WICHITA STATE (16-10, 8-5)
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. CDT
Greenville, N.C. | Minges Coliseum
 
TV: ESPN+ with Patrick Johnson & Jay Sonnhalter
Radio: KEYN 103.7 FM with Mike Kennedy & Bob Hull
 

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OPENING TIPS
• The Shockers and Pirates meet for Round II in Greenville after Wichita State defeated East Carolina a month ago in Wichita.
• At 8-5, Wichita State is currently tied for second in the American standings with Tulsa. Five teams in the conference have five losses.
• Wichita State is 19-24 all time when playing on Feb. 18.
• Two of Wichita State's eight wins in American play have come when trailing by 13 or more. Five of the eight are by 10+.
• Seven of Wichita State's 10 losses have come by 6 points or fewer.
• Through 26 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.
• Wichita State currently owns the longest streak in the nation with 20 straight games of 10+ offensive rebounds.
• Dillon Battie is coming off his best games as a Shocker. He scored a career-high 19 points and tied a career high with 9 rebounds at Tulane. He followed up with a 10-point outing vs. USF and 13 vs. Tulsa.
• Over his last three games he's averaging 10.7 PPG.
• Kenyon Giles has scored 10+ points in 23 of the 26 games this season, including 12 games of 20+ and 2 games of 30+.
• Giles is only the fourth Shocker since 2000 to have multiple games of 30 or more points in a season, joining Jason Perez (1999-00), Joe Ragland (2011-12) and Markis McDuffie (2018-19).
• Giles' 12 20-point efforts are tied for 8th most in school history.
• Giles is currently averaging 18.6 PPG for the season, which would be the highest by a Shocker since Jason Perez in 2000.
• His 18.6 PPG ranks 3rd in the American. In league play, Giles ranks 2nd at 20.5 PPG with 8 20-point outings in 13 games.
• Giles ranks 15th nationally in total 3-pointers made (85) and 21st in 3-pointers/game (3.27). 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 85 made three-pointers are already 3rd most in a single season at Wichita State. He is just 14 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 85 made three-pointers, 40 assists and 40 steals.
• He poured in a career-high 33 points vs. North Texas, the most by a Shocker since Markis McDuffie (34) in 2019.
• Giles has been named to the State Farm College 3-Point Championship Watch List.
• 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 4th in the American in rebounding at 8.2 per game. His 3.6 offensive rebounds per game rank 3rd. In conference games, he's averaging a league best 3.9 offensive rebounds.
• Karon Boyd (64) and Berg (90) account for 40.3% of Wichita State'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 26 games: Berg (6), Boyd (4), Michael 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. EAST CAROLINA
• Wichita State and East Carolina had never played prior to the Shockers joining the league in July 2017, and they haven't had many encounters since then, either. This is only the 13th game in nine seasons.
• The Shockers are 8-4 (3-1 in Greenville) against the Pirates.
• East Carolina shocked Wichita State two years ago in Charles Koch Arena, handing the Shockers a 79-69 home loss for its first-ever win in the series. Since then, ECU has won four of the last five meetings.
• Three of the 12 meetings came in 2018-19 when Wichita State swept the home-and-home and defeated East Carolina in the first round of the American Conference Championship in Memphis.
• The teams met just once in 2017-18 and 2019-20 due the league' unbalanced schedule. Both 2020-21 dates were canceled due to COVID-19. The Shockers traveled to Greenville for the 2021-22 AAC opener, but that contest was called off just hours before tipoff.
• Wichita State is 3-1 at ECU's Minges Coliseum but has only played two games there since Feb. 6, 2019.
• Only four of the games played between the two schools have been decided by single digits with two of those coming in the last three meetings. The Pirates' last two wins in Wichita have come by a combined five points.

SCOUTING EAST CAROLINA
• Led by fourth year head coach Michael Schwartz, East Carolina enters the matchup at 9-16 and 4-8 in league play.
• The Pirates achieved their first winning season in over a decade in Schwartz's third season, posting an overall record of 19-14, while recording a 10-8 mark in American Athletic Conference play.
• The 19 victories for the Pirates are the second-most wins in a campaign in program history and the Pirates' 10 conference wins are a season-high for the program since joining the American and mark the first time since 1974-75 that East Carolina has tallied double-digit conference victories.
• Schwartz helped guide the Pirates to their most conference road wins in a season since 2012-13 and ECU was 5-1 in games decided by five points or less with three of those victories decided by just a single point. Schwartz was also named as a finalist for the Red Auerbach Coach of the Year Award.
• Considered one of the most versatile and well-rounded assistant coaches in college basketball, Schwartz spent six seasons on staff at the University of Tennessee – including three as the associate head coach. In the fall of 2019, Schwartz earned feature placement on The Athletic's list of the nation's top-25 up-and-coming college basketball coaches.
• The Pirates return seven players from last year's team, headlined by American Conference All-Preseason First Team guard Jordan Riley, who is the Pirates' leading returning scorer from last season, averaging a career-high 14.5 points per game and leading the American in steals per game. This season Riley is averaging 23.0 points (1st in American, 4th in NCAA) per game while adding 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals per night. He leads the nation in field goal attempts and ranks 4th in minutes.
• Giovanni Emejuru controls the paint for the Pirates, with a near double-double of 13.4 points and 9.6 rebounds (2nd in American) per game.
• After losing nine players in the offseason including first team all-conference players RJ Felton and C.J. Walker, ECU reloaded and retooled its roster, adding size in the frontcourt with the additions of Emejuru (George Mason), Eli DeLaurier (Providence), Luke Davis (New Orleans) and Vito Perkovic (Hamilton Heights Christian Academy) while adding two-way play at the lead guard spot in Corey Caulker (Eastern Florida State CC) and Isaiah Mbeng (William & Mary).
• The Pirates also added Augusta transfer Demitri Gardner during the holiday break. In addition to Perkovic, ECU welcomed three other freshmen to its roster in Daithi Quinn (Tabor Academy), Paddy D'Arcy (Adelaide 36ers) and Jake Baker (Cannon).
• The Pirates rank in the bottom 10 nationally in three-point percentage, three-pointers made per game and effective field goal percentage.
• ECU was picked to finish 10th in the American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, but currently sit in 12th, and in danger of not making the conference tournament.

TULSA LEFTOVERS
• Wichita State moved to 79-67 all time vs. Tulsa, including 45-24 in Wichita.
• The Shockers are 16-15 when playing on Feb. 14.
• Wichita State improved to 12-8 in February under Paul Mills.
• Wichita State improved to 3-8 this season and 9-31 under Mills when trailing at the half.
• Wichita State has outrebounded 21 of its 26 opponents this season.
• Wichita State has had 10 or more offensive rebounds in 20 consecutive games.
• Wichita State tied a season low with only 2 made three-pointers.
• Tulsa's 32 three-point attempts were the most by an opponent this season.
• Wichita State16-5 under Mills when scoring 80 points.
• Wichita State is 5-0 this season when shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
• Dillon Battie recorded his third straight game in double figures with 13. All six of his double figure games this season have come since he entered the starting lineup.
• Kenyon Giles reached double figures for the 23rd time this season and scored 20+ for the 12th time.
• Giles has made at least one three-pointer in 25 of the 26 games and multiple 22 of the 26.
• He has at least one steal in each of the last 10 games.
• Giles tied a career high with 13 made field goals and set a new career high with 27 field goal attempts.
• Will Berg added his 12th game in double figures this season. His 12 free throw attempts were a new career high.

KG THE BUCKET
• Kenyon Giles has 12 20-point games this season with Eight of those coming in the 13 conference games with 26 at UAB, 27 at Charlotte,  a career-high 33 vs. North Texas, 22 at USF, 27 vs. ECU, 23 vs. Charlotte, 24 vs. South Florida and 31 vs. Tulsa. 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 12 games of 20 points or more are tied for 8th most in a single season in program history with Antoine Carr and Xavier McDaniel.
• He's only the fourth Shocker since 2000 to have multiple 30-point games in a season.
• 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.

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 1,127 career points with 287 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 (85), 21st in three-pointers per game (3.27), 12th in three-point attempts (222) and 67th in three-point percentage (38.3%).
• At the current pace, Giles is on track to break the single season school record for three-pointers made per game (3.27). His 8.54 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 14 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 10th nationally in offensive rebound percentage at 38.2%. 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 62.3 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 6 steals to reach 100 and 41 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 27 assists to reach 250 career assists. He is 15 made three-pointers away from breaking the single season school record.
• Michael Gray Jr. is 32 assists away from 150 for his career. He is 6 games shy of his 100th career game.
• Emmanuel Okorafor needs 6 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 18
• 2018 – Landry Shamet scored 19 points, and the 19th-ranked Shockers scored a 76-72 road win over No. 5 Cincinnati. The Bearcats, who were playing at Northern Kentucky's BB&T Center due to stadium renovations, had carried the nation's longest active home winning streak (39-straight).
• 2021 – Unranked WSU pulled its biggest home upset in over 50 years, taking down No. 6 Houston, 68-63. Tyson Etienne and Alterique Gilbert led the scoring with 16 each, and Dexter Dennis delivered the game-saving steal with 15 seconds to go and the Shockers clinging to a one-point lead.

A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...                                                                     
... Make them 17-10 this season and 9-5 in American Conference play.
... Move them to 9-4 all time vs. East Carolina and give the Shockers a season sweep of the Pirates.
... It would be the first season sweep of ECU since 2019.
... Make Paul Mills 51-44 as Wichita State head coach.
... Give Mills 157 career coaching victories.
... Run their record to 1,708-1,289 all time.

A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...                                                                     
... Drop them to 16-11 this season and 8-6 in American Conference play.
... Move them to 8-5 all time vs. East Carolina and split the regular season series with the Pirates.
... Make Paul Mills 50-45 as Wichita State head coach.
... Lower Mills' career record to 156-129.
... Drop their record to 1,707-1,290 all time.

GAME 28: TEMPLE                                                                     
• Temple leads the all time series with Wichita State, 9-6. The Owls have won each of the last three meetings.
• Wichita State is 3-4 vs. Temple in Wichita.
• This is the fourth season the Shockers and Owls will only meet once in the regular season.
• Temple enters the matchup at 15-10 and 7-5 in American Conference play.
• Adam Fisher is in his third season as the head coach at Temple, owning a career record of 48-45.