UAB (18-9, 11-3) at WICHITA STATE (17-10, 7-7)
Thursday, Feb. 27 | 8:00 p.m. CDT
Wichita, Kan. | Charles Koch Arena
 
TV: ESPNU with Mark Neely & Mark Adams
Radio: KEYN 103.7 FM with Mike Kennedy & Dave Dahl
 

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Champions for Literacy: In partnership with United Way of the Plains, we join the #Fight4Literacy and encourage you to as well!
Ticket Offer: 2-for-$27 GA Tickets (must purchase in multiples of two)
Pregame Autographs: Shocker Baseball will be handing out their new 2025 schedule poster and signing autographs on the concourse outside section 117 during the hour leading up to tip-off.
 

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OPENING TIPS
• Wichita State brings its six-game win streak into a Thursday night matchup with the second-place UAB Blazers.
• Wichita State's 6-game win streak is tied for the 10th longest in the country.
• Wichita State has won six straight conference games for the first time since March of 2021. After going 1-7 in January, Wichita State has gone 6-0 in February.
• The six-game win streak matches the longest of the Paul Mills era.
• The Shockers are outrebounding their last 6 opponents, 258-184, for an average of +12.3 per game.
• Xavier Bell was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week on Feb. 24 after averaging 23.5 points per game on 92.9% shooting at the free throw line. Bell and Corey Washington are the first Shocker teammates to win AAC POW honors since 2021.
• Washington bounced back from a season-low 5 points at FAU with a 19-point, 8-rebound outing vs. Tulane.
• Bijan Cortes has played the best basketball of his career over the last three games which included back-to-back career highs of 13 points vs. Memphis and 16 points at FAU. He followed that with a 9-assist game vs. Tulane.
• Cortes is averaging 12.0 points and 6.7 assists over his last three games.
• Bell has scored 10 or more in 17 of the last 19 games. In conference play he is averaging 16.5 points.
• Quincy Ballard's 8 double-doubles are third most in the American and the most by a Shocker since Garrett Stutz in 2011-12. Seven of those 8 have come in the last 16 games. Ballard's 76.0 effective FG Pct. leads the nation.
• Harlond Beverly is riding a season-long 4-game streak in double figures. In the win vs. Tulane on Sunday he had 10 points and a season-high 9 rebounds.
• Ronnie DeGray III returned to action on Jan. 14 after missing nearly two months with a fractured wrist. He scored all 8 of his points vs. Charlotte in the 2nd half.
• Wichita State has a trio of 1,000-point scorers on the roster. Xavier Bell reached 1,000 career points on Dec. 17 vs. Kansas City and Harlond Beverly made it to 1,000 on Jan. 14 vs. Charlotte. Justin Hill has more than 1,500 career points.
• Ballard ranks 1st in the American in blocks per game (1.88) and ranks 29th nationally. His 49 total blocks also rank 1st in the AAC, while ranking 33rd in the NCAA.
• Ballard moved into 3rd on the Wichita State career blocks list vs. Memphis with 137. He's on pace to break the WSU career record for blocks per game at 1.96.
• Eight student-athletes on Wichita State's roster have NCAA Tournament experience: Quincy Ballard (Florida St.), Xavier Bell (Drexel), Harlond Beverly (Miami), Ronnie DeGray III (Missouri), Justin Hill (Longwood), AJ McGinnis (UNCG), Zane Meeks (San Francisco) and Corey Washington (St. Peter's).

THE SERIES WITH UAB
• This is just the seventh meeting all-time between Wichita State and UAB.
• UAB's men's basketball program has only been around since 1978. Gene Bartow sat on the bench for 18 seasons as the head coach, and now the Blazers play in Bartow Arena.
• Three of the first four meetings came in Wichita: Levitt Arena, Charles Koch Arena and INTRUST Bank Arena.
• The lone contest in Birmingham prior to last season came in 1982 when the Shockers squeaked out an 89-88 win in overtime behind 24 points from Aubrey Sherrod.
• The series started in 1981 when the Blazers made the trip to Wichita for a December matchup in Levitt Arena.
• Greg Dreiling, Tony Martin and Antoine Carr led the Shockers to a 75-60 win in that 1981 matchup.
• A thriller in Birmingham broke out in 1982. Wichita State shot nearly 65% from the field and the five starters scored all but five of Wichita State's points in an 89-88 overtime win.
• Sherrod (27) and Zarko Durisic (24) combined for 51 points and Xavier McDaniel recorded a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds.
• A low-scoring affair took place in the 2007 matchup in Charles Koch Arena. Robert Vaden dropped a game-high 23 for the Blazers, but it wouldn't be enough. The rest of the team went just 9-for-29 from the field.
• Phillip Thomasson (15) and Matt Braeuer (12) combined for 27 to lead the Shockers to victory.
• Only the second NCAA game to be played in the new downtown arena, INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita State used a strong second half to pull away from UAB on Nov. 25, 2011, 68-46.
• Wichita State led by just seven at halftime, but outscored the Blazers, 39-24, in the second half to win going away.
• Garrett Stutz was the lone Shocker in double figures with 17. UAB's Cameron Moore finished with a game-high 18.
• The Blazers shot just 32.1 percent overall and missed 15-of-16 attempts from beyond the arc.

SCOUTING UAB
• Led by fifth year head coach Andy Kennedy, UAB enters the matchup at 18-9 and 11-3 in league play.
• Kennedy returned to his alma mater where he is the second leading scorer in program history. A two-time SEC Coach of the Year and winningest coach in the University of Mississippi history, Kennedy coached at Ole Miss from 2006-2018, before spending two years as a commentator for ESPN and the SEC Network.
• He led the Blazers back to the NCAA Tournament during the 2023-24 season for the second time in three years even after losing five of their six leading scorers from the previous season.
• In his third season at the helm in Birmingham, he led UAB to a program-record 29 wins marking the Blazers' third-straight season of 20+ wins. He is one of just five active head coaches with 20+ wins in 14 of their first 17 seasons.
• UAB made it to the 2023 NIT Championship game, falling to North Texas, for the first time in program history.
• The Blazers were the preseason favorites to win the American in the 2024-25 Preseason Coaches Poll. After  an up-and-down non-conference portion of the schedule, the Blazers have started to put it together in conference play.
• The Blazers are led by Preseason American Player of the Year, Yaxel Lendeborg. He is averaging 17.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.6 steals per game, leading the team in each category. Lendeborg and Duke's Cooper Flagg are the only players in DI leading their respective teams in all five categories.
• Lendeborg was named to multiple award watch lists ahead of the 2024-25 season, including the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List, the Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List and the Karl Malone Award Watch List.
• Alejandro Vasquez is third on the team in scoring at 11.1 points per game and converting 88.1 percent of his free throw attempts.
• Christian Coleman adds 11.2 points and 7.3 rebounds to go with 24 steals and 23 blocked shots.
• Efrem "Butta" Johnson rounds out the double-figure scorers at 10.0 points per game.
• UAB ranks 2nd nationally in offensive rebounding, 5th in fast break points and 9th in total rebounds per game.

MILESTONE WATCH
• Quincy Ballard is 14 rebounds away from 500 in his collegiate career. He played his 100th career game on Jan. 29 vs. North Texas.
• Xavier Bell needs 1 assist to reach 200 for his career.
• Harlond Beverly played his 150th career game on Feb. 23 vs. Tulane.
• Bijan Cortes is 50 assists away from 300 for his career. He played in his 100th career game on Jan. 18 vs. East Carolina.
• Ronnie DeGray III played his 100th career game on Feb. 9 at South Florida.
• Justin Hill is 7 assists shy of 500 for his career. He needs 2 more games to reach his 150th career game.
• AJ McGinnis is 51 points away from reaching 1,000 for his career.

BELL PICKS UP AAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
• Fresh off a pair of 20-point outings against Florida Atlantic and Tulane, Xavier Bell was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week on Feb. 24. He averaged 23.5 points and was 13-for-14 (92.9%) at the free throw line.
• It marked the first time since 2021 Wichita State has had multiple AAC Player of the Week honors.

KILLER B
• Bijan Cortes has been a catalyst for Wichita State in Wichita State's last three wins vs. #14 Memphis, Florida Atlantic and Tulane, which you could make a case as being the three biggest wins of the season. In those three victories, Cortes averaged 12.0 points and 6.7 assists. He put up a career-high 16 points and dished seven assists at Florida Atlantic, one game after he set a new career high with 13 points vs. Memphis. Against Tulane he finished one assist shy of a career high with 9.
• Cortes' improved play during this six-game win streak could not have come at a better time with Justin Hill essentially missing each of those six games. Hill returned from a four-game absence at FAU, but was limited to just 3:32 of playing time after reaggravating a toe injury.

GLASS CLEANERS
• During Wichita State's six-game win streak, the battle of the boards has been dominated by the Black and Yellow. Wichita State is averaging 43.0 rebounds per game, while its opponents are only grabbing 30.7 for an average of +12.3 per game. In total, Wichita State has 258 total rebounds compared to just 184  by its last six opponents (+74).
• Against UTSA and Memphis Wichita State had back-to-back games of 50+ rebounds. The Shockers had 54 against #14 Memphis and 50 against UTSA. The last time Wichita State posted consecutive games with 50+ rebounds was 2005 when the Shockers had 51 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State on Nov. 18 and 53 vs. Texas Southern on Nov. 20.
• In Wichita State's win at South Florida on Feb. 9, the Shockers were a then season-best +20 (42-22) in rebound margin. The last time a Wichita State team outrebounded a Division I opponent by 20 or more was March 2, 2022 at Tulsa (+24). One game later Wichita State bested that mark by outrebounding UTSA by 21 (50-29). The 50 rebounds were a then season high until besting it in the very next game against Memphis with 54.
• The last time a Wichita State team had back-to-back games of a rebounding margin of +20 was Nov. 10, 2017 vs. UMKC (+28) and Nov. 13, 2017 vs. College of Charleston (+20).
• The 22 total rebounds are also the fewest Wichita State has allowed since that 2022 game at Tulsa when the Golden Hurricane finished with only 19 total rebounds.

THREE FOR THE ROAD
• Wichita State has reeled off three consecutive road wins in conference play at Charlotte (Feb. 4), South Florida (Feb. 9) and Florida Atlantic (Feb. 20). Its the first time under Paul Mills Wichita State has won three straight conference road games. The last time Wichita State won three straight conference games on the road was in 2023 on Feb. 5, Feb. 16 and Feb. 26 at Tulsa, Temple and Tulane. In that 2023 season Wichita State rattled off five in a row on the road.

IT STARTS WITH DEFENSE
• The Shockers allowed 88+ points in each of the first three conference games. The last time Wichita State allowed three straight conference opponents to score 88+ was in 1978-79.
• During Wichita State's 1-7 start to begin conference play they were allowing 75.9 points per game and opponents were shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from beyond the arc. However, the defense looks to have turned a corner. Over the last six games Wichita State is giving up just 67.7 points on 41.3 percent shooting and 28.3 percent from three-point range. The Shockers are also outrebounding their opponents by an average of 12.3 per game.
• In Wichita State's 10 losses, the Shockers are allowing opponents to shoot 49.4 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from three-point range. In Wichita State's 17 wins opponents are shooting only 39.7 percent from the field and 28.0 percent from beyond the arc.

ON THIS DATE: FEB. 27
• 1982 -- In his final game in a Shocker uniform, Cliff Levingston tallied 12 points and 13 rebounds to help Wichita State to a 92-72 win at Indiana State in its season finale (the Shockers were not postseason eligible that year). His last basket -- a dunk -- capped a 30-10 second-half run. Four months later, Levingston was drafted ninth overall by the Detroit Pistons.
• 1983 – With a 72-62 home win over Illinois State, Wichita State clinched the Missouri Valley Conference title and avenged an earlier loss to the Redbirds. Xavier McDaniel paced the Shockers with 17 points.
• 2015 -- The All-American duo of Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet played their final home game (a 74-58 win over Illinois State). The Shockers were an incredible 57-3 at home over their four seasons with the program (2012-16).

TULANE LEFTOVERS
• Wichita State improved to 8-5 all-time vs. Tulane.
• Wichita State is 18-22 all-time on Feb. 23.
• The Shockers won the rebound battle for the sixth straight game, and are outrebounding its last six opponents, 258-184 (+74).
• Wichita State is 13-4 this season when outrebounding the opponent.
• Wichita State scored 49 points in the second on 66.7 percent shooting. The 49 points were the most in American play and second most this season (55 vs. K-State).
• Wichita State shot 50 percent from the field, marking the seventh time this season they've shot 50 percent or better.
• Tulane's five assists were the fewest by a Wichita State opponent this season.
• Justin Hill (toe) missed his fifth game in the last six.
• Xavier Bell registered his 21st game in double figures behind 23 points on 7-of-15 field goals and 6-of-6 free throws. His seven games of 20 or more points lead the team.
• Corey Washington bounced back from a season-low five points at Florida Atlantic with 19 points and 8 rebounds. Washington's 22 games in double figures this season lead the team.
• Quincy Ballard recorded his 16th game in double figures with 11 points and 9 rebounds.
• Bijan Cortes dished out 9 assists, one shy of his career high. He has 20 assists over his last three games.
• Harlond Beverly reached double figures for the fourth straight game and 13th time this season behind 10 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Beverly's 9 rebounds were a season high.

OLD TIMERS
• With COVID still impacting eligibility, several schools around the country have multiple student-athletes on their rosters playing in their fifth, sixth and even seventh seasons. Wichita State is tied for second in the country with seven student-athletes in their fifth year or higher of collegiate basketball.

A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...                                                                     
... Make them 18-10 this season.
... Be their seventh straight win.
... Make them 8-7 in conference play.
... Move them to 6-1 all time vs. UAB.
... Make Paul Mills 33-29 as Wichita State head coach.
... Give Mills 139 career coaching victories.
... Run their record to 1,690-1,274 all time.

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...                                                                     
... Make them 17-11 this season.
... Snap a six-game win streak.
... Drop them to 7-8 in conference play.
... Drop them to 5-2 all time vs. UAB.
... Make Paul Mills 32-30 as Wichita State head coach.
... Lower Mills' career record to 138-114.
... Drop their record to 1,689-1,275 all time.

GAME 29: at NORTH TEXAS                                                                   
• Wichita State is 26-13 all-time vs. North Texas, but the Mean Green have won the last three meetings.
• North Texas won Round I vs. Wichita State this season on Jan. 29 in Wichita, 58-54.
• The Mean Green are tied for second in the league standings at 11-3.
• North Texas is led by second-year head coach Ross Hodge.