The RoundHouse | 2/18/2021 10:03:00 AM

 


 Isaac Brown talked a lot about basketball fundamentals when breaking down Thursday's game against No. 6 Houston (6 p.m. ESPN2).
 
The Shockers need to box out better, of course, and limit turnovers, guard Quentin Grimes and eliminate quick shots that spoil the offense and put the defense at a disadvantage. Brown, Wichita State's interim coach, can focus on those items because of the way his team played in a 70-63 loss at Houston on Jan. 6.
 
"We've got to get better shots," Brown said. "On the defensive end, I thought we didn't defend at a high level like we did in the first half. They started to make shots. I felt like we turned it over. We're not a team that turns it over a lot."
 
What the Shockers did in that game allow Brown to think about reasonable steps to improve. His team competed. They led by six points at halftime and by 10 early in the second half. After Houston dominated to push the lead to 14, the Shockers cut it in half. 
 
They did not get run over, as the previous teams did (twice in 2019-2020 and a 73-59 loss in 2018). They matched Houston's ferocity for much of the game. They did not match it quite long enough to survive a Cougars run and those are the moments Brown wants to fix.
 
"We showed we can compete with them," guard Tyson Etienne said after the seven-point loss earlier this season. "I'm encouraged by that. We didn't back down."
 
Everybody knows this is a crucial game for the Shockers (12-4, 8-2 American Athletic Conference). Houston (17-2, 11-2) is Wichita State's best regular-season chance to boost its NCAA Tournament resume, not to mention moving into first place in the conference standings. The Cougars are the highest-ranked opponent to visit Koch Arena since No. 4 Kansas in 1992.
 
 Much like Cincinnati, this matchup has become a measuring stick for the Shockers at the top of the American. The Cougars are the level the Shockers need to reach.
 
Brown is devoted to not worrying about those things. The Shockers need to focus on the next 40 minutes. In the first meeting, the Shockers went 8 for 26 from three-point range. That led to two problems – they neglected the scoring of center Morris Udeze and when they stopped scoring, their defense struggled. 
 
Udeze went scoreless on two shots and Wichita State can't afford a repeat. He needs the ball and he needs to handle Houston's defense. He can help by rebounding and avoiding foul trouble.
 
"The ball never got to paint," Brown said. So, we've got to do a better job when we're not making shots to try to throw it inside to Morris and (Isaiah) Poor Bear-Chandler, try to drive the basketball. We've got to get better shots."
 
Houston is a dominant rebounding team. It leads the nation by grabbing 40.1 percent of available offensive rebounds, according to kenpom.com. In the first meeting, the Shockers competed on the backboards by grabbing 14 offensive rebounds (one less than Houston) and 41 total (Houston had 45).
 
After the January meeting, Brown estimated the Shockers battled for 35 minutes. Houston is the kind of opponent who will likely force them to get closer to 40 minutes of smart, physical, low-turnover basketball to win.
 
"We've got to take good shots," Brown said. "We've got to try to get the ball inside. You've got to try to score in transition. We've got to defend at a high level and not give up second shots."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.