Nov. 7, 2024 | Volume 129 | Issue 12
SETTING THE
STAGE 2024 Basketball Guide
Year two of the Paul Mills era sees elevated expectations for WSU men’s basketball BY JACOB UNRUH
sports@thesunflower.com
Wichita State men’s basketball head coach Paul Mills identified two key weaknesses in the team that went 15-19 last season: turnovers and shooting. He said both those deficiencies were addressed in the transfer portal this offseason. “Your juices are flowing,” Mills said. “You’re ready to play. And (I) feel great about the group that we have.” This year’s team has far more experience compared to last year’s. The Shockers have nine seniors on the roster, returned five of its top eight scorers from last season and have the most combined career Division I minutes of any team in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). Coaches picked Wichita State to finish fourth in the conference this year, an improvement from the team’s 10th-place result last season.
ASSISTS AND TURNOVERS Last year, the Shockers turned the ball over 12.3 times per game, thirdmost in the AAC. They also had the third-fewest assists at 12.1 per game. Senior guards Bijan Cortes, Xavier Bell and Harlond Beverly will
return to the team this year but will shoulder less of the ball-handling load with the arrival of fifth-year Justin Hill and freshman Zion Pipkin. Hill averaged 3.2 assists and 1.5 turnovers per game last year at the University of Georgia, better metrics than any Wichita State guard. “We have guys who have done a good job with ball security,” Mills said.
SHOOTING AND SCORING Wichita State lost its top scorer and 3-point shooter, Colby Rogers, in the transfer portal to conference opponent University of Memphis over the offseason. Without Rogers, Mills said he’s relied on existing players stepping up and some outside additions in talent. “I think guys have really improved,” he said. In Hill, fifth-year guard AJ McGinnis, junior forward Corey Washington and graduate student forward Zane Meeks, Mills found four players in the transfer portal who shot better than 30% from beyond the arc last year. Beverly said the addition of new shooters and the team’s returners improving from beyond the arc will open up space for cutters like himself
to attack the rim. “Even returners are shooting a lot better,” Beverly said. “The people that they brought in, of course, can really shoot. So that’ll open a lot of lanes, a lot of cuts.”
BALLARD AND THE BIG MEN Much of Wichita State’s offense and defense revolves around senior center Quincy Ballard. Last year, Ballard broke the Wichita State school record for single-season field goal percentage at 71.9% and nearly broke the single-season blocks record with 2.1 per game. Mills said Ballard has improved his mobility over the offseason, which could make him even better defensively. “We’re not going to be the most offensively skilled team in the country, so we need to generate a lot defensively,” Mills said. “First of all, we need to limit you (the other team) to one shot. And then secondly, we do need to generate some offense through defense.” Kenny Pohto, Wichita State’s primary backup post player last season, departed in the transfer portal. Mills brought in Meeks and senior center Matej Bošnjak for depth at the big man position.
Bošnjak, who came to Wichita State from Croatia, was given clearance to play from the NCAA on Friday afternoon. Meeks is dealing with a knee injury, although Mills expects him to return at some point this year. Without Meeks, Mills said returning senior forward Ronnie DeGray III will spell Ballard at the center position, a position DeGray played on occasion last year. “I do think that we can play different ways,” Mills said. “When you have Quincy on the floor, it’s different than having Matej and Ronnie on the floor.”
EXPECTATIONS Bell said expectations are heightened in year two under Mills. He said the team has a “competitive edge” they didn’t have last season. “Just that willingness not to, you know, be OK with losing a lot,” Bell said. Mills said fans expect Wichita State to play in March Madness every season. “At the end of the day, you have to win games,” Mills said. “I do feel like every program’s goal is to get to March, but this is one where it’s more of an expectation.” Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower