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Tyson Etienne

Shockers Battle No. 6 Houston for First-Place

2/17/2021 9:09:00 AM

6/5 HOUSTON (17-2, 11-2) at rv/- WICHITA STATE (12-4, 8-2)
THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 2021 | 6:01 P.M. CT
WICHITA, KAN. | CHARLES KOCH ARENA (25% Capacity, 2,625)
TV: ESPN2
RADIO: KEYN 103.7 FM (GoShockers.com/Listen)
SERIES: WSU leads 17-15 (12-3 in Wichita)
LAST: Jan. 6, 2021 in Houston (UH, 70-63)
 
 
TICKETS:
Sedgwick County is allowing up to 25 percent capacity at Charles Koch Arena (2,625 fans). SIngle-game tickets are not available.
 
#WATCHUS:
The game will air on ESPNU with Kevin Brown and Mark Adams on the call. Fans who have access to ESPNU through their cable or satelite tv package can stream live and on demand via the ESPN App. 
 
SHOCKER RADIO:
Listen live on KEYN 103.7 FM and online at GoShockers.com/Listen. Division I college basketball's longest-tenured duo, Mike Kennedy (pbp) and Dave Dahl (analyst) are in their 40th season together on radio. Kennedy is in his 41st season as Voice of the Shockers. Pregame coverage begins one hour prior to tipoff.
 
FOLLOW ALONG:
For live updates during all the games -- and behind the scenes coverage in between – follow @GoShockers and @GoShockersMBB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
 
THE ISAAC BROWN SHOW:
Join Kennedy and interim head coach Isaac Brown LIVE from 6-7 p.m. every Monday throughout the season at A.J.'s Sports Grill at The Alley, or listen to the show on KFH (97.5 FM / 1240 AM). The show is rebroadcast in a television format Mondays at 9 p.m. on Yurview (Cox HD 2022 in Kansas and online everywhere at YurView.com/Kansas. Next Show: Feb. 22.

#FIGHT4LITERACY:
Wichita State is hosting a #Fight4Literacy Game to promote childhood reading and the local literacy work of the United Way of the Plains.
Shocker coaches will wear #Green4Literacy -- Green lapel pins and wristbands -- in support of the #Fight4Literacy in Wichita.
Currently 63% of students in Kansas are not reading at grade-level.
Shocker fans can join the #Fight4Literacy by making a donation at pledgeit.org/wichitafflw2021. 
100% of funds raised in Wichita will stay local and go straight to helping young students at United Way of the Plaunsbecome better readers.
 
 
OPENING TIPS:
  • The Wichita State Shockers and sixth-ranked Houston Cougars slug it out for first-place in the American Athletic Conference, Thursday at Charles Koch Arena.
  • The Shockers (8-2) enter the night tied with the Cougars (11-2) in the loss column, but a victory would give them the league lead based on winning percentage.
  • WSU earned one AP vote in Monday's poll -- its first since last March.
  • No. 6 Houston is the highest-rated opponent to visit the Roundhouse since No. 4 Kansas (Jan. 8, 1992).
  • The Shockers' last home win over an opponent ranked sixth-or-higher came 54 years ago: Feb. 25, 1967 over No. 2 Louisville (84-78).
  • This is the second meeting between the schools this year. UH won the first (Jan. 6 in Houston) by a score of 70-63 behind 22 points from Quentin Grimes. Tyson Etienne finished with 25 points for WSU, which led by as many as 10 points early in the second half.
  • WSU leads 17-15 all-time. Houston has won the last six meetings but only one of those games was in Wichita.
  • Thursday's contest was originally scheduled for Feb. 25 but moved up a week due to mutual availability created by COVID-19 postponements. WSU has had seven postponements in conference play -- all due to contact tracing at opposing schools.
  • WSU has won four-straight games, including last Wednesday's 61-60 nailbiter at UCF. Alterique Gilbert (team-high 17 points) sank a three-pointer and two free throws in the last 33 seconds, and UCF missed a potential game-winning shot ahead of the final buzzer.
  • As of Tuesday, 28 Division I teams are holding opponents under 40% for the year. Four of them reside in The American: Houston (1st, .365), Memphis (15th, .392), SMU (19th, .395) and WSU (27th, .399).
  • The Shockers are also holding opponents to 28.3% from three-point range -- ninth-best nationally.
  • Etienne ranks among the AAC scoring leaders (17.2 ppg) and is averaging 2.94 threes on 39.8% accuracy. He's topped 20 points on eight occasions.
  • Gilbert (10.2 ppg), a grad transfer from UConn, leads the team in assists (3.7) and steals (1.5).
  • One of the nation's best defenders, Dexter Dennis is coming off a 16-point, 10-rebound effort and has reached double-figure points in three of the last four.
  • Junior forward Morris Udeze has scored 10+ points in six of his last seven games and is averaging 13.1 points on 71.7% shooting over that stretch (38-of-53).
  • Eight of the Shockers' 16 games have been decided by five-points-or-less. WSU is 7-1 with two overtime wins. Those seven wins are tied for second-most nationally.
  • WSU has won nine-straight conference home games. 
  • WSU is 26-3 in February home games since 2013-14.
 
 
ON THIS DATE:  FEB. 18
1953 – The Shockers began their ascent under Ralph Miller, upsetting No. 17 Murray State in Wichita, 87-77, for their third win over an AP top-20 opponent in less than a month (they'd also beaten No. 17 Oklahoma City and No. 6 Oklahoma A&M at home).
1956 – Wichita won for the first time ever at Kiel Auditorium, defeating 17th-ranked Saint Louis 109-103 in double-overtime. The Shockers were previously 0-11 against the Billikens on their home floor. Despite losing three starters to fouls before the end of regulation, WU regrouped. Leo Carney dumped in four last-second points in the final overtime period to insure what was -- at that point -- regarded as one of the great wins in school history.
1980 – Freshmen Antoine Carr and Cliff Levingston scored 34 and 32 points respectively. Drake's Lewis Lloyd, the nation's second-leading scorer, fouled out at the 7:00-mark with 20 points, and WSU pulled away for a 117-104 win.
1995 – Jamie Arnold totaled 21 points and 18 rebounds, and the Shockers made 10-of-19 threes in an 82-62 road rout of coach Bill Self's Oral Roberts Golden Eagles.
2006 – Perhaps the most-notable game in ESPN's old Bracket Busters series saw George Mason upset the Shockers at Charles Koch Arena, 70-67. Mark Adams called the game on ESPN2. WSU rallied from a double-figure deficit in the final minutes and tied the game with 29 seconds left on a Sean Ogirri three. The Patriots answered with 13 seconds remaining when Tony Skinn nailed a guarded three which turned out to be the game-winner. Without that victory, George Mason would have likely missed the NCAA tournament. Instead, the teams would meet again just a few weeks later in the NCAA Sweet 16. The 11th-seeded Patriots defeated WSU and UConn at the Washington D.C. Regional to carve out a spot in the Final Four.
2011 – In another Bracket Busters classic, Final Four bound VCU made two free throws with one second remaining to defeat eventual NIT champion WSU at Charles Koch Arena, 68-67. The win helped the Rams grab the NCAA tournament's final at-large bid.
2018 – Landry Shamet scored 19 points to lead the 19th-ranked Shockers scored a 76-72 road win at No. 5 Cincinnati. The Bearcats, who were playing at Northern Kentucky's BB&T Center due to stadium renovations, had carried the nation's longest active home winning streak (39-straight).
 
 
JOINING THE DRAMA CLUB:
  • WSU is 7-1 in games decided by five-or-less.
  • Those seven wins are tied for the second-most nationally behind Chattanooga (9).
  • It's two shy of the school record, set 90 years ago.
  • WSU's .875 "close game" winning percentage would be the best in the program's modern era (1945-pr.).
  • Among head coaches, Gene Smithson has the program's best career winning percentage in "close games" at 43-30 (.589), ahead of his son Randy Smithson (15-15, .500) and Naismith Hall of Famer, Ralph Miller (48-51, .485).
  • The 2006-07 and 1994-95 teams share the program record for most total games decided by five-or-less (14).

NCAA Leaders // Wins by 5-Points-or-Less (as of 2/16):
1. Chattanooga (SoCon) -- 8-3            
2. Wichita State (AAC) -- 7-1
2. UCLA (Pac 12) -- 7-1
4. Northern Ky. (Horizon) -- 7-4
 
WSU All-Time // Most Wins by 5-Points-or-Less:
9 – 1930-31 (18-5 overall) – Gene Johnson
7 – 2020-21 (12-4) – Isaac Brown
7 – 1994-95 (13-14) – Scott Thompson
7 – 1997-98 (16-15) – Randy Smithson
7 – 1961-62 (18-9) – Ralph Miller
7 – 1983-84 (18-12) – Gene Smithson
7 – 1984-85 (18-13) – Gene Smithson
7 – 1986-87 (22-11) – Eddie Fogler
 
WSU Modern Era (1945-pr.) // Winning Percentage in 5-Point-Games:
.875 – 2020-21 (7-1) – Isaac Brown
.778 – 1961-62 (7-2) – Ralph Miller
.750 – 1966-67 (6-2) – Gary Thompson
.700 – 1983-84 (7-3) – Gene Smithson

 
 
RANDOM KNOWLEDGE:
  • WSU is 25-7 in AAC home games since joining the league and has posted nine-consecutive wins.
  • WSU is 133-13 (.911) at Charles Koch Arena over the last 10 seasons.
  • Three of the Shockers' four losses have come to teams currently ranked in the top-25 (No. 6 Houston, No. 20 Missouri and Oklahoma State (No. 22 in the Coaches Poll).
  • The Shockers have done an excellent job of avoiding "bad losses" on their team sheet. Over the last three years (since the NCAA first introduced its NET Rankings), they are a combined 35-1 in Q-III and IV games (including 6-0 in 2020-21). The lone loss came in the 2018-19 home opener against Louisiana Tech.
  • WSU hasn't shot the ball well this year but atones with timely offensive rebounds, good ball control, and by getting to the foul line:
  • The Shockers rank among the top-40 nationally in offensive rebounds-per-game (12.44). 
  • Per KenPom, WSU ranks among the top-20 in turnover percentage (just 15.7-per-100 possessions).
  • The Shockers average a league-high 16.2 points-per-game off of free throws (No. 19 nationally) and attempt an average of 23.2 (17th).
  • Dexter Dennis' double-double at UCF ended a rather dubious run. The Shockers had entered the night as one of just 10 active D-I programs without a double-double this year. That leaves only Iowa State, Lafayette, Cal Poly, Green Bay, La Salle, UC Davis, Idaho, Elon and Longwood.
  • Last Wednesday's win at UCF marked the 18th time in the last three seasons that WSU has won a game while shooting less than 40% from the field. That total is tied for the most nationally (with Houston).

NCAA Leaders // Wins While Shooting < 40%="" last="" 3="">
18 – Wichita State (AAC)
18 – Houston (AAC)
14 – Florida State (ACC)
14 – Virginia (ACC)
14 – Wisconsin (Big Ten)
12 – Cincinnati (AAC)
12 – Providence (Big East)

 
 
COUNT THE STOPS:
  • In 16 games unnder interim head coach Isaac Brown, the Shockers have called 39 timeouts. That equals their total from all of last year (39 in 31 games).
 
 
POWERED BY TYSON:
  • Three of The American's top-six scorer will share the floor Thursday: WSU sophomore Tyson Etienne (17.3) is No. 3 on the league's scoring list, and Houston's Quentin Grimes (16.9) and Marcus Sasser (15.1) rank fourth and sixth respectively. 

American Athletic Conference Scoring Leaders // As of Feb. 17:
1. Jayden Gardner (ECU) -- 18.1
2. Kendric Davis (SMU) -- 17.7
3. Tyson Etienne (WSU) -- 17.3
4. Quentin Grimes (UH) – 16.9
5. Jaylen Forbes (TLN) -- 15.5
6. Marcus Sasser (UH) – 15.1

  • Etienne was held to five points in Wednesday's game at UCF. It marked just the third time in nine games going back to Jan. 1 that sophomore had scored less than 20 points (3 at Memphis on Jan. 21 and 16 vs. Cincinnati on Jan. 10).
  • Etienne has scored at least 20 points on eight ocassions He's done it in six of the Shockers' nine conference games, which is tied for the league lead.

American Athletic Conference // Most 20-Point Games:
9 – Jayden Gardner (ECU) – 6 in AAC play
8 – Tyson Etienne (WSU) – 6 in AAC play
8 – Kendric Davis (SMU) – 5 in AAC play
6 – Quentin Grimes (UH) – 3 in AAC play

 
 
IN WITH THE OLD:
  • It's perhaps no coincidence that WSU began a four-game winning streak at the same time that Alterique Gilbert busted loose from a month-long shooting slump. The senior is 8-of-19 from three over his last four games (.421). He had been 5-of-29 over the eight games prior.
  • Gilbert recorded his 100th career steal earlier this month and made his 100th career three in last weeks win at UCF. Now he's closing in on 300 career assists (14 more). 
  • While Gilbert won't qualify for any of WSU's career lists, that's still a noteworthy trifecta. Just five Shockers have finished with 300 assists, 100 steals and 100 threes. 

Shockers with 300 Assists, 100 Steals & 100 3's:
Fred VanVleet (2012-16) – 637 / 225 / 141
Toure' Murry (2008-12) – 430 / 180 / 135
Ron Baker (2012-16) – 345 / 163 / 242
P.J. Couisnard (2004-08) – 332 / 148 / 114
Paul Guffrovich (1987-91) – 383 / 114 / 144

 
 
GETTING MORE FROM MO:
  • Junior forward Morris Udeze is averaging 12.0 points in home games compared to 6.2 on the road.
  • In conference play, Udeze is shooting a league-best 66.1% from the field.
  • Udeze recorded three games of 10-or-more points in his first two seasons as a Shocker (44 games). This year he's done it nine times.
 
 
MILESTONE WATCH:  
  • Dexter Dennis has sole possession of 17th on WSU's career triples list (126). He passed Graham Hatch and Dwight Praylow (125) during the UCF game. Dennis needs just two more to catch Clevin Hannah for 16thand four to match Matt Brauer and Rob Kampman (130) for 14th.
  • If Dennis attempts five-or-more threes on Thursday, he'll move into 11th on WSU's all-time three-point attempts list. He has 360 in three seasons.
  • Etienne is now 23rd on WSU's career three-point list (109). He passed Kyle Wilson and Tekele Cotton (108) during the UCF game.
 
 
THE RANKING FILE:
  • WSU is 12-13 at the Roundhouse (1955-pr.) against AP top-10 teams.
  • WSU last hosted an AP top-10 team in the 2017-18 regular season finale. No. 10 Cincinnati defeated the 11th-ranked Shockers, 62-61.
  • WSU last defeated an AP top-10 team at home in the 2014-15 finale. With ESPN's College Gameday in town, the 11th-ranked Shockers ripped 10th-ranked UNI, 74-60, to win the MVC regular season title.
  • WSU 38-43 all-time in home games against AP top-25 opponents with wins in eight of its last 10.
  • The most-recent top-25 visitor was No. 21 Memphis on Jan. 9, 2020. The Shockers (who were ranked 23rd at the time) won 76-67.
  • No. 6 Houston is the Roundhouse' highest-rated visitor since Jan. 8, 1992 (No. 4 Kansas).
  • WSU's last home win over an opponent ranked sixth-or-higher came Feb. 25, 1967 (No. 2 Louisville, 84-78).
  • A win over the Cougars would be WSU's best in exactly three years (at No. 5 Cincinnati; Feb. 18, 2018). 

AP Top-25 Opponents at Charles Koch Arena (2003-Pr.):
12/19/2009 -- #16 Texas Tech – W, 85-83
1/19/2010 -- #20 Northern Iowa – W, 60-51
12/4/2011 -- #18 UNLV -- W, 89-70
12/31/2011 -- #21 Creighton – L, 61-68
1/18/2013 -- #12 Creighton – W, 67-64
2/28/2015 -- #10 Northern Iowa – W, 74-60
3/4/2018 -- #10 Cincinnati – L, 61-62
1/9/2020 -- #21 Memphis – W, 76-67
2/18/2021 -- #6 Houston
Note: WSU also defeated No. 25 Utah at INTRUST Bank Arena in 2015-16

 
 
SCOUTING HOUSTON:
  • Houston is ranked sixth in this week's Associated Press Poll and is tied for the fifth in the Coaches version. The NCAA's early bracket reveal, released over the weekend, had the Cougars on the No. 2 line.
  • The Cougars were a unanimous pick to the win the league for a third-straight year. They were tri-champs in 2019-20 and won it outright in 2019 on their way to the Sweet 16.
  • Houston is grinding out wins with an elite defense (No. 7 in defensive efficiency, per KenPom) and pure stubbornness on the offensive end. The Cougars lead the nation in field goal (.365) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.255) and rank second in points allowed (57.3), trailing only Loyola Chicago (55.3).
  • Houston is the nation's No. 1 offensive rebounding team, grabbing more than 41% of its own missed shots and an average of 15.2-per-game.
  • The Cougars are one of just six teams that are out-rebounding their opponents by double-digit margins (+10.1), joined by Illinois (+10.2), Grand Canyon (+10.3), Coastal Carolina (+10.6), Utah State (+10.7) and North Carolina (+10.8). 
  • Houston lost AAC preseason player of the year Caleb Mills to transfer midway through the year but hardly skipped a beat.
  • 6-1 sophomore Marcus Sasser (15.1 points) is the AAC's best three-point shooter by volume (3.1 on 36.6% accuracy) and also averages 1.4 steals.
  • 6-5 junior Quentin Grimes (team-high 16.9 points) is in his second season at UH after starting his career at Kansas. He's averaging 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals shooting over 80 percent at the foul line (58-of-72, .806).
  • Dejon Jarreau is a stat-sheet-stuffer at 10.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and a team-high 4.7 assists.
  • Justin Gorham leads the conference and ranks among the top-25 nationally in rebounding (10.1). and is fourth on the offensive glass (4.5). He has six double-doubles this year.
 
 
MATCHUP MASHUP:
  • Alterique Gilbert is the only current Shocker who has taken part in a win over Houston. He scored nine points and handed out three assists in UConn's 77-71 senior night win last season at Gampel Pavilion.
  • WSU leads the conference in free throw makes and attempts-per-game. Houston opponents average a league-high 22.2 attempts (30th nationally).
  • UH (8.9) and WSU (7.6) average more threes than any other team in the conference. The league's top-3 three-point bombers will all share the floor with WSU's Tyson Etienne (2.9) joined by Houston's Marcus Sasser (3.1) and Quentin Grimes (2.7).
  • WSU has led its league in defensive rebounding percentage in 10 of the last 11 years but ranks among the bottom-15 nationally this year. UH leads the nation in offensive rebounding percentage.
  • WSU Junior Morris Udeze is a Houston native and a graduate of Fort Bend Travis High."
  • WSU has had at least one Houston native on every roster since the 2001-02 season. That run began with 1,600-point scorer Randy Burns (Booker T. Washington HS). P.J. Couisnard and Karon Bradley were key contributors on the Shockers' 2006 Sweet 16 team. Toure' Murry (Klein Forrest HS) finished with 1,539 points from 2008-12 and spent parts of two seasons in the NBA.
 
 
THE SERIES WITH HOUSTON:
  • This is the 33nd meeting all-time. WSU leads 17-15.
  • One (or both) teams have been nationally-ranked for all seven AAC era clashes (WSU 4x, UH 5x). The Shockers won the inaugural game on Jan. 4, 2018, but the Cougars have won each of the last six.
  • The schools faced off 20 times during a 10-year overlap in the Missouri Valley (1950-60). The Shockers won 13.
  • WSU is 12-3 against Houston in Wichita, including 7-2 at the Roundhouse (1955-pr.). Two of the three Shocker home losses have come by a single point.
 
 
LAST TIME vs. HOUSTON:
Jan. 6, 2021 (Houston) | #11 UH 70, WSU 63
  • Tyson Etienne and Dexter Dennis combined for 43 of WSU's 63 points including 29 of 32 in the second half but it wasn't enough to top 11th-ranked Houston.
  • The loss snapp a five-game winning streak and knocked the Shockers out of first-place after a 2-0 AAC start.
  • WSU was well-positioned for an upset, leading by 10 points early in the second half but instead missed nine-straight shots and turned the ball over four times during a 7:00 scoring drought. Houston capitalized with a 16-0 run to go up 41-35 at the 12:55-mark and kept the lead at two possessions the rest of the way.
  • Etienne scored 25 points on 7-of-20 shooting and grabbed a career-high eight rebounds. He was 4-of-9 from three and 7-of-8 at the foul line.
  • Dennis scored 18 with two dunks and a pair of threes.
  • Quentin Grimes scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half to lead the Cougar scoring, while DeJon Jarreau (13 pts, 10 reb, five ast) and Justin Gorham (14 pts, 10 reb) each turned in double-doubles.
  • WSU outscored Houston 14-0 off turnovers to build a 31-25 halftime lead, but the hosts made 12 of their first 20 shots out of the locker room, including 5-of-9 treys.
  • UH turned 15 offensive rebounds into 15 second-chance points and out-rebounded the Shockers 45-41 overall while limiting them to 16 points in the paint.
  • Both teams ranked among the national leaders in field goal percentage defense. UH outshot WSU 38.3-33.9%.
 
 
A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...
... make them 13-4.
... be their fifth-straight victory (matching their season-high) and 12th in 14 tries.
... give them sole possession of first-place (9-2) in the conference standings, based on winning percentage.
... extend their home winning streak to eight.
... give them 10-straight AAC wins at CKA.
... snap a six-game losing streak against UH and make them 2-6 against the Cougars in The American era.
... make them 18-15 all-time vs. UH (13-3 in Wichita).
... be their first top-25 win since Jan. 9, 2020 (No. 21 Memphis) and their first top-10 win in  exactly three years (Feb. 18, 2018 at No. 5 Cincinnati).
... be their highest-rated win at CKA since defeating No. 2 Louisville on Feb. 25, 1967.
 
A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...
... drop them to 12-5 (8-3 AAC).
... snap a four-game winning streak.
... snap a seven-game home winning streak and a nine-game AAC home winning streak.
... be their seventh-straight against Houston.
... narrow their all-time series lead to 17-16 (12-4 in Wichita).
... be less good than a win.
 
 
UP NEXT:
The Shockers will probably play somebody at some point.
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