Wichita State (1-0) at Omaha (0-1)
Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022 | 2:00 PM CT | Baxter Arena
KNSS 98.7 FM/1240 AM | OMavs.com
 

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ON THE AIR
Saturday's game can be heard on the radio at KNSS 98.7 FM/1330 AM with Steve Strain calling the action. Strain is in his ninth season as the radio voice for Wichita State women's basketball. There will be a video stream available at OMavs.com.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State won its season-opener, 67-53, over Alcorn State on Wednesday in Charles Koch Arena. The Shockers have started the season 1-0 three consecutive seasons. Despite allowing 21 offensive rebounds and Alcorn attempting 17 more field goal attempts, Wichita State's defense was able to hold the Lady Braves to just 27.1 percent from the field. DJ McCarty scored 12 of her game-high 17 points off the bench behind career highs in free throws made (7) and attempted (10). Trajata Colbert scored nine points and grabbed nine boards in the second half to record her first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Ella Anciaux scored all nine of her points before halftime to go with two blocks. Nhug Bosch Duran grabbed a career-high five rebounds to go with five points and five assists.

SCOUTING THE MAVS
Omaha had a rough go in its season opener Monday at Nebraska. The Mavs fell in their first game of the season, 100-36, to the Huskers. Omaha shot just 21.2 percent from the floor, including 3-of-17 from beyond the arc. Elena Pilakouta paced the Mavs in scoring and rebounding with 10 points and eight boards. Defensively, Omaha could not slow down the Nebraska offense. Nebraska was able to hit the century mark behind 56.6 percent shooting and 14 three-pointers. Head Coach Carrie Banks is in her third season at the helm and has compiled a 14-33 record in her first two seasons and change.

THE SERIES VS. OMAHA 
Wichita State and Omaha have only met one time prior to Saturday's matchup. The two programs haven't faced each other since 1978 when Omaha won a neutral court matchup, 90-68.

SPEED & POWER
Wichita State will rely heavily on its low post tandem of Jane Asinde and Trajata Colbert in 2022-23. The duo will take on a much larger role this season and each relies on a different set of skills down low. Asinde is long, fast and explosive in transition, while Colbert uses her strength to overpower opposing centers. Last season the duo combined for 467 points, 407 rebounds, 63 steals and 58 blocks, but look for all those numbers to increase significantly in 2022-23. In the exhibition vs. Missouri Southern, Asinde and Colbert contributed 29 points and 28 rebounds.

CAREER CHARTS
Wichita State senior Trajata Colbert enters the season on the career charts at Wichita State for field goal percentage. Her career field goal percentage of 50.4 ranks 10th and sits behind Theresa Dreiling's 51.8 percent in ninth. Colbert also needs 20 blocked shots this season to crack the top 10 list at Wichita State. She enters with 71 career blocks and 10th place is currently 91.

ADDED EXPERIENCE TO THE BENCH
Head coach Keitha Adams bolstered her coaching staff in the offseason with the hire of Jim Littell as an assistant coach. Littell spent the last 11 seasons as the head coach at Oklahoma State, and the six years prior to that as an associate head coach for the Cowgirls. He compiled a 204-140 record in his 11 seasons as head coach of the Cowgirls. Littell was a two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2016, 2021), while leading Oklahoma State to six NCAA Tournament appearances, a WNIT title and seven Cowgirls achieved All-America status under his guidance. Adams and Littell are no strangers, however. It was at Oxford High School where Adams and Littell first met. Adams was on the basketball team at Oxford where she played for Littell, and the two have maintained a close friendship throughout the years. Littell was the head coach at Oxford High School from 1978-83, before building a powerhouse at Seward County Community College from 1991-2004.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
For the sixth season in a row, the Shocker basketball team will feature several players from international countries. The 2022-23 Shockers feature eight student-athletes from international countries, which is the most in school history. Jane Asinde (Kampala, Uganda), Carla Budane (Maputo, Mozambique), Nhug Bosch Duran (Barcelona, Spain) and Tatiana Platonova (Moscow, Russia) return after a season in the program. They are joined by newcomers: Daniela Abies (Málaga, Spain), Ambah Kowcun (Adelaide, Australia), Ornella Niankan (Montreal, Canada) and Raissa Nsabua (Ottawa, Canada). In the 12 seasons prior to Keitha Adams taking over the program, Wichita State had one international player (Marija Pacar). Under Adams, 20 international players have played for the Shockers in just six seasons, representing 13 different countries. Associate Head Coach Ewa Laskowska leads the charge in international recruiting thanks to Stalowa Wola, Poland, being her hometown.

A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...
... make them 2-0 on the season
... make them 1-0 on the road this season
... move them to 1-1 all-time vs. Omaha
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 64-78 at Wichita State
... make Adams 348-287 at the Division I level
... run Adams' career coaching record to 475-324
... make Wichita State 634-726 all-time

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...
... make them 1-1 this the season
... drop them to 0-1 on the road this season
... make them 0-2 all-time vs. Omaha
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 63-78 at Wichita State
... make Adams 348-288 at the Division I level
... lower Adams' career coaching record to 474-325
... make Wichita State 633-727 all-time

UP NEXT
Wichita State continues its brief two-game road swing with a trip south to Tulsa to face Oral Roberts on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.