Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall met with local media Tuesday. Topics included Sunday's game at Cincinnati, the senior class and some of the many positives that he's seen throughout the Shockers' four-game winning streak.
 

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HEAD COACH GREGG MARSHALL ON..

...having a week to prepare for Cincinnati:
" Take advantage of it, practice a little bit -- take a couple of days off, do some recruiting. Be busy in other ways."

...playing an opponent for the second time:
"They obviously know how talented and skilled and big Cincinnati is. It won't take anything to get their attention. They beat us here. Hopefully we will be a little smarter and less apt to be called for fouls like we got called for quite a few in that game. A lot of them we brought it on ourselves by just putting our hands on people when we shouldn't. Hopefully it helps the young guys going into a second scouting report on their personnel."

...what it takes to play the kind of 'Shocker Basketball' he wants:
"What I like to see from one of our teams is just playing harder and stronger than the opposition. Caring more about playing the game the right way -- winning all the hustle stats, being first to the floor for a loose ball, taking a charge, getting deflections, flying around on defense, sprinting the court both ways at all times. Going as hard as you possibly can, giving a fist coming out of the game --going back in and being a spark again. Obviously, sharing the basketball on the offensive end, rebounding every time with fervor and determination every time a shot is taken on either end. That's kind of what we've done in spurts. I've seen it a little bit. It's not like it has been in the past but it's getting there. It's better than it was. That's the goal is to see that more than we've seen it."

... Markis McDuffie and Samajae Haynes-Jones and their senior seasons up to now:
"Samajae Haynes-Jones -- when he's good, he's been really good. East Carolina, for instance, he was tremendous. I made the reference to Tiny Archibald, which went over like a lead balloon, they had no idea who that was. There've been some games where he has struggled, too, and that hurts us. He's had that because he only played 200 minutes last year. This is really his first year of getting considerable minutes. Markis (McDuffie) I think has had an awesome senior year. When he's not very good, we don't have much of a chance to win. When he is really good, we can play with anyone. He's been tremendous. He has had a great senior year. Both of them, I am really proud of for what they've done and how they've remained positive and become leaders through this season and these tough times. They've also elevated their game. This is the best year that any one of them have ever had on the collegiate level. The timing is good."

..Jaime Echenique's knack for drawing charges:
"He's got pretty good feet and he moves pretty well for a big guy. He anticipates. I think he listen to the scouting report and learns tendencies on players and what hand they prefer if they are going to drive it. He does a good job -- it's a knack. It's a special talent, and he's got it. It's very valuable. He's saved a lot of baskets for us this year. He's done a nice job with that."

...McDuffie's consistency on the offensive end and shooting the three:
"It's tremendous. He's had a great year. I've reached out to a couple of NBA buddies or they'll reach out to me and ask. I say ' he's worth the look, man. You have to get in here. I can't pick your team for you, but he's certainly having a fantastic senior year and shooting it at a high clip and playing really, really hard.' He's won a lot of games here, he's helped us win a lot of games in this program.  I hope he gets a legit shot and, who knows, he could be the next guy."

...McDuffie's leadership growth this season:
"That will probably benefit him as much or more in the rest of his life than he realizes. Just being thrust from not a leader at all -- I mean a follower. A guy that just went along with it. He is so easy to get along with, so fun-loving and happy. To, this year, have this leadership basically anointed on. You've got to do it. It hasn't been easy, as we said. We've lost a lot more than we're used to around here. He's done a marvelous job with it. The blend is pushing the younger guys and still being young enough and youthful enough to still kick it with them and really enjoy spending time with them. I think everyone loves hanging out with Markis. It's a good blend."

...Samajae Haynes-Jones stepping up this year:
"The shot he made against Southern Methodist, that was awesome. Then to follow that up with the game at East Carolina. I was kind of shocked that he didn't play any better against Tulane. I thought he was really on a little nice groove there. Didn't play great against Tulane, we are going to need him to play well on this road trip coming up."

... on whether his decision to forego wearing glasses the past four games is in any way tied to superstition:
"On purpose, I misplace my glasses right before the game. I know where they are. I can get them after the game if I need to read the stat sheet or anything. We'll continue that until we lose again."