The RoundHouse | 2/1/2018 7:29:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
The three-pointers grabbed all the attention and deservedly so. Wichita State sophomore Austin Reaves shot his way into Wichita State history on Sunday.
 
He is passing and thinking his way into a pretty good place, as well.
 
The seven three-pointers he made against Tulsa overshadowed Reaves' improved floor game and decision-making in recent games. He leads the American Athletic Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio in conference play at 5.8, compiling a total of 29 assists and five turnovers in nine games.
 
Earlier in the season, one or two bad passes, one or two forced shots got his game off track. In January, those ill-advised plays are disappearing.
 
"You learn stuff every day and you learn what you can and cannot do," he said. "Not letting the game speed you up. Playing at your pace. If you let the game speed you up, that plays into the opponent's game plan."
 
In his past seven games, Reaves, a 6-foot-5 guard, has 26 assists and four turnovers. He had 20 assists and 18 turnovers in his first 14 games. He started the stretch with a career-high seven assists in a win over South Florida on Jan. 7. He followed that with six assists at East Carolina, starting a run of four games without a turnover.
 
Shocker coaches emphasize limiting turnovers, of course. Careful ball-handling is one of the guaranteed ways to earn minutes. Video work helps. Midway through his sophomore season, Reaves is continuing to learn and adapt.
 
"It comes through time and it's still coming to me," he said. "Every time you play you get a better feel for the game-speed and the physicality."
 
After Sunday's career-high 23 points – and a Wichita State record for threes in a half – Reaves worked to bring the conversation back to his teammates. That fits the team's unselfish mood and it's absolutely accurate. Reaves enjoyed open catch-and-shoot opportunities because his teammates moved the ball.
 
In January's eight games, the Shockers averaged a nation-leading 21 assists a game. For the season, they average 19.1, No. 3 nationally.
 
"My teammates found me in transition and in the offense," Reaves said. "I have to give all the credit to them."
 
Making better decisions doesn't mean Reaves is playing timidly. He is picking the right spots to drive, both to pass and score. When the Shockers face a zone defense, his height helps him find passing lanes and open shots.
 
"He's starting to score off the bounce," Shocker coach Gregg Marshall said. "You've seen that in the last couple of games. He's gotten into the lane, created shots . . . scored from 12-to-15 feet. Catch-and-shoot is obviously what he is best at . . . but he can score off the bounce."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.