Sun., Feb. 6, 2011

Wichita State vs. Bradley   -   2:05 p.m.

Radio - AM 1330 KNSS

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The Wichita State women's basketball team (10-11, 4-6 MVC) remains at home for a key MVC matchup vs. Bradley (11-10, 4-6 MVC) Sunday afternoon with a 2:05 p.m. tipoff at Koch Arena. 

The Shockers are coming off a 77-57 loss to first-place UNI on Friday in which the Panthers shot 52.8% and WSU shot 31.5% from the field. Morgan Boyd paced the Shockers with 16 points and 8 rebounds. 

WSU is 7-3 following a loss this year and 15-8 (.652) over the last two years. 

Bradley defeated the Shockers 68-49 in Peoria, Ill. on Jan. 6. The Braves held WSU to 29.7% shooting and out-rebounded the Shockers 46-31. Wichita State did force 17 steals, including career-highs from Michelle Price (6) and Morgan Boyd (4). 

In all ten victories this year WSU has held the opponent to fewer than 60 points and in eight of the ten wins has held the other team to a shooting percentage below .400. 

In WSU's five MVC losses, the Shockers are averaging 51.7 ppg and in the four wins are putting up 68.5 ppg. 

The Shockers are 30-14 (.682) at home under Jody Adams in her 2+ years as head coach. 

 Wichita State has used eight different starting lineups in 21 games this year, matching the number of starting lineups used all of last season. BreAnna Dawkins and Haleigh Lankster are the only Shockers to start every conference game while every player on the active roster has come off the bench at least once this year. 

Wichita State is shooting 57.8% from the free throw line during MVC competition. 

LAST TIME OUT 

The Shockers went toe-to-toe with the Valley's first place team, Northern Iowa for 27 1/2 minutes before the Panther went on a 16-4 run and left Wichita with a 77-57 victory. Wichita St. shot just 31.5% from the field, while UNI connected on 52.8% of its field goal attempts (60% in the second half). Jacqui Kalin led five Panthers in double figures with 19 points while Morgan Boyd topped the Shockers with 16 points and eight rebounds. 

SCOUTING BRADLEY 

The Braves are coming off one of the most impressive upsets in the Valley this year, a 73-68 victory at Missouri State on Friday. MacKenzie Westcott and Raisa Taylor each tallied double-doubles and the Braves made 18-of-25 free throws in the second half to stun the Lady Bears. Bradley defeated WSU in Peoria last month, 68-49 as the Shockers shot under 30% from the floor and were out-rebounded by 15. The Braves are led by Taylor (12.5ppg, 6.2 rpg) and sophomore Katie Yohn (13.5 ppg, 4.1rpg). They were picked 6th in the pre-season poll, one spot behind the Shockers. 

BU HEAD COACH PAULA BUSCHER 

The Dean of Valley coaches, Paula Buscher is in her 11th season at Bradley and coming off two of the most successful seasons in school history. Buscher owns 145 career wins at Bradley (10th-most in MVC history) and took home the 2008-09 MVC Coach of the Year honor. A 1986 Missouri State grad, Buscher led BU to a 23-13 conference record the last two years, marking the most MVC wins in consecutive years in program history. She is 13-8 lifetime against the Shockers, though 3-6 in Wichita. 

NOTES ON JODY ADAMS 

* WSU is 21-7 at home under Adams the last 2 years 

* Sixth on the WSU all-time wins list, passing Larry Thye earlier this year. Adams needs 8 wins to pass Jane Albright for fifth. 

* 41-44 in her 3rd season at WSU and 65-52 overall (24-8 @ Murray St in 2007-08) 

* WSU is 24-10 (5-4 this year) under Adams when out-rebounding opponent 

* WSU is 25-1 (5-0 this year) under Adams when attempting more FTs that opponent 

WARMING UP IN JANUARY 

The Shockers recorded their first .500-or-better January since 2006, when the team went 5-5. WSU was 8-24 (.250) during the four Januarys prior to this season. 

Last 5 January Records 

2010 3-5 

2009 2-7 

2008 1-7 

2007 2-5 

2006 5-5 

2011 4-4 

FRIGID FEBRUARY 

The Shockers put together their best February since 2004 with a 4-4 record last year. WSU has not had a winning month in February since going 4-3 in 2002. The Shockers have not had more than four wins in February since winning six games in 2000. Over the last five years, WSU is 12-25 (.324) in February. 

Last 5 February Records 

2010 4-4 

2009 1-5 

2008 2-5 

2007 2-6 

2006 3-5 

2011 0-1 

NOTES ON WSU IN THE MVC 

Recent history has not been kind to Wichita State in Missouri Valley Conference competition. The Shockers have not finished higher than fifth since the 1999-2000 campaign and have only placed higher than fifth five times since joining the then-Gateway Conference in 1983-84. WSU has averaged a 7.75 finish over the last eight years, with a peak of 5th in 2005-06, a sixth place finish last year, two seventh place finishes, three ninth place, and one 10th. Wichita State has never reached higher than a tie for second, which came in the 1999-2000 season when WSU went 14-4. The Shockers have finished above .500 in conference play six times in school history but have not done so since that 14-4 year in '99-'00. In the decade prior to this season, WSU had a 60-120 (.333) record in MVC play, with last year's 8-10, 6th place finish the program's best since 2005-06. 

Last 5 MVC Seasons 

2009-10 8-10/6th 

2008-09 4-14/t-9th 

2007-08 3-15/10th 

2006-07 4-14/9th 

2005-06 8-10/5th 

2010-11 4-6/6th 

SCOREBOARD 

So far in 2010-11, the Shockers are scoring at a rate of 63.5 points per game (7th in MVC) while surrendering 62.5 (4th). Wichita State has put up more than 70 points six times this year while last season it took until March 12 for WSU to score 70 for the sixth (and final) time. The Shockers put up the program's highest point total under Jody Adams in a 95-55 rout of UT Pan American on Dec. 19. The 40-point differential also set a Koch Arena record for WSU women's basketball program. Individually, Haleigh Lankster is averaging a career-best 11.7 ppg and eight players average 5.0 ppg or better. 

FREE THINKING 

WSU is 25-1 (5-0 this year) under Jody Adams when attempting more free throws than the opponent. As a team, the Shocks shoot over 62% from the line with four players hitting 72% or better. Heather Robben - the free throw percentage record holder at Hutchinson (Kan.) CC, leads the team at .857 (24-28).  

.700+ Free Throw Shooters 

Heather Robben .857 (24-28) 

Morgan Boyd .769 (20-26) 

Jessica Diamond .762 (32-42) 

Haleigh Lankster .724 (42-58) 

RESERVE POWER 

The WSU bench continues to produce for Jody Adams, out-scoring the opponents' reserves in 14 of 21 games. WSU is 2-5 when its bench scores fewer points than the other side, with the wins coming vs. Illinois State and Drake. On average, the Shocker bench is out-scoring the opposition 25.7-16.8 this season. 

TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK 

For the first time since 2003, last year's WSU squad forced more turnovers than they committed. The Shockers forced 611 turnovers - an average of 18.5 - while giving it back just 550 times. This year's team is following suit, as WSU opponents have turned it over 394 times - 18.8 per game - while the Shockers have coughed it up 383 times. 

SHARING THE WEALTH 

As a freshman, Jessica Diamond dished out 104 assists against 70 turnovers and paired with now-graduated Marisah Henderson to give Jody Adams a backcourt with two guards eclipsing the 100 assist plateau for the second straight season. Prior to Adams' arrival, WSU had not produced two players with 100+ assists in the same season since 1994-95. Through 20 games in 2010-11, BreAnna Dawkins and Jessica Diamond lead the team with 64 assists - an average of 3.0 per game. They are each on pace for 91 assists this year. 

FOR THREE 

Junior Haleigh Lankster entered the year 12th on WSU's all-time three point field goal list. On Friday, Lankster passed Deana Alexander for 7th and needs four more treys to tie Lexee McDonnell for 6th. 

WSU Career 3-pt Field Goals 

1. 177 Courtney Sims (107 games) - 1997-01 

- 

6. 90 Lexee McDonnell (57 games) - 2005-07 

7. 86 Haleigh Lankster (81 games) - 2008-now 

BOARDING 

The Shockers have out-rebounded only nine of 21 opponents in 2010-11 (SIU Edwardsville by 2, CS Northridge by 20, Savannah St by 7, UC Davis by 10, UTPA by 10, Indiana St. by 3, Creighton by 15, and UNI by 1) and are 5-4 in those games. For the year, WSU has been out-boarded 38.3-39.1. 

SCORING MILESTONES 

Haleigh Lankster recently scored her 700th career point and enters Sunday with 790 during her 2+ seasons. She is the active career scoring leader on the team, having led the team in points last year and again on top this season. Sophomore Jessica Diamond scored her 400th career point earlier in January and enters Saturday as No.2 on the active scoring list with 498 total points. Morgan Boyd crossed the 400 point barrier on Friday and Chynna Turner needs 6 to reach the same mark.