WICHITA - Devlin Court at Charles Koch Arena sits quietly. Fans have not been admitted; the media has yet to arrive. Tip-off is still hours away.

A bouncing basketball breaks the silence. Graham Hatch enters.

Dressed in practice gear, the junior guard arrives early as he does for every game. He takes shot after shot, each with a purpose. Hatch does little on the basketball court without a goal, taking every opportunity to improve.

Hatch is known for his tireless work ethic, head coach Gregg Marshall often praises his “first-on, last-off” mentality. For Hatch, putting extra time on the court is simply part of the job taught to him not by a former coach or teammate – but by his mother, Renee.

“My mom has always been a really hard worker with everything she does,” Hatch said. “A lot of people ask her why she works so hard, but she likes to put in that extra time to make things right. She raised us to be that way, too.”

Games aren't the only place Hatch can be found on the court before it's required. Hatch makes his way to the practice floor on his own time, as well. Not only to help his game but to improve his contribution to the team.

“Since I started playing basketball when I was young, I haven't had a lot of natural ability,” Hatch said. “Some guys just have a lot of natural talent. For me, I have to put forth more effort in order to help my teammates win, which I'm more than happy to do.”

The arena is no longer silent. More than 10,000 fans are on hand when Hatch pulled up from behind the arc during a 69-57 win against North Dakota State last Monday.

“Threeeeee,” the crowd roared following public address announcer Don Hall's familiar call. The bucket gave WSU a 22-8 advantage and sent Shocker fans into fits of wild cheers.
   
“It's definitely a rush,” Hatch said. “When any player on our team makes a good play and the crowd goes wild, it motivates all of us. For me personally, it motivates me even more to play harder and give that extra effort even when I'm really tired.”
 
Before Hatch became a fan favorite, the Mesa, Ariz., native went through vast transformations in his game. Since his freshman year during the 2007-08 season, Hatch has doubled his playing time and nearly tripled his points per game averages. His three-point accuracy jumped from 26-percent last season to a marksman-like 44-percent in the first 12 games of his junior campaign.

Against USC Upstate in early December, Hatch connected on 5-of-7 from the three-point line en route to career highs in points (21) and rebounds (7) to further cement his role as a go-to player.

“I don't see myself as a playmaker,” Hatch said. “I guess I see myself as more of an all-around guy, not necessarily the best at anything but more of a utility player who gets things done and can help the team win.”

The soft-spoken Hatch may not define himself as a playmaker, but the numbers differ. His 8.6 points per game ranks fifth on the team while his 44-percent mark is the highest of any Shocker from three-point range.

Hatch is also one of four Shockers to start in every game this season. Although he takes pride in that, he acknowledges the fact that a starting position isn't set in stone or owed to him. 

“It definitely gives me a sense that I'm needed,” Hatch said. “In the last few years, I haven't been in that position too much. But I also know that if I go through a slump or if I'm not playing very well that one of my teammates will step in and pick me up in case I'm not producing the way I want to be.”

Prior to Tuesday's game at Illinois State, Hatch has taken the court every game alongside fellow juniors JT Durley and Aaron Ellis and sophomore Toure' Murry. As a starting core, the foursome averages a combined 38.4 points per game, shooting at nearly a 50-percent clip.

However, even the most dedicated worker needs a vacation. Marshall gave the Shockers a four-day break over the holidays, and Hatch used the time off to travel to Arizona with his wife to spend some time with family.

In patented Graham Hatch style, the guard met up with old high school teammates who also went on to play at the Division I level. The group got together to workout and play pick-up games in their high school gym. 

“I think four days was perfect,” Hatch said. “I think if we'd taken anymore than that, it would start to affect my endurance on the court. This way, we got a good break to get rested up. Now, we're ready to go for conference games.”

Tonight, he will likely be the first to the floor and the last to leave it. His teachers instilled that work ethic long before he became a Shocker and will make sure it remains long after graduation. 

“If there's anything I want to be remembered for, I'd want it to be that – being a hard worker,” Hatch said. “That makes me really happy when people think of me that way. My parents raised me that way, and to know that other people see that makes me happy.”