KANSAS (4-4) vs. WICHITA STATE (4-5)
Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023 | 1 p.m. CT
Wichita, Kan. | Charles Koch Arena 
TV: ESPN+
Radio: GoShockers.com/Listen with Steve Strain  OPENING TIPS
> Wichita State concludes its four-game stretch at home in Charles Koch Arena, taking on in-state foe Kansas Sunday at 1 p.m.
> Head coach Terry Nooner will face his former team and alma mater for the first time as a head coach. Nooner spent the last three seasons as an associate head coach and assistant coach for the Jayhawks.
> Kansas leads the all-time series 33-7, most recently winning 72-52 a season ago in Lawrence.
>  Tre'Zure Jobe is averaging 13.7 points per through the first nine games, leading the team in scoring.
> Jobe has started all 120 games of her collegiate career, including her five seasons at Emporia State.
> Jobe is ranked 80^th in the nation and fourth in the conference in steals with 20.
> Daniela Abies is the team's leading rebounder, averaging 7.3 rebounds per game with one double-double (18 pts, 11 reb) against Akron.
> Jeniah Thompson is also recording 5.6 rebounds per game with a career-high 15 against Saint Louis.
> Abies averages 11.8 points per game and finished in double figures in six of nine games.
> Abies ranks 17^th in the nation and second in the conference in offensive rebounds per game (4.2).
> Wichita State ranks in the top 100 nationally in the following categories: No. 33 in free throw attempts per game (22), No. 34 in three-point percentage defense (24.2), No. 72 in offensive rebounds per game (14.1), 90^th in free throws made per game (13.8), and 100^th in bench points per game (23).
> The Shockers are ranked second in the American Athletic Conference in free throw attempts per game and third in three-point percentage defense.
> First-year head coach Terry Nooner has only one returning starter, DJ McCarty.
> Wichita State returns just 34.7 percent of its scoring from a season ago, having lost its top two leading scorers and three other triple-digit point scorers. Trajata Colbert and Curtessia Dean exhausted their eligibility, and three of the top six scorers departed through the transfer portal.
> Wichita State has only two true freshmen on the roster in Salese Blow (Texas) and Sophia Goncalves (California).
> Blow has scored in double figures three times with a career-high 20 points against Dayton and got her first collegiate start at Belmont. She has led the team in scoring in two games.
> Three Shockers are averaging double-digit scoring (Jobe 13.7 ppg, Abies 11.8 ppg, Blow 10.4 ppg).
> Sierra Morrow has yet to make her Shocker debut as she awaits the NCAA's decision on her transfer waiver.

SCOUTING KANSAS
> Led by 9th-year head coach Brandon Schneider (26^th year overall), Kansas (4-4) is coming off a 79-57 win over Houston Christian.
> The Jayhawks' only four losses have come against teams which are currently ranked in the top 25 or are receiving votes (No. 15 Virginia Tech, No. 17 UConn, No. 25 Penn State and RV Texas A&M).
> Kansas is 0-4 on the road this season.
> Four Jayhawks are averaging double-digit scoring with Taiyanna Jackson leading the team with 13.7 points per game and S'Mya Nichols averaging 13.5, Holly Kersgieter averaging 12 and Zakiyah Franklin averaging 10.5.
> Jackson is the team's leading rebounder, averaging 9.6 rebounds per game.
> The Jayhawks were picked third of 14 teams in the Big 12 preseason poll after winning the WNIT last season.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. KANSAS
> Kansas leads the all-time series 33-7, most recently winning 72-52 a season ago in Lawrence.
> The Jayhawks have won the last three-consecutive matchups, with Wichita State's last win coming on Dec. 11, 2002 in Charles Koch Arena.

NON-CONFERENCE NOTABLES
> Wichita State faced three first-time foes in the non-conference docket, Presbyterian, Belmont and Dayton.
> The Shockers opened their season against No. 23 Oklahoma.
> Belmont (MVC) and Southeastern Louisiana (Southland) were picked to win their respective leagues.
> The Shockers' play two games against teams that finished inside the Top 50 of last year's NCAA NET Rankings (Kansas – 30 and Oklahoma – 38).

LAST TIME OUT
> Another offensive slump slowed the Shockers in their second home loss of the season, falling 49-44 to Houston Christian Monday evening in Charles Koch Arena.
> Wichita State shot just 17-for-61 (.279), their second-worst field goal percentage of the year but held Houston Christian (4-5) to only 21-for-53 (.396) from the field.
> Daniela Abies recorded a career-high 12 rebounds as the Shockers out-rebounded the Huskies 52-31.
> Wichita State tallied its most offensive rebounds in a game this season with 22.
> The Shockers failed to execute down the stretch as their comeback effort fell short.
 
A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...                                                                     
... make them 5-5 on the season
... make them 4-2 at home
... make them 8-33 all-time against Kansas
... bring Terry Nooner's record to 5-5 at Wichita State
... run Nooner's career coaching record to 5-5
...be Wichita State women's basketball's 401st all-time win in Charles Koch Arena
... make Wichita State 655-745 all-time

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...                                                                     
... make them 4-6 on the season
... make them 3-3 in home games
... make them 7-34 all-time against Kansas
... bring Terry Nooner's record to 5-5 at Wichita State
... lower Nooner's career coaching record to 5-5
... make Wichita State 654-746 all-time

UP NEXT
Wichita State hits the road for the first time since Nov. 25 to take on Missouri State in Springfield, Mo. on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 1 p.m.