WICHITA STATE (8-18, 4-10 AAC) at CHARLOTTE (15-12, 8-7 AAC)
Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 | 3 p.m. CT
Charlotte, N.C. | Halton Arena
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KNSS with Steve Strain  OPENING TIPS
> Wichita State and Charlotte face off for the third time in program history and the first time as American Athletic Conference opponents.
> The Shockers seek their first-ever win over the 49ers as Charlotte won the first two meetings in 2003 and 2004.
> Three Shockers are averaging double-digit scoring with Daniela Abies leading the team with 12.4 points per game, and Salese Blow and Tre'Zure Jobe both averaging 11.2.
> Abies is also the team's leading rebounder, averaging 9.0 rebounds per game with eight double-doubles.
> Abies has landed on the AAC Honor Roll three times, most recently following her performance in the win at Florida Atlantic (15 pts, 15 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl).
> DJ McCarty is 70 points away from 1,000 career points after scoring a career-high 26 in the win over Tulsa.
> Jobe was named AAC Player of the Week on Jan. 1 following her 21 points, 8 assists and 2 steals against Tulane and went on to record her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds at Rice.
> Blow claimed the AAC Freshman of the Week award on Nov. 27 following her 19 points in the win over Omaha and career-high 20 points against Dayton, leading the team in scoring in both contests.
> Wichita State ranks in the top 100 nationally in the following categories: No. 54 in free throw attempts per game (17.7), No. 55 in three-point percentage defense (28.3) and No. 89 in offensive rebounds per game (12.8).
> The Shockers are ranked third in the American Athletic Conference in three-point percentage defense.
> Abies ranks second in the conference in rebounding with 235 total rebounds. She ranks 20^th in the nation and second in the conference in offensive rebounds per game (3.9).
> Senior transfer from Miami (OH) Sierra Morrow made her long-awaited Shocker debut against Kansas after her NCAA transfer waiver was finally approved just before the court decision. She tied for a team-high 12 points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds off the bench. In her third game of the season, she scored a career-high 29 points against Oral Roberts to land herself on the AAC Weekly Honor Roll.
> 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).
 
DANI DOMINANCE
Daniela Abies has finished with 10-plus rebounds 11 times and has led the team in rebounding in 20 games this season. She has eight career double-doubles, all this season. She scored a career-high 23 points against UAB and recorded a career-high 16 rebounds against Memphis and has led the team in scoring seven times.
 
FRESHIE ON FIRE
Salese Blow had finished in double figures in 10-straight games and in 15 games total before being held scoreless against Tulsa. She made her first career start at Belmont in November and then didn't start again until Dec. 30 against Tulane and has started every game since.
 
She put up a career-high 23 points at North Texas, has led the team in scoring eight times and has three 20-plus point games.
 
NATIONAL TRE'ZURE
Jobe had started all 127 games of her collegiate career, including her five years at Emporia State, before coming off the bench against North Texas and Memphis. She made her return to the starting lineup at Tulsa and has continued to start since. She missed the last game due to injury.
 
She had her best game of the season in the conference opener against Tulane, recording 21 points, 8 assists and 2 steals and being named American Athletic Conference Player of the Week. She recorded her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds at Rice.

SCOUTING THE 49ERS
> Led by 13^th-year head coach Cara Consuegra, the 49ers are coming off a 70-69 overtime win at North Texas, handing the Mean Green just their second loss in The Super Pit.
> Charlotte is 9-3 at home this season with two of their losses coming from teams the Shockers have beaten (Florida Atlantic and Tulsa).
> Two 49ers are averaging double-digit scoring with Dazia Lawrence leading the team with 18.4 points per game and Tracey Hueston averaging 12.2.
> Lawrence ranks second in the conference in free throws and third in the conference in field goals.
> Jacee Busick leads the team in rebounding with 5.2 per game.
> The 49ers lead the conference in free throws made per game (15.9), ranking second in free throw attempts per game (21.4).
> Charlotte was picked 10th in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll and currently sits in seventh.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. TULSA
> The teams meet for the third time with Charlotte winning both the previous meetings in 2003 and 2004.

LAST TIME OUT
> Wichita State senior DJ McCarty put up a career-high 26 points in the Shockers' 74-65 bounce-back victory over Tulsa last Saturday in Charles Koch Arena.
> McCarty shot 8-for-18, dished out a game-high five assists and recorded two steals in her highest scoring game since Nov. 2022.
> The Shockers out-rebounded the Golden Hurricane 43-37, forced 22 turnovers and held the American Athletic Conference leading scorer, Temira Poindexter, who averages 20.4 points per game, to 5-for-17 and 14 points.
> The game saw nine lead changes and 15 ties before Wichita State pulled away at the end of the fourth quarter.
> The Shockers scored 30 points in the paint as Daniela Abies recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 19 points and 13 rebounds, leading the team in rebounds for the 20^th time this season.
> Sierra Morrow also finished in double figures for the second-straight game with 11 points, just missing a double-double with nine rebounds.
> Raissa Nsabua recorded a game-high four steals and scored seven points, while Jayla Murray put up eight points for the Shockers.
 
A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...                                                                     
... make them 9-18 on the season
... be the Shockers' first-ever win over Charlotte
... be their second road win of the season.

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...                                                                     
... make them 8-19 on the season
... let Charlotte remain undefeated against the Shockers
… be drop their road record to 1-10

UP NEXT
Wichita State returns home Wednesday, Feb. 28 for the Play4Kay pink game at 6 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena.