No. 2 Wichita State becomes 1st D-I men's group with 30-0 routine period
Wichita State is all alone in the record book.
Again making use of a balanced crime and solid defense, the second-ranked Shockers became the very first Branch I team to reach 30-0 in the regular period with a 69-49 victory over Bradley on Tuesday evening.
"To be the very first and just team in university basketball to gain 30 without a loss in the regular season," Wichita State trainer Gregg Marshall claimed when asked about his motif for the game. "I understand we're playing more games ... however it has actually never taken place in the routine season.
Ron Baker had 15 points to lead four Wichita State gamers in double figures as the Shockers became the 11th team to reach 30-0, the previous 10 all pressing the 30-win mark during postseason play. The last group to get to 30-0 was UNLV in 1990-91. The Runnin' Rebels went 34-0 that season before losing to Duke in the nationwide semifinals.
The Shockers (30-0, 17-0 Missouri Valley Conference) have one more regular-season game, in the home Saturday versus Missouri State. The last group to complete a normal season unbeaten was Saint Joseph's in 2003-04 at 27-0. The next period, Illinois got to 29-0 just before losing its regular-season ending at Ohio State.
A barrage of 3-pointers early in the 2nd half damaged it open for Wichita State, which beat Bradley (12-18, 7-10) for the 10th straight time and second this season.
After Bradley cut a 10-point halftime deficit to eight, Shockers point player Fred VanVleet made consecutive Fours for a 14-point lead, the visitors' largest to that factor. By the 12:50 mark, Cleanthony Early had actually included a 3-pointer and Baker made 2 Sixes off screens for a 50-32 lead.
Wichita State completed the game 11-of-21 from beyond the arc, with four players making 2 or additional. Bradley was 4-of-14.
"End-of-shot-clock Twos. That was it," Bradley train Geno Ford stated. "I'm not saying we were going to win, but you hold them to seven offending rebounds and have simply 6 turnovers? I'll take it.
"The distinction was late-shot-clock Fours and their length at the basket.".
Ford went on to laud the Shockers' protection.
"At the rim, they have astounding length," Ford said. "It's length and it comes from anywhere. Even (6-foot-3) Baker.
"They're definitely terrific at assistance and recuperate, and they reject (wing passes). You cannot discover five teams in the country with that (mix).".
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Tyshon Pickett finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds for Bradley after virtually reaching a double-double in the very first one-half with 10 factors and nine rebounds. Pickett was simply 5-of-20 from the area and leading marker Walt Lime Jr. was 6 for 20 and had 18 factors.
"I hate to get beat on the glass," Marshall said of his group's 37-36 rebound drawback. "But (Pickett) was a beast. He beasted us a little.".
Tekele Cotton buyinged 13 factors, Early 12 and VanVleet had 11 for Wichita State, a Final Four participant a year back. Reserve Darius Carter included nine factors and seven rebounds and had one of the Shockers' 6 shut out tries.
Miserable shooting stopped Bradley from installing considerably of a threat. The Braves were at 25 percent (11-for-44) via 30 minutes and completed 16-for-59 (27.1 percent).
Bradley was playing host to its highest-ranked opponent since 1982, when then-No. 2 Wichita State lost 55-47 to the Braves that took place to succeed the NIT.
The Shockers led 35-25 at halftime after holding the Braves to 8-of-34 shooting (23.5 percent).
The game was a matchup of the top two defensive teams in the conference, though Wichita State (60.8 factors each game) leads Bradley (65.5) easily. Offensively, Wichita State is likewise the MVC's ideal (75.8) while Bradley (63.8) is last.
The No. 2 ranking equals the highest rank in Wichita State record, matching the 1981-82 team.
