The RoundHouse | 11/9/2017 1:00:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop

Broadcaster Mark Adams is ready take the Shockers on a culinary tour of Cincinnati, his home, when they visit for basketball.
 
Cincinnati is famous for its unique pasta-style chili restaurants. Adams loves LaRosa's Pizza and the ribs at the Montgomery Inn-Boathouse.
 
"Best ribs in the world," Adams said. "Here's the deal – I'll take the Shockers for Cincinnati chili if they'll take me to Doo Dah Diner."
 
Adams is again studying Wichita State after ESPN moved him from Missouri Valley Conference duties to the American Athletic Conference. He will provide analysis for Wichita State's game at Oklahoma State on Dec. 9. Once conference play starts, he said his primary focus is the American.
 
Adams loved the MVC and its underdog mood, enthusiastically pushing the conference teams and athletes as worthy of more attention. He is also a natural fit with the American. Adams lives 35 miles from the Cincinnati campus. He developed a connection with Wichita State and its fans in recent seasons. He coached with Houston's Kelvin Sampson at Washington State.
 
"You go up and down the league and I have relationships with the coaches," he said. "There's a comfort level. I've got a great relationship with Wichita State, became associated with that brand over the years."
 
He appears to join the American at an opportune time. Wichita State's addition has the potential to elevate the conference. Adams, never known for lowering expectations, said it's possible Wichita State and Cincinnati could advance to the Final Four.
 
"And there are other teams ­– SMU, they're going to be talented again," he said. "UConn, their problem has been chemistry and injuries. If they can avoid injuries and develop chemistry, they're as good as anybody in the nation. Tulsa, I think they're ready to make a move."


Armed Forces special – Wichita State handed out around 250 tickets to active-duty military members for Friday's men's basketball game vs. UMKC.
 
"Being as it's on Veterans Day, we extended tickets to the military," Wichita State associate athletic director Russell Wilkins said. "To honor those who serve and protect. We didn't think there was a better way to do that than on Veteran's Day."
 
At halftime, around 70 people will participate in a swearing-in ceremony for the Navy.
 
Opening days – It does not take long for American Athletic Conference men's basketball to get interesting, even if many of the schools are focused on football.
 
Memphis opens vs. Alabama on Friday in the Veterans Classic in Annapolis, Md. The Tide will be without star freshman Collin Sexton, who was declared ineligible by the school after being identified as part of the federal corruption probe in college basketball.
 
Beyond the big names and easy wins over over-matched opponents, there are a few enticing matchups for American teams.
 
Mercer, the preseason favorite in the Southern Conference, plays at Central Florida on Friday. Former Shocker guard Ria'n Holland was picked to the preseason all-conference team for Mercer. Wichita State plays host to College of Charleston, an NIT team in 2017, on Monday. Former Shocker assistant coach Earl Grant coaches Charleston and former Shocker Matt Braeuer is on his staff.
 
On Nov. 16, Temple plays Old Dominion, picked fourth in Conference USA, to open the Charleston Classic. Their second-day opponent could be Indiana State. Tulsa opens the Puerto Rico Tip-Off (in Conway, S.C.) against Western Michigan. Its next opponent could be Iowa State.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.