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Thursday, Jan. 18 | 6:00 p.m. CT
Boca Raton, Fla. | Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena
TV: ESPN2 with John Schriffen & Perry Clark
Radio: KEYN 103.7 FM with Mike Kennedy & Bob Hull
WICH +15.5
OPENING TIPS
• Wichita State prepares for a road swing through the Sunshine State beginning with another ranked matchup at No. 23 Florida Atlantic on Thursday.
• Wichita State is 17-13 all time when playing on Jan. 18.
• The two programs have met just once prior to Florida Atlantic joining the American.
• Florida Atlantic is ranked No. 23 in the AP and receiving votes in the Coaches Poll at 13-4 overall and 3-1 after winning its first three of its first four conference games.
• Wichita State is coming off a fifth straight loss after falling to No. 13 Memphis on Sunday, 112-86.
• The 26-point loss was the second-worst in an American Athletic Conference game.
• The 112 points were the 5th most a Wichita State team has surrendered in school history. It was the first time since 1994 an opponent had topped the century mark, and first time Wichita State allowed 100+ at home since 1972.
• The 5-game losing streak is the longest since Wichita State dropped 6 straight from 12/28/08-1/14/09.
• Wichita State has lost its last six games against ranked opponents and is 0-2 this season against teams ranked in the Top 25.
• Since joining the American Athletic Conference, Wichita State is 3-12 against ranked teams.
SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC
• Led by sixth year head coach Dusty May, Florida Atlantic enters the matchup at 13-4 and 3-1 in league play - its inaugural year in the American Athletic Conference.
• The Owls are coming off the greatest season in school history in 2022-23, appearing in the program's first NCAA Final Four. FAU finished the campaign 35-4.
• Prior to 2022-23, the Owls had one previous appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
• May was named the CBS Sports National Coach of the Year, as well as the NABC All-District 17 Coach of the Year, Conference USA Coach of the Year and Palm Beach County Coach of the Year.
• He is the Owls' all-time leader in coaching wins with a record of 114-64, despite having only been on the FAU sidelines for five seasons. FAU has not had a losing season in the five years of the May era.
• The Owls also captured the Conference USA Tournament and Regular Season Championships, both for the first time in school history.
• May joined FAU after three years as an assistant coach at Florida, where he helped the Gators compile a 69-37 record, including back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. The Gators reached the second round of this year's tournament after advancing to the Elite Eight in 2017.
• FAU enters the matchup ranked No. 23 in the AP Top 25 and receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Owls were ranked as high as No. 7 just a couple weeks ago following a double overtime win against No. 4 Arizona, 96-95.
• FAU is 2-1 against other teams ranked by the AP, defeating No. 4 Arizona, 96-95, No. 12 Texas A&M, 96-89, and falling to No. 11 Illinois, 98-89.
• The Owls are the American Athletic Conference's only team inside the top 30 of the NET. Of the teams inside the top 30, only Purdue, Tennessee, Connecticut and Wisconsin have more Quad 1 and 2 wins than FAU's 5-2 mark.
• Entering a New Era in the American Athletic Conference, the Owls racked up preseason honors from the league's coaches. FAU was voted No. 1 in the AAC preseason poll, while Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin were both named the conference's Preseason Players of the Year, as well as named to the AAC Preseason All-First Team.
• Davis leads the Owls in scoring (17.4 ppg) and steals (29), while shooting 50.0% from the field and 47.8% from beyond the arc.
• Since the beginning of December, he is averaging 20.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game.
• He was named the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week following his performance against No. 4 Arizona.
THE SERIES VS. FLORIDA ATLANTIC
• This is just the second meeting all-time between Wichita State and Florida Atlantic.
• Wichita State won the only other matchup in the 1998-99 season opener back on Nov. 18, 1998 in Henry Levitt Arena, 88-85.
• The Shockers held off the Owls behind a pair of 20-point performances from Maurice Evans and Jason Perez.
• Evans finished with 24 points on 8-of-20 shooting to go with six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.
• Perez also added 24 points along with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.
• Wichita State had no answer for Florida Atlantic's Damon Arnette who recorded a monster double-double with 28 points and 12 rebounds.
• Defense was optional that night as both teams shot better than 50 percent from the field. A good portion of the game was spent at the free throw line. The two teams combined for 54 fouls and 63 free throw attempts. Wichita State was 20-for-31 at the line and FAU, 25-for-32.
• The game also featured 50 turnovers between the two teams.
• Florida Atlantic will make the return trip to Wichita in a few weeks on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 11.
RECORD BOOK WATCH
• Quincy Ballard is on pace to shatter the single season school record for field goal percentage.
• Through 16 games Ballard is shooting 68.5% (50-for-73) from the field. The current school record is 61.6% by Steve Grayer set in 1987-88.
• That number would rank 2nd nationally but to qualify players must average 5 FGM per game. Currently Ballard is at 3.1 FGM per game.
• On the defensive end, Ballard is trending towards a top five season blocking shots. He's currently fourth on the single season blocks per game list.
• Ballard needs just 15 blocks to move into the top 10 on the single season total blocks list.
A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...
... Make them 9-8 this season.
... Make them 1-3 in AAC play.
... Be their first ranked win since 2021 vs. #6 Houston.
... Snap a five-game losing streak.
... Make them 18-13 all time on Jan. 18.
... Give Paul Mills 115 career coaching victories.
... Run their record to 1,666-1,253 all time.
... Make them 2-0 vs. Florida Atlantic all time.
A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...
... Make them 8-9 this season.
... Drop them to 0-4 in AAC play.
... Make them 0-3 vs. ranked teams this season.
... Be their sixth straight loss.
... Make Paul Mills 8-9 as Wichita State head coach.
... Drop them to 17-14 all time on Jan. 18.
... Drop their record to 1,665-1,254 all time.
... Make them 1-1 all-time vs. Florida Atlantic.
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