One can imagine that by mid-January, Missouri Valley Conference coaches felt relief. Wichita State’s Conner Frankamp, it appeared, was a backup guard with a jump shot that deserved respect, not fear.
In the past month, that scouting report is no longer accurate and, in fact, seems to describe a player who no longer exists.
Southern Illinois coach Barry Hinson, who worked on coach Bill Self’s staff at Kansas when Self recruited Frankamp, knew the talent lurking better than most. On Wednesday, Frankamp continued his series of outbursts with 14 points — nine in a 62-second span — in the second half of an 87-68 win at SIU Arena.