The RoundHouse | 3/1/2018 10:20:00 AM

 
No. 11 Wichita State at UCF

When: 6 p.m. Thursday
Records: Wichita State 23-5, 13-3 American; UCF 17-11, 8-8
Listen: KEYN 103.7 FM/goshockers.com
Watch: ESPN

By Paul Suellentrop 
 
Wichita State's identity is scoring this season. The Shockers are skilled, unselfish and efficient. To win at least a share of the American Athletic Conference title, the Shockers will need to outscore two of the nation's top defensive teams this week.
 
On Thursday, No. 11 Wichita State plays at UCF. On Sunday, No. 10 Cincinnati visits Koch Arena. UCF ranks No. 7 nationally in Ken Pomeroy's defensive efficiency statistic. The Knights allow teams to score .934 points per possession (the national average is 1.05). Cincinnati is No. 2 nationally, allowing .879 points per possession.
 
The American's penchant for defense hasn't slowed the Shockers often this season. Houston (No. 18), Temple (No. 77) and SMU (No. 90) also rank in the top 100. Wichita State joined a conference with better athletes, experienced coaches and a defensive variety not found in the Missouri Valley Conference. On the advice of Wichita State assistant coach Donnie Jones, who spent six seasons as coach at UCF, the Shockers practiced more against zone defenses than it had in previous season.
 
"You see a lot of matchup zone," Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said. "A lot of switching man-to-man. . .  that sometimes looks like a zone. I've seen more zone in this particular league than any I've that I've ever coached in."
 
Man-to-man defense remains the favorite in the American. However, zones are more prevalent than in the MVC, which is almost exclusively a man-to-man conference outside of Illinois State. In the American, defensive approaches range from Temple and Tulane (almost always man to man) to Cincinnati (pressing, trapping man to man with zone aspects) to SMU and Tulsa (regular use of zone defenses). Memphis is playing more zone defense during its recent hot streak.
 
"Some of them are very, very good," Marshall said. "We have been more of a man-to-man team but we've practiced quite a bit against zone this year. . . and we try to practice against the best zone we can throw out there."
 
The Shockers defeated UCF 81-62 in Koch Arena in late January. Wichita State big men Shaq Morris (19 points) and Darral Willis (12 points) combined to make 11 of 16 shots. The Shockers outscored the Knights by 11 points at the foul line to make up for a cold three-point shooting night. Wichita State committed six turnovers.
 
Against Cincinnati, the Shockers put the game in the hands of its guards and used ball screens to beat traps and give Landry Shamet open lanes to drive, pass or shoot. They scored 76 points in the four-point win, most allowed by the Bearcats in conference play, and made 52.9 percent of their shots, highest allowed by the Bearcats this season.
 
To be clear, the Shockers aren't backing down on defense. They rank No. 96 nationally, according to kenpom.com, in defensive efficiency (1.01 points per possession) and No. 5 in conference play (1.02). With an elite offense backing them, the burden is on the defense to hinder opponents as much as possible, not hold them under 60 points.
 
The Knights hold opponents to 61.2 points a game and ranked No. 7 nationally by holding opponents to 39.4 percent shooting. They held 11 opponents under 60.
 
UCF forward A.J. Davis averaged 18.0 points over the past five games, making 62 percent of his shots and 58 percent of his three-pointers. Guard B.J. Taylor leads UCF by averaging 14.6 points and 3.1 assists. Taylor scored 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting in the January meeting.
 
The Knights rank 11^th in the American in offensive efficiency (.939 points per possession) and 11th in two-point shooting (44.2 percent). They turn the ball over on 20.4 percent of their possessions, No. 10 in the conference.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.