Men's Basketball | 3/8/2025 4:48:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop

When February started, the contribution of Wichita State's seniors seemed unclear. A 1-7 slump overshadowed a 10-3 start that included wins over Minnesota and Kansas State.
 
By March, the legacy of Wichita State's eight seniors – and especially the five who returned for this season – took on a much different light. They are the group that rallied together and turned the direction of the season in February. While tournament play awaits, this group of Shockers can be remembered for its work during a coaching transition in 2023-24 and the improvement in 2024-25.
 
"You need to leave it better than you found it," coach Paul Mills said. "We're better than we were a year ago. That's what you think about."
 
Wichita State (18-12, 8-9 American Athletic Conference) plays its final regular-season home game at 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Tulsa (11-19, 5-12) at Koch Arena (ESPN+). The eight seniors will be recognized starting at 12:35 p.m.
 
The Shockers are 7-2 since Feb. 1, including a win over then-No. 14 Memphis and four road wins. The turnaround is not complete in Mills' mind. On Thursday, the Shockers start in the AAC Championship in Fort Worth and must win four games to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
 
 

Ronnie DeFense III@Ronnie_DeGray23 | ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/ntelZqvyX9

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) March 7, 2025

 
 
"We need to continue to strive," he said. "We need to continue to get better and better. We need to make sure we're not writing a script of 'Man, we got close.'"
 
The Shockers enter Sunday in eighth place in the 13-team AAC. They could finish as high as No. 6 and no lower than eighth, depending on Sunday's results.
 
Seniors Harlond Beverly, Xavier Bell, Ronnie DeGray III, Bijan Cortes, AJ McGinnis, Justin Hill, Matey Bosnjak and Zane Meeks are guaranteed two more games. They have already won the most games in a season since the 2019-20 Shockers went 23-8 in a COVID-19-shortened season. That is also the last Shocker team to win 20 games (although the 2020-21 Shockers went 16-6 in a schedule also shortened by COVID restrictions).
 
The success of the past five weeks largely springs from tougher defense and rebounding, paired with a tempo that sees Mills calling more plays. WSU is holding its past nine opponents to 68.1 points a game and 29 percent three-point shooting. They out-rebounded eight of those nine opponents, five by 10 or more. They outscored eight of those nine opponents in second-chance points.
 
The flip from January struggles is best exemplified by Cortes and his play at point guard. He did not start a game in January and ended the month playing eight scoreless minutes in a loss to North Texas. With Hill injured, he moved into the starting lineup and regularly plays 25 or more minutes.
 
Cortes hit one of the season's biggest shots a three-pointer in overtime – in the win over Memphis. He scored 16 points and handed out seven assists in a win at FAU. He recorded a season-high nine assists in a win over Tulane.
 
On Thursday, he put WSU up 60-57 at Rice with a basket in the final minute on the way to a 63-59 win. After the game, he texted Mills to promise fewer turnovers.
 
 

B goes high off the window.@whynotbijan | ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/1ySIMvOvlX

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) March 7, 2025

 
 
"He is way more aggressive," Mills said. "The fact he has a level of accountability – I'm really, really proud of Bijan and the strides he's made in two years. It starts with him being aggressive."
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.