The RoundHouse | 3/9/2021 6:00:00 PM

 
A tough season ended with a tough performance and that provoked a range of emotions for Wichita State women's basketball coach Keitha Adams.
 
Proud of her team for sticking it out and sticking together. Disappointed that the Shockers let an upset of top-seeded USF slip away on Tuesday in Fort Worth, losing 48-44 in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Championship. 
 
Heart-broken when reflecting on the obstacles that COVID-19 and injuries threw at her team. Incredulous while describing it as her most challenging season without a hint of exaggeration.
 
"As you get older, you know what you're doing . . . because you're experienced," she said. "At times, I felt like I had never done this before. I've got a great group of gals that are in that room. We got strength from one another."
 
Wichita State (6-12) led USF (16-3) 23-12 in the second quarter and 25-20 at half. They held the Bulls, ranked No. 20 nationally, to 7-of-35 shooting in the first half. USF rallied midway through the third quarter. The Shockers took their last lead at 38-37 early in the fourth and trailed 45-42 with 2:24 remaining.
 
"We guarded," Adams said. "We should have won that game. That's a great defensive effort."
 
The Shockers held USF to 24.6-percent shooting and 5-of-26 shooting from three-point range. The Shockers, however, also struggled to score. They missed 10 of their 11 three-point shots and were outscored 13-5 at the line. 
 
Center Trajata Colbert led Wichita State with 13 points. Guard Mariah McCully added 11 points and guard Seraphine Bastin scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
 
 

Highlights from @USFWBB's exciting 48-44 quarterfinal win over Wichita State. #AmericanHoops pic.twitter.com/orOSYTcPwb

— American WBB (@American_WBB) March 9, 2021

"The drives were open when we set on-ball picks," Colbert said. "The guards would hedge or they would help, and then we could hit those mid-range shots."
 
The Shockers closed the season with two wins over Tulsa before Tuesday's loss. The season was filled with games cancelled and postponed, pandemic interruptions and low roster numbers. They didn't practice with 10 on the roster until late January.
 
"We stuck together," Colbert said. "Our coaches, they motivated us every single day. They reminded us to stick together and work together and play together."
 
The upbeat conclusion to the season showed a glimpse of what the Shockers might be with something close to a full roster. Finishing on a strong note can only help as they begin to prepare for next season.
 
"We fought," Adams said. "For them to be that resilient, coming off of a challenging year like we've had, I think it shows a lot of character for those young ladies. We show we've got some positive things to build off of."
 
Junior forward Asia Strong, a second-team all-conference pick, grabbed 13 rebounds against USF. She averaged 15.2 points and 6.6 rebounds for the season. Guards DJ McCarty and McCully sparked the offense late in the season. Junior guard Seraphine Bastin gave the Shockers steady energy and leadership all season. She started all 18 games and averaged 10.2 points and a team-leading 7.7 rebounds.
 
Adams is pleased with her team's defense, as evidenced by Tuesday's performance. The Shockers held opponents to 38.9 percent shooting. 
 
"We've proven we can defend," she said. "We've got to solve our offensive problem. We've got to be able to put points on the board, score and then defend like that. I've got to do a lot of work in the off-season."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.