Wichita State Basketball: What knocking off Cincinnati means for the Shockers

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Gregg Marshall of the Wichita State Shockers yells to his team during the second half at the Liacouras Center on February 1, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Temple defeated 16th ranked Wichita 81-79 in overtime. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /

2. Defense is the key to victory

Even though Wichita State’s offense ranks in the top-20 nationally in points per game, it is their defense that leads them to victories. According to KenPom, the Shockers are No. 8 in adjusted offensive efficiency. The scoring has been consistent all season long and they seem to always hover around 80 points per game. What each game really comes down to for Wichita State is if they can get enough stops.

Considering their 22-5 record in addition to giving up less than 60 points per game in conference play, it is clear that the team is doing well in that regard. Still, Wichita State has allowed more than 80 points to their opponents on seven different occasions. In these shootouts, the Shockers hold a record of 4-3.

While this record does not look too bad, the teams they played in these games are not elite. Their wins were against Temple, South Dakota State, California, and Arkansas State while the losses were to Oklahoma, SMU, and Temple. When the NCAA Tournament rolls around, the Shockers will want to be better defensively because the offense is always going to be there.

Most of the credit for Wichita State’s win over Cincinnati will go to their offense but the defense was just as important. Considering Cincinnati only allows 57.1 points per game, it was impressive that Wichita State dropped in 76. Yet, it was equally vital that the Shockers held their own on the defensive end, keeping Cincinnati at their season average of 72 points scored.

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