The RoundHouse | 12/6/2019 2:17:00 PM
When Wichita State women's basketball coach
Keitha Adams praises
Maya Brewer for defense in practice, it means Brewer is one step closer to unlocking her scoring talents.
"We had one practice where I told her 'Good job' six times," Adams said earlier this season. "At the end of practice, I said '
Maya Brewer. This is the best practice you've had.' That didn't happen last year."
Brewer, a 5-foot-11 senior guard, has carried those practice habits into a prominent role this season, most recently as scoring punch off the bench.
"I try to come in every day with a good attitude," Brewer said. "Don't take days off, plays off. Don't take possessions off. Last year, I had issues with being consistent."
Wichita State (4-3) plays Eastern Michigan (2-5) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Koch Arena (COX YURVIEW, HD 2022).
Adams needed to improve Wichita State's offense this season. Scoring is up by 11 points over last season and shooting percentages are improved a bit. The Shockers added scoring depth on the perimeter with newcomers
DJ McCarty and
Mariah McCully. Brewer's improvement gives them another playmaker on the wing who can relieve the burden on sophomores
Carla Bremaud and
Seraphine Bastin.
Brewer scored 14 points, making 6 of 10 shots, and grabbed three steals in Wednesday's 68-55 loss at No. 22 Missouri State. In an 88-83 win over Oklahoma, she scored eight points in nine minutes before foul trouble limited her time. In the second quarter, she made a three-pointer and followed that with a steal and basket to push Wichita State's lead to 10 points on its way to a 13-point halftime lead.
Brewer, from Kansas City, Mo., averages 8.0 points and is shooting 46.7 percent from the field. Her 10 steals rank second on the team behind Bremaud's 17.
As a junior, she played more than 20 minutes in one game, averaging 3.4 points and shooting 38.6 percent from the field. That led to ups and downs in playing time and a feeling that Brewer was capable of more. She flashed her scoring ability at times – a season-high 12 points against Temple, all in the fourth quarter, for example. She scored 12, nine and eight points in the final three games.
Brewer said she began to realize her practice habits needed adjusting toward the end of last season. She worked over the summer to put more effort into basketball and conditioning.
"Right after the season, I dedicated myself to having a good attitude," she said. "It's just effort, being active, hustle plays, talking, being a leader. Then it comes natural. It helps me build more confidence."
Brewer started the season in the starting lineup. In Wichita State's exhibition win over Missouri Southern State, she scored 17 points and made all four of her three-point shots. She scored 11 points in a 61-50 loss to Northern Iowa in the opener. Brewer played 32 minutes and also recorded three steals and two blocks.
"She's been better defensively," Adams said. "I think she better understands that. She can score. She can help us offensively, but her defense, last year, and doing the little things, is what kept her off the floor."
Brewer's quickness and instincts can make her a disruptive defender, when she is in the right spots.
"I wanted to come in this year focusing on my defense," she said. "I wanted to learn defense, not get lost, make sure that I'm dedicated. Once I get a defensive stop, it gets me hyped and carries over to offense."
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
