Shockers can’t grab a rebound, blow double-digit lead in OT loss to Temple basketball

In the end, the Wichita State men’s basketball team was doomed by in its inability to secure a rebound.

Behind 22 offensive rebounds, Temple stormed back from a double-digit deficit to stun Wichita State with a 72-66 overtime win at Koch Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Temple (10-17, 3-11 AAC) swept WSU for the first time in the American Athletic Conference era, as two of the Owl’s three conference wins have come against the Shockers. It was also the first road AAC win for Temple, which entered ranked No. 235 on KenPom.

The loss essentially cements a bottom-four finish in the conference standings for WSU, which dropped to 11-17 overall and 3-12 in conference play.

Here are three takeaways from WSU’s performance against Temple:

1. Offensive rebounds doom Shockers in loss

Second-chance points spurred Temple to the victory in overtime.

With the score tied early in the extra period, Temple’s Steve Settle missed two straight free throws, but WSU was unable to secure the defensive rebound. Given a second chance, Settle capitalized with a three-point play to break the tie in Temple’s favor.

In the final minute with Temple clinging to a two-point lead, Hysier Miller’s jumper missed and WSU appeared to grab the rebound when Colby Rogers and Harlond Beverly converged on the loose ball. But a miscommunication between the two guards led to neither one grabbing the ball, which allowed Temple to extend the possession.

Once again given a second chance, another Miller jumper misfired but Temple’s Shane Dezonie had the size advantage inside against WSU point guard Bijan Cortes and easily rose up to score a put-back for a 70-66 lead with 20 seconds left.

WSU opted to play the closing stretches of overtime without either one of its centers, Quincy Ballard and Kenny Pohto, on the floor in an attempt to switch everything on defense and force Temple into tough shots. WSU succeeded in that regard, but its lack of size came back to haunt the team in the end.

2. Sloppy second half spoils the game for WSU

WSU played well to build a 10-point halftime lead, but some familiar bugaboos came back to plague the team in the second half.

Unforced turnovers leading to easy baskets for the opposition, missed free throws and botched shots around the rim and poor rebounding were all themes in the second half.

Temple rallied to tie the score at 58 with 2 minutes, 26 seconds left in regulation, then Bell briefly put WSU in front with a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:21 left. But the Owls answered right back with a fast-break score by Jordan Riley to tie the score again with 21 seconds left.

WSU held for the final shot and tried to use Colby Rogers as a screener to spring Ronnie DeGray III toward the basket, but Temple’s defense switched the screen and DeGray was left with a well-guarded runner that missed at the buzzer.

Temple entered ranked 10th in AAC play in offensive rebound rate, but grabbed 41.5% of available offensive rebounds and scored 14 second-chance points.

3. Energy plays spur first-half run for Shockers

Some MTXE magic was in the air again in the Roundhouse during WSU’s 15-4 close to the first half.

Shocker fans roared their approval late in the first half when a loose ball was available at halfcourt and Harlond Beverly dove on the floor to beat a Temple player to the ball, which led to an open corner 3 that Ronnie DeGray III buried to complete the momentum swing.

But that wasn’t the only hustle play the Shockers made.

Taking a charge has been a rarity for WSU’s defense this season, but DeGray showed it was possible midway through the first half when he stood his ground against an oncoming Shane Dezonie on a fast break to earn the benefit of the whistle.

Later in the first half, Beverly came up with a steal and although his transition layup missed, Kenny Pohto was there for a put-back slam. Pohto even let out a scream as he was pulling down on the rim for a 27-23 lead.