Here’s how Wichita State is changing its season-opening basketball event

Shocker Madness has been replaced.

Wichita State announced drastic changes on Thursday to its annual season-opening event that gives fans their first chance to watch the basketball teams.

The event will no longer be called Shocker Madness, replaced by the “Black and Yellow scrimmage.” It will no longer take place at night, but rather on a Saturday afternoon. And it will no longer feature a dunk contest or a three-point contest.

The one thing that does remain is the chance for fans to get their first glimpse of the basketball teams for free. The men’s and women’s teams will still play an intersquad scrimmage doubleheader, starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 at Koch Arena.

Fans are encouraged to come early to attend the athletic department’s annual garage sale, which will take place the same afternoon between 12-3 p.m. inside the multi-purpose gym (enter through the east side of Koch Arena).

Items are available on a first-come, first-served basis and include men’s basketball jerseys and game shorts, practice jerseys and shorts, and shirts from various other sports. Prices listed are non-negotiable and customers are encouraged to pay with cash, however, credit cards will also be accepted.

What to watch for: Fans will have to wait for the next viral dunk of freshman Dexter Dennis, but they can still see him, along with eight other newcomers, play for the first time in a Shocker jersey. It will also be a rare chance to see the talents of Teddy Allen, a West Virginia transfer who will redshirt this season.

The women’s team also features plenty of new talent, as eight of the roster’s 13 players are new to the program. The Shockers are coming off a 14-17 season where they finished 9-7 in the American in coach Keitha Adams’ first season.

What’s next: The men’s team hosts Catawba, a Division II team from North Carolina, in a home exhibition game Oct. 30 before opening the season against Louisiana Tech on Nov. 6.

The WSU women host Missouri Southern State for its exhibition game Nov. 1, then opens the regular season Nov. 7 against Arkansas Pine Bluff.

This story was originally published September 6, 2018 at 7:23 PM.