UConn Basketball: 2018-19 keys for the Huskies vs. Wichita State

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies is ejected from the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the championship game of the 2K Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 15: Jalen Adams #4 of the Connecticut Huskies pushes Elijah Hughes #33 of the Syracuse Orange out of his way while attempting a layup in the second half of the game during the 2k Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

1. The Huskies must take good shots, Wichita State is poor defensively

The first key for Connecticut, if they hope to come away with a home win, is they must continue to shoot the ball as well as they have so far this season. The Huskies do average 79 points per game, and while their field goal percentage of 46.1% and three-point percentage of 35.3% both sit outside the top-100 nationally, they are 3rd and 2nd in the AAC respectively. Of the team’s top six scorers they all shoot over 41% except Gilbert who shoots nearly as well from long-range, 40.4% as he does from inside the line, 40.7%.

The Huskies have to take advantage of their opponents here, as Wichita State allows teams to shoot nearly 43% from the field and 30% from three-point land, while giving up 70.7 points per game. In league play, however, those numbers look a bit different. In their six games against conference opponents, the Shockers have allowed their opponents to shoot 43% from the field, 34.5% from beyond the arc, and have surrendered 72.7 points per game. If the Huskies can remain efficient and patient on offense, Wichita State is prone, especially in league play, to letting their opponents score at a high rate.