The RoundHouse | 11/6/2023 10:11:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
"One Shining Moment" led off the playlist at Wichita State's shootaround on Monday. That song – the traditional sendoff after the NCAA title game on CBS - is about aspiration and highlights and there is no better time to dream big than opening day.
 
"We were hyped," center Kenny Pohto said. "You should have seen us in the locker room. We were jumping up and down like crazy."
 
Monday's 76-59 win over Lipscomb in front of 6,286 fans at Koch Arena provided plenty of highlights for fans wondering what the coach Paul Mills era might look like. The Shockers (1-0) produced an offense that was efficient and athletic. Wichita State shot 47 percent from the field – 57 in the first half – and committed 10 turnovers.
 
Guard Colby Rogers scored 20 points, 18 in the first half on an 8-of-12 shooting spree, in his first regular-season game since 2022. Isaac Abidde registered a career-high 13 points and led the highlights with two dunks. Xavier Bell led the Shockers with five assists and scored 12 points. Quincy Ballard recorded his first double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
 
"It felt good," Rogers said. "Happy to be out there finally."
 
On it went.
 
The Shockers scored on a lob dunk by Ballard to open the game. Abidde threw down a ferocious tip dunk and Dalen Ridgnal got one, as well. Abidde also dunked on lob set up by back-screens on an out-of-bound play from the sideline.
 
Ballard blocked two shots. Bell bullied his way into the lane and scored over smaller guards. Ridgnal and Abidde chased rebounds with no regard for the people in their way.
 
While Lipscomb (0-1) was down an injured All-Atlantic Sun Conference pick (forward Jacob Ognacevic), the Shockers handled their job cleanly and professionally. Once Rogers got rolling in the first half, WSU expanded its lead to 17. The Bisons got no closer than nine in the second half and the Shockers responded with a 9-0 run to lead 64-46 with 9:02 to play.
 
 

Flight 5, you are cleared for takeoff 🛫 pic.twitter.com/tWAPTiX5hL

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) November 7, 2023

 
 
"I didn't think anyone played really above their level from what we've seen," Mills said. "I've seen Colby have much higher levels than even what he saw tonight."
Rogers, who sat out last season after transferring from Siena, missed his first shot. He made a baseline jumper and then a corner three and he was off. The Bisons put a smaller defender on him and Rogers, 6-foot-4, made it look easy with mid-range jumpers over him.
 
"I know if I get to my sweet spot, I'll rise up," he said. "When you work on that shot so many times throughout the year, it's kind of like second nature. I shoot that shot 1,000 times. I shot that shot at 7 this morning."
 
The Mills debut wasn't all about scoring. The Shockers used their height advantage to out-rebound Lipscomb 51-33 and score 13 second-chance points. They held the Bisons to 33-percent shooting and limited them to seven free throws.
 
"We've got a great group of guys that can crash the boards really well," Pohto said. "I feel like we're going to be a problem on the glass this year."
 
Mills departed his first regular-season news conference a winner and thinking about a long night reviewing video and preparing for Thursday's game against Western Kentucky.
 
Those shining moments don't happen without a lot of hours dedicated to the grind.
 
 

Colby Rogers. Learn the name.

The man is scalding.

18 pts | 8-11 FG | 2-4 3FG 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MMp9M9i0vF

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) November 7, 2023

Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.