Wichita State (13-9, 3-6) vs. Memphis (12-9, 4-4)
Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023 | 2:00 PM CT | Charles Koch Arena
ESPN+ | GoShockers.com/Listen | ShockerStats.com

ON THE AIR
Saturday's game can be heard online at GoShockers.com/Listen 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 shot a season-worst 27.8 percent from the floor in a 72-59 road loss at Temple on Wednesday night. Wichita State suffered its fourth straight loss to Temple and is just 1-4 on the road in conference play. Despite grabbing a season-high 25 offensive rebounds and outrebounding Temple 50-36, Wichita State only scored 15 second chance points. The loss spoiled a career night for Trajata Colbert. Colbert recorded her fourth double-double of the season behind a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds. She was 9-for-11 at the free throw line and also swiped three steals. DJ McCarty and Shamaryah Duncan added 10 points apiece, but they were just a combined 7-of-27 from the field. Jane Asinde did most of her work in the second half, just missing a double-double with 8 points and 12 rebounds.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Led by second year head coach Katrina Merriweather, Memphis enters Saturday's matchup at 12-9 this season and 4-4 in American play. Memphis averages 70.3 points on 40.6 percent shooting and 32.1 percent from beyond the arc. The Tigers boast the league's third-best rebound margin at plus-7.0 and they average 41.6 boards a game. Jamirah Shutes leads the Tigers in scoring at 14.8 points per game, followed by Madison Griggs at 12.6 per game. Griggs knocks down nearly 40 percent of her three-point attempts. Emani Jefferson puts in 9.2 points to go with a team-high 53 assists and 26 steals.

THE SERIES VS. MEMPHIS
Wichita State and Memphis have met eight times prior to Saturday's matchup. The Shockers avoided a regular season sweep a season ago after dropping the first meeting at home, but rebounded to defeat the Tigers on the road a month later. Wichita State is just 1-3 vs. Memphis in Wichita, having lost the last three matchups.

LAST MEETING
Wichita State split the regular season series in 2022 behind a 68-61 road win at Memphis on Feb. 19, 2022. Memphis had won the first meeting in Wichita by one point, 50-49. Wichita State was just 2-for-11 from beyond the arc, but won the rebound (38-34) and turnover (11-20) battles. Wichita State was also more efficient at the free throw line, converting 14-of-17 compared to Memphis at just 12-for-21. Mariah McCully poured in a game-high 23 points on 10-of-19 shooting and Asia Strong added 17. Trajata Colbert chipped in 10 points and 7 boards off the bench.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
Wichita State boasts a top 70 defense through the first 22 games of the season. They have held all but nine opponents to less than 38 percent shooting, and only seven teams have shot better than 32 percent from three-point range. Wichita State's field goal defense is holding teams to just 37.3 percent, good for 58th nationally. Opponents are connecting on only 29.3 percent of their attempts from long range. Wichita State has held nine opponents under 60 points, including four under 50.

TALENTED TRIO
Jane Asinde, DJ McCarty and Trajata Colbert are forming a potent trio for the Shockers. All three are averaging double figures on the season and combine for 51.8 percent of Wichita State's points on the offensive end. On the glass, they combine to pull down 21.6 rebounds a game. On the defensive end, the trio makes up 61.8 percent (105 steals) of the team's steals this season and 56.9 percent (37 blocks) of the team's blocks.

KOWCUN IS KOOKIN'
Junior Ambah Kowcun is heating up at the right time for Wichita State. Over her last five games, she is averaging 10.6 points on 55.2 percent shooting (16-for-29) and 57.1 percent from three-point range (12-for-21). The Australia sharpshooter is coming off a season-high 22 points at Cincinnati on Jan. 28 behind 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.

SEEING DOUBLE
Wichita State senior Jane Asinde is averaging a double-double through 22 games this season at 11.7 points and 10.8 rebounds. The Uganda native is on pace to finish the season with a top 10 single season rebounding mark. Her current 10.8 boards per game would rank as the 7th most in school history. She is also trying to become the first Shocker to average a double-double over the course of a season since Antionette Wells during the 2006-07 season when she posted 13.0 points and 10.4 rebounds.

WANTED FOR THEFT
Junior guard DJ McCarty and senior forward Jane Asinde have been a pest on defense for opposing offenses through 22 games. McCarty has recorded at least one steal in all but four games, and has multiple in 13 of the 22 games. Her 46 steals are the most on the team. Asinde is second on the team with 40 steals and averages 2.00 steals a game and has multiple steals in 11 games this season. They rank 4th and 6th, respectively, in the American in steals per game.

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 22 games in 2022-23, she is 71-for-88 (80.7 percent). Colbert ranks fifth in the American in free throw percentage.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Through 22 games Wichita State ranks in the top 70 nationally in the following categories: No. 21 in rebound margin (8.1), No. 32 in rebounds per game (41.23), No. 44 in offensive rebounds per game (13.9), No. 51 in free throws made per game (14.14), No. 57 in fouls per game (14.9), No. 58 in field goal percentage defense (37.3) and No. 68 in defensive rebounds (27.3). Jane Asinde ranks 13th nationally in rebounds per game, No. 20 in total rebounds and No. 26 in offensive and defensive rebounds per game.

A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...
... make them 14-9 on the season
... make them 4-6 in conference play
... make them 9-3 at home this season
... move them to 5-5 all-time vs. Memphis
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 76-87 at Wichita State
... make Adams 360-296 at the Division I level
... run Adams' career coaching record to 487-333
... improve their record to 395-251 in Charles Koch Arena
... make Wichita State 646-735 all-time

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...
... make them 13-10 this the season
... make them 3-7 in conference play
... drop them to 8-4 at home this season
... make them 4-6 all-time vs. Memphis
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 75-88 at Wichita State
... make Adams 359-297 at the Division I level
... lower Adams' career coaching record to 486-334
... drop their record to 394-252 in Charles Koch Arena
... make Wichita State 645-736 all-time

UP NEXT
Wichita State and Tulane meet for a second time in 2023 when the Green Wave travels to Wichita Thursday night for a 6 p.m. tip.