Wichita State (8-1) at rv/rv Kansas (8-0)
Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022 | 2:00 PM CT | Allen Fieldhouse
ESPN+ | KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM | StatBroadcast.com
 

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ON THE AIR
Sunday'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 ninth 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 held off a furious second half rally from Saint Louis on Thursday night to defeat the Billikens, 77-74. Wichita State led by as many as 27 in the third quarter before Saint Louis charged back to within two in the final seconds. The win extended Wichita State's win streak to seven in a row. Curtessia Dean recorded her first double-double as a Shocker with 18 points and 10 rebounds - both of which were season highs. Jane Asinde picked up her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while adding a career-high five assists and career-high tying four steals. DJ McCarty finished in double figures for the fourth straight game with 16 points and Shamaryah Duncan returned to the lineup and added 10 points.

SCOUTING THE JAYHAWKS
Unbeaten and receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls, Kansas enters the Sunday matinee fresh off a road win at No. 12 Arizona. Kansas is 8-0 this season and outscoring its opponents by an average of 23.6 points. The Jayhawks are holding teams to just 32.7 percent shooting and 25.7 percent from beyond the arc. Four Jayhawks average double figures, led by Taiyanna Jackson at 16.5 points and 10.3 rebounds. Holly Kersgieter puts in 13.5 points and Zakiyah Franklin is right behind at 13.0 per game to go with a team-high 23 assists. Tulsa transfer Wyvette Mayberry rounds out the scoring leaders at 10.9 points.

THE SERIES VS. KANSAS
Wichita State and Kansas will meet for the 40th time in the series. The Jayhawks have won 32 of the 39 meetings, including a 20-1 mark in Lawrence. This will be the Shockers' first trip to Lawrence since 2011 when the teams met in the WNIT.

LAST MEETING
Wichita State dropped a 68-55 contest to the Jayhawks in Charles Koch Arena a year ago on Dec. 21, 2021. Wichita State struggled offensively, going 22-for-72 from the field and just 2-for-14 from three-point range. Mariah McCully scored a game-high 23 points on 10-of-22 shooting and Trajata Colbert added 10 points and eight rebounds.

JANE GOT GAME
Wichita State senior Jane Asinde has been unstoppable for the Shockers. The Uganda native has double-doubles in four of the seven games she's played in, including back-to-back 20-point double-doubles at the LMU Thanksgiving Classic. Asinde opened the LMU Thanksgiving Classic with a career-high 19 rebounds to go with 20 points against Montana and followed that with a career-high 22 points and 15 rebounds vs. Loyola Marymount. She has double digit rebounds in five of the seven games.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
Wichita State boasts a top 50 defense through the first nine games of the season. They have held all but one opponent to less than 38 percent shooting, and only two teams have shot better than 30 percent from three-point range. Wichita State's field goal defense is holding teams to just 35.8 percent, good for 47th nationally.

GLASS CLEANERS      
Wichita State is one of the top rebounding teams in the country once again this season. Through nine games Wichita State ranks 19th nationally in rebound margin, 30th in defensive rebounds per game and 37th in total rebounds per game. The Shockers have outrebounded eight of their nine opponents.

GO AHEAD CALL IT A COMEBACK
Wichita State has made a habit out of falling behind recently. The Shockers have trailed by double digits in three straight games and wound up winning them all: 17, North Texas (Nov. 19); 11, Montana (Nov. 25); 13, LMU (Nov. 26). In those three games Wichita State outscored its opponents 125-74 in the second half.

COLBERT CASHING IN      
Trajata Colbert has improved dramatically the last two years at the free throw line. The Georgia native began her career shooting 42.1 percent as a freshman, 61.1 percent as a sophomore and 50.9 percent as a COVID sophomore. In 2021-22 she shot a career-high 76.0 percent and so far through eight games in 2022-23, she is 30-for-35 (85.7 percent).

EXTRA TIME NEEDED
Wichita State needed overtime in two of its first five games of the season. The Shockers fell in overtime at Omaha on Nov. 12, but collected an overtime win vs. Montana on Nov. 25. Wichita State is 4-4 in overtime games under Keitha Adams. Wichita State is 21-24 all-time in overtime games.

HOT START
Wichita State is 8-1 for the first time in school history, and riding a seven-game win streak. The seven-game win streak is the longest since 2015 when Wichita State won 12 in a row. A win Thursday at Saint Louis would make them 8-1 for the first time in school history.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Through nine games Wichita State ranks in the top 50 nationally in the following categories: No. 19 in rebound margin (10.7), No. 30 in defensive rebounds per game (29.7), No. 37 in rebounds per game (42.9), No. 45 in free throws made per game and No. 47 in field goal defense (35.8). Jane Asinde ranks 7th nationally in rebounds per game, No. 10 in defensive rebounds per game, 25th in double-doubles and 50th in total rebounds.

WANTED FOR THEFT
Junior guard DJ McCarty has been a pest on defense for opposing offenses through nine games. McCarty has recorded at least one steal in all nine games, and has multiple in seven of the nine games. Her 22 steals are the most on the team and she ranks third in the American Athletic Conference and 60th nationally. Her 2.44 steals per game also rank third in the American and 78th nationally.

A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...
... make them 9-1 on the season
... be their eighth straight win
... make them 4-1 on the road this season
... move them to 8-32 all-time vs. Kansas
... be just their second-ever win in Lawrence
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 71-79 at Wichita State
... make Adams 355-288 at the Division I level
... run Adams' career coaching record to 482-325
... make Wichita State 641-727 all-time

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...
... make them 8-2 this the season
... snap a seven-game win streak
... drop them to 2-2 on the road this season
... make them 7-33 all-time vs. Kansas
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 70-80 at Wichita State
... make Adams 354-289 at the Division I level
... lower Adams' career coaching record to 481-326
... make Wichita State 640-728 all-time

UP NEXT
Wichita State opens a four-game homestand vs. Southern on Friday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena.