HOUSTON _ Wichita State will have some soul searching to do after a crushing 76-43 defeat at Houston, the Shockers' worst loss in the Gregg Marshall era and worst since 2003.
The Shockers were beaten in every way Sunday at the Fertitta Center by the 25th-ranked Cougars: on the scoreboard, physically and mentally. It's the low point of a tailspin after a 15-1 start, as WSU dropped its third straight game and fifth in the last seven, while Houston (19-5, 9-2) remained in first place in the American Athletic Conference.
It was always going to be a difficult task for WSU (17-6, 5-5) to rebound from back-to-back heartbreaking losses in the final seconds with a road trip to the conference leaders. But Sunday became a worst-case scenario for the Shockers as poor play led to the entire team _ from players to coaches _ looking dejected.
"It was one of the most thorough whippings we've had in my career," Marshall said. "It's disappointing. I don't know how to explain it honestly at this point. I can't get anything from (the players). So I don't know.
"The one thing I can point to is the two heartbreakers in a row that kind of deflated you. But you can't have that carry over, especially against a team like Houston. They play so hard and not only will they fight you and scratch and claw, they'll make shots and they make plays for one another. In the end, they just looked bigger and better and wanted to win more."
WSU shot 26.4% from the field and 2 of 24 on three-pointers. If not for a late scoring burst, WSU would have had its lowest-scoring output of the Marshall era, set last year in a 54-41 loss at South Florida. Instead, they absorbed a 33-point loss that edged last season's 80-48 loss to Oklahoma as the worst of the Marshall era.
Dexter Dennis was the only Shocker in double-digits with 10 points and the only player to make more than two field goals. To contrast, Houston had five scorers in double-digits and made 50% of its shots.
"We went from one of the top 25 teams in the country, playing our best basketball, to starting a steep downhill decline," WSU sophomore Erik Stevenson said. "I thought losing at the buzzer twice in a row was rock bottom, but this is pretty bad. I hope this is the worst point of our season and we can get on a long winning streak from here."
But in order to turn things around, it sounds like WSU will need to first solve its non-basketball issues. Marshall said he feels like there is a disconnect between the players and the coaching staff.
"Yeah, I guess," Marshall said. "I have no idea. I've never experienced this."
"We've got some things going on with the team," Stevenson said. "We've got to put our egos aside. We've got to put our wants aside and put the team needs ahead of all of that."
After trailing 38-18, Wichita State's largest halftime deficit since 2008, the Shockers used the full 15 minutes of halftime in the locker room. Officials held the running clock so WSU could make its way back to the court for the second half to start.
But talking about it at halftime didn't help WSU. Although the Shockers have lost five of their last seven games, they have at least been competitive in the other four losses. Sunday was the first time that WSU's will to compete looked extinguished.
"You have to be positive in dark moments, but not that many people are," Dennis said. "Everybody is thinking about all of the negative things. You have to be positive because being more negative is not going to fix the situation. Hopefully positivity will."
WSU's dribble handoff offense was helpless against Houston's athleticism on the perimeter. The Shockers spent too much time aimlessly dribbling or passing around the outside. Entry passes into the post were met with double teams and quick kickouts, resulting in nothing. And the Shockers could do nothing to make Houston pay from the outside, as they missed all 10 of their three-pointers in the first half.
There was one instance where the Shockers had a 4-on-3 fast break, only to turn the ball over and give up a layup at the other end. Another time WSU came up with a steal and what looked like a run-out, only to have the shot swatted away at the rim and then watched as the same Houston player, Caleb Mills, sprint and make a three-pointer.
After shortening the rotation to seven or eight players in recent games, Marshall used players such as Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler, DeAntoni Gordon and Noah Fernandes in the first half looking for a spark. But nothing WSU tried on Sunday worked.
"There's not really a lot to say after a game like that," Dennis said. "We just have to look ourselves in the mirror and ask ourselves, 'What do I need to do to help this team?' We have to want to turn it around. It's not just going to turn around unless we want it to turn around. We have to want to play the Shocker way again. We were doing that, but ... I don't know man. I don't have any words."
After 16 minutes, WSU had more than double the amount of turnovers (9) than field goals (4). Things only got worse in the second half.
The Fertitta Center became a highlight factory for the Cougars, as their fans erupted after alley-oop dunks and three-pointers and crossovers. Houston led by as many as 37 points in the second half before subbing in its walk-ons.
When was the last time, if ever, during the Marshall era that the Shockers have been on the other end of that feeling?
Wichita State flew home Sunday and has four days before its next game on Thursday at Central Florida.
The schedule eases up for WSU, but not if the Shockers allow the recent losses to fester. They will have a decision to make this week about how they want the rest of their season to play out.
"Backs against the wall, what are you going to do?" WSU freshman Grant Sherfield said. "Curl up or swing and fight? We have to come on Thursday ready to play. We know what we need to do."
