(Indianapolis, IN) – Two of the very best mid-major college basketball programs clash today in Indianapolis. Wichita State (30-4) and Dayton (24-7) are two of the more decorated teams outside of the ‘money conferences’. It is the opening day of action at this first and second round site.
Though technically the underdog since they are tenth seeded and Dayton is the seven seed, the odds makers expect the Shockers to win. After all the bluster by both the national media and by head coach Gregg Marshall about the seeding process, Wichita State better win.
Both teams have enjoyed recent postseason success, the Shockers are participating in their sixth straight national tournament and Dayton is here for the fourth consecutive season.
What will it take for Wichita to move into the Round of 32? There are four reasons they should win.
Play Angry
The Shocker motto is never more needed than in postseason play. The opposing teams are good, talented, athletic and well coached. So what will make the difference? The intensity that is the Shocker trade mark has to be front and center. Pressure defense, rabid offensive rebounding and interior physical play all happen when they play angry.
Constantly Attack
Wichita State is a much deeper team and they are, as a team, the taller and more physical team. They can hurt the Flyers in the paint where Shaquille Morris seems to improve every week, and where Dayton is smaller and has fewer bodies.
Scoochie Smith
Shut Down Scoochie
Missouri Valley Conference watchers know the Shockers love to take the opposing team’s best player away from them. While Charles Cooke (16.1 points per game) is Dayton’s leading scorer, Scoochi Smith was a first-team Atlantic 10 player. Smith is third on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg), but more importantly is the ball-handling floor general handing out 4.5 assists each game.
Later in the season, Marshall has been employing 6’6 Zach Brown on the opposing team’s point guard, making their suffocating defense even more effective. But the Shockers will give Smith various defensive combinations.
Get McDuffie Going
Wichita State’s leading scorer and rebounder, Markis McDuffie is a player that can dominate a game or fade into the background. Against this quality opponent McDuffie (11.8 points and 5.7 rebounds) needs to be productive and something of a spiritual leader. His teammates feed off his energy and that will be needed against the senior-laden Flyers.
Guards Conner Frankamp and Landry Shamet will carry much of the scoring load and Morris has shown the ability to come up big in important games, but for the Shockers to thrive, they need McDuffie to explode.
Do Good
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I guess we'll be seeing this in a @RacersHoops uniform this year. Glad AJ is staying in the @ValleyHoops.
Suddenly the Cardinals are the best team in baseball! 3 of last 4!
This is outstanding. Congrats to my friends @CoachBlossom & @DrewHanlen and the others I don't even know.
.@ValleyHoops women's basketball tournament will begin to rotate to different cities. Evansville next year, then Coralville, Iowa and then back to Moline.
