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Wichita State’s men’s basketball will return to Intrust Bank Arena for a third straight season when it plays Southern Mississippi on Dec. 22, according to several sources.
The addition of that game completes WSU’s non-conference schedule, one highlighted by trips to Virginia Commonwealth and Tennessee, a visit to Koch Arena by Tulsa and the Cancun Challenge. The Missouri Valley Conference portion of the schedule is not complete and is usually not released until September.
Southern Miss went 25-9 last season, finishing second in Conference USA, and lost to Kansas State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Two starters and leading scorer Neil Watson return from that team. Watson, who attended Kansas City Sumner and Coffeyville Community College, averaged 12.3 points.
The schools will meet for the first time.
The game will be administered by Russ Potts Productions, the promoter who arranged last season’s game against Alabama-Birmingham at Intrust Bank Arena. Ticket arrangements are expected to be similar to that game, which was not a part of the season-ticket package but gave first options to season-ticket holders. The game drew a crowd of 11,204 fans who watched WSU defeat UAB 68-46.
Both schools received a guarantee of $125,000.
WSU defeated Tulsa 82-79 in 2010 at the downtown arena, the first basketball game played there. Tickets were included in the season-ticket package and the game attracted a crowd of 14,112.
The Shockers will open the season on Nov. 10 against North Carolina-Central at Koch Arena. They play Northern Colorado on Dec. 8. Former Shocker Ryan Martin is an assistant coach with the Bears.
Non-conference schedule (times and TV to be announced)
Nov. 10 — North Carolina-Central
Nov. 13 — at Virginia Commonwealth
Nov. 15 — Western Carolina
Nov. 17 — Howard
Nov. 20 — DePaul at Cancun, Mexico
Nov. 21 — Iowa or Western Kentucky at Cancun, Mexico
Nov. 28 — Tulsa
Dec. 2 — at Air Force
Dec. 8 — Northern Colorado
Dec. 13 — at Tennessee
Dec. 20 — Charleston Southern
Dec. 22 — Southern Mississippi at Intrust Bank Arena
