WICHITA, Kan. -- A pair of Shockers were named to the Missouri Valley Conference Most Improved Team, Wednesday.
Darius Carter and Evan Wessel posted career-bests across the board to help lead No. 8 Wichita State (27-3, 17-1 MVC) to its second-consecutive MVC regular season title.
Carter - a senior from Akron, Ohio - is in his second season at WSU, following an All-American career an Vincennes Junior College. He was named Honorable Mention All-MVC earlier this week.
Carter averaged 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds last year off the bench in just over 18 minutes per game. Since moving into the starting lineup full-time this season, he's seen increased attention from opposing defenses, yet he's upped his production exponentially at 11.5 points and 5.4 rebounds.
Wessel - a redshirt junior from Wichita - is in his fourth season with the Shockers and has started 26 games. He made the switch from small forward to power forward this season and has nearly doubled his minutes from 12.5 a year ago up to 22.1.
In 35 games off the bench last year, Wessel averaged 1.2 points and 1.9 rebounds and went 3-for-25 from three-point range. He's regained his shooting touch in 2014-15, connecting on 26-of-76 three-point attempts (.342).
Wessel has twice as many steals (23) and assists (22) as turnovers (11) and sports a 2.00 assist-to-turnover ratio.
The MVC will announce its Scholar-Athlete Team and Coach of the Year at Thursday's pre-tournament luncheon.
-Wichita State-