Inviting over what coach Scott Drew called the “fourth-best team analytically,” Wichita State climbed over Baylor in a tough battle 69-62, handing the Bears’ second-straight loss. This marks the first time since 2010 that Baylor has two consecutive L’s in non-conference play.
But it was a game which Drew ultimately felt comfortable, knowing the game prepares his team that much more for the conference slate. The outing also gives some valuable insight into the team’s capabilities working with an almost entirely new roster.
Between Vital and Nuni Omot, Terry Maston’s role was covered well.
Vital’s performance has the true markings of a dominant player in the making. As soon as he came off the bench, he stole Wichita’s ball. In that same minute, he had two turnovers but quickly dusted that off. In his nineteen minutes, he had a game-high five offensive rebounds, helping get some valuable second-chance points (Baylor had 12).
Omot added seven total boards himself, both players expanded the role that Maston left for the rest of the month as he recovers from hand surgery. Vital ended with three steals, giving him five in the past two games. But it was primarily Vital who was pitch perfect shooting until two missed free throws and locked into his defensive assignments like glue that proved to have the highest ceiling.
Tyson Jolly also hit the floor for the first time this season, allowing Baylor to play more small ball than normal, especially after losing one of its bigs. He had just three minutes of court time and only contributed a turnover to the stat sheet. Without playing a competitive game in over a year, he’s a work in progress that was thrown into as tough a situation as you can imagine.
The more everyone works under these new circumstances, the better things should be in the long run.
Not on the stat sheet was Obim Okeke, a sophomore running back from the football team that’s practiced with the team the past couple of days. Drew said he’s been a valuable piece to help replace the lack of depth the team has to endure right now.
It’s become clear the past couple games, the dominance that’s made Baylor a threat in the past only occasionally shines. Against Xavier, Baylor was out-rebounded 38-28 and allowed too many second-chance points. The same note played against the Shockers, losing the rebound battle 38-36. That’s a marginal difference and the rebound rates were a virtual tie as well.
Certainly an improvement, especially against one of the most physical and methodical teams in the nation. But the issue isn’t the quantity but the precise moments those boards fell in Wichita’s favor.
Baylor had six offensive boards in the first quarter of play and then plummeted, finishing with just 13 the rest of the game. But offensive rebounds fell square on the shoulders of freshmen forwards Tristan Clark and Mark Vital who combined for nine.
Jo Lual-Acuil couldn’t find his place and Drew said he was upset with his himself before he started clicking in the second half with 13 points- his total for the game. Fill the game with a performance like that from start to finish, this is a different story.
A shocker that the team that shot 62.5 percent from three-point range beat a team that his under a quarter of the same shots.
At the beginning of the season, Manu Lecomte hit virtually anything he put up. The past two games he’s shot just 3-of-8 of his treys. That’s kept his season percentage near 40 percent but he’s been the only one in that range. King McClure was making his own work with midrange jumpers and layups Saturday but as soon as he kicked it outside, it was a brick five out of six tries.
Contrast to Wichita’s Conner Frankamp’s 5-of-8 shots from the perimeter, Baylor’s issues around the arc extended to the defense as well, locked inside. Frankamp alone made as many threes as Baylor did all game, virtually sealing the game. The Shockers found a way to exploit Baylor’s 1-3-1 with 15 assists, a large factor to getting Frankamp as many open looks as he did.
