Wichita State (8-2) at North Texas (6-2)
Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 | 6:30 PM CT | The Super Pit
ESPN+ | KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM

WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State heads back on the road to face future American Athletic Conference foe, North Texas, on Friday in Denton, Texas.

ON THE AIR
Friday's game can be heard on the radio at KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM or online at Audacy.com/KFH with Steve Strain calling the action. Strain is in his eighth season as the radio voice for Wichita State women's basketball. The game will also be televised on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State improved to 6-0 at home this season with a comfortable 77-47 win over Grambling last Saturday. Wichita State shot a season-best 49.2 percent from the field and swiped 12 steals. The Shockers' defense held Grambling to 6-of-23 from beyond the arc and 21 turnovers. DJ McCarty scored 13 of her game and season-high 18 points after halftime to go with three steals. Asia Strong poured in 13 of her 15 points before halftime. Mariah McCully added 10 points, a season-high seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Seraphine Bastin dished out seven assists to go with five rebounds, three steals and five points.

SCOUTING THE MEAN GREEN
THE SERIES VS. NORTH TEXAS
Wichita State and North Texas will meet for the first time in women's hoops on Friday.

HOT START
Wichita State opened the season winning seven of its first eight games (7-1), making it the best eight-game start in school history. Through 10 games, Wichita State is 8-2, making it just the fifth time in program history the Shockers have won eight of their first 10 games, joining the 1982-83, 1996-97, 1998-99 and 2013-14 teams. The 2013-14 team holds the best non-conference record in program history at 9-2.

WANTED FOR THEFT
Wichita State senior guard Mariah McCully has been pest on defense for opposing offenses through nine games this season. McCully is riding a streak of six straight games with a steal and has swiped at least one in nine of the first 10 games. She's had multiple in seven of the 10. Her 24 steals easily lead the team and rank 46th nationally and second in the American Athletic Conference. Her 2.4 steals per game rank third in the conference. During her first season at Wichita State (2019-20), McCully had a career-long 19-game streak with a steal, including a career-high seven at Tulane on Feb. 16, 2020.

BIG GAME JANE
Since being inserted into the startling lineup vs. Prairie View A&M on Nov. 23, Jane Asinde has been a nightmare for opposing teams. She registered her first career double-double with a team-high 17 points and 11 rebounds, while also dishing out two assists against PVAMU. She has double-doubles in four of the last five games after dropping 14 points and 11 rebounds vs. Alcorn State, 10 points and 12 boards vs. Northwestern State and a season-high 20 points and 11 boards at South Dakota. Eight of her 12 rebounds vs. Northwestern State came on the offensive end, becoming the first Shocker since Rangie Bessard on March 11, 2017 to record eight offensive rebounds in a game. Over the last five games Asinde is averaging 13.8 points, 11.6 rebounds and shooting 54.2 percent from the field. Her four double-doubles this season rank 21st nationally and third in The American.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING      
Wichita State is ranked in the top 75 nationally in 11 categories after the first nine games. The Shockers rank No. 8 in rebounds per game (46.70), No. 9 in rebound margin (13.3), No. 11 in offensive rebounds per game (16.6), No. 16 in total rebounds (467), No. 24 in defensive rebounds per game (30.1), No. 42 in free throws made (136) and field goal percentage defense (35.0), No. 48 in win-loss percentage (80.0), No. 70 in scoring margin (13.5) and free throw attempts (182) and No. 71 in free throw percentage (74.7).

HOME COOKIN
Wichita State is 6-0 at home so far in 2021-22. The Shockers are outscoring their opponents by an average of 25.8 points and holding them to 29.5 percent shooting. Wichita State is pounding its foes on the glass, outrebounding them by 15.5 per game. Wichita State is one of the top rebounding teams in the nation to begin the season, and that is evident in the rebounding at home. The Shockers average 50.8 rebounds in home games compared to just 35.3 for their opponents.

GLASS CLEANERS
Wichita State is off to an impressive start rebounding the basketball through its first 10 games. The Shockers have outrebounded all but one team and currently average 46.70 rebounds a game, which ranks eighth nationally. Their 467 total rebounds rank 16th in the NCAA. Wichita State ranks 11th in offensive rebound per game, ninth in rebound margin and 24th in defensive rebounds per game. As it stands now, Wichita State's 46.70 rebounds per game would rank third-most in school history. Four different Shockers pull down at least 5.3 boards per game, led by Jane Asinde at 9.3.

DYNAMIC POINT GUARD
• Wichita State point guard Seraphine Bastin had her best season in a Shocker uniform in 2020-21. Bastin averaged 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals a game, while shooting 78.7 percent from the free throw line. The 5-foot-8 guard led the team in rebounding, assists, steals and double-doubles. In The American, Bastin ranked second in free throw percentage, third in assists, fourth in rebounding and fifth in assist-turnover ratio.

• She is off to another great start on the glass in 2021-22. Her 7.4 rebounds rank second on the team, and she's already had three games with 10 boards. In all but one game she's had five or more rebounds. Her season low is four.

• Bastin entered the Wichita State top 10 list for career assists on Nov. 26 vs. Alcorn State. She passed Allison Daniel who held the No. 10 spot with 308 career dimes. Bastin is already in the top 10 for career assists per game at 3.8. Her 3.8 helpers rank ninth best in school history.

• The Dinant, Belgium, native has a bulldog mentality and that is evident in her rebounding. Bastin led Wichita State and ranked sixth in the American Athletic Conference in rebounding at 7.7 per game and 131 total rebounds in 2020-21. Her 131 rebounds were 15 more than the next closest Shocker, which was Trajata Colbert with 116. Bastin has been one of the program's best rebounders since she arrived in 2018. She has 489 career rebounds, far and away the team's active leader. She has averaged 4.6 rebounds or more every season, including her career best 7.7 in 2020-21.

• With another season of eligibility remaining after the 2021-22 season, Bastin could find herself among the Shocker greats. She is on pace to finish her career with more than 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 400 assists and 150 steals. Only one player in Wichita State history has accomplished that feat - Alex Harden. As it stands now, Bastin has 717 career points, 503 rebounds, 337 assists and 119 steals.

SHOCKERS PICKED EIGHTH IN PRESEASON POLL
Wichita State was picked to finish eighth in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The Shockers garnered 36 points from the league's coaches, just two points behind seventh-place East Carolina. The defending champions, South Florida, was picked to repeat after receiving 10 first place votes and 100 points. UCF (91), Houston (77), Tulane (72) and Temple (69) round out the top five.

A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...
... make them 9-2 on the season
... tie the best 11-game start in program history
... improve their record to 3-2 on the road this season
... move them to 1-0 all-time vs. North Texas
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 57-64 at Wichita State
... make Adams 341-273 at the Division I level
... run Adams' career coaching record to 468-310
... make Wichita State 627-712 all-time

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...
... make them 8-3 this the season
... drop them to 2-3 on the road this season
... be their third straight road loss after starting 2-0
... make them 0-1 all-time vs. North Texas
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 56-65 at Wichita State
... make Adams 340-274 at the Division I level
... lower Adams' career coaching record to 467-311
... make Wichita State 626-713 all-time

UP NEXT
Wichita State hosts in-state rival, Kansas, to wrap up play before Christmas on Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena.