The RoundHouse | 1/16/2022 3:27:00 PM

 
 
Tyson Etienne looked at the scoresheet and gasped, surprised the Shockers took a mere 10 three-pointers.
 
While there is no magic number, the three-point line played a large role in deciding Sunday's 61-57 loss to Cincinnati at Koch Arena. It wasn't that the Shockers didn't take enough – maybe more threes help, but only if they go in the basket.
 
Throughout the game, the Shockers, playing without point guard Craig Porter Jr., worked and worked to build a lead, two points at a time. The Bearcats, it seemed, didn't need to grind nearly as hard before splashing in a three-pointer. Those threes kept them in the game when the Shockers built leads and then accumulated enough to win it.
 
Cincinnati made 10 of 26 threes, 5 of 11 in the second half.
 
That left the Shockers (9-7, 0-4 American Athletic Conference) again talking about scoring droughts ruining a fine defensive effort. They did many things right - limited turnovers, created good shots, took more shots and more free throws than the Bearcats and out-rebounded the Bearcats.
 
The lack of scoring – both from three and around the rim – again over-burdened the defense.
 
"It's about timely hoops and they had more timely hoops than we did," Etienne said. "We played a solid game. They made big shots."
 
Wichita State made three threes. It shot 22 of 59 from the field, 10 of 32 in the second half. It outscored Cincinnati 32-12 in the lane, a credit to its desire to get the ball inside and fast-break baskets in the first half that helped it lead by as many as 10 points.
 
"We're just not scoring," Wichita State coach Isaac Brown said. "We missed five to 10 layups. We're not making shots. The defense is good enough."
 
Etienne, playing more point guard in Porter's absence, finished with a season-high six assists (one turnover). His play pushing the ball and creating good shots sparked the Shockers in the first half. Things got much tougher in the second half and the Shockers missed 15 of their final 20 shots, eight of the final 10.
 
"I obviously missed a whole bunch of layups," said center Morris Udeze, who sat out the previous game due to COVID protocols.
 
Brown pointed to a first-half sequence that summed up the game – Shockers exhaust themselves building a lead before Bearcats (13-5, 3-2) make threes to cut into the lead. Wichita State led 31-22 before a turnover and a missed layup helped the Bearcats rally with threes. Instead of taking a significant lead into halftime, the Shockers had to hold on to lead 31-28.
 
In the second half, Wichita State led 42-34 on a three-point play by Udeze. Cincinnati responded with a three. The Shockers led 44-38 and 46-40, while Cincinnati's David DiJulius made three straight jumpers and the game stayed close from there.
 
"No lead is safe right now with us," Brown said. "I felt like we executed this game. Last game (Tulane), we had too many senseless turnovers that led to easy baskets. Their guys stepped up and made some big shots."
 
The Shockers thrived in close games last season, helped, as Brown pointed out, by former point guard Alterique Gilbert's ability to drive, score and pass. The Shockers have not found that formula this season, although Porter's progress continues and his absence on Sunday felt like another unfair blow to a team desperate for a good break.
 
"We're getting good looks," Brown said. "Guys got to step up. We missed layups. We didn't make wide-open threes."
 
The Shockers continue to defend well – Cincinnati's leading scorer Jeremiah Davenport finished with two points. After the game, they talked again about continuing to practice hard and stick together. The veterans know the conference schedule is long and teams will go through ups and downs, influenced by injury, slumps, travel and unfortunate bounces.
 
"The one thing we can do is stay positive," forward Dexter Dennis said. "Our season's not over. We can still turn it around."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.