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

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rv/rv WICHITA STATE (20-7, 13-2 MVC) at INDIANA STATE (13-14, 7-8 MVC)
Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016  | 4:01 p.m. ET/ 3:01 p.m. CT
Terre Haute, Ind. / Hulman Center

Telecast --
On Air: ESPNU
Streaming: WatchESPN/ESPN3* (Link)
Announcers: Mitch Holthus & Mark Adams
* - ESPNU subscribers only

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

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

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OPENING TIPS

Scene Setter // Wichita State (20-7, 13-2 MVC) looks to take another step toward its third-consecutive Missouri Valley Conference regular season title when it travels to Indiana State (13-14, 7-8 MVC) Sunday on ESPNU.
 
Scenarios // WSU leads Illinois State by two games with three to play. A Redbird loss on Saturday at UNI would guarantee WSU a share of the conference championship before it even takes the floor and would give the Shockers an opportunity to win the title outright with a victory in Terre Haute. Even with a Redbird win, WSU can still lock up a piece of the crown by defeating the Sycamores.
 
About WSU // The Shockers endured their worst MVC stretch in nearly three years with two losses in three games. The latter - last Saturday against Northern Iowa - ended a 43-game home winning streak. WSU has played with a renewed sense of purpose this week in posting a pair of 30+ point wins. In Monday's non-conference makeup game, the Shockers limited WAC front-runners New Mexico State to 41 points. WSU shot a season-high 59.1 percent in Thursday's win over Missouri State, helped by 10 dunks in the first 24 minutes of play.
 
The Series with Indiana State // WSU has won seven-straight in the series and 16 of the last 18. That includes a program-best seven-straight victories at the Hulman Center, where they last tasted defeat in February, 2008.
 
Road Rule // WSU has taken it up a notch in 2015-16 with six double-digit road wins. Three of those set new program records for largest margin of victory. Last Tuesday's 74-48 win at Drake was WSU's most lopsided in 71 visits to Des Moines, dating back to 1937. Likewise, the Shockers' 74-55 (+19) triumph at Northern Iowa was their biggest in Cedar Falls, and their 83-58 victory at Southern Illinois was their best effort in Carbondale.
 
Milestones // Fred VanVleet is 7 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.
 
Classy Guy //  VanVleet was named one of 10 men's hoops finalists for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award earlier this week. Candidates are selected based on achievement on the court, in the classroom and in the community. Fans can vote for VanVleet by visiting seniorclassaward.com.
 
On Points //  The Shockers boast the nation's only trio of 1,300-point scorers in seniors Ron Baker (1,518), VanVleet (1,347), & Anton Grady (1,337). Baker is 27 points shy of cracking WSU's all-time top 10. He currently ranks 12th on the list.
 
Margin in Charge //  In two games this week, WSU has a +25 turnover margin (13 turnovers, 38 takeaways). The Shockers rank second nationally in that category (+5.8) behind only Stephen F. Austin and are one of just four teams allowing less than 60 points per game (59.9).
 
Worth Three-Peating //  WSU is looking for its first MVC three-peat. The Shockers have won back-to-back titles twice in their history (2014/15 and 1964/65)… WSU is looking to become just the second MVC team in the last 46 years to three-peat, joining Southern Illinois (four-in-a-row from 2001-02 to 2004-05). Incidentally, the Shockers ended SIU's run with their 2005-06 championship… Winning outright championships has been even more rare. WSU is looking to become just the fourth school in MVC history to finish alone atop the standings in three-or-more consecutive years, joining SIU (2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05), Cincinnati (1957-58, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1960-61) and Kansas (1922-23, 1923-24, 1924-25, 1925-26, 1926-27).
 
9 --- MVC regular season titles won by WSU – tops among active schools ahead of SIU (8) & Drake (7).
 
3 --- MVC crowns won by Gregg Marshall - more than any other coach in Shocker history.
 
Stop-A-Shot //  WSU has held its opponent under 40% from the field in all seven of its MVC road games this year. The Shockers .323 field goal percentage in road contests leads the nation since Jan. 1. The hosts have been especially icy in the Shockers' two February road dates. Illinois State hit just 27.3% of its shots Feb. 6. Three nights later, WSU held Drake to 25% shooting.

Field Goal Percentage, Road Games (Since Jan.1)
1. Wichita State (107-331) — .323
2. Uconn (113-323) — .350
3. San Diego State (117-331) — .353
4. Valparaiso (141-394) — .358
5. Xavier (137-380) — .361
 
In 15 total MVC games, WSU leads the league in FG% Defense for the fifth-straight year and is on track to post its fourth sub-.400 mark in that span. This year's .362 clip is the best in nine seasons under Gregg Marshall.
 
Title Town // Wichita State is looking to lock up its fifth outright MVC regular season championship since 2006. No other Valley school has done it more than once during that span.
 
Hoop There it Isn't // Wichita State leads in the nation in fewest field goals allowed per game. Opponents have a hard time just getting shots up against an opportunistic Shocker defense that ranks 16th nationally in takeaways (15.9 per game). When they do, they're apt to miss. Foes are shooting just 39.0 percent from the field through 27 games - also 16^th nationally.
 
The Series with Indiana State // The Shockers lead the all-time series 57-29… WSU has won seven straight and 16 of the last 18 meetings… Gregg Marshall is 17-4 against the Sycamores since arriving in Wichita in the spring of 2007 and is 12-2 against Greg Lansing in their six years of battle… The Sycamores held Ron Baker to to just eight points in two games last year (5 in Wichita, 3 in Terre Haute) on 2-of-17 shooting. Baker had 14 in in this year's first meeting but was just 5-of-16 from the field and 1-of-7 from three… WSU's recent run of success in Terre Haute has helped get them over the .500 mark there at 20-18 all-time… The Shockers have won a program-best seven-straight games at the Hulman Center, last losing there in February of 2008.
 
A Shocker Win Would //... improve their overall record to 21-7.... give them at least a share of the MVC regular season title (or the outright title, pending Illinois State's Saturday result)... improve WSU to 14-2 in MVC play.... be their eighth-straight over Indiana State and their eighth-in-a-row in Terre Haute....up their February record to 4-2.
 
A Shocker Loss Would //... drop them to 20-8 and give them their third MVC loss.... snap ISU's seven-game losing streak against WSU... be WSU's first loss in Terre Haute since 2008... be less good than a win.
 
Up Next //... The Shockers play their final road game of the year Wednesday night at Loyola. The 8 p.m. CT tip can be seen on Cox Channel Kansas. Fans in the Chicagoland area can catch the game on Comcast SportsNet.