Men's Basketball | 3/18/2026 10:17:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop 

Coach Paul Mills and forward TJ Williams walked up the tunnel toward the court. At the entrance waited several young fans holding jerseys for Williams to sign.
 
"Ladies and gentlemen, TJ Williams," Mills said, smiling big before heading to his radio interview after the Shockers gave Mike Kennedy at least one more basketball broadcast.
 
Williams deserved the fanfare after Tuesday's 74-70 win over Wyoming in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament at Koch Arena. The Shockers, playing their third game in four days – plus travel to and from Birmingham – desperately needed a boost of energy.
 
They got it from Williams, a 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman who combined ball-handling skills, bounce and tenacity to carry the Shockers (23-11) in the final seven minutes. He finished the game with 17 points and 14 rebounds, 13 and nine in the second half.
 
"He was the difference," Wyoming coach Sundance Wicks said. "We've got to go get a (forward) who can go be like TJ Williams and go dominate a game."
 
Wichita State plays at Oklahoma State (20-14) on Sunday in the second round. The game time is to be determined.
 
 

TJ + KG = 5-0 run@Tj_williams3 | @Kengocrzzy | @ESPNU pic.twitter.com/1YEQetQSTS

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) March 18, 2026

 
 
WSU led 51-50 with 6:24 to play when Williams ended a four-shot possession by the Cowboys (18-15) with a rebound. He scored 11 of WSU's next 23 points, grabbed eight rebounds and passed to Emmanuel Okorafor for a dunk in that span.
 
With the Cowboys, not surprisingly, devoting lots of bodies to defend WSU's Kenyon Giles, Mills handed the keys to Williams. Williams scored by driving past, through and over defenders. He scored by following in a missed free throw. He dunked on an inbound play from the baseline.
 
"We put the ball in his hands there and let him operate," Mills said. "We needed a second playmaker. His assertiveness at the rim was terrific."
 
Williams has done this before, most notably with 27 points and eight rebounds in a double overtime win at ECU. In the two OT periods, he recorded 11 points and an assist to Okorafor.
 
When it is Williams time, his plan is simple.
 
"Just make the right play," he said.
 
Mills called the busy stretch one that an NBA coach might complain about. The fatigue, whether the Shockers admitted it or not, showed up in airballs and missed shots in the lane. WSU shot 30.6 percent in the first half before improving to 58.6 in the second.
 
If any Shocker could point to fatigue, it was Giles. He played 39 minutes in both American Conference Championship games over the weekend and 36 or more in eight straight. The Shockers needed him on the court to get them to this point. On Tuesday, the Cowboys held him to 5-of-17 shooting and 15 points.
 
His presence, even on a cold shooting night, still matters a great deal. He was happy to watch Williams take advantage of the one-on-one matchups and push the Shockers to the win.
 
"You can trust this guy down the stretch," Giles said. "We saw it at ECU, down the stretch teams taking me out, and TJ just took over a whole game. He comes through for us."
 
 

Survive and advance, baby. pic.twitter.com/YneeFveazH

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) March 18, 2026

Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.