There’s a reason it’s called home-court advantage in basketball. Your team is more familiar with the floor and shooting background. It has the fans on its side and because of that, it might get a 50-50 call that can change the game.
So how does one explain the road team winning the last six times in the Oklahoma State-Wichita State series?
The Shockers get a chance to reverse that Saturday night when they host the Cowboys.
To do that, they will probably have to make a few more 3-pointers than normal. Oklahoma State (6-4) has one of the nation’s top defensive forces inside in 7-1 Moussa Cisse, who blocks 14.2 percent of opposing shots when he’s on the floor. Opponents make just 41.6 percent of their 2-pointers against the Cowboys, which ranks among the nation’s top 20 defenses.
Wichita State (6-4) has been trending upwards from beyond the arc lately, hitting 42 of 116 (36.2 percent) over its last four games, including 13 of 36 in a 71-48 rout of Mississippi Valley State Tuesday night. Prior to that four-game stretch, the Shockers were canning a sorry 26 percent.
“We’ve been taking good shots and shooting it with confidence from the 3-point line,” said Shockers coach Isaac Brown.
Craig Porter leads Wichita State in scoring at 13.7 points per game with Jaykwon Walton close behind at 13.4.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma State is coming off a 70-65 loss Sunday against Virginia Tech in Brooklyn. The Cowboys trailed by 12 in the first half, rallied to take a second-half lead and then couldn’t stop the Hokies down the stretch.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said three turnovers in the last two minutes hurt, too.
“We had turnovers on plays we’ve practiced — a fumbled ball or missed layup or whatever it was,” he said. “We’ve got to be better to close out the games against good teams.”
Avery Anderson leads the team in scoring at 12.8 ppg, while Bryce Thompson hits for 10.6 and Kalib Boone chips in with 10.1.
The Cowboys own a 31-11 lead in the teams’ head-to-head series.
–Field Level Media