Creighton men’s basketball coach Greg McDermott knows Wichita State perhaps better than any other coach. McDermott’s Bluejays and the Shockers are in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Creighton got the better of Wichita State this season, taking two of their three meetings.
The Jays lost the first 67-64. The Shockers had four players score at least 10 points and committed only seven turnovers to offset 38-percent shooting.
The Jays bounced back to win the next two, 91-79 and 68-65. The Jays pulled away in the second half of the 91-79 win by making 71.4 percent of their field-goal attempts.
The Jays won the last game, the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, by having four players score at least 10 points. The Shockers shot 34.3 percent.
Q: How did you have success against them?
A: The first time we beat them we scored 91 points. We had an incredible offensive night, shooting 70 percent from the field.
Q: What about on offense?
A: You have to do a good job on Cleanthony Early (13.7 points per game). At our place we did a good job on Malcolm Armstead (10.9 points per game). It's critical in defending them.
They are a very solid defensive and rebounding team. Your guards have to be engaged. Tekele Cotton is as good a rebounder as any guard, as Ohio State found out with that big rebound at the end of their game. (Carl) Hall is aggressive.
Q: Do they have any holes on defense, in-bounds plays, for example?
A: They are solid in all aspects of defense.
They have had moments when they didn’t shoot well from the 3-point line, but Ron Baker’s return (stress fracture in left foot) has changed their team.
About the Author
