Tennessee Connection... WSU head coach Jody Adams (1989-93) and assistant Bridgette Gordon (1985-89) played on three NCAA title teams at UT (1987, 1989, 1991), with Holly Warlick as assistant coach. Warlick (1976-80) also played at UT. 

   Adams, who is from Cleveland, Tenn., and Bradley Central High School, played point guard at Tennessee from 1989-93, starting two seasons and helping the Lady Vols win their third NCAA title during the 1990-91 season. Adams has joined Warlick on some of the UT coach's "Champions For A Cause" motorcycle rides to raise money and awareness for the fight against breast cancer.
    Gordon, whose number hangs in the rafters at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, was a four-year starter, two-time NCAA champion (1987, 1989), two-time All-American (1988 & 1989), Olympic Gold Medalist (1988), four- time All-SEC First Team selection and 1989 SEC Player of the Year. She is UT's number two all-time leading scorer with 2,462 points (18.0 avg.) and stands ninth in rebounds at 915 (6.7 avg.).

Series History... WSU and Tennessee meet for the second time in women's basketball. Tennessee won the first meeting, 54-51, on Dec. 16, 2014.

On Tennessee... The Lady Vols, who began the season at No. 4 in both polls, have fallen to #16/15 this week after dropping their second home game of 2015-16.

  UT, which went 18-0 at home a year ago, saw its 44-game home winning streak vs. unranked foes come to an end vs. Virginia Tech

   This week's AP ranking is UT's lowest since be- ing 16th in the fourth poll of the 2012-13 season.

   Four times in its last six games, Tennessee has shot 40% or lower on field goals. 

Only Meeting in Tennessee...Wichita State's late rally fell short as the Shockers, led by Alex Harden's 19 points, couldn't overcome a 10-point second-half deficit at No. 11 Tennessee last December 16.

It was an emotional homecoming for WSU Head Coach Jody Adams and Assistant Coach Bridgette Gordon as the two former Lady Vols, both National Champions in their time at UT, greeted former coach Pat Summitt and current head coach and former assistant Holly Warlick prior to the game.

The Shockers' Alie Decker backed Harden with 17 points, including 15 off three-pointers, as the Shockers matched the Lady Vols' 23 second half points. The three-point deficit at the half, 31-28, was the game's difference on the scoreboard.

WSU's Opponents Keep Winning...Five of Wichita State's six opponents to date are .500 or better, including Missouri, which is a perfect 9-0, Richmond (6-2) and Arkansas State (4-2). Friday's opponent, Tennessee (6-2), ranks to No. 16 heading into this weekend's matchup at Koch Arena.

Third Newcomer of the Week... Wichita State sophomore transfer Diamond Lockhart was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, it was announced Monday. She is the third Shocker this season to be honored with the weekly award.

   Lockhart, a 5-foot-5 guard from Red Oak, Texas, led the Shockers in their lone game last week, tallying a career-high 21 points on 8-of-14 (57-percent) shooting against Southeast Missouri. Lockhart also had two assists and four rebounds while she also made 50 percent (3-of-6) of her three-point attempts.

Top 10 Attendance...Wichita State's annual "Schoolhouse Rocks with the Shocks" game last Friday afternoon brought in 8,474 local elementary kids and was the ninth-largest crowd in Wichita State women's basketball history. The school record for attendance is 10,612, set on Feb. 25, 2001, in a game against Missouri State.
 

Six Strong...Wichita State has suited up just six players the last three games, meaning a lot of minutes played for several Shockers. Junior guard Jaleesa Chapel leads the nation in minutes played per game, averaging 39.7 minutes, and has played 238-of-245 possible minutes played. Sophomores Aun- dra Stovall (37.0 minutes/game) and Diamond Lockhart (36.8 minutes/ game) also rank third and fourth in the league in minutes played. The Shocker roster is slim right now since freshman Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage has not been released to play after knee surgery prior to her arrival at Wichita State, and Rangie Bessard, who transferred from Minnesota prior to the spring semester has to sit out per NCAA rules. Junior transfer Marija Pacar and junior Brittany Martin have also missed the last three games with injuries.

Last Time Out...Wichita State fell, 66-62, in overtime to Southeast Missouri during its annual "Schoolhouse Rocks with the Shocks" game inside Charles Koch Arena in front of 8,474, the ninth-largest crowd in WSU women's history.

WSU was led in scoring by Diamond Lockhart's 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting while Southeast Missouri's Brianna Mitchell led four double-figure Redhawk scorers with 15 points.

WSU out-shot the Redhawks, 40.7 percent (24-59) to 35.8 percent (24-67), but the visitors won the battle of the boards, 49-33. The Shockers also turned the ball over 21 times. The Redhawks went to the line 21 times and made 17, while WSU was 6-of-10 from the line.

Early Season Game Quickies... WSU topped the tournament host in a 76-62 win against Florida International in the FIU Turkey Slam. Taquandra Mike scored a game-high 28 points. 

-The Shockers lost, 63-50, two days earlier against undefeated Richmond to fall into the consolation game.

-Prior to the tournament, the Shockers lost, 67-40, at Arkansas State, and also dropped their home-opener Nov. 18, a 57-37 loss against Missouri. WSU also opened the season with a 79-54 loss at Creighton Nov. 13.

Mike Named MVC N-O-W... Wichita State junior transfer TaQuandra Mike was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week Nov. 30.

   Mike scored a Shocker career-high 28 points in the final game of the FIU Turkey Slam to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team. She led the Shockers in scoring in the two games with 14 points against Richmond and 28 against Florida International to average 21.0 points on 58.3 percent shooting (14-of-24).

   Mike also made 8-of-16 three pointers for a 50-percent effort from beyond the arc. She also added six free throws and averaged 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals in the two games.

 

In-Season Tournaments... Overall, WSU is now 67-80 in the 64 in-season tournaments the Shockers have played since 1974-75. In 1981-82, the Shockers played in five in-season tournaments and went 6-6. Overall, WSU has won 11 in-season tournaments.

Coach Adams is 14-9 in in-season tournaments since coming to WSU, and has won three in-season tournament titles.

WSU will play in its second in-season tournament of the season Dec. 18-19, in Wichita. WSU faces Prairie View A&M and North Carolina A&T on consecutive days. 

Defense Holding…  Wichita State has held its last four opponents to below their season average as Richmond scored 63 points while averaging 65.5 per game, Missouri scored just 57 points while averaging 78 points headed into the game, and Shockers held Arkansas State to 67 points after the Red Wolves had averaged 77 points a game.

FIU averaged more than 70 points a game and WSU held them to 62, while SEMO was averaging 70 points a game and WSU held it to 66.

Boards and Blocks… Brittany Martin took over the rebounding lead with 11 rebounds at Arkansas State and currently averages 6.0 a game, while she had 10 blocks in the first three games before her injury to average 3.3 a game. A year ago she had 25 blocks in 30 games off the bench. 

MU Breaks  WSU's 17-Game Home win Streak...Prior to the Missouri loss, the Shockers had won 17-straight regular-season home games dating to a loss Feb. 23, 2014 to Indiana State in 2013-14. The Shockers won all 16 regular-season home games in 2014-15 and went 14-2 in 2013-14 for a two-year home record of 30-2. WSU's other loss in 2013-14 was to St. Joseph's in overtime.

Francis MVC POW... Jyar Francis, who was named the MVC Newcomer of the Week the first week of the season, had a team-leading 15 points and eight rebounds in the loss at Creighton and also led WSU in scoring in the Shockers' first exhibition. She shot 50 percent from the field (5-10) and made 4-of-9 free throws against Missouri, and also had an assist and a steal in her first regular-season game as a Shocker. WSU won its first of two exhibitions, 68-61, on Nov. 8 and were also led by Francis' 21 points. 

Shockers Picked Fifth...The Shockers were picked fifth in the MVC Preseason vote of coaches, SIDs, Radio play-by-play and beat writers. Missouri State was picked as the favorite, and the Lady Bears are coming off another successful season, advancing to the 2014-15 MVC Tournament championship as they closed out last season winners of 10 of their final 12 games, and received 22 of 40 first-place votes and 373 total points, out-distancing Drake (347), UNI (320) and Southern Illinois (297). It is the Shockers' lowest position in the preseason poll since 2010-11 when the Shockers were also picked fifth. Despite winning the league, the league tournament and advancing to the NCAA Tournament the last three seasons, WSU has only been the favorite once, in 2014-15, in the 32 years of the poll. The Shockers were chosen second in 2012-13 and 2013-14 and came away with the title at the end of loop play.

On the Web... Wichita State's home games this season will be broadcast on the internet at www.goshockers.com/watch/ with Steve Strain, who is in his second season calling the action for the Shockers. Steve is a veteran of radio and television, called women's basketball for the Texas Tech Lady Raiders from 2009-13. Strain will also call road games on KNSS 1330 with the exception of the game at Creighton which will be  internet-only due to afternoon conflicts with KNSS programming.

On the Central Oklahoma Exhibition... Wichita State defeated Central Oklahoma in their first exhibition game of the season, 68-61.

     The Shockers were led by freshman Jyar Francis who finished the game with team-highs in points at 21 and rebounds with six. Sophomore Diamond Lockhart also contributed 20 points.

     Wichita State out-shot Oklahoma Central 47% (22-for-47) to 44% (24-for-54). The Shockers also out-rebounded the Bronchos 33 to 29.

     The Bronchos were led by McKenzie Solberg who had 19 points and seven rebounds.

    WSU also plays Oklahoma Christian in an exhibition Dec. 29.

Titles and Championships...Wichita State, which had a school-record 29-4 in 2014-15, earned its third NCAA Tournament bid in school history with an 85-71 win over Missouri State in the championship game of the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Charles, Mo. The NCAA Tournament appearances was Wichita State's third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance to go with three-straight MVC Tournament titles and three-straight MVC regular-season titles. 

Home Court Advantage...Wichita State is 17-1 over the last 18 games and won 17-straight regular-season home games dating to a loss Feb. 23, 2014 to Indiana State in 2013-14. The Shockers won all 16 regular-season home games in 2014-15 and went 14-2 in 2013-14 for a two-year home record of 30-2. WSU's other loss in 2013-14 was to St. Joseph's in overtime.

First Time in Four Years... For the first time in four years, WSU will be without All-everything Alex Harden. Harden, who completed her career as WSU's career-leading scorer and honors as an Honorable Mention All-American, was drafted as the 18th overall pick by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2015 WNBA draft. She ended her career as the most decorated Shocker women's basketball player in history.

NCAA Tournament History...WSU is 0-3 in the NCAA Tournament, each under Jody Adams, who brought the Shockers their only tournament appearances. She had one appearance in her only year at Murry State and carries a 0-4 NCAA record. WSU lost at Texas A&M, 71-45, in 2013, at Penn State, 62-56, and 78-66, at Cal a year ago in NCAA Tournament play.

2014-15 MVC Tournament Recap...In the title game against Missouri State, Tournament MVP Alex Harden had 27 points and Michael Dapprich had 24 to lead WSU. Harden had been the Tournament MVP for three-straight years.  Dapprich and Jamillah Bonner, who averaged 13.0 points in the three games, were also named all-tournament. Against fourth-seeded UNI in the semifinals, Alex Harden scored 18 points and the Shocker defense held UNI to 25 percent shooting take a 56-42 win against the Panthers. Harden, who made 50 percent of her shots in a 7-of-15 effort, was backed by Kelsey Jacobs' 12 points and Jaleesa Chapel's 10 points.

MVC Title History...The Shockers, which finished the regular-season with a record of 26-4, including a 17-1 mark in league play, clinched its third-staight Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball regular-season title in program history. WSU closed out the regular season on a nine-game winning streak and broke a regular-season win record, MVC regular-season win record, and tied an overall win record. WSU secured a piece of its third-straight Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship with a 66-54 win against UNI, then earned the out-right title with a 77-63 win at Evansville. 

20-Win Progression Under Adams ...  Wichita State ended up with a 29-4 overall record in 2014-15, which was the most wins in a season (29) and most wins in a regular season (26). The 2013-14 team had 26 wins and seven losses including postseason. The Shockers won just nine games a season prior to Adams' arrival, and 13 her first season in 2008-09, while the 2013-14 team lost just seven games, only the second season in Shocker history the team had single-digit losses. Wichita State has won 20 games or more for four-straight seasons and at least 26 games for two-straight. WSU has won 20 games six times overall since 1974-75.

Three ... Wichita State clinched a piece of its third regular-season title with wins against Drake and UNI in 2014-15, and claimed it outright at Evansville. WSU had no MVC regular-season or tournament titles or NCAA Tournament appearances prior to Jody Adams' arrival at WSU.

17 ... The Shockers' 17 MVC regular-season wins in 2014-15 was the most in WSU history. WSU's 2012-13 team went 15-3 in the MVC regular season.

16-0 at Home in 2014-15... WSU completed the regular-season at home undefeated for only the second time in history with a 16-0 record. WSU's other undefeated record at home was 11-0 in 1999-00, while the Shockers have just one, one-loss home record, and that was 8-1 in 1975-76. At 16-0 in 2014-15, WSU had the most home wins in a season by two wins as the 2013-14 team had 14 wins, but two losses.