The RoundHouse | 1/2/2020 9:51:00 AM
Playing defense can feel like work. Smart coaches connect defense to offense to make that work transition to fun.
Wichita State women's basketball team averages 10.3 steals a game, up from 8.8 last season and on pace for the most since the 2002-03 team averaged 10.8. That harassing defense is one of the reasons the Shockers (8-5) are scoring more and shooting a bit better than last season.
"We've really worked on us pressuring and denying and playing a more aggressive style to create offense," coach
Keitha Adams said. "Our players have bought into that. We've got more depth. We've got great athletes."
The Shockers open American Athletic Conference play at No. 1 UConn on Thursday (6 p.m., ESPN3). While the Huskies offer the nation's biggest challenge, the Shockers appear capable of moving up from last season's tie for ninth-place in the American. Their RPI, according to the NCAA, is No. 140 and in a group of six teams ranked from No. 115-178. The battle, it appears, to finish in the upper division along with No. 1 UConn, No. 57 UCF and No. 68 Memphis is among that group.
Outside of UConn, Wichita State and Houston own the best non-conference win among the other 11 schools. Both defeated No. 38 Oklahoma. Four of Wichita State's five losses are to top-40 teams.
The Shockers averaged 56.9 points last season and are at 68.5 this season. Their shooting is up to 40.9 – which ranks fourth in the American – from 38.8 in 2018-19. They are playing faster and creating chances for fast breaks.
"We know we can all pass the ball, so once we get going, we know it's going to be fun," guard
Mariah McCully said.
On Monday, the Shockers closed out their non-conference schedule with a 77-65 win over Grambling State. They forced 23 turnovers (for a second straight game) and recorded 14 steals to match a season high.
"Defense is a mental thing," senior
Maya Brewer said. "This team, we like playing defense and jumping the passes, being in denial. When we get steals, we get hyped."
Those turnovers led to 30 points and the Shockers scored 21 fast-break points. Ten of those points off turnovers came in the first quarter to help Wichita State build a 25-5 lead.
McCully led the Shockers with five steals. Brewer added three.
"We're gritty," McCully said. "It feels good to have a team that's not going to back down and stay aggressive."
For the season, McCully has 25 steals in 11 games, averaging just over one steal per minute of playing time. Sophomore
Carla Bremaud has 22 steals and is well on her way to passing last season's total of 32.
Adams said she borrowed some of this season's defensive strategies from Middle Tennessee State coach Rick Insell, former opponent when Adams coached at UTEP. The Shockers pressure and trap and use their quickness and depth in the backcourt to disrupt offenses. They are holding opponents to 38.5 percent shooting, seventh in the American, and rank second in steals (10.3) and fourth in turnover margin (plus-4.00).
"I bugged him a lot, picked his brain a lot," Adams said. "It's letting them play to their strengths and their instincts. We try to make our defense clear. I like to think it's less stressful, because they know this is what we do. We've got a system. When we do it, guess what, it works. They're benefitting. They're getting those layups and fast breaks."
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
