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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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 17: McDuffie (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

3. UConn must try to contain Markis McDuffie

One last thing to look for if UConn is to be successful in this game will be their ability to contain the Shockers’ leading scorer, senior forward Markis McDuffie. The 6-8 Paterson, NJ native averages 19 points per game, is 2nd on the team in rebounding with five, he is also the only player on the team averaging over a steal per game.

He has led the team in scoring in 13 of the team’s 18 contests, including the last eight. He has scored double-figure points in all but the season opener against Louisiana Tech and has only failed to reach 15 points in three others, as McDuffie goes so go the Shockers. McDuffie accounts for 28% of the Wichita State offense, unlike year’s past, this year’s edition of the Shockers is more of a one-man show.

dark. Next. AAC Power Rankings

The goal for Hurley’s team should be to make someone other than McDuffie beat them. Wichita State only has one other player averaging double figures, senior guard Samajae Haynes-Jones who nets 12.7 per game and the next three top scorers average just 21.7 per game, so forcing the Shockers’ supporting cast to beat them should be their best course of action if they hope to beat Wichita State.