The RoundHouse | 12/8/2018 2:14:00 PM

 
OKLAHOMA CITY
 
Wichita State trailed 35-27 at halftime and cut the deficit to five points early in the second half. 
 
Perhaps, the game wasn't really that close. It would not be again.
 
The Shockers pointed to a bad mindset from the start of Saturday's 80-48 loss to Oklahoma in Chesapeake Energy Arena. The rest of the second half bore that out with the Sooners turning a 35-30 lead into a 56-36 rout within eight minutes.
 
"We weren't executing, so we felt we had to force up shots," Wichita State forward Markis McDuffie said. "We weren't poised at some times. It was disappointing, the maturity."
 
In the first half, the Sooners (8-1) committed 12 turnovers, helping the Shockers (4-4) stay close. Wichita State missed 23 of 32 shots and committed 10 turnovers of its own. OU's mistakes made the score appear closer than deserved.
 
"We came out very lackadaisical, offensive glass, defensive glass, transition," Stevenson said. "We weren't locked in. We were blowing sets. We were just lucky to be in that game."
 
The Sooners dispatched the Shockers quickly in the second half. Wichita State never found an offensive attack and the Sooners prospered on runouts. Wichita State missed 24 of 30 shots in the second half to finish at 24.2 percent and .632 points per possession. It was Wichita State's first game shooting under 30 percent since the 2012-13 team shot 27.1 percent from the field in a 68-55 loss at Indiana State.
 
Perhaps it wasn't surprising that a young team went on the road after two encouraging home wins – one a rout of Rice and one over Baylor after a superb first half - and too a step back against a good team. That's understandable, but coach Gregg Marshall wasn't happy with his team's reaction when the Sooners got rolling.
 
"It snowballed on us and we couldn't stem the tide," Marshall said. "We played them pretty well for a half. That's not good enough."
 
The Shockers had no offensive threats to help McDuffie and Stevenson. While neither produced efficient scoring games, they gave the Shockers something in the first half.
 
Guard Samajae Haynes-Jones seemed bothered by Oklahoma's length and couldn't score around the rim. He finished with two points after missing all nine of his shots. Center Jamie Echenique played only 15 minutes and scored seven points. Forward Dexter Dennis missed all six of his shots and didn't score.

"We couldn't buy a basket," Marshall said. "It got the point where it was contagious. You've got to find ways to put the ball in the basket."

The Shockers can't put too much of a burden on McDuffie. He can do much to carry the offense. He can't do it without significant help.

"Bad execution," Shocker guard Jamarius Burton said. "The ball wasn't moving like it did in the Baylor game. Bad execution."
  
McDuffie finished with 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting. Stevenson added eight points, all in the first half.
 
"Once they started making shots, they got momentum, they saw the ball go in," Stevenson said. "That wasn't happening for us on the other end. We've got to get back to the gym and make shots."
 
McDuffie passed 1,000 points for his career (1,009) to become the 47^thShocker to hit that mark. He is the 10^thMarshall-era Shocker to reach 1,000, a list led by Ron Baker's 1,636 points.
 
McDuffie is No. 45 on Wichita State's list after passing Terry Benton (1,003) and Maurice Evans (1,007) on Saturday.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.