The American Athletic Conference released its men’s basketball schedule for the 2018-19 season Wednesday, officially completing Wichita State’s schedule for the upcoming season.All 18 of WSU’s conference games will be nationally televised, while two of the Shockers’ games were selected for prime-time spots. There’s only one dreaded 6 p.m. home game on a weekday, although a total of six games this season will have fans staying up late with 8 p.m. (or later) tip-offs.
Here are five home games that Shocker fans will want to circle on their schedules:
1. Cincinnati, 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19 on CBS
The rivalry with Cincinnati is very much real and very much lived up to the hype last season, as the teams traded narrow victories on each other’s home court. TV producers picked up on that and slotted Cincinnati’s return to Koch Arena for a prime-time spot on Saturday afternoon. This is WSU’s fifth game in conference play and could be an early chance to send a message that the Shockers are ready to contend again.
2. Baylor, 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 on CBS Sports Network
Remember this game was scheduled when WSU was in the Missouri Valley and it was almost unheard of for a team in a mid-major conference to convince a Big 12 opponent into a true home game. There’s no doubt this is a major win regardless of the result for Gregg Marshall and Co. Usually the Intrust Bank Arena game is WSU’s marquee home game in non-conference play, but there’s no doubt that this year’s game vs. Baylor will have Koch Arena at its loudest in December.
3. Memphis, 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 on ESPN2 or ESPNU
Koch Arena on a Saturday night on national television should be rocking, as the most-hyped team in the AAC makes its way to Wichita for the first time under Penny Hardaway. Adding to the electricity is the fact Memphis will be playing Alex Lomax, a prized recruit who signed a letter of intent with WSU last fall only for Gregg Marshall to release him from it so he could play for his hometown team and coach immediately.
4. Temple, 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 6 on ESPNews
While WSU developed an intense rivalry with Cincinnati, the three games with Temple last season were every bit as entertaining. Throw in the fact that this will be WSU’s home opener in AAC play (remember what happened when Houston came to Koch Arena last January) and Koch Arena is guaranteed to be rocking. A win here could set a young team off on the right path.
5. Louisiana Tech, Tuesday, Nov. 6 (Time and TV TBD)
This is an easy one because it’s the first chance for fans to see all of the new players make their debuts in a meaningful game. And Louisiana Tech is no pushover. It’s the toughest season-opener since New Mexico State came to Koch Arena to open the 2014-15 season. Keep in mind, the Shockers haven’t lost their first game of the season since 2002.
2018-19 WSU men’s basketball schedule
Home games at Koch Arena unless noted
Saturday, Oct. 6: Black & Yellow Scrimmage, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 30: vs. Catawba (N.C.) (exhibition), TBA
Tuesday, Nov. 6: vs. Louisiana Tech, TBA
Friday, Nov. 9: vs. Providence (in Annapolis, Md.), 5 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Thursday, Nov. 15: vs. Davidson (in Charleston, S.C.), 6 p.m. on ESPN3
Friday, Nov. 16: vs. TBA (in Charleston, S.C.), TBA on ESPNU
Sunday, Nov. 18: vs. TBA (in Charleston, S.C.), TBA on ESPN2 or ESPNU
Sunday, Nov. 25: vs. Rice, TBA
Saturday, Dec. 1: vs. Baylor, 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Saturday, Dec. 8: at Oklahoma (in Oklahoma City), TBA
Wednesday, Dec. 12: vs. Jacksonville State, TBA
Saturday, Dec. 15: vs. Southern Miss (at Intrust Bank Arena), 5:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Wednesday, Dec. 19: vs. Oral Roberts, TBA
Saturday, Dec. 22: at VCU, 4 p.m. on ESPN2
Thursday, Jan. 3: at Memphis, 8:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Sunday, Jan. 6: vs. Temple, 3 p.m. on ESPNews
Saturday, Jan. 12: at Houston, 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Wednesday, Jan. 16: vs. Central Florida, 9 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Saturday, Jan. 19: vs. Cincinnati, 1 p.m. on CBS
Tuesday, Jan. 22: at South Florida, 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Saturday, Jan. 26: at Connecticut, 5 p.m. at CBS Sports Network
Wednesday, Jan. 30: vs. SMU, 8 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
Saturday, Feb. 2: vs. Tulsa, 1 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
Wednesday, Feb. 6: at East Carolina, 6 p.m. on ESPNews
Saturday, Feb. 9: vs. Tulane, 7 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
Sunday, Feb. 17: at Cincinnati, noon on ESPN
Wednesday, Feb. 20: at Tulsa, 8 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
Saturday, Feb. 23: vs. Memphis, 7 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
Thursday, Feb. 28: vs. Connecticut, 6 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2
Sunday, March 3: at SMU, 1 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Tuesday, March 5: vs. East Carolina, 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Saturday, March 9: at Tulane, 7:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
By Taylor Eldridge, www.kansas.com -September 19th, 2018
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