Wichita State Basketball Faces Off Against #18 Florida in ESPN Events Invitational

The Wichita State men’s basketball team is set to face a significant challenge as they take on the #18 ranked Florida Gators in the ESPN Events Invitational Championship on Friday, November 29. The game, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT (3:30 p.m. ET), will be held at the State Farm Field House in Kissimmee, Florida.

Wichita State, currently undefeated with a 6-0 record, boasts impressive statistical rankings. The Shockers rank 9th nationally in free throws made per game with 21.6, 15th in turnovers per game with 9.2, and 22nd in free throw attempts per game with 28.4. They are also ranked 3rd among the 13 teams in the American Athletic Conference according to the KenPom rankings.

The team will be without senior forward Ronnie DeGray III, who suffered a fractured wrist in a game against Monmouth on November 18 and will be sidelined for several weeks. Despite this, the Shockers return three starters and seven letterwinners from the 2023-24 roster, including three of their top five scorers. Harlond Beverly, the second leading scorer, averages 11.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.

Quincy Ballard has been a standout player, shattering the single-season school record for field goal percentage and holding top five marks in blocks per game and total blocks in the 2023-24 season. Ballard is also on pace to break the Wichita State career record for blocks per game, currently averaging 1.96 blocks per game.

The team’s depth is further enhanced by the experience of eight student-athletes who have NCAA Tournament experience, including players from various schools such as Florida State, Drexel, Miami, and more.

In a notable display of team spirit, redshirt senior Harlond Beverly volunteered to give up his scholarship to allow Matej Bošnjak to join the roster, choosing to classify as a walk-on during his final season. This sacrifice was praised by Head Coach Paul Mills, who highlighted Beverly’s eagerness to support the team.

Wichita State is seeking their first title at a Multi-Team Event since winning the 2012 Cancun Challenge and the 2013 CBE Classic. They have been runner-up four times since then and are looking to break this streak in the ESPN Events Invitational.