By: Wichita State
Thu., Feb. 28, 2013
Wichita State (19-8, 13-2 MVC) at Illinois St. (18-8, 10-4 MVC)7:35 p.m.
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Date: Feb. 28, 2013
Tipoff: 7:35 p.m. CST
Location: Normal, Ill.
Arena: Redbird Arena (10,200)
Radio: AM 1330 KNSS
Talent: Brian Petrotta
The Wichita State women's basketball team (19-8, 13-2 MVC) travels to Normal, Ill. to face the third-place Illinois State Redbirds (18-8, 10-4 MVC) at 7:35 p.m. Thursday night inside Redbird Arena. The Shockers have not won in Normal since a 71-67 victory on Feb. 29, 2004.
- The Shockers can tie the school record for victories (20) with a win tonight. The mark was set in 1980-81 and matched in 1999-00 and 2011-12. A victory would also tie the school record for MVC wins (14) set and acheived only by the 1999-00 squad.
- WSU defeated Illinois State 66-54 on Feb. 1 at Koch Arena. The Shockers forced 17 turnovers and committed just eight. Alex Harden and Jessica Diamond combined to score 32 points on 12-of-21 shooting to help offset a 15-rebound deficit.
- Illinois State swept the season series last year and has won nine of the last 11 meetings. The Shockers have not swept a regular season series from the Redbirds since 2000.
- Since Feb. 17, 2011, Wichita State has the best regular season MVC record at 30-8 (.789). Illinois State is next at 26-11 (.703) and Creighton is 25-13 (.658).
- Wichita State is one of six schools nationally with both its men's and women's basketball teams in first place. Montana (Big Sky), Akron (MAAC-East Div.), South Dakota St. (Summit), Middle Tennessee St. (Sun Belt-East), and Gonzaga (WCC) are the other five.
- Entering Saturday's game, the Shockers rank 25th in the NCAA in scoring defense (53.3 ppg), 43rd in blocked shots per game (4.6), 124th in field goal percentage defense (.377) and 40th in turnover margin (+3.81). This year's team already has the 4th-best single season shot-blocking total (115) and needs nine more to place 3rd.
- Wichita State's bench out-scored Evansville's 31-1 last Thursday. For the year, WSU's bench is out-scoring the opponent, 623-354 (23.1 - 13.1).
- Jessica Diamond became the fourth Shocker in history to reach 1,000 career points with 300 rebounds and 300 assists after dishing out three dimes on Nov. 24 vs. James Madison. Tonya Lane (1987-91), Kim Evans (1992-96), and Lateesha Hill (1996-00) are the others. Diamond is currently 7th on WSU's all-time scoring list with 1,388 points. She needs 38 points to crack the Top 5.
- Chynna Turner recently became the 11th Shocker in history to reach 900 points, 500 rebounds, and 100 assists in her career. She has 918 career points, 517 boards, and 132 assists entering tonight's game.
- Jazimen Gordon needs 2 rebounds to become the 11th WSU player with 600 for her career. She scored her 900th career point Saturday vs. SIU.
LAST TIME OUT
Wichita St. claimed a Senior Night victory over Southern Illinois, 80-55, to improve to 13-2 in the MVC. Senior - and Wichita native - Darice Fountaine stole the show with a WSU career-high 17 points behind the strength of four three-point baskets. Alex Harden added a career-best nine assists to help the Shockers shoot .552 from the field. WSU scored 44 points in the paint and out-scored the SIU bench, 39-10. The Shockers led by as many as 33 points in defeating SIU for the seventh-straight time.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE
The Redbirds are in third place in the MVC with a 10-4 record. They are 18-8 overall and bring an RPI of 70 into tonight's game. WSU defeated Illinois State 66-54 on Feb. 1 at Koch Arena. The Redbirds cut the lead to three with five minutes remaining but the Shockers hit 10-of-12 free throws down the stretch to pull away. Jamie Russell led ILS with 16 points. Candace Sykes added 15 and Janae Smith claimed 10 rebounds. That trio accounts for 58% of the Redbirds' season scoring (40.6 ppg). Illinois State has won five straight MVC games, including three on the road, to stay within striking distance of WSU in the standings. The Shockers have not won in Normal since Feb. 29, 2004 (8 straight losses).
NOTES ON JODY ADAMS
- WSU is 58-21 (.734) overall and 12-3 this year at home under Adams
- On Dec. 7, passed Kathryn Bunnell (1978-83) for 2nd on the WSU all-time wins list. Linda Hargrove (1989-98) is 1st with 133 wins over 9 seasons.
- 87-69 in 5+ seasons at WSU and 111-77 overall (24-8 @ Murray St in 2007-08)
- WSU is 49-17 (12-1 this year) under Adams when out-rebounding the opponent.
- WSU is 48-6 (6-3 this year) under Adams when attempting more FTs than the opponent.
- Only WSU coach with a .500-or-better record in the MVC Tournament.
BLOCK PARTY
WSU has blocked nearly three times (81-28) as many shots as the opponent in MVC games. Five players have registered between nine and 16 blocked shots in league contests.
SCOREBOARD
Jessica Diamond is the Shockers' leading scorer overall at 12.1 ppg though Alex Harden tops the team in Valley games at 13.1 ppg. As a team, the Shockers are scoring 60.1 ppg and shooting .431 from the field. Defensively, WSU has held 16 opponents to 54 points or less and is keeping the other to side .377 shooting from the floor and .298 from 3-point range.
--In 18 of WSU's 19 wins, the Shockers posted a higher shooting percentage than the opponent.
THE FIFTIES
This season the Shockers have held 16 opponents to 55 points or less and are 13-3 in those contests. The Shockers are 2-4 when the opponent scores 63 or more. Wichita St. held 19 opponents below 60 points last year and went 15-4 in those games.
KNOCKING 'EM DOWN
WSU leads the Valley in field goal percentage at .431 overall (33rd in the NCAA) in 27 games this year and .457 (1st MVC) in 15 MVC games. Last season, Wichita State was 1st in the MVC and 13th in the NCAA at .443.
THE DISH
Jessica Diamond returns as WSU's top assist-maker from a year ago. In 4 seasons she has 368 dimes to rank 5th in Shocker history. Diamond has 79 assists this year though Alex Harden leads the team with 103. Harden has nine games this year with 5+ assists, including a career-high 9 vs. SIU on Feb. 23. Diamond has six games with 5+ assists this year and 24 for her career. Harden (4.6) and Diamond (3.6) are ranked 1st and 3rd, respectively, in MVC games in assists. Diamond is first in the Valley in league games in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1).
FREE THINKING
WSU is 48-6 (6-3 this year) under Jody Adams when attempting more free throws than the opponent. The Shockers have been out-shot at the line in 16 of 27 games this year and 474-449 in overall attempts for the season. WSU is shooting .697 (313-449) from the line. Jessica Diamond leads the team at .880 (66-75), which was 15th in the NCAA til falling short of the minimum attempts this week. She connected on a WSU-record 36 straight (8th longest streak in MVC history) before missing twice vs. Indiana State on Feb. 3. The Shockers are 9-3 when attempting as many or more free throws than the opponent.
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK
In 27 games this year, the Shockers have forced 504 turnovers while committing just 401 (18.7-14.9). WSU is 16-4 when committing fewer turnovers and ranks 40th in the NCAA in turnover margin (+3.81). The margin jumps to +4.5 in MVC games (17.9-13.4). On average, the Shockers out-score the opponent 18.9-13.3 in points off turnovers.
DOING IT WITH "D"
Entering Saturday's game, the Shockers rank 25th in the NCAA in scoring defense (53.3 ppg), 43rd in blocked shots per game (4.6), 124th in field goal percentage defense (.377) and 40th in turnover margin (+3.81). The school record for scoring defense is 58.1 ppg, set last season, and the record for field goal percentage defense is .388, set in 2010-11. This year's team already has the 4th-best single season shot-blocking total (123) and need nine more blocks to rank 3rd.
