Starting Five - Storylines for the Wichita State Game
1) Missouri State is off to its first 3-0 home start since 2005, and looks to remain perfect at JQH Arena when former Missouri Valley Conference rival Wichita State visits for a 6 p.m. Wednesday tip, renewing the most-played series in school history. The 7-1 Lady Bears entered the AP Poll at 22nd this week and moved up to 18th in the USA Today Coaches Poll, while also claiming the No. 1 spot in the latest ESPNW Mid-Major Poll.
2) The Lady Bears have shot 40 percent or better from the field in all eight games this season, the team's longest such streak since 16 consecutive games from Jan. 6-March 5, 2005. Through Dec. 2, the Lady Bears ranked sixth nationally in 3-point percentage at .420 and 29th overall at 46.2 percent. Additionally, senior
Alexa Willard ranked third at 57.6 percent from 3-point range and sixth with 60 made field goals. MSU has also led in paint points in all but one game this season.
3) Missouri State has won the rebounding battle in seven of eight games this season and owns a plus-8.9 margin on the glass this year after ranking second in school history at plus-8.3 last season.
4) The Lady Bears are off to their best start since the 2003-04 team opened 20-1. MSU's seven wins prior to MVC play are already nearing a school record, with six teams (1992, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2010 and 2013) reaching eight wins prior to league play. The school record for overall non-conference wins (pre-conference, MVC Tournament and postseason) was set at 14 in 1992.
5) Head Coach
Amaka Agugua-Hamilton became the third MSU coach to win her first game on the sideline on Nov. 5 at 23rd-ranked Minnesota. Coach Mox was named MSU's eighth head women's basketball coach in April.
Series History
Missouri State is 50-37 all-time against Wichita State, and Wednesday's 88th meeting in the series will make the Shockers MSU's most-played opponent, breaking a tie with Drake. The Lady Bears are 32-12 at home against WSU, and 1-2 versus the Shockers since they left the MVC prior to the 2017-18 season.
Scouting Wichita State
Wichita State is 4-2 on the season after an 0-2 start, and defeated Oklahoma at home in its last game. DJ McCarty is the team's leading scorer at 11.3 points per game and the reigning American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week, and seven WSU regulars average at least 6.5 points per game in a balanced attack. As a team, the Shockers score 70 points per game, allow 68, and shoot 43.2 percent overall, 33.3 percent on 3-pointers and 65.2 percent from the foul line with a plus-1.5 rebound margin.
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