The RoundHouse | 12/29/2021 11:27:00 AM

 
 
Conference basketball play starts tonight (Wednesday) for the Shockers, so everything is different. And yet, the task is not much different from any other season.
 
Wichita State can put itself in a good position for the NCAA Tournament with a bunch of wins.
 
That hasn't changed over the past 16 years of Shocker basketball, in which they earned nine NCAA berths and three in the NIT. Conference affiliation can help -as it did in 2006 and 2021 – or make the job more difficult.
 
The need to rack up W's is a constant. In conference play, the challenge is winning against teams that are ready for your pet plays, while enduring travel, fatigue and injury during a grind of two-plus months. Wichita State is No. 65 in Ken Pomeroy's national ranking. Over the next month, they face five opponents in the top 100, including No 31 Memphis and No. 4 Houston.
 
The Shockers (9-3) open American Athletic Conference play at East Carolina (9-3) at 6 p.m. Wednesday (ESPN+). It is everything that coaches worry about in an opener, in that the Pirates are unbeaten at home, feeling good about their non-conference record and get the Shockers on their first conference road trip. It is Wichita State's first trip to ECU since 2019.
 
"We didn't play them last year, so all we can do is go by the film," Wichita State coach Isaac Brown said. "And we've seen that they're a good basketball team. They're well-coached and they're (undefeated) at home, so they're going to be playing with a lot of confidence. It's going to take a good game from us."
 
 

Christmas came early 🎅 pic.twitter.com/AFHnuyACbv

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) December 23, 2021

The Shockers are in good shape with COVID-19, which is an edge. They report to work each day with a chance to look at the 2021 AAC trophy and the banners which represent the title and the 2021 NCAA appearance. That should also be an edge.
 
When Brown speaks to the team and references the "reason" for that success, most of the Shockers lived it over recent seasons. Playing defense is often the hard part of basketball and the Shockers do it well.
 
"We talk about. 'Last year we were able to win a conference championship, and there was a reason,'" Brown said. "'We rebounded, we defended, we played at a high level . . . If you want to have a chance to win another championship, you've got to do those things.'"
 
The Shockers play strong defense, ranking No. 36 nationally in Pomeroy's defensive efficiency statistic. They hold opponents to 28.8 percent shooting from three-point range (No. 38 nationally) and 45.5 percent inside the arc (No 61 nationally). They force turnovers on 22.5 percent of possessions to rank No. 40 nationally according to Pomeroy.
 
Their rebounding is improved from last season, and they rank first in the conference by grabbing 74.5 percent of available defensive rebounds.
 
"I think you win championships by defending at a high level," Brown said. "If you defend, rebound and play with toughness, I think you always have a good chance to a win a basketball game. There are going to be games where you don't make shots, but so long as you're not turning it over and are taking good shots, you've got a chance to win."
 
Brown identified the issues for the Shockers, issues that hit hard in frustrating losses to Kansas State and North Texas. The Shockers need shots, good shots, to make up for a lack of shooting accuracy. Turnovers rob them of precious opportunities and often give opponents an opportunity to get easy baskets.
 
The Shockers are trending in the right direction with turnovers, but against sub-par competition. When pushed by North Texas, a turnover-filled drought in the second half doomed Wichita State.
 
Translating smoother offensive efforts against the likes of Alcorn State and winless Prairie View A&M into efficiency against conference opponents will determine how the next two months play out. Guard Tyson Etienne, with 20 points on 11 shots, five assists and no turnovers, enjoyed his most efficient game of the season in a 102-66 win over Prairie View.
 
Guard Craig Porter Jr., playing a much more prominent role than last season, recorded 16 assists and one turnover in his past three games. Newcomer Qua Grant recorded 13 assists and four turnovers in his past four games, including eight assists against Prairie View.
 
Each game the Shockers see how the offense can make their lives easier reinforces how it should operate.  
 
"It was great seeing those guys score 100 points and being able to share the basketball, take good shots, get out and push it hard in transition," Brown said. "That's what we need to continue to do in order to score a lot of points."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.