The RoundHouse | 1/25/2020 10:29:00 AM

UCF (11-7, 2-4) at rv/22 WICHITA STATE (16-3, 4-2)
SATURDAY, JAN. 25 | 7:05 P.M. CT
WICHITA, KAN./ CHARLES KOCH ARENA (10,506)
TV: ESPNU (WatchESPN)
RADIO: KEYN 103.7 FM (GoShockers.com/Listen)
SERIES: WSU leads 3-0 (2-0 in Wichita)
LAST: Jan. 16, 2019 in Wichita (WSU, 75-67)
 
If it seems as if Wichita State is facing a defensive-focused, grinding team almost every night recently, that's reality.
 
Wichita State is struggling on offense, although coach Gregg Marshall liked what he saw from a floor-spacing and driving aspect in a 56-43 win at USF. While the Shockers made 36.5 percent of their shots, they shot 36.4 percent from three-point range. They committed 10 turnovers against a team that forces almost 17 a game.
 
That is something to work with, if the Shockers continue to execute and play unselfishly.
 
The tough defenses aren't going away. Six of the American Athletic Conference's 12 teams rank in the top 50 of the Pomeroy defensive efficiency stats and that doesn't include Houston, which sits at No. 67. Three more (Houston, No. 71 UCF and No. 80 USF) are in the top 100.
 
The Shockers have played five of those nine. After UCF on Saturday, No. 38 Tulsa and No. 47 Cincinnati are up next, followed by a rematch with Houston. 
 
In Pomeroy's offensive efficiency rankings, two American teams (No. 16 Houston and No. 20 SMU) rank in the top 50 with Cincinnati at No. 61. Wichita State is next at No. 124. (Last season, four teams ranked in the top 50 and three more in the top 100).
 
The American is loaded with coaches who emphasize defense and, so far, that side of the court is winning. 
 
That schedule helps explain Wichita State's scoring problems. Baskets are hard to come by against most of these opponents. Others, such as Memphis, thrive on chaos. It is not an atmosphere conducive to freshmen and sophomore guards smoothly learning how to run an offense. It is a road filled with bumps and ugly moments.
 
UCF is one of those defensive-focused teams under coach Johnny Dawkins, although their defense slipped during an 0-4 start to conference play. The Knights defeated Tulane and USF with two of their better defensive performances of the season, holding their opponents to a combined 10-of-48 from three-point range and 54.5 points. 
 
Saturday's game ends a stretch of six games in 17 days. The Shockers, in November and December, responded well to practice time againt UT Martin after an ugly game against Texas Southern, after the Cancun Challenge (leading to wins over Central Arkansas and at Oklahoma State) and before wins over Oklahoma and VCU. 
 
Those five wins rank among Wichita State's best 10 this season, according to Pomeroy's offensive efficiency statistic. The Shockers scored 1.0 point per possession or better in all of those games. That's a mark they reached twice in conference play (against Memphis and East Carolina).
 
That time is coming around again.
 
The Shockers played at USF on Tuesday. After Saturday's game, they play next at Tulsa on Feb. 1. Then they are home against Cincinnati on Feb. 6.
 
That is a schedule heavy on practice and light on travel. It also a crucial set of games against other American front-runners. For the Shockers, it sets up for them to continue to improve heading into February and another busy stretch. 
 
If resiliency is a tough thing for freshmen to learn, consider guard Tyson Etienne a survivor. He missed all seven of his shots at Temple – three days after playing 40 minutes in a double-overtime win at UConn – and went scoreless for the first time.
 
He did not let that downer linger. He responded with 10 points against Houston and 13 at USF. In the past two games, he is 5 of 10 from three-point range. Against USF, he also played strong defense against Laquincy Rideau to highlight an excellent effort by the Shockers.
 
Wichita State held the Bulls to 12 baskets and forced 13 turnovers. Rideau, with Etienne taking a large defensive role on him, went 2 for 10 from the field to finish with four points, four turnovers and one assist. 
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.