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No. 7 Wichita State takes aim at College of Charleston's defense (Nov 13, 2017)
Two conference contenders coming off season-opening wins collide Monday, when No. 7 Wichita State hosts College of Charleston at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kan.
Wichita State (1-0) drained 13 3-pointers and shot 60.9 percent from the floor in a 109-67 blowout of Missouri-Kansas City on Friday.
Charleston (1-0), which is picked to win the Colonial Athletic Conference, had a much sterner test in its opening win over Siena. Grant Riller got hot in overtime, scoring seven of his game-high 21 points, to help the Cougars secure a 68-60 overtime win.
"We had guys making big shots and getting big stops," Charleston coach Earl Grant said after Friday's overtime win at home. "The most encouraging thing to see was that we held Siena to 25 points in the first half. In their last game, they had a guy who had 33 points. We played hard and stayed true to who we are (defensively) as a team."
The Cougars' defensive identity will be tested by Wichita State's versatile and potent offensive attack.
Six Shockers finished in double figures against UMKC, led by a 19-point, 10-rebound performance from senior forward Darral Willis Jr. Senior point guard Conner Frankamp, one of five returning starters for coach Gregg Marshall's team, had a career-high 11 assists.
The Shockers also got an early surprise with the return of talented sophomore guard Landry Shamet, who is an All-America candidate.
Shamet underwent surgery on his foot on July 31 and initial recovery projections had him out at least until next week's Maul Invitational.
Shamet played in Wichita State's final exhibition game, started against UMKC and played well.
"It just felt good to be playing in a game that mattered," said Shamet, who hit five of seven shots for 17 points in the opener. "When I hurt my foot I was thinking I would be out until Maui, but the fact of the matter is that I'm back and I'm playing. It feels good to be back before you are expected to be back."
Both coaches will be familiar with each other.
Grant is in his fourth season at Charleston. He spent several years as an assistant under Marshall, including three at Wichita State.
Marshall says his protege has his best team this season.
"They are a very good team," Marshall said. "I think it is his best team. He has built this, I think, in year four, and that is what you are supposed to do. He built it the right way. They've got some really, really good players. They are a dangerous team, and we are going to have to play very well."
Wichita State joined the American Athletic Conference this spring.
The Shockers had been members of the Missouri Valley Conference since 1945. It's a step up in competition, but one Wichita State appears completely equipped to handle. The Shockers arrive as the highest-ranked team in the conference and are expected to battle No. 12 Cincinnati for the league crown.
"It's just a lot of talented guys that are used to playing with each other," Marshall said of his team's chemistry. "They are unselfish. (On) great teams there is no envy, jealousy. We haven't had it."
