WICHITA, Kan.—Wichita State Women's basketball will close out the non-conference part of their schedule Tuesday night with a home game at Koch Arena versus South Carolina State.
LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State suffered its first home loss of the season last Tuesday in a 61-56 setback to Wyoming. Wichita State clawed back from an 11-point halftime deficit only to see the Cowgirls close the game on a 7-0 run to escape with a win. The Shockers were held to a season-low 17 first half points, including only six in the second quarter. Wichita State was perfect at the free throw line, going 16-for-16. DJ McCarty scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-18 shooting to go with five rebounds and four assists. Trajata Colbert tied a career high with 16 rebounds to go with 14 points, marking her second double-double of the season. Curtessia Dean added 10 points, six rebounds and a season-high three steals.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Led by first year head coach Tim Eatman, South Carolina State enters Tuesday's matchup at 1-11 this season. The Bulldogs are scoring just 44.0 points per game on 31.2 percent shooting. They allow 70.6 points and are being outrebounded by an average of 16.0 per game. South Carolina State ranks near the bottom of the NCAA in scoring, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, assists and rebounding. Nicole Gwynn is the only Bulldog in double figures at 10.0 per game. Lovely Sonnier leads South Carolina State in rebounding (8.1), blocks (9) and steals (22).
THE SERIES VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
Wichita State and South Carolina State will meet for the first time in women's hoops on Tuesday.
JANE GOT GAME
Wichita State senior Jane Asinde has been unstoppable for the Shockers. The Uganda native has double-doubles in five of the 10 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. She has double digit rebounds in six of the 10 games.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
Wichita State boasts a top 70 defense through the first 12 games of the season. They have held all but three opponents to less than 38 percent shooting, and only four teams have shot better than 30 percent from three-point range. Wichita State's field goal defense is holding teams to just 36.1 percent, good for 52nd nationally. Opponents are connecting on only 29.3 percent of their attempts from long range.
GLASS CLEANERS
Wichita State is one of the top rebounding teams in the country once again this season. Through 12 games Wichita State ranks 29th nationally in rebound margin, 34th in defensive rebounds per game and 47th in total rebounds per game. The Shockers have outrebounded 10 of their 12 opponents.
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 three straight 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 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 12 games in 2022-23, she is 41-for-47 (87.2 percent). Colbert ranks first in the American in free throw percentage.
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.
BEST START IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Wichita State's 8-1 record to open the season marked the best start in program history. The Shockers got there behind a seven-game win streak. The seven-game win streak was the longest since 2015 when Wichita State won 12 in a row.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Through 12 games Wichita State ranks in the top 70 nationally in the following categories: No. 23 in rebound margin (10.3), No. 32 in defensive rebounds per game (29.5), No. 38 in field goal percentage defense (35.6), No. 41 in rebounds per game (42.55), No. 44 in free throws made per game (14.6), No. 59 in fouls per game and No. 61 in FT attempts. Jane Asinde ranks 9th nationally in defensive rebounds per game, No. 13 in rebounds per game, 29th in double-doubles and 44th in total rebounds.
WANTED FOR THEFT
Junior guard DJ McCarty and senior forward Jane Asinde have been a pest on defense for opposing offenses through 12 games. McCarty has recorded at least one steal in all but one game, and has multiple in seven of the 12 games. Her 23 steals are the most on the team and she ranks 10th in the American Athletic Conference. Asinde averages a team-high 2.0 steals a game and has multiple steals in five games this season.
A SHOCKER WIN WOULD...
... make them 10-3 on the season
... make them 6-1 at home this season
... move them to 1-0 all-time vs. SC State
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 72-81 at Wichita State
... make Adams 356-290 at the Division I level
... run Adams' career coaching record to 483-327
... make them 392-249 all-time in Charles Koch Arena
... make Wichita State 642-729 all-time
A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD...
... make them 9-4 this the season
... drop them to 5-2 at home this season
... make them 0-1 all-time vs. SC State
... bring Keitha Adams' record to 71-82 at Wichita State
... make Adams 355-291 at the Division I level
... lower Adams' career coaching record to 482-328
... make them 391-250 all-time in Charles Koch Arena
... make Wichita State 641-730 all-time
UP NEXT
Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference action on Friday vs. Cincinnati in Charles Koch Arena.