Assistant coach Donnie Jones fielded questions from local media Friday afternoon in advance of Wichita State's Saturday afternoon matchup at SMU.
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DONNIE JONES ON...
...SMU and Shake Milton:
"I know Shake has been out the last six games. Obviously, terrific player..preseason player of the year candidate... He's been out. We aren't sure what his situation will be. We always prepare for guys who have been out of the lineup like they will play. They've missed him, when you take him out..and they lost Foster, as well (to injury). Two great players in their lineup, and we know they were a little shorthanded anyway. It's been a lot of adjustments..they've been very competitive, they had a great win on the road at East Carolina. Played really well. I know they are starting to try to find themselves a little bit with Shake being out of the lineup."
...road-trips to SMU and UCF:
"It's going to be another great challenge. We have three games left in the season, so now our focal point has to be one-game seasons as we talk about. This is a huge game on the road at SMU, whose had a great history of winning some games there until they lost a couple this year. They have been very successful. It will be a tough environment, even with the injuries they are facing. Then we have to go to UCF, whose playing very well at home. We can't look ahead to that Cincinnati game. As we see, you have to be ready to play every night in this league."
....having a different approach after the loss to SMU earlier in the season:
"I think anytime somebody beats you... there are always going to be some adjustments. The adjustments for them will be different, as well, as they will be for us if Shake doesn't play. They have a lot of other good players that are stepping up and have a more predominant role. McMurray is playing really well, almost averaging 20 points a game for them. He was very successful as a scorer when he was at USF too. We know this guy's capable of putting up 30+ on a given night like Shake did here (at Charles Koch Arena), so we really have to respect his ability to score."
..focus of the team moving forward:
"The focus is about this team. It's a great group of kids and they've continued to get better and better each game is what's been fun. We are playing our best basketball right now, but we still think there is another level for this team to go to. Some teams --I think-- early, peak out and sometimes mid season they peak out, but I feel this team is slowing climbing the mountaintop. That is where we want to be at this time of the year."
..playing in Moody Coliseum for the first time:
"I know being in this business for a long time, I've played in a lot of great venues. I know playing in Moody as well (from) when I was at UCF. It's a great atmosphere. Great crowd, great student crowd, as well, right behind your bench. They have a history there. Their players play with a different edge at home, a lot like our team does...because of all the great fan support. It'll be a great atmosphere for our guys, and hopefully that will help them focus more when they walk into that place knowing that it's going to be loud and competitive."
