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Saturday, Dec. 9 | 6:00 p.m. CDT
Wichita, Kan. | INTRUST Bank Arena
TV: None. Yes, you read it right. No tv. Nodda. Nothing.
Radio: KEYN 103.7 FM with Mike Kennedy & Dave Dahl. https://www.audacy.com/stations/keyn
SOAP BOX
This will be the third non televised game this season. The last was on November 12, 2023 in a 95-65 win over Friends University. Seems odd that our “Marquee Matchup” downtown can’t be on ESPN+ at the very least. Perhaps next year, let’s have Friends at Intrust as non televised and play the rest in the Round. Yes, I’m annoyed.
OPENING TIPS
• Wichita State heads downtown for its annual game at INTRUST Bank Arena where the Shockers face the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Saturday at 6 p.m.
• A win would move the Shockers to 8-2 and would be the best start since 2019-20 when they also started the season 8-1.
• Wichita State is 14-3 all time when playing on Dec. 9.
• Wichita State is 3-0 all time vs. South Dakota State with all three wins coming in Charles Koch Arena.
• South Dakota State is 4-5 this season, coming in off a loss to Kent State at home on Tuesday. The loss snapped a three-game win streak.
• With the exception of 2020-21 (due to COVID-19) , Wichita State has played its annual downtown game in every season since 2010-11. The Shockers are 8-4 at INTRUST Bank Arena.
• Wichita State is coming off its first road loss of the season at Missouri, 82-72.
• Wichita State committed 18 turnovers at Missouri after 14 in the previous two games combined.
• Wichita State checks in at No. 82 in the first week of the NET rankings.
• Wichita State is guaranteed to have a winning non-conference record for the 26th consecutive season.
• Wichita State returns only 20.3 percent of its scoring from a season ago, having lost its top four scorers. Pohto is the only returner to average more than 4.0 points per game. Craig Porter Jr., James Rojas, Gus Okafor and Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandlerexhausted their eligibility, and four others exited via the transfer portal.
• The 2022-23 Shockers ranked 230th in adjusted tempo, but that will most certainly change under Mills' leadership. His Oral Roberts squad was 40th in tempo last season.
• Wichita State ranked near the very bottom in the NCAA when it came to 3-point shooting a season ago. Converting on just 30.9 percent of its attempts from beyond the arc, that ranked 324th nationally. Mills' Oral Roberts squad on the other hand attempted nearly 400 more and shot 36.5 percent, which ranked 56th in the country.
• Oklahoma transfer, Bijan Cortes, had his NCAA waiver denied and will sit out at least the first semester. There is still a chance he could have a waiver approved for the second semester. In two seasons at Oklahoma, Cortes averaged 2.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He appeared in 59 career games with the Sooners and was a career 50 percent 3-point shooter. In his final season he posted career highs of 3.2 points, 2.0 assists and was 13-of-27 from beyond the arc.
SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
• Led by fifth year head coach Erich Henderson, South Dakota State enters the matchup at 4-5.
• Henderson's squads have won at least a share of the Summit League regular season title in three of four seasons at helm of the program.
• South Dakota State has reached the postseason four times with Henderson on the staff. That includes three NCAA Tournament berths (2017, 2018, 2022) and an NIT appearance in 2019.
• Over the last decade, South Dakota State has won 226 games, ranking 28th nationally.
• South Dakota State has played in eight of the last 10 postseasons, excluding the 2019-20 season when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of all postseason tournaments. The Jacks have been to six NCAA tournaments, a pair of National Invitation Tournaments (NIT) and one trip to the College Basketball Invitational (CBI).
• The Jackrabbits were picked to win the Summit League in the Preseason Poll, receiving 27 first place votes.
• Zeke Mayo was tabbed the Summit League Preseason Player of the Year, and was joined on the first team by Luke Appel. William Kyle II was named to the second team.
• Mayo is off to stellar start this season, averaging 17.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. The Lawrence, Kan. native has scored 20 or more four times this season, including back-to-back 28-point outings to begin the season. He has a pair of double-doubles to his name as well.
• Mayo recently surpassed 1,000 career points, becoming the 53rd Jackrabbit to accomplish the feat.
• Appel is a 47 percent shooter overall and 42 percent from long range and puts in 12.1 points per game.
• Kyle grabs 5.6 rebounds to go with 11.8 points as a sophomore forward. He's registered a combined 43 points his last three outings across 63 minutes
• Charlie Easley averages 11.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and is converting on more than 44 percent of his three-point attempts. Easley went scoreless against Towson, but grabbed a career-high nine rebounds and dished out five assists. He followed up a scoreless outing with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals vs. Kent State.
A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...
... Make them 8-2 this season and 9-4 all-time at INTRUST Bank Arena.
... Improve their record to 2-1 on a neutral court.
... Make them 15-3 all time on Dec. 9.
... Give Paul Mills 114 career coaching victories.
... Run their record to 1,665-1,247 all time.
... Make them 4-0 vs. South Dakota State all time.
Wichita, Kan. | INTRUST Bank Arena
TV: None. Yes, you read it right. No tv. Nodda. Nothing.
Radio: KEYN 103.7 FM with Mike Kennedy & Dave Dahl. https://www.audacy.com/stations/keyn
SOAP BOX
This will be the third non televised game this season. The last was on November 12, 2023 in a 95-65 win over Friends University. Seems odd that our “Marquee Matchup” downtown can’t be on ESPN+ at the very least. Perhaps next year, let’s have Friends at Intrust as non televised and play the rest in the Round. Yes, I’m annoyed.
OPENING TIPS
• Wichita State heads downtown for its annual game at INTRUST Bank Arena where the Shockers face the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Saturday at 6 p.m.
• A win would move the Shockers to 8-2 and would be the best start since 2019-20 when they also started the season 8-1.
• Wichita State is 14-3 all time when playing on Dec. 9.
• Wichita State is 3-0 all time vs. South Dakota State with all three wins coming in Charles Koch Arena.
• South Dakota State is 4-5 this season, coming in off a loss to Kent State at home on Tuesday. The loss snapped a three-game win streak.
• With the exception of 2020-21 (due to COVID-19) , Wichita State has played its annual downtown game in every season since 2010-11. The Shockers are 8-4 at INTRUST Bank Arena.
• Wichita State is coming off its first road loss of the season at Missouri, 82-72.
• Wichita State committed 18 turnovers at Missouri after 14 in the previous two games combined.
• Wichita State checks in at No. 82 in the first week of the NET rankings.
• Wichita State is guaranteed to have a winning non-conference record for the 26th consecutive season.
• Wichita State returns only 20.3 percent of its scoring from a season ago, having lost its top four scorers. Pohto is the only returner to average more than 4.0 points per game. Craig Porter Jr., James Rojas, Gus Okafor and Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandlerexhausted their eligibility, and four others exited via the transfer portal.
• The 2022-23 Shockers ranked 230th in adjusted tempo, but that will most certainly change under Mills' leadership. His Oral Roberts squad was 40th in tempo last season.
• Wichita State ranked near the very bottom in the NCAA when it came to 3-point shooting a season ago. Converting on just 30.9 percent of its attempts from beyond the arc, that ranked 324th nationally. Mills' Oral Roberts squad on the other hand attempted nearly 400 more and shot 36.5 percent, which ranked 56th in the country.
• Oklahoma transfer, Bijan Cortes, had his NCAA waiver denied and will sit out at least the first semester. There is still a chance he could have a waiver approved for the second semester. In two seasons at Oklahoma, Cortes averaged 2.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He appeared in 59 career games with the Sooners and was a career 50 percent 3-point shooter. In his final season he posted career highs of 3.2 points, 2.0 assists and was 13-of-27 from beyond the arc.
SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
• Led by fifth year head coach Erich Henderson, South Dakota State enters the matchup at 4-5.
• Henderson's squads have won at least a share of the Summit League regular season title in three of four seasons at helm of the program.
• South Dakota State has reached the postseason four times with Henderson on the staff. That includes three NCAA Tournament berths (2017, 2018, 2022) and an NIT appearance in 2019.
• Over the last decade, South Dakota State has won 226 games, ranking 28th nationally.
• South Dakota State has played in eight of the last 10 postseasons, excluding the 2019-20 season when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of all postseason tournaments. The Jacks have been to six NCAA tournaments, a pair of National Invitation Tournaments (NIT) and one trip to the College Basketball Invitational (CBI).
• The Jackrabbits were picked to win the Summit League in the Preseason Poll, receiving 27 first place votes.
• Zeke Mayo was tabbed the Summit League Preseason Player of the Year, and was joined on the first team by Luke Appel. William Kyle II was named to the second team.
• Mayo is off to stellar start this season, averaging 17.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. The Lawrence, Kan. native has scored 20 or more four times this season, including back-to-back 28-point outings to begin the season. He has a pair of double-doubles to his name as well.
• Mayo recently surpassed 1,000 career points, becoming the 53rd Jackrabbit to accomplish the feat.
• Appel is a 47 percent shooter overall and 42 percent from long range and puts in 12.1 points per game.
• Kyle grabs 5.6 rebounds to go with 11.8 points as a sophomore forward. He's registered a combined 43 points his last three outings across 63 minutes
• Charlie Easley averages 11.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and is converting on more than 44 percent of his three-point attempts. Easley went scoreless against Towson, but grabbed a career-high nine rebounds and dished out five assists. He followed up a scoreless outing with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals vs. Kent State.
A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...
... Make them 8-2 this season and 9-4 all-time at INTRUST Bank Arena.
... Improve their record to 2-1 on a neutral court.
... Make them 15-3 all time on Dec. 9.
... Give Paul Mills 114 career coaching victories.
... Run their record to 1,665-1,247 all time.
... Make them 4-0 vs. South Dakota State all time.
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