MEMPHIS (9-9, 4-2) at WICHITA STATE (12-8, 4-3)
Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 | 3:00 p.m. CDT
Wichita, Kan. | Charles Koch Arena
 
TV: ESPN2 with Mark Neely & Perry Clark
Radio: KEYN 103.7 FM with Mike Kennedy & Dave Dahl
 

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YELLOW OUT - Paint Charles Koch Arena Yellow! Grab your official Yellow Out shirt at Scheels.
 

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OPENING TIPS
• Wichita State welcomes Memphis to the Roundhouse Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.
• Wichita State is 12-14 all time when playing on Jan. 24.
• At 4-3 in league play, Wichita State is off to its best start since the 2020-21 season when the Shockers began 5-2.
• Two of Wichita State's four wins in American play have come when trailing by 13 or more.
• Seven of Wichita State's eight losses have come by 6 points or fewer.
• Through 20 games Wichita State is one of the top offensive rebounding teams in the country at 15.2 per game - good for 4th nationally. That mark would be the best in a single season in school history.
• Kenyon Giles has scored 10+ points in 18 of the 20 games this season, including nine 20-point games. Giles matched or scored career high in three of the first four conference games.
• Giles is currently averaging 18.4 PPG for the season, which would be the highest by a Shocker since Jason Perez in 2000.
• In league play, Giles ranks 3rd in the American at 21.4 PPG with five 20-point outings in seven games.
• He poured in a career-high 33 points vs. North Texas, the most by a Shocker since Markis McDuffie (34) in 2019.
• In his 33-point explosion vs. North Texas, Giles was 13-for-17 from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. His 13 made field goals were the most by a Shocker since Cleanthony Early on Jan. 9, 2013.
• Giles averaged 24.8 PPG over the first four conference games until he was held to a season-low 2 points at Florida Atlantic.
• Giles is shooting 45.1% (37-for-82) from 3-point range over his last 9 games.
• Giles ranks 3rd nationally in total three-pointers made (70) and 9th in three-pointers made per game (3.50). Xavier Bell led the Shockers in made three-pointers last season with 35 for the whole year. Giles needed only 12 games to surpass that total this season.
• Giles is one of only three players in the country with 70 made 3-pointers on 40.0% shooting or better from beyond the arc.
• Michael Gray Jr. recorded his first career double-double vs. Rice, tying a career-high with 25 points and grabbing a career-high 10 boards.
• Will Berg recorded career highs in rebounds (15) and blocks (4) at USF. He's the first Shocker to post 15 rebounds and 4 blocks in a game since Garrett Stutz on Feb. 4, 2012.
• Karon Boyd (52) and Berg (68) account for 39.5% of WSU's offensive rebounds this season.
• Four different Shockers have recorded a double-double through the first 20 games: Berg (4), Boyd (3), Gray Jr. (1) and TJ Williams (1).
• In WSU's conference opening road win at UAB, the Shockers trailed by as many as 16, before completing the comeback. It was the largest comeback win since 2023 at Tulsa (16) and tied for the 8th largest comeback in program history.

THE SHOCKS, IN SHORT
• Wichita State returns just 0.9 percent of its scoring from a season ago. The Shockers lost their top nine scorers from 2024-25 and 12 total letterwinners. Wichita State  lost seven players to graduation (Xavier Bell, Harlond Beverly, Matej Bosnjak, Bijan Cortes, Ronnie DeGray III, Justin Hill, AJ McGinnis, Zane Meeks) and four to the transfer portal (Quincy Ballard: Mississippi State, Corey Washington: SMU, Yanis Bamba: Maine, Zion Pipkin: South Plains JC).
• Wichita State brings back only two returners that logged minutes in 2024-25: Joy Ighovodja (87 minutes) and walk-on Henry Thengvall (8 minutes). TJ Williams is the only other returner, but he did not see any action after redshirting.

THE SERIES VS. MEMPHIS
• This is the 37th meeting all-time. Memphis leads 22-14 (12-4 AAC era) with wins in 10 of the last 12 meetings.
• Six of Memphis' 12 wins in the AAC era have been by double digits.
• Wichita State snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Tigers in the second round of the American Championship in 2024.
• In the first meeting of the 2023-24 season, Memphis was ranked No. 13 and even climbed as high as No. 10 in the AP poll, but finished the conference season 7-7 over its final 14 games.
• Wichita State is 9-7 against Memphis in Wichita (2-4 American era). All 16 matchups have taken place at the Roundhouse.
• Since Wichita State joined the American in 2017-18, Wichita State and Memphis have played each other twice in every season but two (2018, 2021). The only reason they didn't in 2021 was due to COVID canceling the game.
• The Shockers won on their first visit to FedExForum (Feb. 6, 2018) but have since dropped seven-straight. They're 3-14 all-time against the Tigers in Memphis.
• Wichita State does own two other wins at FedExForum as part of its run to the 2019 AAC semifinals.
• Wichita State is 3-12 against Penny Hardaway.
• The Tigers swept the 2021-22 series, winning by 18 in Wichita and by 24 in Memphis.
• The series in 2022-23 was much closer, but the Shockers still found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard.
• Memphis needed 29 points from DeAndre Williams to defeat the Shockers by 10 in Memphis on Jan. 19. One month later, Memphis outlasted the Shockers in Charles Koch Arena, 83-78.
• Memphis won both regular season meetings again in 2023-24 in very different fashion. The first a dominant win, and the second on a game-winner in the final seconds.
• The two teams split the series in 2024-25 with the home team winning each game.
• The only other neutral site meeting between the two schools came in 2014 when they meet at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Fall, S.D. to begin the 2014-15 season.
• Ron Baker scored a game-high 21 points and added five rebounds, six assists and two steals to lead Wichita State to a comfortable 71-56 win in front of a sellout crowd.

SCOUTING MEMPHIS
• Led by eighth year head coach Penny Hardaway, Memphis enters the matchup at 9-9 and 4-2 in league play.   
• In eight seasons since returning to his alma mater as head coach, Hardaway, has led the Tigers to a 164-77 record, seven-straight 20-win seasons, the 2021 National Invitation Tournament championship, the 2023 and 2025 American tournament championship and three trips to the NCAA Tournament in the last four seasons in 2022, 2023 and 2025.
• In his tenure, Hardaway has coached two NBA first-round picks, mentored three AAC Freshmen of the Year and developed multiple All-AAC and All-Freshman honorees. Under his leadership, • Memphis has twice had the nation's No. 1 recruiting class and eight wins over ranked opponents, with multiple stints in the national top 10.
• The Tigers were picked as the favorite in the American Preseason Coaches poll with 143 total points and 11 first-place votes. Dug McDaniel and Aaron Bradshaw both earned a spot on the American Conference Preseason First Team.
• The Tigers boast one of the nation's best three-point defenses, ranking top-15 nationally and 10th in the country in games holding opponents under 30% from deep (11 times this season).
• In conference play, Memphis has been even more stingy, limiting American opponents to just 24.8% shooting from three-point range, including 18.6% in first halves.
• McDaniel is the only Tiger averaging double figures at 13.9 points per game to go with 3.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists. He is one of only seven Division I players averaging at least 10.0 points, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals.
• McDaniel is one of only three Division I players who have posted at least 200 points, 80 assists, 35 steals and 30 triples in 2025-26. (as of Jan. 19). He is the only Memphis player in the last 30 seasons to reach those marks through 16 games.

CONNECT THE DOTS
• Wichita State is familiar with a few Tigers on the Memphis roster in 2026. Point guard Dug McDaniel is in his first season with the Tigers after transferring from Kansas State. The Shockers beat the Wildcats in Koch Arena last season with McDaniel on the roster.
• Quante Berry spent his first two seasons at Temple before moving to Memphis this season. Berry started against the Shockers last season when Wichita State made the trip to Philadelphia.

EAST CAROLINA LEFTOVERS
• Wichita State improved to 8-4 all time vs. East Carolina, snapping a three-game losing streak in the series.
• It marked the largest win over the Pirates since 2019 when the Shockers defeated East Carolina by 17 in Koch Arena.
• Nine of Wichita State's 12 wins have come by double digits.
• The Shockers are 17-12 when playing on Jan. 21.
• Wichita State improved to 5-17 in January under Paul Mills.
• Wichita State never trailed in the game for the fourth time this season.
• Wichita State has outrebounded 17 of its 20 opponents.
• Wichita State tied a season high with 49 total rebounds.
• Wichita State's 34 three-point attempts were a season high.
• Kenyon Giles finished with a game-high 27 points, marking his ninth 20-point game of the season. He has topped the 20-point mark in five of the seven conference games.
• Giles has made at least one three-pointer in 19 of the 20 games and multiple 18 of the 20.
• Giles' 3 assists tied a season high.
• His 15 three-point attempts were a career high.
• Dillon Battie made his fourth straight start and finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. In his four starts he averaging 9.0 points per game.
• Karon Boyd recorded his 13th game in double figures with 12 points.
• Michael Gray Jr. registered his ninth game in double figures with 12 points.

KG THE BUCKET
• Kenyon Giles has nine 20-point games this season with five of those coming in the first seven conference games with 26 at UAB, 27 at Charlotte,  a career-high 33 vs. North Texas, 22 at USF and 27 vs. ECU. His 33-point outburst vs. the Mean Green marked the most points by a Shocker since Markis McDuffie scored 34 on March 15, 2019 vs. Temple. Giles scored his 33 points on an ultra-efficient 13-of-17 from the field, a perfect 4-of-4 beyond the arc and 3-of-3 at the free throw line. His 13 made field goals were the most since Cleanthony Early made 13 on Jan. 9, 2013 when he dropped a career-high 39 on SIU. Giles was also the first Shocker since Landry Shamet on Nov. 20, 2017 to go 4-of-4 or better from three-point range.
• Giles' 33 points are tied for the 3rd most by a player in the American Conference this season, trailing only USF's Wes Enis (36) and Tulsa's David Green (34).
• He started his hot streak when he scored a then career-high tying 26 at UAB in the American Conference opener. Twenty-four of those 26 came from beyond the arc when he knocked down a career-high 8 three-pointers. His 8 three-pointers tied for the second most in a single game in school history, one shy of the school record held by Jason Perez's 9. The last Shocker to make 8 three-pointers in a game was Joe Ragland 14 years ago on Dec. 4, 2011.
• Three days later he poured in a new career-high 27 at Charlotte behind six more three-pointers.
• Giles has scored 368 total points this season - 202 of those have come after halftime. The 5-10 guard scores 54.9 percent of his points in the second half.
• He had three 20-point games in November, becoming the first Shocker since McDuffie in 2018 to have three 20-point performances in the month of November.

GRAY AREA
• Michael Gray Jr. recorded his first career double-double on Jan. 7 vs. Rice. He matched a career high with 25 points and grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds. He is the first Shocker to have a 25-10 game since Markis McDuffie on March 15, 2019 vs. Temple.
• Gray is averaging 13.0 points per game over his last six games. The four games prior he was averaging just 6.5 per game.

KB 1K
• Karon Boyd eclipsed the 1,000 career point mark on Jan. 3, 2026 at Charlotte. He entered the game 12 points shy and finished the game with 21 - his second 20-point game of the season.
• Boyd now has 1,062 career points with 222 of those coming this season at Wichita State. He joins teammate Kenyon Giles as the two members of the 1,000 point club on this year's team.

VALENCIA SIDELINED FOR SEASON
• Wichita State's depth took a hit right after Christmas when junior forward Jaret Valencia went down with a season ending achilles injury during practice. Prior to the Christmas break, Valencia had been playing his best basketball of the season.

FROM BEHIND THE ARC AND BEYOND
• Kenyon Giles is spearheading the long range bombing. He ranks 3rd in the NCAA in total 3-pointers made (70), 9th in three-pointers per game (3.50), 12th in three-point attempts (166) and 30th in three-point percentage (42.2%).
• At the current pace, Giles is on track to break the single season school record for three-pointers made per game (3.50). His 8.30 three-point attempts per game would also be the second most in a single season at Wichita State. He's already entered the single season Top 10 list for total three-pointers and is only 29 shy of tying the school record.
• Giles was one of only five players in the country this season to make at least 20 three-pointers through the first five games of the season.
• He is the first Shocker in program history to knock down 20 three-pointers in the first five games of a season.
• To put that into perspective, Giles needed only 12 games to pass the Shockers' three-point leader from a season ago (Xavier Bell - 35).

FASTEST TO 60
• Kenyon Giles became the fastest Shocker to reach 60 made three-pointers in a single season in program history on Jan. 11 vs. North Texas. Giles needed only 17 games to make his 60th three-pointer of the season, three fewer games than former Shocker, Tyson Etienne.

CRASHIN THE OFFENSIVE GLASS
• KenPom ranks Wichita State 5th nationally in offensive rebound percentage at 40.1%. The Shockers average 15.2 offensive rebounds a game, which ranks 4th in the country. At the current rate, that average would easily break the single season program record. The school record was set back in 1995-96 at 13.8 offensive rebounds per game.
• Four Shockers have 30 or more offensive rebounds this season. The quartet of Will Berg, Karon Boyd, TJ Williams and Emmanuel Okorafor make up 62.2 percent of Wichita State's offensive rebounds.

MILESTONE WATCH
• Karon Boyd scored his 1,000th career point on Jan. 3 at Charlotte and played his 100th career game on Nov. 26 vs. Saint Mary's. He needs 8 steals to reach 100 and 22 rebounds to reach 750.
• Kenyon Giles surpassed 1,500 career points on Jan. 7 vs. Rice. He played his 100th career game on Nov. 8 vs. Prairie View A&M. He needs 39 assists to reach 250 career assists.
• Michael Gray Jr. is 3 assists away from 100 for his career. He is 12 games shy of his 100th career game.
• Emmanuel Okorafor needs 28 rebounds to reach 250 for his career.
• Jaret Valencia is 94 points shy of 600 and 7 blocks away from 100 career blocked shots.

ON THIS DATE: JANUARY 24
• 2004 – Wichita State went on the road and handed Evansville an 86-66 drubbing on its home floor. Randy Burns (23) and Rob Kampman (20) both notched 20-point games to lead five Shockers in double figures. The win was the second of nine-straight over the Aces.
• 2007 – Led by Sean Ogirri's game-high 29 points, Wichita State outlasted Drake, 82-77, in Charles Koch Arena. Ogirri was 5-for-9 from beyond the arc and Matt Braeuer dished out 10 assists.
• 2017 – On the way to a 31-5 season, Wichita State smothered Southern Illinois in Charles Koch Arena, 87-45. Wichita State held the Salukis to 27.8% shooting and 1-of-12 from three. Markis McDuffie scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.

A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...                                                                     
... Make them 13-8 this season and 5-3 in American Conference play.
... Move them to 15-22 all time vs. Memphis and be their second straight win over the Tigers in Wichita.
... Make Paul Mills 47-42 as Wichita State head coach.
... Give Mills 153 career coaching victories.
... Run their record to 1,704-1,287 all time.

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...                                                                     
... Drop them to 12-9 this season and 3-4 in American Conference play.
... Move them to 14-23 all time vs. Memphis and be their second straight loss vs. the Tigers.
... Make Paul Mills 46-43 as Wichita State head coach.
... Lower Mills' career record to 152-127.
... Drop their record to 1,703-1,288 all time.

GAME 22: at TULSA                                                               
• Wichita State leads the series with Tulsa, 78-66, all time, but have lost three of the last four meetings. Wichita State is 32-38 vs. the Golden Hurricane in Tulsa.
• Tulsa swept the regular season series against the Shockers last season.
• Tulsa enters the matchup at 16-3 and 4-2 in American Conference play.
• Eric Konkol is in his fourth season as the head coach at Tulsa, owning a record of 50-63. In his 11 total seasons as a head coach, he is 203-138.