Men's Basketball | 1/22/2026 7:33:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
"Apperceptive mass" is the accumulation of experiences and knowledge that a person uses to interpret information and adapt to situations.
 
Wichita State sophomore forward Dillon Battie texted that term to coach Paul Mills earlier this season during a conversation about his inexperience on the basketball court. Battie, a transfer from Temple, played under eight minutes a game in 20 games last season. He's now played 35 college games, putting him roughly at the end of a freshman season.
 
"I'm just learning the game and staying ready," Battie said. "I'm learning as I've been playing more."
 
That applies to the entire team and Mills hopes that Wednesday's 77-60 win over ECU at Koch Arena is a sign the group's apperceptive mass is growing. In a season defined by close games, Wichita State and its fans enjoyed 40 minutes largely free of drama.
 
The Shockers (12-8, 4-3 American) did what a team that wants to push back into the conference race needs to do. They kept a winless ECU (5-14, 0-6) winless by starting strong and refusing to give the Pirates hope by playing solid defense and limiting turnovers.
 
Wichita State led by 10 or more points for 35 minutes after taking an 18-8 lead on a basket by Will Berg. It led by as many as 18 in the first half and 23 in the second. The fact that travel delays returning on Sunday and into Monday after a win at USF limited WSU's prep time made the performance even more satisfying for Mills.
 
 

Doesn't get much easier than this.@KaronBoydd | ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/WnQlaC7ZmP

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) January 22, 2026

"Our guys were really dialed in," he said. "I just didn't know about our juice today."
 
Kenyon Giles scored 27 points and Karon Boyd played superb defense on ECU's top scorer. Berg grabbed nine rebounds, three on offense to help the Shockers dominate second-chance points.
 
Battie's performance might be the best example of a growing "library of knowledge." He started his fourth straight game and matched his season high with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, 2 of 2 from the line, and five rebounds. In his four starts, Battie is shooting 46.6 percent from the field and averaging 9.0 points.
 
"He plays with a lot of force," Giles said.
 
That is Battie's job – get to the basket, score, draw fouls. While Mills wants more rebounding, Battie is becoming part of the solution to WSU's problems scoring around the rim. Since a 3-for-10 shooting performance with three turnovers in his first start against North Texas, Battie has played more solidly each game. He has committed one turnover in the past three games and made 11 of 20 shots.

Battie's apperceptive mass grows because he listens.
 
"He's very, very coachable," Mills said. "Sometimes you tell a player something and it's five, six, seven games before they really understand what you actually need them to do. He's actually been able to incorporate stuff the following game or following practice."
 
While the team's library of knowledge grows, Mills can lean on veterans such as Giles and Boyd. Giles made 9 of 19 shots and matched his season high with three assists. He continues to learn how to deal with defensive pressure and use that attention to get teammates good shots. Boyd played 34 demanding minutes by defending ECU's Jordan Riley and playing the lead role in holding him to 15 points (six below his average) on 5-of-18 shooting.
 
Boyd, who scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds, handled that defensive assignment while committing one foul. Riley employs a variety of fakes and footwork to draw fouls. Boyd stayed solid and made him take guarded shots.
 
"It was like basic drills," Boyd said. "Play with your chest. Hands out. Move your feet. Stay down."
 
That's apperceptive mass Mills values after a four-year college career.
 
"You get a lot of guys that can go out there and they can defend for three or four or five possessions," Mills said. "He's got consistency the whole game. What you see the first minute is the same thing you see the 38^th minute."
 
The Shockers play Memphis (9-9, 4-2) on Saturday (3 p.m.) in a game that can either keep them in the middle of the conference or push them towards the top. It will be another measure of how quickly this version of the Shockers can learn how to win big games at Koch Arena.
 
 

Oop there it is 💥@BattieDillon | ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/NW1y7biK42

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) January 22, 2026

 
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
 
Season tickets are on sale now, and season ticket renewals are available as well. To purchase, visit GoShockers.com/Tickets, dial 316-978-FANS (3267) or stop by the Shocker Ticket Office, located inside Charles Koch Arena, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.