Wichita State (5-1) vs. Denver (2-4)
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022 | 6:00 PM CT | Charles Koch Arena
ESPN+ | GoShockers.com/Listen | ShockerStats.com
Promotions:
Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night – All WSU faculty & staff receive FREE admission to the game.
Canned Food Drive – $5 tickets with a canned food item
ON THE AIR
Wednesday’s game can be heard online at GoShockers.com/Listen with Steve Strain calling the action. Strain is in his ninth season as the radio voice for Wichita State women’s basketball. The game will also be televised on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State wrapped up a 2-0 weekend at the LMU Thanksgiving Classic with a 69-57 win over Loyola Marymount on Saturday. For the third straight game Wichita State overcame a double digit deficit to win its fourth straight overall. Jane Asinde averaged 21.0 points and 17.0 rebounds in the two games after a career-high 22 points and 15 rebounds vs. LMU. She also added four steals to go with 10-of-15 from the field. Asinde opened the tournament with 20 points and a career-high 19 rebounds vs. Montana. Nhug Bosch Duran recorded a new career high with 15 points on 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. DJ McCarty was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line to finish with 14 points and Curtessia Dean chipped in 12 points.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Denver enters the matchup at 2-4 on the season, as they come off a win over New Mexico State. Emma Smith scores a team-best 13.4 points per game, followed by Jojo Jones and Makayla Minett at 10.2 points per game, respectively. Minett averages a double-double with 10.5 rebounds to go with her 10.2 points and 12 blocked shots. Denver averages 61.2 points on 38.8 percent shooting. The Pioneers are connecting on 27.4 percent of their three-point attempts, while making 6.2 per game. Doshia Woods is in her third season at the helm of the Denver program after spending 10 seasons as an assistant at Tulane.
THE SERIES VS. DENVER
Wichita State and Denver have met only one time prior to Wednesday’s matchup – a contest that happened a year ago in Denver.
Wichita State is hosting Denver for the first time.
LAST MEETING
Wichita State and Denver met just over a year ago on Nov. 15, 2021 – a contest that would go the way of Wichita State, 76-61. A big fourth quarter allowed the Shockers to pull away with a convincing road win. Despite Denver converting seven more three-pointers than Wichita State, the Shockers were able to make up for a poor shooting performance by outrebounding Denver, 47-25, and a near perfect night at the free throw line (16-for-17). Trajata Colbert powered the Shockers with a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double. Mariah McCully added 13 points and Asia Strong chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds. Jane Asinde and DJ McCarty added 12 and 11 points off the bench.
TEXAS-SIZED COMEBACK
Wichita State completed the largest comeback of the Keitha Adams era on Nov. 19 vs. North Texas. The Shockers trailed by 17 (41-24) at halftime, but went on to outscore the Mean Green in the second half, 33-12. Wichita State’s 17-point deficit bested the previous high of 16 vs. Tulsa on Jan. 15, 2020.
JANE GOT GAME
Wichita State senior Jane Asinde has been unstoppable for the Shockers. The Uganda native has double-doubles in three of the four games she’s played in, including back-to-back 20-point double-doubles at the LMU Thanksgiving Classic. Asinde opened the LMU Thanksgiving Classic with a career-high 19 rebounds to go with 20 points against Montana and followed that with a career-high 22 points and 15 rebounds vs. Loyola Marymount.
ASINDE NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior Jane Asinde was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 28. Asinde averaged 21.0 points, 17.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and shot nearly 60 percent from the field in two games of the LMU Thanksgiving Classic. Asinde had back-to-back games of 20 points, 19 rebounds and 22 points, 15 rebounds vs. Montana and Loyola Marymount. She became the first Shocker to earn Player of the Week honors since Rangie Bessard on Jan. 15, 2018.
GO AHEAD CALL IT A COMEBACK
Wichita State has made a habit out of falling behind recently. The Shockers have trailed by double digits in each of their last three games and wound up winning them all: 17, North Texas (Nov. 19); 11, Montana (Nov. 25); 13, LMU (Nov. 26). In those three games Wichita State has outscored its opponents 125-74 in the second half.
COLBERT CASHING IN
Trajata Colbert has improved dramatically the last two years at the free throw line. The Georgia native began her career shooting 42.1 percent as a freshman, 61.1 percent as a sophomore and 50.9 percent as a COVID sophomore. In 2021-22 she shot a career-high 76.0 percent and so far through six games in 2022-23, she is 19-for-21 (90.5 percent).
EXTRA TIME NEEDED
Wichita State needed overtime in two of its first five games of the season. The Shockers fell in overtime at Omaha on Nov. 12, but collected an overtime win vs. Montana on Nov. 25. Wichita State is 4-4 in overtime games under Keitha Adams. Wichita State is 21-24 all-time in overtime games.
HOT START
Wichita State is 5-1 for the second straight season and riding a four-game win streak. A win Wednesday vs. Denver would make them 6-1 for just the fourth time in school history, joining the 2021-22, 1986-87 and 1980-81 teams. Last year’s team opened 7-1 before suffering its second loss of the season.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Through six games Wichita State ranks in the top 60 nationally in the following categories: No. 12 in defensive rebounds per game (31.7), No. 29 in rebounds per game (44.5), No. 28 in rebound margin (10.3) and No. 31 in field goal percentage defense (34.2). Jane Asinde ranks 18th nationally in double-doubles (3). Trajata Colbert ranks 33rd in field goal percentage (61.2%) and 47th in free throw percentage (90.5%).
WANTED FOR THEFT
Junior guard DJ McCarty has been a pest on defense for opposing offenses through six games. McCarty has recorded at least one steal in all six games, and has multiple in four of the six games. Her 15 steals are far and away the most on the team and she ranks third in the American Athletic Conference and 91st nationally. Her 2.50 steals per game also rank third in the American and 86th nationally.
A SHOCKER WIN WOULD…
… make them 6-1 on the season
… be their fifth straight win
… make them 3-0 at home this season
… move them to 2-0 all-time vs. Denver
… bring Keitha Adams‘ record to 68-79 at Wichita State
… make Adams 352-288 at the Division I level
… run Adams’ career coaching record to 479-325
… make them 389-248 all-time in Charles Koch Arena
… make Wichita State 638-727 all-time
A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD…
… make them 5-2 this the season
… snap a four-game win streak
… drop them to 2-1 at home this season
… make them 0-1 all-time vs. Montana
… bring Keitha Adams‘ record to 67-80 at Wichita State
… make Adams 351-289 at the Division I level
… lower Adams’ career coaching record to 478-326
… make them 388-249 all-time in Charles Koch Arena
… make Wichita State 637-728 all-time
UP NEXT
Wichita State hosts New Orleans on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
