For the first time since 1996 Wichita State led off Missouri Valley Conference action with a 3-0 record, defeating the Panthers of Northern Iowa, 79-55, on Jan. 4; the Sycamores of Indiana State, 71-55, on Jan. 7; and the Southwest Missouri State Bears in a 67-63 come-back win on Jan. 11 at the Kansas Coliseum.
"That was one heck of a game," WSU head coach Mark Turgeon said during post-game interviews. "I thought smsu was great. They are the first team that has really battled us for a long time. We kept battling. That was a great win for our program."
WSU junior Aaron Hogg finished the game with a career high 26 points, including 12 from beyond the arc. "I went out there and competed," Hogg says. "I knew my team needed me and I competed. I felt like every bucket was a big bucket." After a sluggish start, the Shockers shot 41.5 percent from the field, with Hogg and Jamar Howard scoring in double digits. For the sixth consecutive game, the Shockers won the battle of the boards, grabbing 35 rebounds, three more than the Bears. Although the Shockers found a way to defeat the Bears, they posted better play against Indiana State — shooting 55.1 percent from the field and 85.7 from the free-throw line. "I thought we were really, really good for 30 minutes," Turgeon said after that game. "This is as good as we have been against a good team, and we really executed on both sides of the ball." The team's execution included dominating the boards 49-19.
The Shockers, primarily on the strength of its sophomore class, were picked third in a preseason poll of mvc media. They are now fighting to meet expectations despite the loss of injured guard Jerome Holman, the departure of sophomore forward Jamie Sowers — and WSU's abysmal history on the road. The Shockers carry the albatross of a .161 winning percentage on the road since 1989. "We're not scared," Hogg says. "As long as we defend and execute and rebound, we'll be in any game and have a chance to win, no matter where we are."
— WSU Sports Information
Aaron Hogg, a 6-6 junior guard shown here in action against Western Illinois, netted 26 points in WSU's come-back win over SMSU.
