The RoundHouse | 12/5/2017 9:18:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
There is Brett Barney shooting three-pointers. There is Brett Barney posting up and Wichita State's guards know he needs to get the basketball. Rashard Kelly and Darral Willis trap in the corner and he calmly passes out of danger, drawing "good job, Barney" from coach Gregg Marshall.
 
Monday, Brett Barney portrayed South Dakota State star Mike Daum and what an assignment for a walk-on to prepare for Tuesday's game.
 
"He's got the green light, the ultimate green light," Marshall said.
 
Daum is South Dakota State's 6-foot-9 junior and one of college basketball's out-of-the-way stars. He averages 18.8 points and 7.7 rebounds. Last season, he scored 20 points against the Shockers in an 89-67 loss at Koch Arena.
 
As soon as the Shockers dispatched Baylor on Saturday, Barney assumed Daum's role for the scout team. In most scout team schemes he is part of the machine – posting up, screening, passing rebounding, often playing a one-dimensional big man.
 
Daum does it all, a rare treat for Barney to enjoy life as the go-to guy.
 
"He's an NBA player, so obviously they go through him," Barney said. "It's fun being him and getting to do what he does every day."
 
Barney, a 6-9 sophomore who attended Maize South and Sunrise Christian Academy, is suited to give the Shockers a Daum-style look. Barney can make three-pointers. He can score on a short hook shot from the post, a Daum-like scoring weapon.
 
"Hunting threes, getting shots whenever you can," Barney said. "Most of them, I'm either strictly roaming the perimeter shooters threes or I'm strictly in the post. It's fun because he does both. He's like a point guard from the post."
 
South Dakota State (7-3) presents more balanced scoring than it did last season, when Daum averaged 25.1 points and made 41.8 percent of his threes.  The Jackrabbits, who went 18-17 last season and won the Summit League Tournament, scheduled like a team with designs on making the NCAA Tournament again. They own wins over Iowa (80-72) and Mississippi (99-97 in overtime) and losses to Kansas, Wyoming and Missouri State.
 
Freshman guard David Jenkins, from Sunrise Christian, averages 14.2 points and is shooting 41.7 percent from three-point range. Senior Reed Tellinghuisen averages 11.9 points and is shooting 41.5 percent behind the arc.
 
Daum, from Kimball, Neb., remains the key figure and his crafty footwork and use of screens will test Wichita State's big men. The Shockers will use several front-court players to try to counter Daum's height and scoring touch.
 
"He's like Larry Bird," Marshall said. "He's a fantastic player, and he's probably going to play in the NBA. I just think he is a tremendous talent, very versatile. He has great skill, great touch and good size."
 
Barney departed Monday's practice mildly disappointed in his shooting. He missed more threes than he preferred.
 
"I've definitely had better scouts," he said. "I'm trying to give the team the best look for (Tuesday) to help those guys know what they're about to guard."
 
Barney's makes or misses don't make or break the scout-team look.
 
"What I love is that he takes it seriously," Shocker assistant coach Kyle Lindsted said. "He missed some shots today that Mike Daum might make and he would come over to the huddle upset, wanting to do more."
 
Marshall pays most attention to the kind of shots Barney took on Monday. Did defenders pressure him? Did he catch the ball in prime spots?
 
"I just don't want him getting great looks," Marshall said. "Mike Daum's going to make some shots. They've got to be earned. If he can catch and shoot and it's real simple, then that's on us."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.