ST. LOUIS -- Facing the eighth-ranked Wichita State Shockers on the road would present a stiff challenge for Saint Louis University under normal circumstances.
But the situation facing the Billikens promises to be even more charged than usual when they play Wichita State at 5 p.m. Saturday on FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports Kansas City. The Shockers are coming off their first loss after notching 35 straight regular-season wins, a 69-68 overtime defeat at Utah that they led by 11 with five minutes left. That figures to have coach Gregg Marshall's squad, already known for playing angry (the style even has a nickname, Marshall Law), even more fired up than usual.
Adding to Wichita State's fervor is that the game will be played in front of a sellout crowd of more than 15,000 at INTRUST Bank Arena. The Shockers typically play one game a season in the off-campus arena, and the school announced Friday it had sold out for the first time for one of its games.
The Billikens played the Shockers in front of a huge crowd at Chaifetz Arena last year, with Wichita State pulling out a 70-65 victory. While the Shockers return three starters from that game, the Billikens are essentially starting over. They return two players who scored in last year's game, Austin McBroom (seven points) and John Manning (two), and Manning's playing time has been declining lately. SLU has been playing six freshmen extensive minutes and they have combined for 42 percent of the team's scoring.
The Shockers, meanwhile, start two seniors and three juniors, including point guard Fred VanVleet, a consensus first-team preseason All-American, and sharpshooter Ron Baker, who also was named preseason All-American in some quarters.
Wichita State starts four guards and 6-foot-7 Darius Carter -- its only starter taller than 6-4 -- which could be an advantage for the taller Billikens. SLU, however, has been out-rebounded for the season, and its top rebounder is 6-4 guard Ash Yacoubou. Even without great size, Wichita State holds a plus-9.2 rebounding advantage over its first five opponents.
Scoring looks to be the biggest challenge for the Billikens. Wichita State plays a suffocating defense that has allowed more than 60 points only in the loss to the 25th-ranked Utes. The only time the Billikens topped 70 was in an 80-48 victory over Division II Rockhurst on Tuesday night. SLU will need to establish a presence in the post to allow the 5-9 McBroom enough openings from behind the 3-point line. McBroom has converted 47.8 percent of his threes on the way to a team-best 13.7-point average.
Watch the SLU-Wichita State game at 5 p.m. Saturday on FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports Kansas City.
Until Utah shot 47.1 percent, Wichita State had not allowed a team to shoot better than 41.2 percent from the field. Last year, the Shockers finished 11th in the nation by holding the opposition to 39.0 percent shooting. SLU, also known for its defense last season, limited opponents to 40.3 percent shooting. This year's team has been efficient defensively, too, holding the opposition to 42.3 percent shooting.
The Billikens practiced at home on Friday before heading to Kansas. They left with confidence, too. They believed they learned a lesson in their 75-50 loss to Mississippi State last Friday.
"I feel like we're ready," Yacoubou said after the victory over Rockhurst, which improved the Billikens to 5-2. "After Mississippi State, I feel like we came together more as a team."
They'll need to be at their best against a Wichita State team that could be playing even angrier than usual.
You can follow Stan McNeal on Twitter at @StanMcNeal or email him at stanmcneal@gmail.com.
