Wichita State Basketball: Recent Episodes
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Wichita State basketball coach Paul Mills, who recently signed a three-year contract extension, wraps up summer workouts with a look at the Shocker newcomers and how the offense is expected to look different this season with more creation on the menu. We discuss the importance of graduate assistants, Dillon Battie’s journal skills and how the arrival of new guards changes the role of Michael Gray Jr.
Melanie Balcomb joined the Wichita State women’s basketball coaching staff this spring as associate head coach. We discuss her desire to work for coach Terry Nooner and her role installing a new offense for the Shockers. We also talk about her coaching success at Xavier and Vanderbilt, how she identifies hidden gems while recruiting and her love for the music of Bruce Springsteen.Balcomb brings 26 seasons of experience as a head coach, including 14 at Vanderbilt and seven at Xavier, to WSU. She coached teams to 19 NCAA Tournaments, highlighted by a 2001 trip to the Elite Eight with Xavier and 12 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament with Vanderbilt.
Kenyon Giles and TJ Williams powered Wichita State to a 92-89 double overtime win over the East Carolina Pirates. Giles hit clutch shots at the end of regulation and the 1st overtime to keep the Shockers hopes alive, then Williams hit the go-ahead shot in the 2nd overtime to seal the win. In his final season, the legendary "Voice of the Shockers", Mike Kennedy, and Bob Hull have the play-by-play from Minges Coliseum in Greenville, North Carolina.
Wichita State women’s basketball assistant coach Rachel Swartz joined the staff earlier this summer. We discuss her journey into coaching, which was influenced by her playing career at Missouri State from 2013-17. She talks about how she learned to embrace her role as a post player who rebounded, set screens and tried to make the team work. She talks about her favorite NBA and WNBA players and the current Shockers who are making a good impression in summer workouts.
AfterShocks coach Zach Bush joins us to prepare for The Basketball Tournament starting Monday at Koch Arena. We talk about the memories of the 2025 title, roster returners and newcomers. We also discuss his first season as boys basketball coach at Maize High School, which ended in the Class 6A Tournament, and the addition of the 35-second shot clock.The AfterShocks play The Enchantment (New Mexico alums) at 8 p.m., July 20 on FS1. It is a best of three series, all in Wichita, with games scheduled for July 23 and the if necessary game on July 24, both at 8 p.m. Prize money is $2 million.Bush, from Goddard Eisenhower High School, played at Wichita State from 2012-17.
Wichita’s credentials as a basketball city and Wichita State’s hoop history paid off on Thursday in a major way. INTRUST Bank Arena will host the Opening Round of the NCAA Tournament in March 2027 and 2028. Wichita State senior associate athletic director Brad Pittman joins the podcast to discuss the timeline, the process and what this means for the city.Wichita and Dayton will host three games each day on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Selection Sunday. The tournament expanded to 76 teams from 68 and Wichita is the beneficiary. The Opening Round of the 2027 championship will take place March 16 and 17 and will feature the 12 lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and the 12 lowest-seeded at-large teams.
Jahari Long and Bryce Heard wrap up the series introducing Shocker basketball newcomers. We talk about uniform numbers – Heard got a prominent one – and Long’s 2017 visit to a packed Koch Arena. We discuss first impressions of Shocker basketball, the practice drill they disagree on and musical selections for warmups. Long is a 6-foot-5 guard from Houston. He averaged 12.2 points, 4 assists and 3.3 rebounds at George Mason last season. Heard is a 6-foot-6 guard from Chicago. He comes to Wichita State from Dayton, where he averaged 6.6 points and 2.4 rebounds for the Flyers.
The Shocker basketball newcomer series with guards Jordan Frison and NuNu Jones and center Cyr Malonga. Discuss how Wichita State coaches communicated their plan for the newcomers during the recruiting process, what Jones is learning from his experienced teammates and why Frison asks a lot of questions. Malonga describes his role as a lob threat and shot-blocker and reveals his affection for the TV show “Suits.”
Former Shocker Xavier Bell is back in Wichita for much of the summer and he joins us to talk about playing in the Georgian Superleague, life in Tbilisi and dealing with homesickness. We talk about the differences between college and pro basketball and what’s next for him. We also discuss Wichita State’s growth under coach Paul Mills, and reminisce about Bell’s big moment against Kansas State and why he thinks the Shockers will continue to improve.Bell, Mr. Kansas Basketball in 2020 at Andover Central High School, played three seasons at Wichita State. As a senior in 2024-25, he earned American Conference Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors and was an all-conference pick after averaging 15.2 points. He played in Europe’s Georgian Superleague for BC Kavkasia, where he averaged 13.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Denning Gerig is the new Voice of the Shockers and he joins us to talk about taking over for Mike Kennedy on men’s basketball and baseball in 2026-27. We discuss growing up as a Shocker fan, rushing to a bar to watch the end of the 2006 Wichita State win at Syracuse and why he wore No. 37 on his baseball uniform. Denning describes how the job has changed over the years, how a class with instructor Eric Wilson changed his life and how he plans to tell stories that matter to fans.
THE FINAL BROADCAST FOR THE LEGENDARY "VOICE OF THE SHOCKERS", MIKE KENNEDY, AS HE OFFICIALLY RETIRES AFTER 46 YEARS OF BROADCASTING VARIOUS SPORTS FOR WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITYThe Shockers take on the East Carolina Pirates in a semi-final elimination game in the American Athletic Conference baseball tournament from BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida.
The Shockers face another elimination game in the American Athletic Conference baseball tournament as they take on the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers from BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida
The Shockers face elimination as they take on the Memphis Tigers in the American Athletic Conference baseball tournament from BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida
The Shockers take on the Rice Owls in the 2nd round of the American Athletic Conference baseball tournament from BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida.
The Shockers begin the opening round of the American Athletic Conference baseball tournament taking on the Florida Atlantic Owls from BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida.
The Shockers take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament from the Donald W. Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Shockers take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the 2nd round of the National Invitation Tournament from Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma
The Shockers host the Wyoming Cowboys in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers take on the South Florida Bulls in the championship game of the AAC postseason basketball tournament from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama
The Shockers take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the semifinal round of the AAC postseason tournament from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama
The Shockers close out the 2025-26 regular season and honor their senior players by hosting the Florida Atlantic Owls from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Lady Shockers host the Mean Green of North Texas from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers hit the road to take on the Roadrunners of Texas-San Antonio from the Convocation Center in San Antonio, Texas
The Shockers hit the road to take on the Memphis Tigers from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee
The Shockers hit the road to take on the Blazers of Alabama-Birmingham from Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama
Mike Kennedy, "The Voice of the Shockers", is honored at halftime as Wichita State hosts the Temple Owls from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers host the Roadrunners of Texas-San Antonio from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers travel to take on the East Carolina Pirates from Minges Coliseum in Greenville, North Carolina
The Shockers host the Tulsa Golden Hurricane from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
The Shockers travel to Houston to take on the Rice Owls from Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston, Texas.
The Shockers hit the road to take on the Tulane Green Wave from the Avron B. Fogelman Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Lady Shockers hit the road to take on the Charlotte Lady 49er's from Halton Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Shockers travel to Tulsa to take on the Golden Hurricane from the Donald W. Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Lady Shockers host the Memphis Lady Tigers from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers finish up their roadtrip to Florida with a matchup against the South Florida Bulls from the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida
The Shockers start a 2-game road trip to Florida by taking on the Florida Atlantic Owls from Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena in Boca Raton, Florida
The Shockers host the North Texas Mean Green from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Lady Shockers host the East Carolina Lady Pirates from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers take on the Charlotte 49er's from Halton Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina
The Lady Shockers host the Tulane Green Wave from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers open up American Athletic Conference play on the road as they take on the Alabama-Birmingham Blazers at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama
The Lady Shockers open up American Athletic Conference play on the road against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at the Donald W. Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Shockers finish up the non-conference portion of their schedule as they host the Eastern Kentucky Colonels from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers battle an old Missouri Valley Conference foe when they take on the Northern Iowa Panthers from the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa
The Shockers take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the final round of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in The Bahamas
The Shockers battle the Colorado State Rams in the 2nd round of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament in The Bahamas
The Shockers take on the St. Mary's Gaels in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament at the Imperial Arena in The Bahamas
The Shockers host the University of Milwaukee Panthers from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers hit the road for the first time as they take on the Boise State Broncos from ExtraMile Arena in Boise, Idaho
The Shockers host the Ramblers of Loyola-Chicago at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers host the Prairie View A&M Panthers from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
The Shockers open the 2025-26 season hosting the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
Jacob Albrecht, host of Sports Daily, and the "Voice of the Shockers", Mike Kennedy, hosts this one hour program from the Kansas State Fairgrounds. Guests include WSU Athletic Director Kevin Saal, women's volleyball coach Chris Lamb, women's basketball coach Terry Nooner, women's softball coach Kristi Bredbenner, and men's baseball coach Brian Green.
The Shockers take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament from Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma
The Shockers take on the Memphis Tigers in the quarterfinals of the AAC Tournament from Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas
The Shockers take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers take on the Florida Atlantic Owls from Baldwin Arena in Boca Raton, Florida
The Shockers take on the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers battle the South Florida Bulls from the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida
The Shockers take on the Charlotte 49er's from Halton Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina
The Shockers host the North Texas Mean Green from Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
The Shockers take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane from the Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Shockers take on the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners from the Convocation Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The Shockers start American Athletic Conference action on the road as they take on the Temple Owls at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
A final non-conference tune-up before conference play begins as the Shockers host the Friends Falcons at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
The Shockers host their in-state rivals, the Kansas State Wildcats, at Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
The Shockers host the University of Kansas City Kangaroos at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
Wichita State hits the road to take on the DePaul Blue Demons at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
The Shockers host the Buccaneers of East Tennessee State at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
Wichita State takes on the Florida Gators in the championship game of the ESPN Events Invitational from Kissimmee, Florida.
Wichita State takes on the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the opening game of the ESPN Events Invitational from Kissimmee, Florida.
The Shockers face the St. Louis University Billikens in the Hall of Fame Classic at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Shockers host an old Missouri Valley Conference foe as Northern Iowa comes to Charles Koch Arena.
The Shockers host the Montana State Bobcats in their home opener at Charles Koch Arena.
The Shockers open the regular season on the road against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.
The Shockers finish up the regular season with a trip to New Orleans to take on the Tulane Green Wave.
Wichita State travels to Birmingham to take on UAB. This will be the first time the Shockers face the Blazers as conference foes.
The Shockers return home to face their longtime rivals, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Charles Koch Arena.
The Shockers finish their trip to the Tar Heel State with a game against the University of Charlotte 49er's.
Shane Dennis fills in for the "Voice of the Shockers", Mike Kennedy, as Wichita State travels to Greenville, North Carolina to take on the Pirates of East Carolina.
The Shockers hit the road to take on their long time rivals, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at the Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Wichita State hosts the SMU Mustangs for a Sunday afternoon game at Charles Koch Arena.
The Shockers wrap up their trip to Florida when they travel to the Yuengling Center in Tampa for a game against the South Florida Bulls.
Wichita State makes its annual visit to the state of Florida. First stop is in Boca Raton to take on the 23rd-ranked Owls of Florida Atlantic.
Wichita State travels to Philadelphia to take on the Temple Owls at the Liacouras Center.
The Shockers open up American Athletic Conference play by hosting the North Texas Mean Green at Charles Koch Arena.
Wichita State faces off against its long time in-state rival, the Kansas Jayhawks, at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
The first of two in-state rivalry games this season as the Shockers travel to the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City to take on the Kansas State Wildcats.
The Shockers face an old Missouri Valley foe as the Southern Illinois Salukis come to Charles Koch Arena.
It's the "Downtown Showdown, 2023"....the Shockers host the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Intrust Bank Arena.
The Shockers face a tough road test as they travel to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Missouri Tigers.
The Shockers face off against the Richmond Spiders out of the Atlantic 10 Conference at Charles Koch Arena.
An old rival surfaces as Wichita State battles the Saint Louis Billikens in the 3rd place game of the Myrtle Beach Invitational from Conway, South Carolina.
Wichita State takes on Liberty University in the semi-final round of the Myrtle Beach Invitational from Conway, South Carolina.
Wichita State faces their first road test of the season as they take on host Coastal Carolina in the opening round of the Myrtle Beach Invitational in Conway, South Carolina.
In a meeting of crosstown schools for the first time since 1943, Wichita State hosts Friends University at Charles Koch Arena.
Wichita State tries to move to 2-0 as they face the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Charles Koch Arena.
Paul Mills makes his Wichita State coaching debut as the Shockers host Lipscomb at Charles Koch Arena.
Wichita State takes on Tulane in the Quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament at Dickies Arena
Wichita State takes on Tulsa in the first round of the American Athletic Conference at Dickies Arena
Wichita State faces San Francisco in the championship game of the Hall of Fame Classic Tournament in Kansas City.
Wichita State takes on Grand Canyon in the Hall of Fame Classic Tournament in Kansas City.
Wichita State takes on Central Arkansas at Charles Koch Arena in the 2022-23 season opener.
Wichita State takes on Tulsa in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX
Wichita State takes on host UNLV for 3rd place in the Roman Main Event @ T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV on 11/21/21