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WICHITA STATE (15-5, 9-1 American)
Friday, Oct. 27 (5:00 p.m. CT) at Florida Atlantic (13-10, 5-5 American)
Boca Raton, Florida (Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena)
Live Stats // Watch
Sunday, Oct. 29 (1:00 p.m. CT) at Memphis (8-15, 4-7 American)
Memphis, Tennessee (Larry O. Finch Center)
Live Stats // Watch
WSU-FLORIDA ATLANTIC SERIES:
SCOUTING THE TIGERS:
The Shockers season is pretty much coming down to whether or not they can sweep the Owls this season. They own a win over Temple with FAU on the horizon this Friday and 2 matches with Rice in Houston in 3 weeks.
FAU, which has a reverse-sweep of Rice this season, appears to have the offensive power house to present a formidable challenge, especially on their home court where they are 7-3. FAU is #2 in the AAC in points per set (kills, blocks and aces) at 17.24 just behind SMU. FAU also lead the AAC in assists per set at 12.87, kills per set at 13.84, opponents blocks per set at 1.51 and 4th in service aces at 1.55. However, they only 6th in hitting percentage.
FAU is not nearly as strong defensively. The are #9 in opponent hitting percentage while the Shocks #1 in hitting percentage and #3 in opponents hitting percentage. FAU is also 9th in opponent kills. FAU also 12th in blocks and 14th in opponents blocks.
So this match appears like it may boil down to FAU's offense against the Shocks' defense. Let's hope the Shocks defense is better than it's previous Friday match on the road at Tulane. The Shocks offense is top third in the AAC while FAU's defense is bottom 3rd statistically.
Memphis would appear to be a much easier team but they are much better at home (7-5) then on the road (1-7 in road games and 1-3 in neutral court games). If the Shocks are able to bet by FAU they will need to guard against a let down against the Tigers.
Friday, Oct. 27 (5:00 p.m. CT) at Florida Atlantic (13-10, 5-5 American)
Boca Raton, Florida (Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena)
Live Stats // Watch
Sunday, Oct. 29 (1:00 p.m. CT) at Memphis (8-15, 4-7 American)
Memphis, Tennessee (Larry O. Finch Center)
Live Stats // Watch
WSU-FLORIDA ATLANTIC SERIES:
- Friday will be the first meeting between the Shockers and Owls.
- Florida Atlantic brings a record of 13-10 (5-5) into play on Friday, good for a tie for third place in the AAC's East Division.
- The Owls own perhaps the conference's most interesting resume. FAU has picked up road wins against two of the top teams in the conference (3-1 at East Carolina on September 30, 3-2 at Rice on October 13) but dropped a match to previously winless UAB this past weekend in Birmingham.
- FAU has performed significantly better at home in Boca Raton than on the road. The Owls are 7-3 in Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena, compared to 6-7 in road or neutral matches. The Owls won 21 straight home matches from 2017-19.
- Sophomore Arianna Beckham is one of the most prolific opposites in the conference; she poured in 22 and 21 kills earlier this season in consecutive matches against East Carolina and Tulsa and is averaging a team-best 2.90 points per set.
- The Owls lead the conference and rank 15th nationally with 12.87 assists per set thanks to the combination of Victoria Hensley (8.72 per set) and Noelle Stephens (3.71).
- Florida Atlantic averages just 1.85 blocks per set, ranking 12th in the conference and 227th nationally.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS:
- Memphis enters the week with an overall record of 8-15, including a 4-7 mark in American Athletic Conference play.
- The Tigers dropped two contests at East Carolina last week and host UTSA on Friday before taking on the Shockers.
- As with Florida Atlantic, Memphis is a drastically different team at home as compared to away from the Finch Center. In Memphis, the Tigers are 7-5; in road and neutral contests that record drops to 1-10, including an 0-7 mark in true road matches.
- The Tigers offense includes seven players averaging between 1.75 and 2.30 kills per set. The leader is junior outside hitter Tabytha Toelke, who has eight matches with double-digit kills on the season.
- Setter Jordan Heatherly is one of just two players in the AAC who has recorded a triple-double in 2023, notching 11 kills, 10 digs and 24 assists in a win over Tulane on October 8.
- Freshman Rylee Busse is one of the conference's top weapons at the service line. The defensive specialist tops the circuit with 35 aces and 0.45 per set, highlighted by a season-best seven aces in a win over UAB on October 14.
The Shockers season is pretty much coming down to whether or not they can sweep the Owls this season. They own a win over Temple with FAU on the horizon this Friday and 2 matches with Rice in Houston in 3 weeks.
FAU, which has a reverse-sweep of Rice this season, appears to have the offensive power house to present a formidable challenge, especially on their home court where they are 7-3. FAU is #2 in the AAC in points per set (kills, blocks and aces) at 17.24 just behind SMU. FAU also lead the AAC in assists per set at 12.87, kills per set at 13.84, opponents blocks per set at 1.51 and 4th in service aces at 1.55. However, they only 6th in hitting percentage.
FAU is not nearly as strong defensively. The are #9 in opponent hitting percentage while the Shocks #1 in hitting percentage and #3 in opponents hitting percentage. FAU is also 9th in opponent kills. FAU also 12th in blocks and 14th in opponents blocks.
So this match appears like it may boil down to FAU's offense against the Shocks' defense. Let's hope the Shocks defense is better than it's previous Friday match on the road at Tulane. The Shocks offense is top third in the AAC while FAU's defense is bottom 3rd statistically.
Memphis would appear to be a much easier team but they are much better at home (7-5) then on the road (1-7 in road games and 1-3 in neutral court games). If the Shocks are able to bet by FAU they will need to guard against a let down against the Tigers.
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