The RoundHouse | 11/4/2021 9:09:00 PM

 
 
Coaches often talk about making practices harder than games. For Wichita State women's basketball, the Bombers male practice team gives life to that theory.
 
This group of Bombers, Shocker coach Keitha Adams said, might be the best of her five seasons at Wichita State. They are big and quick, which makes passing and dribbling hard for the Shockers.
 
On Thursday, the Shockers defeated NCAA Missouri Southern State 89-61 in an exhibition game at Koch Arena. They committed 13 turnovers, which is a solid number for an opener that featured lots of up-and-down basketball and 79 shots for the Shockers.
 
Keep working, Bombers.
 
"Those guys really pressure and deny," Adams said. "They make it difficult. We're turning it over in practice because those guys are really challenging us."
 
By limiting turnovers, Wichita State scored 89 points, something it didn't do in regulation time last season. The Shockers pushed the pace and produced plenty of easy shots and fouls. The emphasis on limiting turnovers in practice against the Bombers and enforced by full-court sprints paid off against the Lions.
 
"We have good posts who run the floor in transition and make it easy," guard Seraphine Bastin said. "We have Jane (Asinde) and Asia (Strong) who run the floor and every time you have to get them the ball."
 
The Shockers can run and press because of their depth – four Shockers hit double figures and Strong added nine. Asinde, a junior college transfer, came off the bench to score 17 points and grab eight rebounds. Mariah McCully and Bastin both scored 15 and DJ McCarty contributed 13.
 
Wichita State finished with 42 points in the paint, baskets generated both by their height advantage and by fast breaks. Shocker bigs Strong (10 rebounds), Asinde and Trajata Colbert (10 rebounds) led them to a 63-43 rebounding edge and 19 second-chance points.
 
"We've added some nice newcomers," Adams said. "With our returners, this year's team, I think, we're going to have more options and more depth."
 
Bastin scored seven straight points to give the Shockers a 17-7 lead in the first quarter. Asinde then scored eight straight near the end of the quarter. Wichita State's defense extended the lead early in the second by forcing three turnovers and two missed shots in Southern's first five possessions. A basket by McCarty gave the Shockers a 34-19 lead on their way to a 52-32 halftime lead.
 
The Shockers open the regular season vs. Chicago State on Tuesday (noon) at Koch Arena.
 
"Having new players, there's so much for us to learn about them and each other," Adams said. "Having that exhibition game, it's an ice-breaker to dive in. For our new players, it's my first experience of coaching them with their game uniforms on and under the big lights."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.