Creighton vs. Wichita State may not be considered by most as a big rivalry. But, if you have followed these two programs or the Missouri Valley Conference over the past decade, there has definitely been a lot of growing heat between these two schools. From Anthony Tolliver’s game winning buzzer beater to Wichita State’s Matt Braeuer’s three-pointer to knock off the Jays in that same season, there have been some great battles between these programs. You also can’t forget 1.7–the MVC tournament game between the Bluejays and Shockers where Booker Woodfox hit an amazing shot to win the game after Creighton blew a huge lead and were headed for a loss.
Needless to say, the buildup for the game on Saturday is nothing that should surprise anyone. Many had the New Year’s Eve game circled on their calendars as the game of the year, but I don’t think you will hear anyone argue that the return game in Omaha is even more important. Both teams are fighting for an MVC championship and both teams want to solidify their spots in the at-large field of the NCAA Tournament.
To help us try and sort things out before the 4:00 p.m. tip off on ESPN2 this Saturday, we caught up again with Paul Suellentrop of the Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com. Here is what he had to say.
White & Blue Review: Following the tough loss at Drake, what clicked for Wichita State during their current win streak?
Paul Suellentrop: Nothing changed after the loss to Drake. Garrett Stutz continued to play very well. The Shockers broke out of a three-point slump against Northern Iowa, making 12 of 19. I saw the Drake game as a blip, not indicative of any significant problems. The Bulldogs played great that night and WSU shoot poorly.
WBR: Garrett Stutz has really turned some heads over the past several games. What has changed in his game since the beginning of the season?
PS: He is getting more confident and more assertive as he plays more and enjoys more success. Over the past month or so, he clearly became the focal point of the offense. Everything starts with him. That wasn’t the case earlier in the season.
WBR: What strategy will the Shockers employ against Doug McDermott to try and defend him? Will it be similar to what they did in the first meeting?
PS: I would guess Ben Smith and Carl Hall will guard McDermott. I’m sure WSU will double, or at least give some help, when McDermott gets the ball in the post. In the first meeting, other players such as Antoine Young, Grant Gibbs and Josh Jones made shots that hurt the Shockers. McDermott scored 12 points on nine shots.
WBR: After the loss against Creighton in the first meeting, head coach Gregg Marshall appeared to change around things with the starting lineup. How effective have those changes been and has that been a spark for some of the players?
PS: Demetric Williams has been a perfect fit in the starting lineup. He defends, passes and runs the break. He can score, but doesn’t look for his shot often. In recent games, Smith replaced Hall in the starting lineup. That has also worked well. However, Creighton is bigger than most MVC teams so this might be a game where Hall plays more.
WBR: Breaking down position by position on the Creighton and Wichita State starters and bench as a whole, who has the advantage in each?
PS: I would give Creighton’s big men a slight edge because of the Echenique-McDermott combination. I would give WSU’s guards a slight edge because of depth. WSU’s bench gets an edge because of experience, although the Shockers are not going as deep into the bench as last season. David Kyles could be a big factor if he is making shots.
WBR: Wichita State was talked about earlier in the season as being a really deep team. How has Marshall shortened his bench since conference season started? Has there been any surprises on who has gotten more minutes as the season has gone along?
PS: Tekele Cotton and Ehimen Orukpe played more minutes in November and December. Their minutes are down. Marshall has largely gone with seven players playing between 20-30 minutes in MVC games. Cotton and Orukpe can help defensively when the situation calls for it. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of Orukpe against Creighton.
WBR: If the season ended today, what seeds would Creighton and Wichita St. get in the NCAA Tournament?
PS: Both eight seeds.
WBR: What is your final prediction? What will Wichita State have to do in order to steal a win in Omaha like Creighton did in Wichita?
PS: I have a hard time seeing Creighton lose three straight. Jays 75-73 on a last-second shot by McDermott. WSU will have a good chance to win if Stutz avoids foul trouble and can score against Echenique.