Over the next several days, I'll be posting previews of each team in the Valley. Today I take a look at the Wichita State Shockers.
Wichita St.
2006-07: 17-14
(8-10 MVC)
01.12 at WSU
02.02 at CREI
2006-07 REWIND: 2006-07 looked soooo good at the outset for the Wheatshockers. Coming off unprecedented momentum after a Sweet 16 berth and national exposure, they signed Mark Turgeon to a huge extension and sold out their entire home schedule before a game had even been played. They began the year ranked in the Top 25, and got as high as #8 with a 9-0 start. Then they went 1-6 over their next seven games, fell from the rankings and never recovered.
The first matchup saw Wichita escape with a 62-59 win. Here's how I described it:
"On a night when they played an average game -- even above-average in stretches -- they had a chance to steal a road win and put Wichita State down for the count. Hell, Wichita State spent the last 30 minutes of the game trying desperately to give the game away, and Creighton just wouldn't take it from them because of foolish, awful turnovers and sloppy play."
The rematch went a little better for Creighton. My description of that battle:
"Wichita went on a quick 5-0 run to knot it at 23...then the Jays closed the half on a 10-2 run to take a 33-25 lead into the locker room. They opened the second frame with an 11-4 run -- making it a 21-6 run over two halves -- and all of a sudden, a 23-all tie was a 43-29 advantage. Game, set, match. Oh, Wichita made a run here and there, but was never closer than 8 points the rest of the way, and the game never felt in doubt."
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Wichita's slide continued after the season. Think about this: in mid-December, the poor Shockers had a newly remodeled and sold-out arena, a big-time coach locked up with a long-term contract, and a #8 ranking. A scant four months later, their coach is gone, their top recruit died, three starters are gone, and almost everyone has written them off.
Ouch.
March darling Winthrop's coach Gregg Marshall cashed in his success into the Wichita job, after Mark Turgeon left for Texas A&M. In his first month at Wichita, one of the program's top recruits, Guy Alang-Ntang collapsed on the court and died during a game in which Marshall was visiting him. A couple of weeks later, De'Andre Adams, a former player for Marshall at Winthrop, died in a car accident. Not to be flippant, but he also lost both a grandparent AND a next-door neighbor over the summer too. Good lord, it makes you almost want to have sympathy for the Shockers. Almost.
To add to their misery, Sean Ogirri (whose 'Fro made a certain blogger jealous) transferred to Wyoming. Two recruits in addition to Alang-Ntang never enrolled in school. Leading scorer Kyle Wilson and senior leader Ryan Martin used up their eligibility. Only four players with D1 experience return.
Double ouch.
P.J. Couisnard, who averaged 12 points and 6 boards a year ago, inexplicably declared for the NBA draft -- but wasn't drafted, didn't hire an agent, and thus returns to anchor a Shocker program in disarray. Finally, some good news for Wichita!
Couisnard was a key part of both games against Creighton last year, contributing five assists, three blocks, three steals and four points in the Shocker victory at home, and 16 points and 12 rebounds in the loss in Omaha.
Matt Braeuer, the senior guard who does nothing spectacularly but does everything well, led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio a year ago and along with Couisnard was a starter on the Sweet 16 team two years ago. He's had some stellar performances against the Jays in the past, and his presence leading the backcourt will keep Wichita competitive in what might otherwise be a rebuilding year.
The most intriguing of their new players is certainly 7-footer Ehimen Orukpe, whose imposing frame and Nigerian heritage might have earned him the nickname "The Nigerian Nightmare" if Chiefs running back Christian Okoye hadn't taken it years ago. Playing for elite Nigerian team Ebun Comet, he was much more of a defensive force than an offensive weapon. But in the guard-dominated Valley, his size and ability to intimidate on defense will allow him to get enough minutes to work on his offensive game.
While they're certainly not starting from scratch, the Shockers are darn close to doing just that. They'll surprise people, because Couisnard and Braeuer are too good to allow them to sink too low, but they don't have the talent or the experience to run with the Valley elite -- yet.
PREDICTION: 15-15, Eighth in the Valley.
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