The breakthrough that Wichita State’s women’s basketball team was unable to achieve during the regular season is still possible in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
The first step forward is avoiding three losses to the same team, which the Shockers couldn’t do last year. As the tournament’s No. 5 seed, real improvement can’t be measured if they don’t escape Friday’s 2:30 p.m. opener against Southern Illinois in Moline, Ill..
The Salukis (16-13), the No. 4 seed, won both meetings against WSU (14-15), including a 23-point victory in Carbondale, Ill.
“This tournament is another chance for us to showcase what we have,” said WSU forward Rangie Bessard, who was named to the 11-player All-MVC first team this week.