The RoundHouse | 1/10/2021 7:09:00 PM

 
Confidence is good and it is better when combined with smarts.
 
Wichita State freshman Ricky Council IV came to school with loads of confidence. He is listening to interim coach Isaac Brown to add good judgment and focus on defense. It all came together during Sunday's 82-76 win over Cincinnati at Koch Arena.
 
"He's fearless," center Morris Udeze said. "He's always on 10, so I love it. You can't bring him down. Confidence goes a long way in basketball."
 
On Sunday, Council scored a season-high 23 points, making 8 of 11 shots and 7 of 11 foul shots. He scored 15 in the second half to help the Shockers (7-3, 3-1 American Athletic Conference) jet ahead in what had a been a defensive slog. 
 
"He feels like he is as good as anybody on the court," Brown said. "I have to bring him down to earth sometimes. I'm probably slowing him down a little too much. I just want to make sure he's defending at a high level, rebounding at a high level, and executing."
 
Council, a 6-foot-6 forward from Durham, N.C., appreciates Brown's insistence on playing smart. That means taking good shots and playing within certain limits – even if it seems like he is capable expanding those limits on days like Sunday.
 
"I feel really comfortable," Council said. "I feel like I belong."
 
Council played a major role when the game swung to the Shockers. He dunked after a steal by Alterique Gilbert for a 54-46 lead. On the next possession, Council deflected a pass and turned that steal into two foul shots for a 10-point lead. 
 
Wichita State pushed its lead to as many as 16 and the Bearcats (3-7, 1-4) got no closer than eight until the game's final seconds. The Shockers made 17 of 29 shots and 15 of 22 foul shots in the second half. Gilbert's defense, Tyson Etienne's shooting and Morris Udeze's scoring all contributed. 
 
Council's ability to drive to the basket and slither around defenders to score added a dimension the Bearcats couldn't defend. Cincinnati had shot-blockers and it locked in on Etienne and Gilbert. Council's freelance drives sliced up the defense in ways others couldn't.
 
Etienne said he instructed Council to break off plays to attack the basket, such was the confidence he has in the freshman to score or draw fouls.
 
"I felt confident in him vs. the matchup," Etienne said. "I kept telling him 'Go.' You'll continue to see nice finishes from him. We can't hide him anymore."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.