The Shockers return to the floor Thursday, Jan. 3 at Memphis. Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall previewed the matchup Wednesday morning at his weekly press conference.
 

---

HEAD COACH GREGG MARSHALL ON...

....a rare,12-day break between games:
"Well, it wasn't that long because they were home for four or five days for Christmas. We got done with VCU -- they departed. Many of them got home on the 23rd, then came back here on the 27th, but a lot of them had travel issues. That was a bad travel day. We really didn't get anything started until the 28th. (We practiced on the) 28th, 29th, 30th -- I gave them off the 31st-- (then we practiced again on the) first and second. We've had five practice days, counting today.

....how practices have been over break:
" Good. We've had some longer practices right when they got back -- just trying to get them in shape. Yesterday's practice was pretty good."

...update on Jaime Echenique:
"He's working hard with the trainers. It'll be a game-time decision. He has not practiced full yet. He's over on the side shooting and trying to move and do all the rehab stuff that you are supposed to do with that type of injury."

....who is stepping up at the center position:
"Morris (Udeze) hurt his shoulder the other day, so he didn't practice yesterday. I guess, Isaiah (Poor Bear-Chandler) and Asbjørn (Midtgaard)."

...Thursday's opponent, Memphis:
"They are playing really hard and fast. I like the way they are getting up and down the court, and they are really getting after it defensively, doing some run-and-jump and pressure. He (Penny Hardaway) has got what looks like a good group of athletes, and they are playing really hard for him."

....how watching VCU tape has helped prepare the Shockers for Memphis' hard and fast defensive mentality:
"I'm not sure it has. We'll see. We weren't very good against it at VCU. We'll try to be better."

...Memphis freshman Alex Lomax:
" On the film I saw, he starts some games. Now he is coming off the bench. Just making winning plays -- he's a winner. He gets on the floor for loose balls. He plays really hard. He's not shooting it great, but we've got a couple of guards that aren't shooting it great either. He's a floor general. He's a guy that's going to help your team win."

....guards preparing for Memphis' style of defense:
"They've got to do a much better job than they did 10 days ago (against VCU).

...words to the team entering conference play:
"We just talked about second season. We were 7-5 in the pre-conference, and now we have an 18-game grind coming up in the next 10 weeks. We'll have to be ready for it. Everybody is going to know the weaknesses and their strengths and they'll have to play through that."

...biggest strength of this team:
"I'm not sure we have one."

...identity of the team:
"I'm not sure we do. No. I'm not sure we do. I think we are very young and inexperienced. I think that's the identity."

...Facing Temple Head Coach Fran Dunphy on Sunday:
"Tremendous gentleman. Really, really like him and respect what he does as a basketball coach. Not only at Temple, but at Penn before that. He's led two teams to more than a handful of NCAA Tournaments. Just does it in a very classy way. I like him and consider him a friend."

...his mindset going into conference play and whether he has any specific expectations for this young group:
"Take it one day at a time, one practice at a time, one game at a time. No expectations."