WICHITA STATE (0-1, 0-0 American) at KANSAS CITY (1-0, 0-0 Summit League)
Friday, Nov. 6, 2026 | 5:30 p.m.
Kansas City, Mo. | Municipal Auditorium
TV: Summit League Network
Radio: GoShockers.com/Listen with Pat Strathman
 
OPENING TIPS
Wichita State is seeking its first win of the 2026-27 season as they hit the road to face Kansas City.
The teams meet for the 12^th time in program history with Wichita State leading the all-time series 9-2, including a perfect 3-0 record in Kansas City.
The Shockers won the last meeting, 72-63, on Dec. 9, 2017 in Wichita.
Wichita State is coming off an 8-23 season where they missed the American Conference tournament. Head coach Terry Nooner enters his fourth season at the helm, entering the year with a 28-67 record.
The Shockers' 2026-27 roster features 12 new players and zero returners.
After having no true freshmen on the 2025-26 roster, Wichita State signed five players out of high school: Jamari Milton, Rachel Skulsky, Kaylea Lacey, Aaliyah Broadus and Alexis Leyva.
Wichita State brought in two SEC transfers from the portal, adding junior Ma'Riya Vincent from Missouri and senior Clara Koulibaly from Auburn.
The Shockers have one Kansas native on their roster as Lily Ba from Overland Park returns to her home state for her fourth collegiate season.
 
THE SHOCKS, IN SHORT
After losing all 15 players from the 2025-26 roster to graduation and the transfer portal, Terry Nooner built an entirely new roster of 12 for the 2026-27 season. In recruiting, Nooner looked for players who fit the team's core values, emphasizing the value of team culture with his pillars of character, accountability, respect and effort (C.A.R.E). In the American Conference, many teams' best player plays the 4, and Nooner recruited Vincent to fill that spot for the Shockers. Nooner describes Vincent as a versatile guard who can handle the ball, drive, shoot midrange, post up, draw fouls, rebound and be physical while having the ability to guard 1-through-5. Nooner's freshman class has proven to be even keel and coachable, and they play hard and want to be great. He's found maturity in his young players, while they don't get too high or too low and are giddy for each day. Nooner wants to be hard to scout, getting everybody involved and not relying on one player.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State women's basketball couldn't overcome an early deficit as the Shockers fell 61-41 to Kansas State Monday evening in Bramlage Coliseum. Junior Ma'Riya Vincent led the Shockers with 14 points and eight rebounds, while freshman Mari Milton chipped in seven points and nine rebounds in her freshman debut. The first quarter was all defense on both sides as the Shockers scored just twice in the opening quarter and held the Wildcats to 3-of-13 (.231) from the field, but Kansas State held an eight-point advantage after the first, converting 7-of-12 at the free throw line. Senior Lily Ba sparked a 7-0 run for the Shockers in the second quarter, scoring all eight of her points in the frame, but a pair of untimely Wichita State turnovers down the stretch allowed the Wildcats to finish the half on a 7-0 run and maintain a seven-point lead at the break. Vincent scored nine of the team's 12 points in the third quarter as the Shockers won the period by one, but the Wildcats responded in the fourth, taking their largest lead of the game after an 11-1 run put them up 21. Spurts of scoring droughts plagued the Shockers throughout. Wichita State shot 26.8 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from the free throw line.
 
SERIES VS. KANSAS CITY
The Shockers and Roos meet for the 12^th time in program history with Wichita State leading the series 9-2, including a perfect 3-0 record in Kansas City. Wichita State won the last meeting, 72-63, in Wichita in 2017, while the Roos' last win was a 56-54 victory in 2016.
 
SCOUTING THE ROOS
Led by head coach Candi Whitaker, Kansas City is 1-0 after defeating Baker 120-40 in the season opener. The Roos have scored over 100 points in both exhibitions (Saint Louis and Newman) as well as game one, ranking fourth in the NCAA in scoring offense to start the season. The Roos were led by Elauni Bennett, who recorded 18 points and eight rebounds in their first game. Kansas City ranks third in the nation in assists per game after dishing 32 in game one. Kansas City was picked sixth out of eight teams in the Summit League Preseason Poll, while Elauni Bennett was named to the Preseason All-Summit League First Team, and Emani Bennett was named to the Second Team.
 
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
Wichita State's roster features three foreign players, all from Canada, with Rachel Skulsky hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Clara Koulibaly coming from Montreal, Quebec and Klea Kaci joining from Mississauga, Ontario.
 
THEY HAVE HISTORY
Two Shockers reunite as Mari Milton and Kendal Robinson play together again after playing high school basketball together at North Crowley High School.