Wichita State (9-4, 0-0) vs. Houston (7-5, 0-0)
Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022 | 6:00 PM CT | Charles Koch Arena
ESPN+ | GoShockers.com/Listen | ShockerStats.com

WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State opens 2022 and American Athletic Conference play with its home opener vs. Houston Wednesday night.

ON THE AIR
Wednesday's game can be heard online at GoShockers.com/Listen 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 final non-conference game of the season in an 89-67 loss at Oklahoma on Dec. 29. The Shockers finish the non-conference slate at 9-4, but lost their last two games, both to Big 12 opponents. Wichita State allowed a season-high 89 points and was outrebounded for just the second time this season (50-43). OU's 50 rebounds were also a season high. Mariah McCully recorded her sixth straight game in double figures with a team-high 16 points to go with three assists and three steals. Asia Strong put up 14 points and eight rebounds and Trajata Colbert added 12 and eight. Seraphine Bastin grabbed nine rebounds and dished six assists to go with seven points.

SCOUTING THE COUGARS
THE SERIES VS. HOUSTON
Wichita State and Houston have met nine times prior to Wednesday night's matchup. The Shockers' lone win in the series came on a neutral court in the 2020 American Athletic Conference Championship first round. Wichita State is searching for its first-ever win vs. the Cougars in Wichita, having lost the last four meetings.

LAST MEETING
Houston swept both meetings a season ago, including a Feb. 24 matchup in Charles Koch Arena, 77-65. Wichita State missed 15 of its 17 three-point attempts and shot just 34.4 percent overall. The Shockers were 21-of-25 from the free throw line, but it wasn't enough to overcome poor shooting from the floor. Mariah McCully was a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line and finished with a team-high 19 points. Asia Strong was 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, as she chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds.

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 13 games this season. McCully is riding a streak of nine straight games with a steal and has swiped at least one in 12 of the first 13 games. She's had multiple in nine of the 13. Her 30 steals easily lead the team and rank 53rd nationally and second in the American Athletic Conference. Her 2.31 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 six games. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native is averaging 16.3 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting and 40.7 percent from beyond the arc. She has scored 10 or more points in nine of the team's 13 games, including six 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 and most recently 16 at Oklahoma. In the game vs. KU she was 10-for-22, while the rest of the team was a combined 12-for-50. Through 13 games Wichita State has had three 20-point scoring outputs - two of those three belong to McCully.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING      
Wichita State is ranked in the top 80 nationally in 10 categories after the first 13 games. The Shockers rank No. 8 in rebounds per game (45.85), No. 15 in total rebounds (596), No. 16 in offensive rebounds per game (16.1), No. 20 in rebound margin (10.1), No. 23 in defensive rebounds per game (29.8), No. 59 in free throws made (167), No. 74 in steals (119), No. 75 in free throw percentage (74.2), No. 77 in field goal percentage defense (36.9) and No. 79 in free throw attempts (225).

HOME COOKIN
Wichita State is 6-1 at home so far in 2021-22. The Shockers are outscoring their opponents by an average of 20.3 points and holding them to 31.9 percent shooting. Wichita State is pounding its foes on the glass, outrebounding them by 13.6 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 35.9 for their opponents.

GLASS CLEANERS
Wichita State is off to an impressive start rebounding the basketball through its first 13 games. The Shockers have outrebounded all but two teams and currently average 45.85 rebounds a game, which ranks eighth nationally. Their 596 total rebounds rank 15th in the NCAA. Wichita State ranks 20th in rebound margin, 16th in offensive rebounds per game and 23rd in defensive rebounds per game. As it stands now, Wichita State's 45.8 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 8.8.

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 7.1 rebounds rank second on the team, and she's already had three 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 729 career points, 514 rebounds, 344 assists and 124 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 10-4 on the season
... improve their record to 7-1 at home this season
... snap a two-game skid
... move them to 2-8 all-time vs. Houston
... be their first-ever win vs. Houston at home
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 58-66 at Wichita State
... make Adams 342-275 at the Division I level
... run Adams' career coaching record to 469-312
... make them 384-243 all-time in Charles Koch Arena
... make Wichita State 628-714 all-time

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...
... make them 9-5 this the season
... drop them to 6-2 at home this season
... make them 1-9 all-time vs. Houston
... be their third straight loss vs. the Cougars
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 57-67 at Wichita State
... make Adams 341-276 at the Division I level
... lower Adams' career coaching record to 468-313
... make them 383-244 all-time in Charles Koch Arena
... make Wichita State 627-715 all-time

UP NEXT
Wichita State hits the road for two straight beginning with a trip to Tampa to face the nationally-ranked USF Bulls.