Wichita State (9-5, 0-1) at Cincinnati (7-7, 0-2)
Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022 | 6:00 PM CT | Fifth Third Arena
ESPN+ | KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM | GoBearcats.com

WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State faces Cincinnati in its first road contest of 2022 on Thursday, Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. in Fifth Third Arena.

ON THE AIR
Thursday's game can be heard on the radio at KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM 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 dropped its third straight game in the American Conference opener vs. Houston on Wednesday, 66-61. Wichita State has now dropped its last seven conference openers dating back to 2014-15. Mariah McCully scored a game-high 23 points behind a career-best 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. It marked her seventh straight game in double figures and third 20-point game of the season. Jane Asinde logged her fifth double-double of the season behind 16 points and a season-high 16 rebounds. Seraphine Bastin grabbed double digit rebounds for the fourth time this season, pulling down 13 to go with five assists and four points. With her five assists, Bastin moved into ninth place on the career charts for assists with 349.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
THE SERIES VS. CINCINNATI
Wichita State and Cincinnati have met only six times prior to Thursday, but the series dates all the way back to the first meeting on Dec. 9, 1983. The Shockers recorded their first-ever win vs. the Bearcats a year ago with a win on Cincinnati's home court. Wichita State is 1-1 all-time in Fifth Third Arena.

LAST MEETING
In a matchup of undermanned squads, Wichita State defeated Cincinnati, 60-52 on Jan. 27, 2021. Both teams were shorthanded due to COVID-19, as the two teams had only eight available players each.   Wichita State held Cincinnati to just 31.6 percent shooting and 3-of-15 from beyond the arc. That stingy defense came up big, as it offset the turnover battle which Wichita State lost, 17-8. Asia Strong scored a game-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Trajata Colbert added 12 points, eight rebounds and a pair of blocks, while Seraphine Bastin chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Shamaryah Duncan made her first career start.

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. Wichita State finished the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 9-4 record, marking the first time since 2014-15 the Shockers won nine out-of-league contests. It's only the third time in program history a Wichita State team has recorded nine non-conference wins.

WANTED FOR THEFT
Wichita State senior guard Mariah McCully has been pest on defense for opposing offenses through 14 games this season. McCully is riding a streak of 10 straight games with a steal and has swiped at least one in 13 of the first 14 games. She's had multiple in nine of the 14. Her 31 steals easily lead the team and rank 67th nationally and fourth in the American Athletic Conference. Her 2.21 steals per game rank fourth 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.

MARIAH MCBUCKETS
Senior Mariah McCully is on a hot streak over the last seven games. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native is averaging 17.3 points per game on 48.0 percent shooting and 48.5 percent from beyond the arc. She has scored 10 or more points in 10 of the team's 14 games, including seven straight. Her scoring tear began vs. Oral Roberts on Dec. 1 when she lit up the Golden Eagles to the tune of a season-high 24 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Her 24 points were one shy of a career high. She then scored 13 at South Dakota, 10 vs. Grambling, 12 at North Texas, 23 vs. Kansas, 16 at Oklahoma and most recently 23 vs. Houston. In the game vs. KU she was 10-for-22, while the rest of the team was a combined 12-for-50. Through 14 games Wichita State has had four 20-point scoring outputs - three of those four belong to McCully.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING      
Wichita State is ranked in the top 80 nationally in seven categories after the first 14 games. The Shockers rank No. 5 in rebounds per game (46.1), No. 16 in total rebounds (645), No. 8 in offensive rebounds per game (16.4), No. 18 in rebound margin (10.0), No. 25 in defensive rebounds per game (29.6), No. 67 in field goal percentage defense (36.8) and No. 70 in free throw percentage (74.1).

HOME COOKIN
Wichita State is 6-2 at home so far in 2021-22. The Shockers are outscoring their opponents by an average of 17.1 points and holding them to 32.6 percent shooting. Wichita State is pounding its foes on the glass, outrebounding them by 13.0 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 49.4 rebounds in home games compared to just 36.4 for their opponents.

GLASS CLEANERS
Wichita State is off to an impressive start rebounding the basketball through its first 14 games. The Shockers have outrebounded all but two teams and currently average 46.1 rebounds a game, which ranks fifth nationally. Their 645 total rebounds rank sixth in the NCAA. Wichita State ranks 18th in rebound margin, 10th in offensive rebounds per game and 23rd in defensive rebounds per game. As it stands now, Wichita State's 46.1 rebounds per game would rank fourth-most in school history. Four different Shockers pull down at least 5.8 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 7.5 rebounds rank second on the team, and she's already had four games with 10 boards. In all but two games she's had five or more rebounds. Her season low is two.

• 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 733 career points, 527 rebounds, 349 assists and 125 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 10-5 on the season
... make them 1-1 in conference play
... snap a three-game losing streak
... improve their record to 4-3 on the road this season
... move them to 2-5 all-time vs. Cincinnati
... be their second straight win in Cincinnati
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 58-67 at Wichita State
... make Adams 342-276 at the Division I level
... run Adams' career coaching record to 469-313
... make Wichita State 628-715 all-time

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...
... make them 9-6 this the season
... be their fourth straight loss
... make them 0-2 in conference play
... drop them to 3-4 on the road this season
... make them 1-6 all-time vs. Cincinnati
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 57-68 at Wichita State
... make Adams 341-277 at the Division I level
... lower Adams' career coaching record to 468-314
... make Wichita State 627-716 all-time

UP NEXT
Wichita State is back in the Roundhouse to face Memphis on Sunday, Jan. 16 at 3 p.m. following the Wichita State men vs. Cincinnati at Noon.