the Shockers at eight) lost at Butler . . . Losses by No. 1 Villanova, No. 3 Arizona State and No. 5 Texas A&M may push the eighth-ranked Shockers up a notch in the Associated Press top 25.
 
Next up: Houston (12-2, 2-0 American), 6 p.m. Thursday (ESPN)
 
The Cougars visit Koch Arena with wins over South Florida and Temple. They rank second in the American by making 48.2 percent of their shots. Guard Rob Gray averages 19 points, tops in the conference.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.