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basketball guide monday, oct. 28, 2019 vol. 124, iss. Monday, oct.2128, 2019 thesunflower.com

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LOWER HE SUNF /T N E Y U G KHANH N

Tyson Etienne’s winding journey has him poised to be a breakout star BY MARSHALL SUNNER, SPORTS EDITOR

asketball goes into limbo from late June until the end of October, and not just at the professional level. Basketball in America comes to a halt during that time — or at least that’s what people think. Portland Trail Blazers’ superstar CJ McCollum dribbled up the court in late August. He’s in a Twitter-famous Manhattan gym as part of NBA trainer Chris Brickley’s

Black Ops open gym runs. Cross, dribble, cross. McCollum had the ball on the string. He took one step back and rose over the 6-1 player in front of him. Swish. Tyson Etienne isn’t a household name across the country — not yet, at least. He’s a Wichita State freshman who hasn’t played a minute of collegiate basketball. Yet, he still got the opportunity to run with the best in the world. Most importantly, he was able to prove that he belonged. He wouldn’t let McCollum’s bucket stop him in his tracks. He doesn’t let

anything stop him — not the death of his best friend, family hardships, or the constant travel that pulled him away from that family. He kept pushing. A few possessions later, McCollum had the ball again. Etienne stepped forward. The superstar backed the freshman down into the paint and turned around with a fadeaway shot. Swish. “Sometimes in basketball, great offense trumps tight defense,” Etienne said. “You can’t let any bucket get to you. You can’t let anything get to you. I mean, basketball is a game. This game, it’s all about the life experiences it teaches you.” ––– Growing up, Etienne went through hell. In eighth grade, he developed the closest bond of his young life with Armoni Sexton. Etienne and Sexton met at school,

the Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology. The two quickly bonded over basketball. “We definitely created a bond together, and he was the closest I have ever gotten with a teammate in my life,” Etienne said. “He’s the best young player I’ve seen. That man was a one-and-done type player, and I’m referencing that when he was an eighth grader.” Sexton was a menace. In eighth grade, he was playing on his high school varsity team, averaging 16.3 points and eight rebounds per game. Sexton was so talented that his head coach was pushing him to transfer to either Oak Hill in Virginia or Montverde Academy in Florida. He was already a nationally ranked prospect. SEE THROUGH FIRE & FLAMES PAGE 12

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MEN’S ROSTER

2 | MONDAY, OCT 28, 2019

0 DEXTER DENNIS Sophomore, G/F Baker, La.

NOAH FERNANDES Freshman, G Mattapoisett, Mass.

Junior, C Helsingor, Denmark

Sophomore, G Angers, France

Junior, G Uppsala, Sweden

Sophomore, F/C Omaha, Neb.

RAVEN PRINCE

SHYIA SMITH

Sophomore, F Idabel, Okla.

The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters and twice over the summer. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.

MISSION The Sunflower — both in print and online — will be a timely resource of information about the Wichita State University community. It will report on news, issues, activities, academics and athletics, in addition to offering a forum for discussion, reviews and commentary. It will also be an effective learnig experience for students, who will have the final authority over what is published.

JAIDA HAMPTON

Sophomore, G Lansing, Mich.

34 Redshirt Sophomore, C Hope Hills, N.C.

MAYA BREWER

KEITHA ADAMS

Sophomore, G Dinant, Belgium

The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or the university. The Sunflower is a member of Kansas Collegiate Media, the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association. Copyright © 2019 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

TRAJATA COLBERT

Sophomore, F Rochelle, Ga.

Head Coach

Meet the Staff OPINION EDITOR Kevin Benavides

MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Kelly

PHOTO EDITOR Easton Thompson

NEWS EDITOR Daniel Caudill

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Eduardo Castillo

SPORTS EDITOR Marshall Sunner

ADVERTISING MANAGER Madeline Deabler

FEATURES EDITOR Emily Dulohery

FACULTY ADVISER Amy DeVault

LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 in the newsroom, Elliott Hall 019. The Sunflower is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. The Sunflower is funded by a combination of print and online advertisment sales and student fees allocated by the Student Government Association.

Redshirt Freshman, G St. Francis, Kan.

Freshman, F Beaumont, Texas

SERAPHINE BASTIN

EDITOR IN CHIEF Kylie Cameron

FIRST AMENDMENT Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

STAFF Morgan Anderson Olivia Babin Selena Favela Karen Galindo Brogan Gillmore Kamilah Gumbs Dylan Harmon Ben Jacobson Reid Kurkerewicz Audrey Korte David Leon Sean Marty Nathan Schale Austin Shaw Lindsay Smith Maddie Spurlock Tajahnae Stocker Jeromiah Taylor Becca Yenser

Corrections The Sunflower is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in any of its publications, please email the editor at editor@thesunflower.com immediately. Corrections and clarifications will be printed in this space.

TATE BUSSE

ASHLEI KIRVEN

Senior, G Wichita Falls, Texas

5 ASHLEY REID

Senior, G Kansas City, Mo.

44 ASIA HENDERSON

GREGG MARSHALL

3 Redshirt Freshman, F Gdynia, Poland

Sophomore, G Lacey, Wash.

Head Coach

Freshman, G Wichita, Kan.

NATALIA RYNG

Junior, F Marietta, Ga.

MORRIS UDEZE

10 ERIK STEVENSON

Sophomore, C Houston, Texas

GRANT SHERFIELD

2 Junior, G Grand Rapids, Mich.

Redshirt Senior, F Oklahoma City, Okla.

VENDELA DANIELSSON

MARIAH MCCALLY

5 TREY WADE

WOMEN’S ROSTER

CARLA BREMAUD

JAIME ECHENIQUE Senior, C Barranquilla, Colombia

ISAIAH POOR BEAR

1 Freshman, G DeSoto, Texas

BRYCEN BUSH

Freshman, F La Roche-sur-Yon, France

DJ MCCARTY

Freshman, F Mobile, Ala.

Junior, G Wichita, Kan.

JOSAPHAT BILAU

0 Junior, C Smyrna, Tenn.

JACOB HERRS

3 DEANTONI GORDON

Sophomore, G Charlotte, N.C.

Junior, G Wichita, Kan.

ASBJØRN MIDTGAARD

DIAMOND FORREST

JAMARIUS BURTON

Freshman, G Englewood, N.J.

1 TYSON ETIENNE

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MONDAY, OCT 28, 2019 | 3

In Marshall They Trust Shockers had faith their coach wouldn’t leave them BY MARSHALL SUNNER

regg Marshall is a household name in the city of Wichita. He’s the man who led his team to eight straight NCAA tournaments, a Final Four in 2013, and a perfect regular season in 2014. But recently, Marshall has had a fair share of misfortunate events come his way. In 2017, for the first time, he lost a player due to academic reasons. That same year, six seniors graduated, Landry Shamet traded up for the NBA as an underclassman, and the team’s thirdbest three-point shooter, Austin Reaves, transferred. Marshall recovered the best way he could. He stacked last season’s roster with 11 newcomers, including seven true freshmen. One bright accusation was West Virginia transfer Teddy Allen, who was moving to be closer to his support system in Nebraska. But the bright outlook would suddenly dim down. Wichita State didn’t come out of the gate fast. For the first time in Marshall’s tenure, the team dropped their opening game of the season. Four-star freshman Chance Moore stepped away from the program and Allen wasn’t granted a waiver of eligibility from the NCAA. Then, from Dec. 22-Jan. 26, the Shockers lost seven of eight games, dropping their overall record to 8-11. When everything was looking down, Marshall worked tirelessly to coach his team out of the hole they were in. WSU won nine of their last 11 games to round out the regular season. In the American Athletic Conference tournament, they walloped East

Carolina and got their revenge on Temple after a historic collapse at home earlier in the year. The late-season magic eventually ran out at the hands of eventual-champion Cincinnati, a game in which the Shockers came up one possession shy of forcing overtime for an appearance in the AAC title game. Marshall was emotional after the game against the Bearcats. With tears in his eyes, he sat outside of the locker room on a stool and addressed the small group of media members who made the trip down to Memphis. “There’s been disappointment. There’s been shortcomings. There’s been doubt,” Marshall said in March. “But the way that they have handled not only their business but the example that they’ve set for the young players — for me, as a 56-year-old man, has been incredible.” With the recent hot streak, Marshall was hopeful to make the National Invitational Tournament. After all, it was in his mind at the beginning of the season. With the official invite coming, his team responded with another push. Marshall’s squad won three straight away games against the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 teams in their region to punch their ticket to New York City and a chance to play in historic Madison Square Garden. Marshall’s coaching abilities were on display to a national audience in the postseason, posing a potentially dangerous situation for the program. Before the final buzzer against Lipscomb sounded, social media was buzzing. Multiple unverified sources asserted that Marshall was being linked to potential head coaching jobs ranging

He loves this place. He loves this fan base and he loves this program.” — Jamarius Burton, sophomore

from Virginia Tech and Arkansas. Later on, Allen, who didn’t suit up during the 2018 season, was dismissed from the team after a domestic dispute over the summer. Allen had been expected to take the crucial leadership role from recently graduated Markis McDuffie. Given circumstances, Marshall’s departure could seem imminent. On April 23, The Athletic’s CJ Moore published an article that gave clarity to those rumors and ended up being true. Wichita State pays Marshall just over $3.5 million a year for his duties. In a previously secret offer, Moore confirmed in his piece that the Razorbacks did make an offer to the Shockers’ leader. A lucrative deal that could guarantee Marshall roughly $1 million more per year. Had Marshall accepted the offer, he would have been the third-highest paid coach in the nation, per USA Today. He was content. To him, it’s not all about the money. Plus, his team’s hot streak and demonstrated potential at the end of the year likely factored into Marshall’s decision to stay in town. “He’s really ambitious. He really wants more and more and more,” senior center Jaime Echenique said. “He’s not just going to give up against adversity. Like yeah, last year was a tough year for us, but he never gave

up. He always kept teaching, kept coaching, and always had us learning. “That just shows how great he is and how he’s not ever going to give up against adversity.” Echenique said he tried not to look too far into the potential departure. He said his own recruitment process gave him the assurance he needed to know his coach wasn’t going anywhere. “You know, during my recruitment process, there was also a lot of speculation like, ‘Oh, he’s going to leave. He’s going to go to Louisville, or somewhere else,’” Echenique said. “But when you see this man, he’s built a legacy here, and he doesn’t want to throw that away. I think he has so much expectation in this program that he doesn’t feel the need to move.” Sophomore Isaiah Poor BearChandler said Marshall’s decision to stay meant a great deal on a personal level. He said it shows that Marshall trusts the potential of his returners and incoming players. “Honestly, it shows how much he really cares for us, and how much we care for him for having him stay with us,” Chandler said. “He’s one of our leaders. I just feel like he has a lot of potential to show this year with this group of guys.” Echenique, Chandler, and sophomore point guard Jamarius Burton agreed that they didn’t believe for a second that Marshall was leaving. “I can describe what he feels here with one word: ‘Love,’” Burton said of his coach. “He loves this place. He loves this fan base and he loves this program. “Wichita is his home.”

How a pair of red and white Jordan 1’s changed Asbjørn Midtgaard BY MARSHALL SUNNER

Asbjørn Midtgaard came to the United States from Denmark in 2017 with a single suitcase, a backpack, and the clothes on his back. He had just one pair of shoes, the Nike Trainers on his feet. Midtgaard knew how big the “kick game” was in America. Coming here, he wasn’t worried about not fitting in with the kicks gang — he was just focused on playing the game of basketball. But what he didn’t know at the time was that then-junior Markis McDuffie was going to tackle two birds with one stone. When teammates were getting acquainted with each other over the summer, McDuffie noticed Midtgaard wearing the same shoes every day. That’s when he made the touching gesture that would impact Midtgaard’s game and life. “They were all like, ‘Why are you wearing the same shoes?’ So I told them I only had one pair,” Midtgaard said. “Markis (McDuffie) at that point was like, ‘Hey man, I got a bunch of shoes. If you want some, you can come over to the house and you can have some if you want.’” Midtgaard then made his way to McDuffie’s house off campus. When he arrived, he walked into his teammate’s room and was shocked. Lying in front of him on McDuffie’s bed were eight pairs of

shoes, mainly Jordan brand. “I chose two maybe because there was like eight there and I knew that I didn’t need eight shoes,” Midtgaard chuckled. “It was just him being a great teammate and it was awesome.” A pair Midtgaard picked and cherishes most was a pair of red and white Jordan 1’s. He still has the pair of shoes today. For Midgaard, McDuffie’s gesture meant more than another pair of shoes. The junior from Denmark has taken the gesture a step farther, using it to inform his new role as a leader on a team with just three upperclassmen scholarship players. “There’s different kinds of leadership,” Midtgaard said. “Markis was just the guy who always brought the energy — it was contagious. He always had a great attitude and came in and worked hard. “He led by example. He was a good guy and it rubbed off of people. I try to take that from him — I always come in with a great attitude and work hard.” Midtgaard said his approach to leadership is about “being a good guy on and off of the court.” “When I see someone struggling a little bit, whether it be with sets or just in a bad mood, I try to go over there, talk to them a little bit, and make sure they’re okay,” Midtgaard said.

“I’m not really bossing anyone around. Some people might say leadership is that, but I just try to help out with whatever I can and be positive, and hopefully it’s contagious. “Just be more of a guide.” At the end of the day, Midtgaard knows teammates look out for each other. “I try to help out when I can — small things matter too,” Midtgaard said. “You know, when a guy doesn’t have shoes, you offer him some shoes. When he’s hungry, invite them to a meal. “Just be a good guy, be a good teammate, and that’s all that matters.”

Midtgaard is coming off of a breakout season where his play down the stretch was pivotal for the team’s turnaround. He only averaged 3.3 points per game, but his size and minutes late in games when others were in foul trouble played a huge role in the team’s run to the NIT semifinals in New York City.

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4 | MONDAY, OCT 28, 2019

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JUCO transfer Trey Wade wants to win BY KAMILAH GUMBS

Trey Wade, a junior college transfer from South Plains Community College, was put on the Shockers’ radar because of his skills, athleticism, and high comprehension of the game. When Wichita State reached out to him, he said he was honored. “I was excited” Wade said. “It’s a great conference, and they got good history. So I was excited about it.” Enthusiasm isn’t the only quality Wade brings to the table. As a junior, he played one year in the junior college circuit and one year at the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP), so he brings prior experience and knowledge to Wichita. Playing for South Plains Community College, Wade averaged 13.4 points and 6.9 rebounds in 23.3 minutes-per-game with 34 starts. He also gained all-conference and all-region honors. His contribution to the team helped them win the 2019 Region V title and a berth in the Final Four at the NJCAA Men’s Basketball National Tournament. Wade spent two years at UTEP, where he set out his first year to focus on academics. During his

second year, he averaged 7.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 17.8 mins per game. Even though he had a good year statistically, Wade’s team struggled. “As a team, we didn’t have the best year,” Wade said. “It was tough. Our coach [Tim Floyd] retired six games in. We weren’t just together as a team, and it hurt us in the long run.” Floyd’s abrupt retirement had a major effects on the program and Wade. As an athlete, having the skills, knowledge, and athleticism is great, but without self-confidence, those skills aren’t always executed on the court. “Playing JUCO level is not like playing D-I,” Wade said. “It’s different, but it helped get my swagger back and confidence back.” “Being a freshman and not playing the minutes you want to, it kind of messes with you as a basketball player who has been playing for so long,” Wade said. “It bothers you. Going to JUCO was my best way to rebuild that [confidence].” Everything wasn’t bad at UTEP. The year he sat out helped him understand the pace, the practices, and the players. Wade’s coaches and teammates are counting on Wade’s

insightfullness to pay off on the court. Cobb County, Georgia, has produced major basketball talents, including the legendary Shareef Abdur-Rahim and current NBA players Kobi Simmons, Colin Sexton, and Jaylen Brown. Their success is something Wade said he both admires and hopes to emulate as he grows in basketball. Wade isn’t going through this basketball journey alone. His family has been by his side since he realized he wanted to play the sport, and they continue to push him to fulfill his dreams, he said. But Wade has plenty of intrinsic motivation, too. “I want to win,” he said. “That’s something that I want to do when I picked this school. I know that there’s a winning tradition here, and that’s the main thing. I want to win and I know if we win, my individual success — it will blow up.” Wade had a personal message for Shocker fans. “I just want them to know that I am to give my hardest when I’m out there,” he said. “I want to show them I’m mature and I’m ready for this level of basketball.”

Stevenson, Burton develop their individual games during the offseason

MARSHALL SUNNER/ THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State junor college transfer Trey Wade euro-steps past sophomore Jamarius Burton during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage earlier this month.

Finishing what was started Mariah McCully looks to fulfill her father’s basketball dreams

BY LINDSAY SMITH

A new basketball season is approaching. Not only has there been hard work during the offseason to improve the team as a whole, but individual players have been honing their personal games. “I think that two guys that stand out to me, in that regard, are Erik Stevenson and Jamarius Burton — both of whom have become better athletes,” Head Coach Greg Marshall said during a press conference. “They’ve cut their bodies up. They’re a little quicker, more explosive, but they haven’t lost any strength. “They’ve slimmed down from what they were last year, so in Erik’s case, he’s able to guard better, which was a struggle last year.” Stevenson said slimming down was a huge part of his summer. “I dropped 15 pounds. That made me quicker . . . lighter on my feet, more athletic,” Stevenson said. “Those things in itself make the game a whole lot easier.” Stevensen said losing that weight was exactly what needed to to happen to improve his game. “When I first got here, I put on 20 pounds, and that didn’t feel right . . . It made last year pretty tough,” Stevenson said. “Losing that weight — getting back to a comfortable playing weight — changed everything.” Outside of the gym, sophomore Jamarius Burton said he’s spent a great deal of time mentally preparing himself for this season. “I built chemistry with my teammates,” Burton said. “Just tried

BY MORGAN ANDERSON

FILE PHOTO/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State’s Jamarius Burton and Erik Stevenson celebrate beating Southern Methodist in January.

to get a better understanding of the offense and where I could be more successful with the team.” Burton has worked especially hard improving his shot, which he believes he has succeeded with. “I’ve changed my mechanics. I feel like I’m more confident in my shot,” Burton said. “I mean, we’ll just have to see.” Stevenson has also seen his hard work over the summer pay off. During the off-season, he added six inches to his vertical jump. Stevenson said he didn’t realize he had made such an improvement until they did their testing. He said he attributes it to strengthening his legs and focusing on cardio. Stevenson said the team as a whole has improved from last season, when they were ultimately ousted in the semifinals of the NIT. “I think this team is definitely better than last year’s,” Stevenson said. “I think that’s because they were willing to learn. We were willing to

learn last year, but we didn’t have a whole lot of help. We were kind of just learning on our own, on the fly.” Stevenson said experience will pay off this year as veterans help newcomers get acclimated. “This year, we got guys who can help the new guys out,” Stevenson said. “They help us get better, we help them get better. They’re just willing to learn and listen. I think that’s really what propelled us this summer.” Burton said that confidence plays a key role in determining team success. “If your confident, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing,” Burton said. “If you’re confident in it, if you believe you can do it, you can do it.” Marshall said he has high hopes for both Burton and Stevenson as they enter the new season — particularly with regard to converting near the basket. “These guys will hopefully be able to finish better around the basket,” Marshall said.

Feeling the rough grip of the bright, orange basketball between her small hands, two-year-old Mariah McCully was introduced to the sport that would change her life forever. McCully grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where both of her parents influenced her love for basketball. “Both my parents played basketball, so it’s always just been a family tradition,” McCully said. Growing up with basketball was one thing, but McCully’s outside life brought its fair share of struggles. Playing basketball became her outlet. “Basketball kept me off the streets in my hometown,” McCully said. “During high school, it was common for my classmates to get pregnant, go into the drug business, or be affiliated with gangs. I wasn’t a part of that because I was always in a gym working on basketball — perfecting my moves and building my skills. I knew that I wanted to be better than that. I wanted to make my life worth something.” Mariah’s father, Alonzo, inspired her the most, she said. After ending his basketball career in college to serve in the military, Alonzo stopped playing professionally to be in the Marines. McCully sought to make good on finishing her father’s dreams.

“Even after the military, he still kept up with basketball, and he even did a little wrestling here and there, but never got to achieve his goal of playing professionally,” McCully said. “My dad always told me that I was his shadow, and he always pushed me to finish what he started. I look up to my dad a lot and how much he persevered through this sport. He’s my role model.” After transferring from Wabash Valley College and Odessa College in two years, McCully went looking for another option. She said Head Coach Keitha Adams was the reason she chose Wichita State. “She helped me through all my struggles and hardships that I faced during my first semester of college,” McCully said. “At one point, I was failing my classes and I was ineligible, but she kept me motivated to finish strong. “She is more than a coach to me.” For the upcoming season, McCully said she plans to attain and sustain success through her positive mentality. “When we lose, I never take it as a negative,” McCully said. “Most people look at a loss as a loss, but I look at it as a learning experience. What can you work on? What worked? What didn’t? Keeping a positive mindset versus looking at the negatives puts me in a whole other perspective.”

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MONDAY, OCT 28, 2019 | 5

Seraphine Bastin wants to ‘do something great’ this season BY LINDSAY SMITH

Seraphine Bastin has high hopes for the Wichita State women’s basketball season. “[This year, I want the team to] get 20 wins. Get the team together, have the chemistry of the team,” Bastin said. “Do something great — that’s it.” A sophomore now, Bastin had to get acclimated to a new country last year. Originally from Belgium, she said the transition was something of a culture shock for her. “It was kind of crazy, cause it’s not the same culture, so I had to adapt myself,” Bastin said. “But it was a good experience, honestly. [It took me] maybe four months [to adapt to the culture]. So now I’m good.” While the move had its challenges, Bastin said she was committed to what WSU had to offer. “I decided to choose WSU because the coach was very good,” Bastin said. “She came to visit me in Belgium — the program was something good too.”

In her high school career, Bastin had a number of major achievements. “When I was in high school, I did the European championship and we won the European championship in 2016,” Bastin said. “I got MVP title, so that was something good.” Even with her basketball experience, Bastin still had to get used to the rhythm of the college game. “It was something kind of crazy because every day you need to be ready for practice, you need to be ready for game day, you need to be healthy, to eat healthy, to sleep a lot,” Bastin said. “It was kind of crazy.” Even though she now has a year in the program under her belt, Bastin said she’s still always learning. “I learn from my mistakes. [The coaches] teach me a lot,” Bastin said. She said her teammates are also invaluable in her learning process. “I learn a lot from this team. I learn a lot from each one of them,” Bastin said. “I’m grateful for that.” Bastin said she’s entering the

MARSHALL SUNNER/THE SUNFLOWER

Sophomore guard Seraphine Bastin drives past teammate DJ McCarty during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage earlier this month.

season with specific goals. “I feel like I’m going to shoot more three-point shots,” she said. “I’m going to be more of a leader. It’s going to be something different.”

Bastin said the team is on an upward trajectory. “The team is going to be better. We’re going to be stronger, smarter, and faster,” Bastin said.

Brewer, Shockers using cohesiveness as outlook for success this season BY MARSHALL SUNNER

Last year’s Wichita State women’s basketball team was almost completely new. The team featured 10 newcomers, mostly freshmen, who were thrust into the spotlight immediately. Cohesiveness in general was an area the Shockers struggled in, and it showed in the number of turnover-laden games they had. But now, that weakness is turning into a strength. “Last year, it kind of blindsided us,” senior Maya Brewer said. “But we are coming back this year better than last year. Plus, the atmosphere in the locker room is better to start the year and everyone gets along, which will help us in the season.” Even though this is only her second year with the program, Brewer’s upbeat personality is infectious in the locker room. She said she always tries to make her teammates laugh because laughter is a key for happiness. “All of us are happy this year,” Brewer said. “I can be pretty goofy. I’m always dancing — always having a good time. But it’s not like there isn’t a purpose for it.” Brewer can lighten the mood in the locker room when times are tough. She said that in her newfound leadership role, she tries to look at everything as a positive. “It’s just my personality,” Brewer said. “I don’t know where it comes

from. I mean, I’m a Leo. I don’t know, I’ve just always been someone that looks at things with positivity.” It’s not just Brewer who’s making the locker room a fun atmosphere, though. The entire team has caught onto the senior’s enthusiasm. This year’s team isn’t dwelling on the negatives, Brewer said. When something goes wrong in practice, they like to light-heartedly poke fun at the situation later to keep the emotions in the locker room positive. “It’s just the little things — you can’t dwell on everything forever,” Brewer said. She also said the team’s chemistry really developed this summer, and she already feels like she’s known the freshmen for “a long time.” Brewer said she believes this year’s team should have high expectations, even though they were picked ninth in the preseason American Athletic Conference poll. She said the team, with more experience than last season, has a chance to make it to a postseason game. “Like I said, our chemistry is there,” Brewer said. “We want to push the tempo. With us being on the same page, scoring will be easier. Our goal this year is to make it to some form of a postseason game.”

BY SEAN MARTY

When Wichita State debuts its season against Northeastern State on Oct. 29, there will be a new three-point line on the floor. But that’s not the only offseason rule change implemented by the NCAA. Here’s what you should know: THREE-POINT LINE

The most popular and most noticeable rule change that the NCAA made was moving back the three-point line. Previously, the three-point line was 20 feet away from the basket. Starting this season, it will be 22 feet and one and three-quarters inches away from the arch. This change will make it tougher for defenses to defend three-pointers, encouraging guards to drive to the basketball and create better spacing. For a WSU team that shot 31% from behind the arc last year, it will allow for better looks and possibly a better percentage to go with it. This spacing could also provide better shot attempts for guards such as Jamarius Burton, who thrived in attacking the basketball but struggled with shooting the three-ball last season. SHOT CLOCK RESET

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Wichita State’s walk-ons return for another year, ready to play BY KEVIN BENAVIDES

While most players on a college basketball team are on some sort of scholarship, a select few aren’t. These players are called walk-ons. Sometimes, they’re a legacy player — a close relative previously played for the team. Sometimes, they’re trying to impress the coach and earn a scholarship for next season. While Wichita State usually has four walk-ons, this season’s three walk-ons, Brycen Bush, Jacob Herrs and Tate Busse, are all returning players who are ready to get back on the court. “It’s awesome,” Bush said. “I love being a part of this. It’s something that I never thought would be possible.” Bush and Herrs are both thirdyear walk-on guards whose families have connections to Wichita State. Herrs’s father was a scholarship player from 1992-1996, and Bush’s brother was also a walk-on from 2012-2017. Both players have appeared in games during their first two seasons, and as two of the longest-tenured players, they’re striving

NCAA rule changes

The reset of the shot clock following an offensive rebound is also changing this season. With last season’s rules, if a team regained possession of the ball after an offensive rebound, the shot clock would reset to 30 seconds. This year, that’s being shortened to 20 seconds. Offensive rebounding was a strength for last year’s Shocker squad. They finished tied for 49th in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage at a rate of 32.5%. Jaime Echenique finished off the season ranked No. 176 with an offensive rebounding percentage of 10.6%. Both the three-point line and shot clock modifications were introduced in last spring’s NIT, so WSU will have several games of experience with the new rules. OTHER RULE CHANGES

MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State’s Trey Wade, Bryscen Bush, Jacob Herrs, and Tate Busse pose for a photo with Noah Crosby during the WSU pep rally on Friday.

to make an impact this season. “It’s cool to see the people around you grow and become better at what they’re doing,” Bush said. They owe their readiness to both the rigorous training of the coach, but also previous players. During their freshman year, they had the opportunity to play under Conner Frankamp.

“Coming in, we had Conner, who literally did not miss for three,” Bush said. “We had a bunch of shooters. I’m a shooter too, so it was cool to look at them and learn from them.” Busse is a redshirt freshman, meaning this will be his first season on the active roster. As the all-time leading scorer at St. Francis High

School with more than 1,700 career points, Busse is ready to try his hand at the college game. The walk-ons all agreed that hard work in practices have prepared the team to take strides this season. “It’s a really good group of guys,” Busse said. “It was always my dream to come to a place like this.”

Some of the other rule changes that will go into effect next season are that coaches will be able to call live-ball timeouts in the final two minutes of the second half and the closing two minutes of any overtime period. Also, in the two minutes of the second half or overtime, instant replay can be conducted if basket interference or goaltending has been called. Lastly, players will now be assessed a technical foul if they use derogatory language towards an opponent. Remarks about race, ethnicity, and gender, can all be punished.

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2019-20

Basketball

schedule Men’s

woMen’s

Northeastern State (Exhb.)

@UCONN

missouri southern State (Exhb.)

ecu

Tuesday, Oct. 29 7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 12 11 a.m.

Monday, Nov. 4 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 12 Noon

Omaha

@Temple

northern iowa

Tulsa

Tuesday, Nov. 5 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 15 8 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 9 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 15 6:30p.m.

Texas Southern

Houston

@oral Roberts

Temple

Saturday, Nov. 9 2 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 18 3 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 11 7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 19 2 p.m.

Gardner-Webb

@USF

southern

USF

Tuesday, Nov. 19 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 21 6 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 17 2 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 22 6:30 p.m.

Oral Roberts

UCF

@Lousiana Tech

@Houston

Saturday, Nov. 23 2 p.m. ---------------------------

Saturday, Jan. 25 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 20 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 25 2 p.m.

@Tulsa

houston baptist

@SMU

Saturday, Feb. 1 5 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 25 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 29 7 p.m.

Cincinnati

oklahoma

ecu

Thursday, Feb. 6 6 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 30 2 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 1 2 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 27 5/7:30 p.m. ---------------------------

@Houston

@Missouri State

@temple

Sunday, Feb. 9 2 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 4 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 5 6 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 5 7 p.m.

@UCF

@Creighton

memphis

Thursday, Feb. 13 6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 14 1 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 12 6:30 p.m.

Tulane

arkansas-pinebluff

@tulane

Sunday, Feb. 16 1 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 16 11:30 a.m. ---------------------------

Sunday, Feb. 16 2 p.m.

Cancun Challenge (all games in Cancun, Mexico) South Carolina Tuesday, Nov. 26 5 p.m.

UNI/West Virginia

Central Arkansas

@Oklahoma State Sunday, Dec. 8 1 p.m.

Oklahoma Saturday, Dec. 14 5 p.m.

VCU Saturday, Dec. 21 11 a.m.

Abilene Christian Sunday, Dec. 29 2 p.m.

ECU Wednesday, Jan. 1 2 p.m.

Ole Miss Saturday, Jan. 4 3 p.m.

Memphis Thursday, Jan. 9 6 p.m.

USF Thursday, Feb. 20 6 p.m.

@Cincinnati Sunday, Feb. 23 Noon

Temple Thursday, Feb. 27 6 p.m.

@SMU Sunday, March 1 3 p.m.

@Memphis Thursday, March 5 8 p.m.

Tulsa March 8 3 p.m.

puerto rico coqui classic (All Games in Guaynabo, puerto rico) Friday, Dec. 20 10 a.m.

virgina tech Saturday, Dec. 21 10 a.m. ---------------------------

grambling state

Monday, Dec. 30 6:30 p.m.

@UConn Thursday, Jan. 2 6 p.m.

Tulane Sunday, Jan. 5 2 p.m.

SMU Wednesday, Feb. 19 6:30 p.m.

@Tulsa Sunday, Feb. 23 2 p.m.

Cincinnati Saturday, Feb. 29 2 p.m.

@UCF Monday, March 2 6 p.m.

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Natalia Ryng crossed the Atlantic to find a second home at Wichita State BY DAVID LEON

Gdynia, Poland, is a small port city on the coast of the Baltic Sea. It’s known for its shipping industry and impeccable seafood. With a population of just over 244,000 citizens, it’s one of the smallest metropolitan cities in Poland. For Wichita State redshirt freshman Natalia Ryng, Gdynia is home. A product of SMS Pzkosz Lomianki High School, Ryng made a name for herself playing on the Polish National Basketball Team, where she helped them place third overall in the 2017 U18 European Championship. The showing put her on the radar for college recruiters, but Ryng said she knew she wanted to be at WSU, where she is majoring in business management. “I wanted to combine school and basketball at the same time, and this is a diverse place to do it in,” Ryng said. International students make

up 10.9% of WSU’s student body, and WSU is also the most diverse university in Kansas. But the young forward said overcoming the language and cultural barriers has been the toughest part of transitioning to life in Wichita, but that it’s ultimately been a rewarding process. “First of all, language, and then food, of course,” Ryng said. “All around, this is just the right place for me to be.” She said the team helped make her college transition easier. When she can’t be with her family in Poland, she has a whole other support system in her teammates. She described the team as “goofy.” “The girls love to dance like everywhere, and everytime it’s so funny I swear,” Ryng said. That sisterhood has made Wichita State more than an educational institution for Ryng. It’s a second home for her. “WSU is my university,” she said with confidence.

BY MATTHEW KELLY

EASTON THOMPSON/THE SUNFLOWER

The history of WuShock

The iconic, albeit a little strange, mascot Wichita State University has come to love was born in 1948 during a Kappa Pi honorary society contest. Kappa Pi challenged students to create a terrifying mascot that embodied the spirit of the university. Wilbur Elsea, a World War II Marine veteran and junior at WSU, submitted the winning design. “The school needed a mascot who gave a tough impression, with a serious, no-nonsense scowl,” Elsea said, as quoted by the official Wichita State website. The Sunflower ran an ad asking for students to submit possible names for the new mascot. Freshman Jack Kersting came up with the iconic “WuShock.” And thus, the university’s beloved Wu was born, though he did not look quite the same as he does now. Wu has been redesigned many times over the years. A few of the more notable redesigns were in 1998 and 2006. In 1998, Wu received a makeover to mark his 50th birthday. The design featured a tougher and buffer Wu. The design was deemed by Sports Illustrated as one of the worst college mascots in 2005. In 2006, Wu was updated once again to the design currently used. It is intended to be a bit more human-like and resemble the logo

THE SUNFLOWER

Freshman Grant Sherfield brings ‘complete game’ back to hometown

Wu claps with the band during the volleyball exhibition against the University of Kansas on Aug. 17 at Charles Koch Arena.

BY OLIVIA BABIN

EASTON THOMPSON/

the university uses today. One of the university’s most closely guarded secrets is who wears the WuShock costume. There are roughly four Wus who wear the costume for the athletics department and a few admissions employees don the suit as well. To keep the illusion alive, the people behind the mascot shall remain a secret. For this purpose, the student interviewed will be referred to as “Wu.” “It’s interacting with people and how much they love interacting with me,” Wu told The Sunflower. “It felt like a fun personal moment with Wu, and I love being a part of that.” Wu attends all major sporting events on campus and can be rented out to attend parties. He can even be at your wedding. “I really got to engage with the public and the people at non-sporting events,” Wu said. Wu walks a certain way, never speaks, and always wears his iconic grin. He dances, shoots buckets, runs around like a maniac, and never fails to make the audience smile. Everyone from alumni to little kids get their picture taken with Wu. “Wu is the personification of the energy and personality that surrounds WSU athletics,” Wu said. “Everyone’s excitement and dedication to the program is exemplified in everything that Wu is.”

A prized four-star recruit out of Sunrise Christian Academy, Grant Sherfield could see his future ahead of him. His hard work had paid off and he was committed to join a storied UCLA basketball program as a freshman. But that certainty evaporated last December when UCLA fired Head Coach Steve Alford midseason amidst a four-game losing streak. Sherfield wanted to play for a coach he had built a strong relationship with. He asked to be released from his letter of intent. “My parents wanted me to stay there, but I wanted to look for something else,” Sherfield said. “I just wanted to go somewhere where I know the coach, have a great relationship with the coach, and I feel like Wichita State was the best place for that.” Gregg Marshall had been recruiting Sherfield since his freshman year of high school. The 6-2 guard chose WSU over Wake Forest and Minnesota. “I’m happy with my decision,” Sherfield said. “You know, I’m playing great right now. I’m really bonding with the team. And most importantly, I get to see my family

every weekend — just go chill with them, have fun, and relax.” Wichita is more than a college destination for Sherfield. It’s his hometown. Even after he moved away to Texas in fifth grade, Sherfield kept up with Shocker basketball. “I came to the games when Toure’ Murry was hot. I came to the games when Joe Ragland was the leading scorer,” Sherfield said. “That’s one of the reasons why I came to Wichita State. I just want to come and help lead.” Even as a freshman, Sherfield said he’s in a prime position to take on a leadership role. And what exactly does that entail? “Helping us in crunch-time situations — just getting everybody calmed down, poised, and just helping us execute,” Sherfield said. “At the end of the game, if we need a bucket or need a play to be made, I feel like I can do that for us.” Sherfield said returning players have been excellent mentors for him and his fellow freshmen. “The sophomores, the juniors. We’ve got one senior. They’ve been great — just putting us under their wing and just helping us get to where they were. Knowing the system, knowing what [Coach Marshall] expects

from us,” Sherfield said. Sophomore guard Jamarius Burton said Sherfield already has a “complete game.” “I like Grant. To me, he plays like Chris Paul a little bit,” Burton said. “Pretty shifty with the ball, works the ball screens well, great passer, can shoot.” Suiting up in No. 52, Sherfield has the highest jersey number of any Shocker player on the roster. He wears it in honor of Benjamin “Benji” Wilson, widely regarded as the best high school basketball player in the country when he was fatally shot in 1984. “In high school, I watched a documentary, ‘30 for 30’ on Ben Wilson, and when he died, it just gave me like, you can’t take the game of basketball for granted,” Sherfield said. “In high school, I was No. 25, and I just wanted to flip it around and still honor him in college.” Tragically, Wilson never got to touch the court in a college basketball game. With his considerable talent, Sherfield is poised to make an impact at WSU, and he’s not about to take that opportunity for granted.

EASTON THOMPSON/THE SUNFLOWER

Freshman Josaphat Bilau reaches for the ball during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Oct. 5.

Bilau’s transition from soccer to collegiate basketball BY KYLIE CAMERON

Freshman Josaphat Bilau has played basketball for only five years, but people can’t really tell that when watching him play or looking at his playing resume. Originally a soccer player, French-native Bilau picked up basketball when he was 13-years-old. “I just fell in love with basketball,” Bilau said. “I always liked college basketball since I started playing basketball. I liked it better than the pro league overseas.” Soon after picking up basketball, Bilau played in the 2018-19 season for SPIRE Institute with five-star recruit LaMelo Ball and Isaiah Jackson. “It was great, it was probably the best experience I’ve had,” Bilau said. “I really improved a lot, taught me a lot. SPIRE was great.” Bilau, a three-star recruit,

had offers from Kansas, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Georgia Tech and Tennessee. He ultimately picked Wichita State over finalists Nevada, Wake Forest and West Virginia due to the coaches. “Coach Marshall is the best fit for me. Coach Tyson [Waterman] recruited me pretty hard and I just thought it was the best fit for me.” Bilau filled the last scholarship spot on the Shocker’s roster after Theodore “Teddy” Allen was released over the summer. A versatile player, Bilau will be serving as a forward for Wichita State this season. “I’m pretty versatile for my size, and I think can shoot the ball and can rebound and bring the ball up the court and make a play for myself or my teammates,” Bilau told The Wichita Eagle over the

summer. “People haven’t really seen what I’m capable of doing since I played on a really talented team. I haven’t showed what I’m fully capable of yet. “I felt like after we got done playing together, everybody knew that I could play at this level for sure and I can help them. I feel like we can do something special. Because of his versatility, Bilau said he worked on a lot of different things at practice over the summer. “I work on everything really, nothing specific,” Bilau said on what he worked on before the season started. When asked what else people should know about him, Bilau had a simple, yet goofy answer. “My nickname ‘Baby Joe,’” Bilau said without giving further explanation.

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Fernandes overcomes injuries early on in freshman campaign BY SEAN MARTY

KHÁNH NGUYỄN/THE SUNFLOWER

Noah Fernandes, a consensus three-star point guard, isn’t one to shy away from adversity. He’s already faced some as a freshman before even stepping foot on the court on a game day. Fernandes has dealt with multiple nagging injuries, one of which kept him out of the Black and Yellow Scrimmage, where he was seen on crutches. It’s obviously been tough to sit out, but Fernandes said he’s grown a great deal since arriving in Wichita earlier this summer. “It’s helped,” he said of his time sitting out. “I’ve got to see a lot of things off the court when I play — just handling it and staying locked in at practice and doing as much treatment as I can on it.” Fernandes added 25 pounds this offseason in preparation for his first college season. He said his goal as a point guard is to play at his own pace and give his teammates opportunities. Fernandes was one of the first Shockers in the 2019 recruiting class to commit. He picked WSU over Temple, Saint Louis, and East Carolina. In mid-September, Fernandes took an official visit to Wichita State. He committed just one day later. “I think just the culture of the program and what [Coach Gregg Marshall’s] done with his point guards,” Fernandes said when asked what factored into his decision to commit. “I knew he’s going to develop me into a good player as long as I stick to it and listen to what he says.” With the signings of consensus, four-star guards Tyson Etienne and Grant Sherfield later in the recruiting period, Fernandes said the competition is making all of the young newcomers better. “That’s our goal every day — just to compete as hard as we can and get each other better,” Fernandes said. “If we individually all get better, we improve as a team.

With the other two guards, it’s fun — it’s real fun.” In a press conference earlier this month, Marshall told a story about Fernandes and Sherfield competing on defense. As Marshall explained it, the two were stealing the ball from each other and getting in each other’s faces. Marshall said he thought he might have to break up a fight. “They were right at each other,” Marshall said. “It wasn’t anything near a fight, but it was the way they were pushing each other that was awesome. It’s going to make them

It’s helped. I’ve got to see a lot of things off the court when I play –– just handling it and staying locked in at practice and doing as much treatment as I can on it.” — Noah Fernandes on his injuries

better. I praised them for being so dogged in their determination to guard each other. ” Last season, the Shockers made it to the semifinals of the NIT in New York City. Fernandes, an East Coast native, got to travel down to see the team in action. He said he was impressed with the outpouring of support and how far WSU fans were willing to travel to see their team play. “That was just eye-opening for me,” Fernandes said. “It shows a lot about this program and the culture of the program for the fans to travel that many miles away to come support the team.” Fernandes said his parents have played a key role in getting him to where he is. “They were the ones taking me to all my workouts and stuff. They were the ones pushing me,” Fernandes said. “They sort of saw the potential and they just knew if I worked hard, I could accomplish all the things that I can.”

Prince credits past experiences for stoking hope as a Shocker BY KAMILAH GUMBS

and 5-11 in conference play. But every great player knows that losses are lessons. “Coming from a JUCO to here, things are much different,” Prince said. “The biggest thing I learned is adjustments and being willing to change.” This offseason, Prince got stronger, faster, and said she’s more mentally prepared for the challenges that D1 basketball throws her way. Overall, 10 of the 14 players on the Shocker roster are returners.

Wichita State has been redshirt senior Raven Prince’s home for three years now. Prince transferred to WSU from Butler Community College and built a reputation as a key rebounder and finisher in the paint. Prince ultimately chose WSU for its culture and location, she said. “I think it was a perfect fit for me, being two hours away from home, and the coaching staff made me feel like it was a welcoming organization,” Prince said. Prince, who hails from Oklahoma City, shined at Millwood High School for four years. As a senior, she averaged I’m friends with people 16.4 points per game. Prince rethat I never thought that I flected on her time at Millwood in would’ve been friends with. an interview with The Sunflower. I’m able to learn different “My high school was a very words and phrases from sports-based,” Prince said. differnt cultures.” “Playing with that team, we won — Raven Prince state championships. I saw a lot of my older teammates went on and play Division-I and enjoy college. Prince said she has high inThat made me want to play dividual and team expectations division one as well.” for this year. Prince led Millwood to “What I really want for us to get four straight Oklahoma State out of this season is for us to have Tournaments, winning the 3A a 20-plus (game) winning season,” Basketball State Champion in Prince said. “For us to go to 2012. She was named the 2012 3A postseason play and then maybe freshman of the year and 2013-14 be able to make it far so we could all state honors. go to the NCAA tournament.” Prince said she always looks Prince also spoke to how the to the positive team moments as various cultures on the team motivation for the future. have helped her personally and “My favorite memory is when enhanced the team as a whole. we played Missouri State last Various players hail from France, year and Carla (Bremaud) hit Belgium, Sweden, and Poland. the three to tie the game and we “I’m friends with people that ended up winning in overtime,” I never thought that I would’ve Prince said. “That was definitely been friends with,” Prince said. the best moment.” “I’m able to learn different words But last season wasn’t everyand phrases from different thing the Shockers hoped it could cultures. This has helped create be. They ended the season 12-18 a family environment.”

EASTON THOMPSON/THE SUNFLOWER

Sophomore Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler shoots a three-pointer during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage.

Big men Jamie Echenique, Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler went from overlooked to the heart of a family BY DAVID LEON

Towering at 6-11 and 6-9, respectively, Jamie Echenique and Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler are hard to miss. But not that long ago, they were relatively unknown in the basketball world. POOR BEAR

Growing up on the outside of Omaha, Nebraska, on a Native American reservation, Poor Bear was decidedly under the radar of college scouts. During his eighth grade year, he was cut from the team, but that just fueled his desire to never be underestimated. Poor Bear said support from friends and family gave him the extra motivation he needed to become the player he is today. “Everyone that was behind me and who I was playing for pushed me as well,” he said. Poor Bear, who went on to play at Omaha Central High School, eventually became the third-highest-ranked prospect in Nebraska. A four-star prospect, per the Omaha World Herald, Poor Bear averaged 14.4 points and 9.5 rebounds his senior year. He had 90

dunks and helped his team to the state quarterfinals. Poor Bear earned a scholarship to the University of New Mexico in November of 2016, but he was cut from the team due to a coaching change. Instead, he played in the Omaha Elite on the AAU circuit to stay on the radar of other universities. He then spent the 2017-18 school year at Sunrise Christian Academy to work on his body and solidify his game. That’s where he caught the eye of Coach Gregg Marshall. “He is a strong defender and a rim protector,” Marshall said. Poor Bear overall would describe himself as “enjoyable.” “I always got a smile on my face.” ECHENIQUE

Jaime Echenique, a senior forward, almost didn’t fulfill his dream of playing Division-I basketball. Hailing from Barranquilla, Columbia, the odds of Echenique getting a shot to play in the United States were slim to none. But after leading his high school basketball team to four straight regional championships and winning MVP

honors in both of his last two seasons, Echenique got his chance. He got his start at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. After two great seasons at Trinity Valley, the stage was set for Echenique to take his game to a bigger stage. A friend invited Echenique to come visit Wichita State during his sophomore season. When he had his tour of WSU, he became attached to the city and decided on committing to the team. Echenique said the biggest difference between community college and D-I is game-day atmosphere. “Athens had about 4,000 citizens with only 100 people coming to watch us,” Echenique said. “Coming to Koch Arena and playing in front of 10,000 people is really rough.” This year, Echenique is the lone senior on the WSU roster. But he said he’s confident in that role and believes in the rest of his team. “There is not too much I need to push,” Echenique said. “They understand they need to play hard, they need to be tough, to have a killer mentality, and I feel I’m teaching by example.”

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High-flying under the radar Dexter Dennis’s unique rise to the top BY MARSHALL SUNNER

For the entirety of his life, Dexter Dennis has been flying under the radar. After high school, Dennis still didn’t have the offers he was looking for. Instead of going straight to college after graduation, he decided to take a post-graduate year at Believe Prep Academy in Tennessee. And Dennis did keep believing. It was at Believe Prep that he met a man by the name of Tyson Waterman, who knew what it took to play basketball at the collegiate level. Dennis became a budding star at the academy. His athletic ability was jaw dropping to coaching staffs in the league, and his potential was apparent. Yet no school was taking a chance on the high flyer from Baker, Louisiana. But Waterman had a connection: Gregg Marshall. Waterman got Marshall to fly down and watch Dennis for an open gym session during the prep season. Marshall was in need of talented recruits after losing six players to graduation, one to academics, and another to transfer. Dennis got the news from his head coach two days before Marshall flew down. “Coach Tyson told me that Coach Marshall was going to fly down here and watch me play in open gym,” Dennis said. “We play in open gym or whatever, and then bam, he throws me a scholarship.” Dennis had earned the opportunity he’d always wanted. He had the Division-I offer he felt like he deserved. No more than two weeks later, after processing it all, Dennis announced his commitment to Wichita State. “A couple of days after that open gym, I’m just thinking about all of the pros of this situation,” Dennis said. “You know, Coach Marshall is a hall-of-fame coach, and the playing time is available, so for me, that was all I needed. It took

between a week and two weeks for me to commit.” Dennis added, chuckling, “I think he (Marshall) was just as excited as me because, well, it might’ve been a little weird. Honestly, it probably was a little weird for him.” The unique part about Dennis’ recruitment was that the now-sophomore didn’t even take a campus visit to WSU before making his commitment. The first time he stepped foot in Kansas was the summer of 2018, when all enrolled freshmen joined the team for training camp. “If you’ve ever heard of prep schools and JUCOs, they’re in the middle of nowhere, so location really didn’t matter to me,” Dennis said, “And once I saw the fan support and the players in the league (NBA), I was just like, ‘Man, I don’t really think I need to take a visit.’” So far, Dennis has made the most out of the opportunity Marshall gave him. Last season, Dennis finished as the team’s fourth leading scorer, averaging 8.4 points per game on 39% shooting. He also led the team from behind the arc, shooting 40%. Dennis had plenty of breakout moments throughout the course of last season. From an array of thundering dunks, a buzzer-beater against Tulane, and multiple near double-doubles, Dennis consistently provided for the Shockers on both ends of the floor. But his most notable performance came in the most important game of the year. Dennis exploded for 14 of his 17 points in the second half of the NIT game against the No. 1-seeded Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington. The victory sent the Shockers to the semifinals in Madison Square Garden. Dennis also recorded six blocks and four rebounds in the game, while knocking down five three-pointers.

Dennis knows his potential, and he’s quietly continued working in the offseason. “I’m just trying to become a better dribbler and passer,” Dennis said. “Like everything has been off of the bounce. That’s what my workouts have been based on. It’s so I can create my own shot and help my teammates get a shot, too.” This season, Dennis is all about changing his game for the good of the team, he said. That and proving doubters wrong. “I’m more than just a dunker, or someone who can catch and shoot,” Dennis said. “I’ve really worked on evolving my game to provide more opportunities for everyone, and myself. I’m an allaround player, and I’m just doing what I think it will take for this team to be successful.”

“I’ve really worked on evolving my game to provide more opportunities for everyone, and myself.” — Dexter Dennis

KHÁNH NGUYỄN/THE SUNFLOWER

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Through fire FROM PAGE 1 But Sexton wouldn’t budge. He wasn’t going to leave New Jersey. Then, on Saturday, April 18, 2015, everything changed. Sexton was with a group of friends, walking home to make their 9 p.m. curfew. At 8:40, Sexton and his friends got caught in the line of fire of a drive-by shooting. Four people were shot, including the prospect. By Sunday morning, Sexton had been pronounced dead at the hospital. The other three, two males and one female, all survived. “Still to this day, I’m just like, ‘Why him?’” Etienne said. Sexton’s death took a monumental toll on Etienne, and it was compounded by other hardships. The freshman has had to leave his support system multiple times in order to chase his dreams of playing basketball for as long as he can. Etienne ended up going to four different high schools, which included a post-graduate year. “I had to go all over the East Coast to play basketball. I’ve had to leave my friends. I’ve had to leave my family,” Etienne said. “I have had family issues, lost multiple friends — it’s been a hard road. “There’s been a lot of days where I didn’t think I was going to make it.” But no matter what, the death of his friend still lingered. After losing Sexton, Etienee considered giving up the game. He said he just kept thinking to himself: Why him? What’s the point anymore? But a switch soon flipped for him. “All the sudden, it just clicked for me,” Etienne said. “It was like he got his life taken away from him and I’m fortunate enough to wake up every day, and why not do it for him? Why not work just a little bit harder? As I started to work, I started to find my love for the game — true love for the game. “I found the true passion I once had when I was little, and from that moment, I just looked at life very different and just not taking anything for granted.” Today, the guard credits these hardships to his drive to succeed in the game. “I definitely do it to honor my friend, definitely for my family, and I believe I was called to do something special in this world, and basketball is the vehicle that takes me to it,” Etienne said. “It’s much bigger than me, but I love the game of basketball. That’s why I do it.” ––– Etienne wasn’t just in Manhattan for late August. He was actually there for a majority of the summer. Over several months, the young star showed out in front of Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, Orlando Magic center Mohammed Bamba, Suns guard Kelly Oubre, and free agents J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony. Renowned hip-hop artist J-Cole was also in attendance. The opportunity for Etienne to participate in these runs arose from his EYBL summer teammate Cole Anthony. Anthony, now a point guard for North Carolina, was the No. 2 high school prospect in the country, according to ESPN, and is the son of former 11-year NBA veteran Greg Anthony. Anthony is a projected top-five pick in the 2020 NBA draft, too. Through his father, and natural talent, Anthony started to make professional connections and even got the opportunity to receive one-on-one work from the famed Brickley. Then, Anthony gifted his former PSA Cardinal teammate with the opportunity of his life. “We just kind of know the same people,” Etienne said. “Cole (Anthony), he’s my boy. I was able to go to a couple of workouts with him, and from that, me and Chris (Brickley) formed a relationship. That’s how I was invited to play in his NBA runs.” Over the course of a few weeks, Etienne got in a flow. Corner three? Bucket. Dribble pull-up? Bucket. Screen and pop? Bucket. He was proving he belonged, and he knew it. “It was a boost because I saw in my game that I belonged,” Etienne said. “I belonged and hung around with those guys, and just to play with them and learn from them was mind-blowing.” Etienne had another major takeaway from New York. It was the mental aspect of the game he holds closest to his heart. ––– Etienne has used his support system and faith to get him through the trials and tribulations of life. He’s a devout Christian. As a kid, he recalls his mother’s faith to be the building block for his day. It never mattered what he was going through — his mother was always there to point her son’s head towards the heavens. “Growing up, my mom had always demonstrated faith. We may have not gone to church every single Sunday, but God and faith was daily in our house,” Etienne said. “I’ve gone through a lot of storms — a lot of times I didn’t know if I would make it through. My mom’s faith was a good building block. “And God, He never left me alone.” The guard also credits his religion with keeping him on track to pursue basketball after Sexton’s death. “Everything is a blessing because you’re building yourself, you know — you’re growing, you’re getting better,” Etienne said. “[Sexton’s] death took a toll on me and made an impact on me, but

as far as I go in this game and the thing that God wants me to accomplish in this game, I do it partly to honor him. “And because he’s not here anymore, that doesn’t mean his legacy died. His legacy will live forever.” Now that he’s a college athlete, Etienne said he knows making it to church every Sunday could be difficult. That’s why he’s turned to prayer and meditation to help fill that void and satisfy his spiritual needs. Etienne said he has a strict schedule for his day. A day without early morning workouts still starts at 6 a.m. for the freshman. In the offseason, before official practice kicked off in late September, Etienne was usually at the gym before the usual 6 a.m. start time. On top of his workouts, he meditates three times per day. Sessions mostly revolve around prayer and relaxation. “It’s taking care of my mind and needs,” Etienne said. “I meditate a lot.” Since he’s arrived in Wichita, after practices he likes to unwind and relax with a book or other reading materials in his hands to help stimulate his brain. Another form of relaxation and emotional expression he mentioned is photography. “If I was back home, something that helps me free my mind is, I like to take pictures. I use photography as a hobby,” Etienne said. “I just like to analyze different situations in the city that are unique, and I may interrupt it in a different way so I try to capture it. Just different things — I’m much more than a basketball player. It’s just, basketball is what I want to do.” ––– Etienne has taken to heart feedback from professionals at the NBA run — most notably from Mitchell. Mitchell, like Etienne, is an undersized twoguard. But his athletic attributes and relentless mentality have helped him reach new heights as the face of an NBA franchise. He also become an NBA slam dunk champion and was runner-up for the league’s Rookie of the Year award. He’s also someone who sees a bright future in the young Etienne. Their conversation went a long way for Etienne. Mitchell told him he saw similarities between their games. He gave Etienne insights to take back to Wichita and work on his game on a whole new level. “He gave me insight to his own tactical and his own strategic ways on how he made the jump from college to the NBA in two years,” Etienne said. “We talked a lot about breaking down film and learning to study opponents and learning to study body placement — body geography, as Coach (Gregg Marshall) calls it on the court. It was just great learning from him.” Etienne said his conversations with Mitchell were validating. “It’s kind of like, well you’re a freshman kid, you’re just focused on playing in college. Donovan Mitchell is a star,” Etienne said. “It’s more validation. You always need self confidence — you need to believe in yourself. “But you can’t see that you actually belong until you’re actually put in that situation, and I was just truly humbled and grateful that he saw something in me.” The Jazz superstar wasn’t the only professional who gave Etienne tips and tricks. Brooklyn Nets guard and NBA champion Kyrie Irving worked with him

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and flames after the open gym, specifically on keeping the ball on certain parts of the hand for ball handling and putting a spin on the ball off of the backboard for circus-type layups. McCollum too said he saw himself in Etienne’s game. “I was just blessed and humbled, and it tells me that even though they see that in me, I still have a lot of work to do in order to get to that level,” Etienne said. ––– Not a moment goes by during the day that Etienne isn’t thinking about the game of basketball, he said. It’s in his blood. For him, it’s not just about playing the game — it’s about studying it. When Etienne is in the basketball facility, he’s asking for film. In between classes, you can find him around campus on YouTube or other video-streaming websites watching NBA film to decipher moves and incorporate them into his own game. His favorite athlete of all time is Kobe Bryant. His favorite current player is Daminan Lillard, another undersized, underrated guard. Earlier in the offseason, the freshman strolled into the film office looking for film on two Shocker greats: Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker. But it’s not just highlights — he wanted montages of VanVleet’s ability to use ball screens at a smaller size, and Baker’s tenacity on the defensive end of the floor. “When it comes to studying the game, I want to learn from the best,” Etienne said. “Fred (VanVleet) and Ron (Baker) were the best. I wanted to see what those guys did — how they moved on the court. What were the shortcuts they took? What were the things they did to thrive and eventually make it to the next level?” Etienne sees an endgame with these efforts. He said passionately that he wants to continually learn about the game so that one day, “God-willingly,” he can make it to the next level. Etienne knows it’s not just constant film work that will help him in his professional quest. It’s the physical work, too. But he knows the mental aspect will ultimately elevate his game. That’s the most satisfying part, he said. “For me, the physical work — I don’t want to say it’s easy, but for me, what I really wanted to do is just get into my mind,” Etienne said. “I simply want to be able to be the smartest player on the court.” –– New York City brings individual opportunities to millions of people. Etienne got his shot with Brickley. He didn’t just participate in the runs. He also got one-on-one work with the Pumasponsored trainer, which mainly focused on creating shots off of the bounce. He knows his strengths, one being his ability to catch and shoot off of a pass. Now, he’s focused on creating an allaround game that’s physically imposing on his opponents. “Before I came down here, they had a lot of workouts, and I just wanted to start working off of the dribble, because I’ve always been a pretty good catch and shoot player,” Etienne said. “I wanted to really create my own shot off of the bounce, and as I came to school and started doing our hour workouts with Coach Marshall, I really started learning the concepts.” Brickley’s information would transfer over for Etienne, and he has continued to put those

skills to action back in Wichita. When given a break from active duty for the Shockers, Etienne flew back and participated in more runs and training in New York. “When I got out there and played in the NBA runs, I saw the work we had put in during the summer,” Etienne said. “I saw it come out, and I just wanted to play. It didn’t matter if I didn’t score — I just wanted to play and compete against the best.” And he did compete against the best. But most importantly, he learned from the best. –– Everyone’s writes their own life story through the decisions they make. At 20 years old, Etienne has been tested with fire, but he maintains that one of the hardest things to cope with on the basketball court is doubt. It’s in Etienne’s blood to play basketball. It’s also in his blood to be a star — his mother was an Emmy-nominated makeup artist and his father played college ball for Maryland from 1988-1990. He’s also the nephew of 17-year former NBA player Marcus Camby and award-winning actor Omari Hardwick. Not to mention that Nets center DeAndre Jordan is his cousin. But Etienne isn’t necessarily like the rest of his family. He’s a rather quiet kid who’s on a mission — a mission to reach the highest level that any basketball player can. The doubt, mixed with his humble personality, is what led him to WSU. “You just go for fit,” Etienne said. “If you look at Wichita State’s lineage, and look at history over the last 10 years, they’ve had like seven NBA players in the past 10 years. Those numbers outweigh those other schools.” The guard also credits Marshall’s development as one of his main reasons for committing to the program. Etienne had other offers from Oklahoma, Auburn, Illinois, Minnesoata, Seton Hall, and the defending national champions, the Virginia Cavaliers. But Etienne is drawn to honesty. And Marshall’s bluntness drew him in even farther. Etienne admitted that no matter where Marshall was — a different state, country, or planet — he’d follow him there. “It didn’t matter if I had to go to Alaska — I wanted to play for someone who was going to get me better, and he was going to prepare me for the next level,” Etienne said. “People may say he yells a lot, or gets super intense, but that’s passion. “Most importantly, that’s love.” Etienne continued pledging his allegiance to the Shockers’ skipper, saying he only recruits players that he “sees something in.” When Etienne came on his official visit to Wichita last school year, he wanted Marshall to be blatantly honest with him. He admitted that he asked the “hard questions.” What do you see in my game? Where do you think I can go in this game? According to the freshman, Marshall responded honestly. You have potential, but there’s work to do. Etienne was satisfied. On Nov. 13, 2018, he committed to the Shockers. Now, Etienne is days away from his first official collegiate basketball game, and he’s fully committed to the team. Marshall expects him to come in right away and fight for minutes and make an immediate impact. For his part, Etienne said he wants to help the team any way he can. “Whatever coach needs me to do, I’ll do it,” Etienne said. “If it’s grabbing the ball and running in transition, I’ll do it. If it’s stepping in and taking nine charges, I’ll do it. If it’s nine threes a game, I’ll do it. It doesn’t matter to me. I want to win.” Etienne has high expectations for this year’s team. He understands the program’s NCAA Tournament history and said he sees no other outcome than a return to the big dance. “We are a tournament team. And we are a deep tournament team,” Etienne said. He also credits the team’s early cohesiveness as a boost towards success for the upcoming season. Etienne claimed he is gelling well with his new teammates, all while learning quality information and strategic ways to learn the game from the veterans and coaching staff. “It’s good to build that camaraderie, because when you get out on that floor, it’s a war,” he said. “The other team doesn’t like you. And we don’t like the other team, so you got to be able to fight with your brothers and build those relationships before you step out in the court.” Whatever adversity comes Wichita State’s way this season, Etienne plans to ride a wave of positivity. He knows the game poses its fair share of struggles, but with his life experiences, one thing is for certain: Nothing will stand in his way. “I’m not the most physically attributed player, and I’m not the most naturally talented,” Etienne said. “I’ve been through it all — adversity isn’t going to knock me down. I truly believe if you’re disciplined enough and you sacrifice, put in the work, and be patient, then you can do anything that you put your mind to.”

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Freshman forward looks to harness explosiveness BY MATTHEW KELLY

Freshman DeAntoni Gordon verbally committed to Wichita State before his junior year of high school at LeFlore Academy in Mobile, Alabama. Head Coach Gregg Marshall said it was “probably the earliest commitment” to WSU in his tenure. Asked how he knew so early on that he wanted to bring his game to WSU, Gordon didn’t hesitate: “Their coaching program.” “They’ve got strong, smart coaches who I just felt like could develop me as a player and get me to my end goal where I want to be — and that’s to make it to the NBA,” Gordon said. A 6’7”, 210-pound forward and consensus three-star recruit, Gordon reminds his coach of a certain whimsical storybook character. “He can run and bounce like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh,” Marshall said of Gordon in April. “He’s quick and fast and, boy, can he get off the ground and get to the rim.” Gordon seemed amused by Marshall’s comparison when asked about it at media day. “That comparison was funny,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t know, but

I’m very explosive – being able to move my strength and move my explosiveness to improve my game.” — DeAntoni Gordon, freshman

I’m very energetic. “I’m very explosive — being able to move my strength and move my explosiveness to improve my game.” Gordon said he’s bringing a “getbetter-every-day” mentality to his freshman season, all while having fun and building team chemistry. He said he considers sophomore center Morris Udeze to be a role model for him both on and off of the court. “He’s been a big brother on and off the court,” Gordon said. Udeze said he’s been impressed by Gordon, as well as WSU’s five other freshmen. “Something about this freshman class is different, you know what I mean?” It’s just different,” Udeze said. Sophomore point guard Jamarius Burton said the Shocker newcomers are learning the

system quickly. “I’m excited about the newbies that we have,” Burton said. “We have some shooters, some more ball-handling, and just players that picked up the system very quickly and that are hungry — ready to compete. I feel like they can do good this season.” On Oct. 19, Gordon was spotted on campus wearing a walking boot. He was not wearing the boot the week before at media day. Asked to comment on the nature of a potential injury, Wichita State Athletics Director of Communications Bryan Holmgren said he couldn’t provide official injury updates. “In case of a major injury where the [student athlete] will miss significant time, I do my best to proactively release approved information, but I don’t have anything to report on DeAntoni at this time,” Holmgren wrote in an email to The Sunflower.

KHANH NGUYEN/

THE SUNFLOWER

Catching up with Shockers in the NBA At the start of the 2019-2020 NBA season, there are two former Shockers in the league – Toronto Raptor’s guard Fred VanVleet and Los Angeles Clippers’ guard Landry Shamet.

MARSHALL SUNNER/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State senior Ashley Reid dribbles up the court during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Oct. 5 inside Charles Koch Arena.

Ashley Reid overcomes injuries, tough season to become team leader BY SEAN MARTY

Prior to arriving at Wichita State, senior guard Ashley Reid had to overcome something major. Following two seasons at New Mexico Junior College, Reid suffered a torn ACL during her sophomore season and took longer to rehab than expected. Last year was Reid’s first full season following the injury, and it took some adjusting to get back on the court post-injury. “Me and Brittany, our trainer, did a lot of stuff and know it’s more taking care of it and making sure it’s strong for this season,” Reid said. “I don’t have to wear my brace this year, so that’s a plus.” The injury also inhibited Reid’s jump shot. In her first season at WSU, she shot around 20% from beyond the three-point arc compared to 51% as a sophomore at the junior-college level. It wasn’t the ideal jump to the next level. But it wouldn’t stop her. Reid spent the majority of the summer working on her jump shot so that she would be better prepared for the upcoming season. “It’s just the way I came off when I jumped off my leg,” she explained. “Since my injury, it’s been pretty hard to come off of it. My shot’s been off ever since then, so I practiced a lot this summer to make sure it was on.” As one of two seniors, Reid has adopted more of a leadership role with the team. Head Coach Keith

Since my injury, it’s been pretty hard to come off of it (knee). My shot’s been off ever since then, so I practiced a lot this summer to make sure it was on.” — Ashley Reid, senior

Adams said she’s been encouraged by her performance so far. “She was voted as one of our team captains, and I think that stemmed from her commitment and her work ethic,” Adams said of Reid. “I think when we signed her, we knew she had been a good leader at the junior college that she was at before, and I believe that this year, she will bring more of that leadership quality to our team that we recruited her for than she was able to last year. ” WSU graduated Cesaria Ambrosio and Sabrina LozadaCabbage, leaving a leadership vacuum. In their absence, Reid has taken it upon herself to step up as a leader and a scorer. “Sabrina and Ces were major leaders of our team, and they had a lot of playing time, so those were big chunks taken out of our team,” Reid said. “There’s just people that need to fill in their roles. Last year, a lot of us were new, so this year, we just had about two people leave. It’s more team chemistry and people that can fill in that role, and I feel like we’ll have leaders fill it in.”

Fred VanVleet

Landry Shamet

Last season was one to remember for former Wichita State guard Fred VanVleet. After finding his shot in the playoffs, VanVleet helped the Toronto Raptors to their first ever NBA Title. It was also the franchise’s first-ever appearance in the championship series. In the NBA Finals, VanVleet scored a playoff career-high 22 points in the decisive game six, which included 12 points in the fourth quarter alone. For the entire Finals, he averaged 14 points per game, which also gave him one vote for the Finals MVP award. VanVleet’s family also intorduced a new child during the Raptors’ playoff run. To start the 2019-2020 NBA season, VanVleet scored a career-high 34 points in the league opener against the New Orleans Pelicans. - Olivia Babin

Like VanVleet, Landry Shamet also played as a factor for the Los Angeles Clippers’ playoff run. Shamet was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Clippers in the middle of the season. In his first game in L.A., he helped execute a 28-point comeback with 13 fourth quarter points against the Boston Celtics. In March, Shamet would go on to break the franchise rookie record for three-pointers in a game with seven made shots from behind the arc. His efforts also translated into the playoffs against the No. 1 seed Golden State Warriors. He helped cap off the biggest comeback in NBA playoff history with a game-sealing three-ball. The team was down 31 points in the third quarter. To cap off his rookie year, Shamet was honored with a NBA Second Team All-Rookie nomination. - Marshall Sunner

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MONDAY, OCT 28, 2019 | 15

THE SUNFLOWER PICKS The Sunflower editorial, sports staff make their picks for this seasonâ€™s games

opponent

KYLIE CAMERON

EASTON THOMPSON

MATTHEW KELLY

MARHSALL SUNNER

MORGAN ANDERSON

EDITOR IN CHIEF

PHOTO EDITOR

MANAGING EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

DESIGNER, PHOTOGRAPHER

Northeastern State [Exhibition]

Omaha texas southern ut martin

[cancun challenge preliminary]

gardner-webb

[cancun challenge preliminary]

oral roberts VS. south carolina central arkansas at oklahoma state oklahoma vcu abilene christian ecu ole miss memphis at Uconn at Temple houston at usf ucf at tulsa cincinnati at houston at UCF tulane usf at cincinnati temple at smu at memphis tulsa overall

18 -13

20 -11

23 - 8

21 -10

17 -14

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MONDAY, OCT 28, 2019 | 9

Settling In With experience EASTON THOMPSON/THE SUNFLOWER

Jaida Hampton uses family atmosphere to adjust to new role BY DAVID LEON

Trading the Great Lakes for the Great Plains, Jaida Hampton is a player of poise. Originally, from Lansing, Michigan, Hampton is known for her swiftness, ball-handling skills, and calm demeanor. As a freshman last season, she appeared in 26 of Wichita State’s 30 games, starting 13 of them. She averaged 6.6 points a game, and had nine games with 10 or more points. But Hampton is humble and quick to focus on the team aspect of the game.

“The family aspect — the coaches and how they treat us — I feel like that’s why a lot of people choose to come here,” Hampton said. A multi-sport athlete in high school, Hampton takes her position as a balanced, well-rounded player very seriously. She lettered in basketball all four years at East Lansing High School, where she also lettered one year each in volleyball and track and field. In her preferred sport, Hampton was named the East Lansing Team MVP and

The family aspect – the coaches and how they treat us – I feel like that’s why a lot of people choose to come here.” — Jaida Hampton, sophomore

the Lansing State Journal Girls Basketball player of the year. At the end of her high school career, Hampton had offers from Western Michigan, Central

Michigan, and Detroit. But she opted for Wichita State, where she’s studying biological sciences on top of a demanding team schedule. Hampton affectionately referred to her incoming freshman teammates as “goofy.” “Everyone has their own funny personality,” she said. “It’s really cool to see the incoming freshmen when they get here and see them how to warm up. It’s cool to see the dynamic.” Hampton, a 5-10 guard, will be available to play both the shooting guard and small forward positions.

FRESHMAN SEASON RECAP

Hampton averaged 6.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game as a freshman. She played in 26 of WSU’s 30 total games. She recorded a career-high 18 points against Tulsa in early January. That same game, she played a season-high 35 minutes. During the team’s preseason tournament, the Duel in the Desert, Hampton was selected to the All-Tournament team for her efforts.

Transfer Diamond Forrest excited for D-I challenge It’s going to be a different environment.” After an impressive During Forrest’s two years at Walters interview with The State Community Sunflower, teammates College in Tennessee, kept coming up to Diamond Forrest is Forrest and encouragready to make her ing her or giving her COURTESY: GOSHOCKERS FORREST Division-I debut. high fives. The team “What attracted is obviously close-knit me to Wichita State was Coach and supportive. Adams,” Forrest said. “When “I love my team,” Forrest said. it came time to decide where “They always support me and I wanted to go, she just really encourage me. I feel like I am stood out to me, and I felt like going to do really good with she would be a good fit for me them behind me.” as a player.” Off the court, Forrest said she’s Forrest is a 6-5 center who still adjusting to life at a larger finished her sophomore year university. She’s studying commuaveraging 6.8 points and 3 nication and hopes to become a rebounds per game. She said sports analyst in the future. she can only hope to grow even Basketball is Forrest’s escape. more at WSU. “When I’m on the floor, I’m “I’m excited for the competinot worried about nothing,” she tion,” Forrest said. “We are in a said. “It’s just me, the ball, and big conference. We got UConn. my team.” BY OLIVIA BABIN

MARSHALL SUNNER/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State freshman guard DJ McCarty brings the ball up the floor during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Oct. 5 inside Charles Koch Arena.

Freshman point guard DJ McCarty aspires to be a ‘defensive stopper’

BY MATTHEW KELLY

Wichita State freshman guard DJ McCarty knows team chemistry starts long before the opening tipoff. It’s honed through early mornings and late nights, hours of weights and practice, and — critically — team bonding. When asked who on the team helps keep the mood light, McCarty had no shortage of names — “Maya Brewer, Shyia Smith, Raven Prince, and Asia [Henderson].” “One day, we’ll just be sitting in silence and one of us will bust out laughing and we’ll all start laughing. Or somebody will do like, dub smashes on TikTok,” McCarty said. “It’s just different on different days.” McCarty said she expects that team bonding to translate into results for WSU this season.

“I think that’s going to help us, really, on the court — building that bond and that chemistry with each other so we know how to work with each other on the court,” McCarty said. The Texas product said she hopes to make her impact on defense this year. “I see myself contributing a lot on the defensive side,” McCarty said. “We do a lot of defensive drills. I try to have my main focus on that. I want to just focus on being a defensive player on the team — that defensive stopper.” McCarty said she’s settling into college life as a student athlete with a rigorous practice schedule. “We have a lot of academic advisers, tutors, people that you can talk to on campus if you need anything,” McCarty said.

I want to just focus on being a defensive player on the team – that defensive stopper.” — DJ McCarty, freshman

And her coaches are always there for her, she said. “I love them,” McCarty said. “I could go to them for anything. Like, if I just needed anything — just needed to talk or needed help with the plays or anything, I could go to them.” McCarty will be sporting the No. 1 jersey this year, and that’s no coincidence, she said. “That’s always been my number. I just feel like I’m No. 1 on and off the court,” McCarty said.

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