Wichita State basketball matched up with power conference teams in ESPN event: source

Holiday tournaments in Orlando, Florida have historically featured the Wichita State men’s basketball team against elite competition, and this year’s trip to the Sunshine State will be no different.

According to a program source, the Shockers will be paired with Florida, Wake Forest and Minnesota in a still-developing ESPN event held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex sometime in November.

CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported on May 17 that Florida, Wake Forest and Minnesota would headline an early-season tournament in Orlando, but the fourth team in the event was still up in the air. This led to concern that WSU was shut out of the top tier pool.

But a source with direct knowledge of the schedule confirmed the Eagle that WSU was told by ESPN that it would be the fourth team included in four with power conference foes.

At the beginning of May, the Eagle reported that WSU will be included in an eight-team field and play three games Nov. 28-Dec. 1 in what had been known as the ESPN Events Invitational, which was confirmed by a contract signed by ESPN and WSU that was obtained through an open records request.

But the 2024 version of the event is shaping up to be very different. Instead of an eight-team group where each team is guaranteed three games, it tends to be two separate groups of four teams, with the teams playing two games each. According to the source, ESPN is still finalizing details, including dates, for the event. St. Bonaventure is the only team confirmed for the other quad.

Regardless of the final draw, WSU is now set for two high-quality games while playing on ESPN networks. Florida (No. 29), Wake Forest (No. 43) and Minnesota (No. 89) all finished in the top-100 of the final NET rankings last season, while Florida and Wake Forest are both considered top-40 teams for 2024-25 season in Rothstein’s preseason rankings.

The most tantalizing matchup for WSU would be a game against Wake Forest, led by fifth-year head coach Steve Forbes, who was a WSU assistant coach from 2013-15 and during the Shockers’ historic 35-1 season.

It will be the third time WSU has played a multi-team event in Orlando in the last two decades. The Shockers finished 0-3 in the 2015 AdvoCare Invitational, losing to USC, Alabama and Iowa; and finished 1-2 in the 2008 Old Spice Classic, defeating Siena in between losses to Georgetown and Michigan State.

WSU’s other three games under contract include a Saturday, Dec. 7 meeting against Kansas State at Koch Arena, then trips to Bowling Green, Ky. to face Western Kentucky and Chicago to face DePaul. Both road games will have official dates set later this summer.

The Summer Shockers begin at Koch Arena

Monday marks the first day of summer classes at WSU, which means the men’s basketball team will meet for the first time on Monday. The team is not scheduled to begin basketball activities on the first day together, a WSU spokesman said the Eagle.

Some players, like Lipscomb transfer AJ McGinnis, have already been in Wichita for weeks practicing on their own. Many arrived in Wichita this past weekend in preparation for summer school and team practices.

WSU head coach Paul Mills was able to retain all of his recruits after his first season, which ended with a 15-19 record. Among those returning are Harlond Beverly, Ronnie DeGray III, Bijan Cortes, Joy Ighovodja and Yanis Bamba, while Quincy Ballard and Xavier Bell are also slated to finish their careers as Shockers. Wichita native Henry Thengvall is another returner.

Newcomers include three transfers in McGinnis, Justin Hill (Georgia) and Corey Washington (Saint Peter’s) and a pair of freshmen in Zion Pipkin and Wichita native TJ Williams.

That leaves the Shockers with one scholarship left to fill out their roster for the 2024-25 season, an ongoing search for another big man.

Paul Mills will host the basketball camp in June

Wichita youth basketball players will have a chance to work with WSU head coach Paul Mills, other Shocker coaches, current WSU players and local high school coaches in two separate camps June 10-13.

The camps are designed for boys and girls and players of all skill levels as the day camp will emphasize fundamental basketball with an emphasis on shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding, defense and team play as well as the importance of hard work, a positive thing. attitude and fun with the game.

2nd through 6th grade students will participate in the beginner camp from 8:30 a.m. to noon, while middle and high school students will participate in the individual skills camp from 1:30 p.m. to at 17:00.

Cost for both camps is $200, which includes a WSU T-shirt and basketball. Those interested can register online at coachpaulmillscamps.com.