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NORTH TEXAS (6-3) vs WICHITA STATE (8-2)
WICH -4
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2021 | 3:00 P.M. CT
WICHITA, KANSAS| CHARLES KOCH ARENA
TV: ESPN+ with Shane Dennis & Bob Hull
RADIO: KEYN 103.7 FM https://www.radio.com/keyn/listen
SERIES: WICHITA STATE LEADS SERIES 26-11
LAST MEETING: DECEMBER 4, 1982
WICHITA STATE 78 NORTH TEXAS 72
GAME NOTES:
- Past and future conference rival North Texas comes to Wichita for a Saturday matinee at Charles Koch Arena.
- The Shockers and Mean Green were both members of the Missouri Valley from 1957-75. UNT recently accepted in an invitation to join The American.
- WSU leads the all-time series 26-11 (16-3 in Wichita). This is the first meeting since Dec. 4, 1982 when the Shockers defeated UNT in the McDonald's Shocker Classic title game at then-Levitt Arena.
- WSU is 3-0 against 2021 NCAA tournament teams (@Mizzou, @Oklahoma St., Norfolk St.) and now takes on a fourth. UNT earned Conference USA's auto bid last year and upset No. 4 seed Purdue in the first round.
- Matt Braeuer, starting point guard for the 2006 Sweet 16 Shockers, is now an assistant coach at UNT.
- The Mean Green (6-3 and winners of four-straight) rank sixth nationally in scoring defense, surrendering just 55.4 points-per-game.
- WSU set season-highs for points (82) and assists (20) in Tuesday's 82-63 win over Alcorn State, led by big men Morris Udeze (15 points, six rebounds) and Kenny Pohto (14 points, eight rebounds, three steals).
- The Shockers are 5-0 this year at the Roundhouse and have 14-straight going back to last December (tied for the ninth-longest streak in the building's 66 seasons).
- Going back 10 years to the Fall of 2011, the Shockers are 64-3 in non-conference regular season games at CKA.
- KenPom rates the Shockers 32nd nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. 23.3% of opponent possessions end in turnovers (32nd nationally). Foes are shooting just 27.7% from three (29th) and less than 40% overall.
- WSU has yet to allow more than 70 points in regulation. The Shockers have held six of their 10 opponents under 60 -- something they did just four times all last year.
- On Tuesday, Tyson Etienne (team-high 14.8 ppg) became the fastest Shocker to 150 career threes (62 games), breaking Landry Shamet's mark by seven games.
- Udeze (11.3 ppg, team-high 5.9 rpg) has scored in double-figures in each of the last five contests (a new personal-best) and is averaging 15.6 points on 63% shooting over that span.
- Craig Porter Jr. has 13 assists with just one turnover over his last two games. He had a career-high seven against Norfolk State.
- WSU is 6-0 this year when out-rebounding its opponent and 14-0 overall under Isaac Brown.
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