SOUTH FLORIDA (16-8, 8-3) at WICHITA STATE (15-9, 7-4)
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. CDT
Wichita, Kan. | Charles Koch Arena
 
TV: ESPN+ with Shane Dennis & Bob Hull
Radio: KEYN 103.7 FM with Mike Kennedy & Dave Dahl
 

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Champions 4 Literacy/Educator Appreciation Night - We shine a spotlight on our community's champions alongside United Way of the Plains. We'll celebrate the power of reading and honor the incredible educators who make a difference every day.
 

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OPENING TIPS
• The Shockers and Bulls meet for Round II in Wichita after Wichita State escaped with a one-point win in Tampa less than a month ago.
• At 7-4, Wichita State is just one game back of first place in the league standings. The Shockers face both of the top two teams in the American this week.
• Wichita State is 19-10 all time when playing on Feb. 11.
• Two of Wichita State's seven wins in American play have come when trailing by 13 or more. Five of the seven are by double digits.
• Seven of Wichita State's nine losses have come by 6 points or fewer.
• Through 24 games Wichita State is one of the top offensive rebounding teams in the country at 14.7 per game - good for 5th nationally. That mark would be the best in a single season in school history.
• Dillon Battie is coming off his best game as a Shocker. He scored a career-high 19 points and tied a career high with 9 rebounds.
• Kenyon Giles has scored 10+ points in 21 of the 24 games this season, including 10 20-point games. Giles matched or scored career high in three of the first four conference games.
• Giles' 10 20-point efforts are tied for 12th most in school history.
• Giles is currently averaging 17.9 PPG for the season, which would be the highest by a Shocker since Markis McDuffie in 2019.
• His 17.9 PPG ranks 3rd in the American. In league play, Giles ranks 4th at 19.2 PPG with six 20-point outings in 11 games.
• Giles ranks 15th nationally in total 3-pointers made (80) and 20th in 3-pointers/game (3.33). Xavier Bell led the Shockers in made 3-pointers last season with 35 for the whole year. Giles needed only 12 games to surpass that total this season.
• His 80 made three-pointers are already 5th most in a single season at Wichita State. He is just 19 shy of tying the program record of 99 set by Colby Rogers in 2024.
• Giles is one of only two players in the country with 80 made three-pointers, 40 assists and 35 steals.
• In American play, Giles ranks second in minutes per game (38.5), barely behind ECU's Jordan Riley (38.7).
• He poured in a career-high 33 points vs. North Texas, the most by a Shocker since Markis McDuffie (34) in 2019.
• 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.
• Berg ranks 5th in the American in rebounding at 8.0 per game. His 3.4 offensive rebounds per game rank 3rd. In conference games, he's averaging a league best 3.5 offensive rebounds.
• Karon Boyd (62) and Berg (78) account for 39.7% of WSU's offensive rebounds this season.
• Boyd is coming off an 18-point, 11-rebound game at Tulane.
• Four different Shockers have recorded a double-double through the first 24 games: Berg (5), Boyd (4), Gray Jr. (1) and TJ Williams (1).

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. SOUTH FLORIDA
• Wichita State has dominated the series with South Florida since joining the American Conference. The Shockers are 12-3 against the Bulls with wins in 11 of the last 13 meetings.
• The Bulls won back-to-back games in the series for the first time in January 2024 and January 2025.
• South Florida snapped Wichita State's eight-game win streak in the series in Tampa in 2024.
• Wichita State was 5-0 all-time vs. the Bulls in Charles Koch Arena until January of 2025 when South Florida handed the Shockers their worst loss in the series, 91-72.
• In nine seasons since joining the American, Wichita State and South Florida have played a regular season home-and-home only three times.
• Wichita State's win in Tampa last month was the second time the two programs have gone to OT.
• Seven of the last nine matchups have been decided by six points or less.
• In Wichita State's 12 wins the average margin of victory is 10.3. South Florida's three wins are by an average of 12.0.

SCOUTING SOUTH FLORIDA
• Bryan Hodgson is in his first season as the head coach at South Florida after a successful two-year stint at Arkansas State.
• He guided the Red Wolves to two of the most successful seasons in program history, with back-to-back 20-win seasons. During the 2023-24 campaign, after inheriting a team that lost 20 games, he led Arkansas State's turnaround, which included its first postseason appearance since 1999. The Red Wolves also set program records for scoring (2,019) and field goals made (1,021). He was also named a finalist for the Joe B. Hall Award, given to the nation's top firstyear head coach.
• In 2024-25, the Red Wolves finished with a 25-11 record, the best in program history. The season featured a top-20 victory, saw the Red Wolves secure the Sun Belt Conference regularseason title, and marked their first National Invitation Tournament appearance in more than 30 years. Their offense was ranked one of the top 50 scoring offenses in the nation and led the conference at the end of the regular season, while their defense ranked second.
• Before Arkansas State, he served as an assistant under Nate Oats at Alabama from 2019 to 2023 and played a key role in landing top-15 recruiting classes each season.
• From 2015 to 2019, Hodgson played a pivotal role in the University at Buffalo's rise as a mid-major powerhouse, where he also served under Oats. He assisted in three NCAA Tournament runs, three Mid-American Conference tournament championships, two regular-season conference titles, and the program's highest-ever national ranking (no. 14).
• The Bulls were picked to finish second by the league's coaches in the American Preseason Poll.
• South Florida is averaging 90.0 points a game, good for No. 9 in the NCAA.
• The Bulls have scored at least 100 points in six different games this season. That is the most by any American Conference team in a single campaign all time.
• South Florida is also an elite offensive rebounding team, ranking 3rd nationally with 15.4 per game. Their 42.6 total rebounds per game rank 6th nationally.
• The Bulls are one of the nation's best at getting to the free throw line, ranking 1st in the NCAA in both free throw attempts and free throws made.
• They lead the American in nine different team statistical categories.
• All five South Florida starters are in double figures for the season, led by Izaiyah Nelson. Nelson is a double-double machine at 16.3 points and 9.8 rebounds to go with 36 blocks and 34 steals for the season. He's scoring at extremely efficient clip, converting 60.3 percent of his field goal attempts.
• Nelson ranks 2nd nationally in double-doubles (12), 11th in offensive rebounds per game (3.79), 13th in total rebounds (236) and 27th in field goal percentage (60.3%).
• Wes Enis scores 15.4 points per game and is a threat from three-point range with 79 made three-pointers.
• Joseph Pinion is the league's second-best sharpshooter, right behind Kenyon Giles. His 80 made three-pointers are tied for the most in the American, while converting 38.8 percent of those tries.
• Josh Omojafo adds 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
• Point guard CJ Brown is the key to the engine. His 130 assists lead the American to go with 12.1 points. Outside shooting is not one of his strengths, as he is just 12-for-54 from beyond the arc this season.

TULANE LEFTOVERS
• Wichita State moved to 9-5 all time vs. Tulane, including 4-2 in New Orleans.
• Eleven of Wichita State's 15 wins have come by double digits.
• The Shockers are 16-15 when playing on Feb. 8 and 5-2 all time when playing on Super Bowl Sunday.
• Wichita State improved to 11-7 in February under Paul Mills.
• Wichita State is 13-1 this season when leading at the half.
• Wichita State has outrebounded 20 of its 24 opponents.
• Wichita State has had 10 or more offensive rebounds in 18 consecutive games.
• Under Mills, Wichita State is 42-5 when leading with 5:00 minutes left.
• Wichita State's nine steals were tied for the third most they've had in a game this season. They've had nine in back-to-back games.
• Wichita State shot less than 60 percent at the free throw line for the fifth time this season and second straight game.
• Dillon Battie scored a career-high 19 points and tied a caeer high with 9 rebounds.
• Karon Boyd tallied his fourth double-double of the season behind 18 points and 11 rebounds.
• He recorded his 17th game in double figures.
• Boyd tied a season high with 3 assists.
• Kenyon Giles was held to seven points, just the third game this season he hasn't reached double figures.
• Giles has made at least one three-pointer in 23 of the 24 games and multiple 21 of the 24.
• He has at least one steal in each of the last 8 games.

KG THE BUCKET
• Kenyon Giles has 10 20-point games this season with six of those coming in the first 10 conference games with 26 at UAB, 27 at Charlotte,  a career-high 33 vs. North Texas, 22 at USF, 27 vs. ECU and 23 vs. Charlotte. 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.
• His 10 games of 20 points or more are tied for 12th most in a single season in program history. Colby Rogers, Tyson Etienne and Cleanthony Early also had 10. One more would move him into a tie for 10th with Aubrey Sherrod and Paul Guffrovich.
• Giles' 33 points are tied for the 6th most by a player in the American Conference this season, trailing only Memphis' Sincere Parker (40), ECU's Jordan Riley (37), USF's Wes Enis (36), Tulane's Rowan Brumbaugh (35) 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.
• 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.

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• 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 1,122 career points with 282 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 15th in the NCAA in total 3-pointers made (80), 20th in three-pointers per game (3.33), 19th in three-point attempts (201) and 54th in three-point percentage (39.8%).
• At the current pace, Giles is on track to break the single season school record for three-pointers made per game (3.33). His 8.38 three-point attempts per game would also be the 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 19 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 8th nationally in offensive rebound percentage at 38.6%. The Shockers average 14.7 offensive rebounds a game, which ranks 5th 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 61.8 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 7 steals to reach 100 and 50 rebounds to reach 800.
• 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 31 assists to reach 250 career assists.
• Michael Gray Jr. is 41 assists away from 150 for his career. He is 8 games shy of his 100th career game.
• Emmanuel Okorafor needs 12 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: FEBRUARY 11
• 2012 – 18,735 fans at CenturyLink Center in Omaha saw Wichita State thrash No. 17 Creighton, 89-68. Joe Ragland (24 points) and Ben Smith (22) led the scoring for the Shockers, who shot 58 percent and made all 17 free throw attempts. Two days later, Wichita State (22-4) moved into the top-25 for the first time under Gregg Marshall.
• 2015 – During an 8-game win streak to close MVC play, Wichita State handled Indiana State in the Roundhouse, 74-57. Fred VanVleet scored a game-high 21 and the Shockers' defense held the Sycamores to less than 35 percent shooting.

A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...                                                                     
... Make them 16-9 this season and 8-4 in American Conference play.
... Move them to 13-3 all time vs. South Florida and give the Shockers a season sweep of the Bulls.
... Make Paul Mills 50-43 as Wichita State head coach.
... Give Mills 156 career coaching victories.
... Run their record to 1,707-1,288 all time.

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...                                                                     
... Drop them to 15-10 this season and 7-5 in American Conference play.
... Move them to 12-4 all time vs. South Florida and give the Bulls a split in the season series.
... Make Paul Mills 49-44 as Wichita State head coach.
... Lower Mills' career record to 155-128.
... Drop their record to 1,706-1,289 all time.

GAME 26: TULSA                                                                     
• Wichita State leads the series vs. the Golden Hurricane 78-67 all time, including a 44-24 record in Wichita.
• Tulsa won the first meeting just two weeks ago in Tulsa, 93-83.
• Tulsa enters the matchup in first place at 20-4 and 9-3 in American Conference play.
• Eric Konkol is in his fourth season as the head coach at Tulsa, owning a record of 52-64. In his 11 total seasons as a head coach, he is 205-139.