Game Notes: Wichita State (PDF) | Missouri State (PDF)

---

MISSOURI STATE (11-15, 7-7 MVC) at rv/rv WICHITA STATE (19-7, 12-2 MVC)
Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016  | 6:05 p.m. CT
Wichita, Kan./ Charles Koch Arena

Telecast --
On Air: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: Brent Stover, Bob Wenzel & John Schriffen
* - In Wichita: Cox (2260), DirectTV (221), DISH (158), FiOS (594), U-Verse (1643)

Radio --
On Air: KEYN 103.7 FM
Online: goshockers.com/watch
Announcers: Mike Kennedy & Dave Dahl

Social Media ---
Twitter: @GoShockers, @GoShockersLive
Facebook: facebook.com/WichitaStateUniversityAthletics
Instagram: instagram.com/goshockers
Exposure: goshockers.exposure.co
 

---

Scene Setter // Wichita State (19-7, 12-2 MVC) goes in search of its 20th win Thursday evening against Missouri State (11-15, 7-7 MVC). The Shockers have defeated the Bears in nine-straight regular season games and in 11-straight overall, dating back to 2011.
 
 Scene Setter // The Shockers own a two-game lead over Illinois State in the MVC standings with four to play. Should the Redbirds fall on Wednesday night, WSU would have an opportunity to clinch a share of its third-consecutive regular season title on Thursday. Otherwise, a win would put them in position to claim a piece of the championship this weekend.
 
20-Aplenty // The Shockers are looking to reach 20-wins for the seventh-consecutive year, which would make for the second-longest streak in MVC history. Creighton posted 11-in-a-row from 1998-09.
 
Most Consecutive 20-Win Seasons by an MVC School
11 – Creighton (1998-09)
6* -- Wichita State (2009-Pr.)
6 – Oklahoma State (1943-49)
6 – Bradley (1956-62)
6 – Cincinnati (1957-63)
6 – Southern Illinois (2001-07)
* - denotes active streak, WSU needs one more win to extend the streak to 7.
 
WSU is looking to hit 20 wins for the 10^th time in the last 13 seasons and the 18^th time in school history. Gregg Marshall has done it 12 times previously (6 at Winthrop, 6 at WSU).
 
Most 20-Win Seasons (2009-10 to Present)
6** – Wichita State (19-7)
5 – Northern Iowa (16-11)
3^ - Evansville (20-7)
3 – Illinois State (16-11)
3 – Missouri State (11-15)
^ - includes 2015-16 season
 
Boarding Past // WSU has outrebounded MSU in all 11 games of its current winning streak against the Bears with six of those coming by 15-or-more. Its average margin during that run is 13.2.
 
WSU Rebound Margins vs. MSU (Last 11 Games)
+4 -- Feb. 1, 2012  (Springfield) // W, 74-67
+2 – Feb. 15, 2012 (Wichita) // W, 73-58
+7 – Jan. 23, 2013 (Springfield) // W, 62-52
+25 – Feb. 9, 2013 (Wichita) // W, 79-50
+19 – Mar. 8, 2013 (St. Louis) // W, 69-59
+8 – Jan. 11, 2014 (Springfield) // W, 72-69
+18 – Mar. 1, 2014 (Wichita) // W, 68-45
+7 – Mar. 8, 2014 (St. Louis) // W, 67-42
+16 – Jan. 21, 2015 (Springfield) // W, 76-53
+18 – Feb. 7, 2015 (Wichita) // W, 78-35
+21 – Jan. 13, 2016 (Springfield) // W, 78-62
 
Regroup Therapy // A five-day gap in the MVC schedule was supposed to provide the Shockers with a bit of rest before closing out the regular season with four games in 11 days. They instead opted to work in a makeup game with New Mexico State on Monday. The quick turnaround afforded WSU an immediate opportunity to regroup after suffering its second loss in three games (and first home loss in nearly three years) last Saturday against UNI. The Shocks played well in a 71-41 win over the WAC-leading Aggies.
 
Taking Turnovers // WSU ranks second nationally in turnover margin (+5.7), buoyed by veteran guards who protect the ball and excel at taking it away. Monday's performance was a prime example. Seven Shockers combined for 10 steals and helped force 20 NMSU turnovers. WSU played turnover free basketball for the first 31 minutes and finished with just three for the night. The Shockers' +17 margin was their best since November of 2009 when they hounded D-II Arkansas-Monticello into 25 miscues with just 8 giveaways.
 
About MSU // The Bears have won three of their last five, with two of those wins coming in overtime. Camyn Boone scored 30 points to key the Bears to an 89-85 OT victory over Indiana State on Saturday.
 
Milestones //  Fred VanVleet is 12 assists shy of 600. Already WSU's career leader, he's looking to become just the third player in MVC history with the combo of 600 assists and 200 steals.
 
Worth Nothing // For fans of useless trivia, Feb. 18 is the most frequently scheduled date in program history, tied with Feb. 19. This will be WSU's 39th Feb. 18 contest in 111 years. WSU has suffered more losses on this date (23) than on any other, and its .395 winning percentage ranks in the bottom-six (among dates where at least five games have been played).
 
On Points // WSU has scored 67,237 points in its 60 seasons at The Roundhouse, including 13,886 since its 2003 renovation and rededication as Charles Koch Arena. Ron Baker (603) and VanVleet (592) have combined for 1,195 of those points.
 
Last Meeting // Jan. 13, 2016 (Springfield, Mo./JQH Arena)
Wichita State 78, Missouri State 62
 
• WSU fell into an early 15-4 hole but battled back late in the first half. Markis McDuffie played a key role with five field goals in a stretch of three minutes, doing most of his damage inside.
• McDuffie scored a career-high 16 points points (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) and also led the team with nine rebounds.
• Conner Frankamp knocked down four three-pointers, all in the second half to help WSU shake of an abysmal 2-of-14 first half performance from beyond the arc.
• The Shockers closed the gap with second-chance points, made possible by 13 first-half offensive rebounds.
• Up 37-36 at the intermission, WSU scored the first nine points of the second half during a 14-2 run.
• WSU dished out 20 assists - eight from Fred VanVleet and seven from Ron Baker, who also put up 14 points.
• WSU survived a 41-13 free throw differential to win going away. The Shockers had 32 field goals to just 15 for the hosts.
• The Shockers held a commanding 49-29 advantage on the boards - its most lopsided margin since a plus-21 effort against Saint Louis in December of 2014.
• WSU led by as many as 23 points in the last two minutes of the game before MSU rallied against the reserves to cut the final margin to 16.
• WSU outscored MSU 46-14 in the paint.
 
Series Notes // An 11-game winning streak has given WSU the series lead, 38-30. Thursday night's game marks the 69th meeting… The teams have met regularly since 1988. MSU joined the MVC in 1990 and dominated WSU for most of the first decade… The Shockers have won 25 of the last 32 since 2003… WSU is 11-0 in four seasons of battle against Missouri State coach Paul Lusk with five wins in Springfield, four in Wichita and a pair of MVC quarterfinal victories in St. Louis… Since pulling out a 19-point comeback in keep their unbeaten season alive on Jan. 11, 2014, the Shockers have posted four 20+ point wins over the Bears… The Bears' last series win was a big one on the final day of the 2010-11 regular season in a winner-take-all battle for the MVC crown. MSU triumphed 69-64. The loss cost WSU a possible NCAA Tourney bid but set a course for their eventual NIT title… WSU's last three games against MSU have produced rebounding margins of +16, +18 and +20… WSU has won 17 of the last 19 series home games.
 
A Shocker Win Would… // give them 20 wins for the seventh-straight year and for the 10th time in 13 seasons...give Gregg Marshall his 13th 20-win season in 18 years as a head coach (and his seventh 20-win season in nine years at WSU)... improve WSU to 13-2 in MVC play... be their 12th-straight over Missouri State...up their February record to 3-2.
 
A Shocker Loss Would… //drop them to 19-8 and give them their third MVC loss. ... give them back-to-back MVC home losses for the first time since the 2008-09 season... snap MSU's 11-game losing streak against them... be less good than a win.
 
Up Next // The Shockers finish out their MVC road schedule with back-to-back games at Indiana State (Sunday, 3 p.m. CT, ESPNU) and at Loyola (next Wednesday, 8 p.m. CT, Cox Channel Kansas).