WICHITA, Kan. – Both the Wichita State men and women saluted championship seasons, Thursday night, before turning their focus toward the next.
One of the largest Shocker Madness crowds in recent memory packed Charles Koch Arena, Home of Devlin Court as members of the men's and women's teams received their 2013-14 Missouri Valley Conference championship rings from Director of Athletics, Eric Sexton and University President, Dr. John Bardo
The men's team used the opportunity to surprise head coach Gregg Marshall – the consensus National Coach of the Year – with a public presentation of the eight coach-of-the-year trophies that he picked up over the summer.
2014 graduate Michelle Price returned during the women's ceremony and was officially recognized as the winningest-player in program history, with 84 victories over her four-year career.
Men's Scrimmage:
In a 20-minute running clock scrimmage, Carter led all scorers with 12 points – nearly half the final tally for the Yellow Team, which used a 7-0 closing kick to put away the Black Team, 25-18.
The 6-foot-8 Carter hit 6-of-9 shots from the field and showed off some newfound range with a pair of long jumpers.
Freshman big man Rauno Nurger and junior Fred VanVleet scored eight points each to lead Black. Nurger's three-pointer tied the game at 18 with 4:05 remaining off an assist from Cotton. His four rebounds were the most on either side.
Nurger's triple turned out to be the final points for Black, which missed its last four shots. Ron Baker drove and scored with 3:16 to go to put Yellow in front for good.
Following a Carter jumper, Baker forced a big steal, and freshman Corey Henderson Jr. put the game away with a drive down the heart of the lane for two points and a foul. His free throw capped a 7-0 closing run and provided the final margin.
The two sides combined to shoot 16-of-39 from field goal range (.410).
Evan Wessel dished out a game-high three assists, and Ria'n Holland – a 2013-14 redshirt – pitched in a pair of steals in his first live action.
Prior to the main course, the Shocker men provided the crowd with a nice appetizer, hosting slamdunk and three-point shooting competitions.
In a hotly-contested battle of dunking seniors, Darius Carter bested Tekele Cotton on his final attempt, throwing down two basketballs simultaneously to bring the crowd to its feet.
Ron Baker closed strong in the three-point competition, fending off a comeback bid from teammate Evan Wessel to take the final round 15-13.
WSU fans' next opportunity to see the men comes Saturday, Nov. 8 in a home exhibition against Northwood (Fla.). Top time is scheduled for 2 p.m., and the game can be seen on Cox Channel Kansas (available on channel 22, HD 2022 to Cox Cable subscribers).
Women's Scrimmage:
The two-time defending MVC regular-season and tournament champion Shocker women, fresh of a school-record 26-win season, played a 10-minute scrimmage against its male practice squad.
The Shockers prevailed, 19-7, led by sophomore Michaela Dapprich's five points.
Senior guard Jamillah Bonner had four steals in the frame.
WSU opens the season with its lone exhibition Nov. 2 against cross-town Newman, before playing host to Creighton, Nov. 15, in the season opener.
-Wichita State-
