The Shockers let too many teams get comfortable running their offense during non-conference play. The scores showed the results and Wichita State's defensive reputation slid a bit. On Thursday, the Shockers played their most physical, disruptive half of basketball. They fought through screens, harassed dribble-handoffs and made busy hands.
Houston, a strong, experienced offensive team, struggled. The Cougars missed six of seven three-pointers and shot 41.9-percent from the field. More important, they didn't look good doing it. Most of the shots were contested.
The Shockers forced seven turnovers, including a shot-clock violation. They forced Houston guard Wes Van Beck to call timeout, trapped against the sideline.