Shockers v Sycamores – Round One

(St. Louis, MO) – Show Down Number One. The top two Missouri Valley Conference teams face off for the first time this week. Undefeated and fifth ranked Wichita State hosts an Indiana State team that has started 13 and 3 and perfect through four MVC games.

The 17-0 Shockers survived a scare at Missouri State last weekend.  They trailed by 19 points during the second half but scrapped their way to an overtime win over the surprising Bears and MVC player of the week Jamar Gulley.

Wichita State is deep and tough. Cleanthony Early is their star, but point guard Fred Van Vleet seems to be the man with the rock when it matters most.

The point guard match-up will be key on Saturday. Indiana State’s best player Jake Odum runs the point for the Sycamores and his show down with Van Vleet will go along way to determining the outcome of this first match up.

Rarely does an MVC team travel to Koch Arena and come away with a win but Head Coach Greg Lansing knows how how to prepare his team for difficult environments and guided ISU to a win in Wichita last season. The Shockers returned the favor in Terre Haute.

Where the Shockers have a huge edge is with their depth of talent. Guard Ron Baker joins Early and Van Vleet as WSU’s ‘big three’, but swing men Tekele Cotton and Nick Wiggins are veterans of last year’s Final Four run and post man Chadrack Lufile give Head Coach Gregg Marshall plenty of pieces to move around.

Odum’s supporting cast includes four other players that score in double figures on a nightly basis. The Sycamores may share the basketball better than any MVC team. Two of their three losses have been by a single point and they defeated nationally ranked Notre Dame on the Irish’s home floor.

Wichta has to get by Bradley and Indiana State must defeat Missouri State before the weekend clash and Indiana State’s task is much more difficult.

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