Know the opponent: WSU looks to avenge first loss of season in big game hunt against Central Arkansas Bears
Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall calls a play during second half of the game against Oral Roberts at Charles Koch Arena on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019.
Central Arkansas is big.
The Bears have the No. 9 team in the country when it comes to average height, but it hasn’t translated to wins so far this season. Central Arkansas’s record sits at just 1-6, with their lone win coming over Division-III Hendrix College.
The Bears have played some big-name opponents early in the season. They suffered a 41-point loss to Baylor, the No. 18 team in the country, in their season opener. Central Arkansas also sustained a 51-point loss to No. 10 Duke and an 11-point loss to Georgetown.
The Bears are coming off of back-to-back losses to Cal Baptist and Prairie View A&M.
One item on Gregg Marshall’s agenda this week is working on rebounding. The Shockers were outrebounded by 17 in their loss to West Virginia, a stat Marshall wasn’t happy with. The Bears’ height could also be an issue on Thursday. The Mountaineers’ height proved fatal in Cancun.
Even after suffering their first loss of the season, the Shockers have made jumps in polls across the country. According to KenPom, WSU is up to No. 49 in the country after starting the year outside of the top 60. The Shockers are also receiving votes in the latest coaches poll.
Tip off against the Bears is set for 7 p.m. Thursday inside Charles Koch Arena.
Marshall Sunner was the sports editor for The Sunflower. Sunner majored in communications with a journalism emphasis. He was born and raised in Hutchinson,...
