WSU men’s basketball learns first opponent in ESPN Events Invitational

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The college basketball season is still a few months away, but the Wichita State men’s team learned their first opponent for the ESPN Events Invitational on Thursday.

The Shockers will play their first of two games against Minnesota on Thursday, Nov. 28. Depending on how the games shake out, they’ll play either Wake Forest or Florida on Nov. 29 in either the championship or the third-place game.

Right now, Bart Torvik — a website that ranks teams into four quadrants based on their skill levels — ranks Minnesota No. 77, which makes it a Quad 3 game (click here for the full Bart Torvik rankings). Florida is ranked No. 81 (Quad 3) and Wake Forest is No. 35 (Quad 2).

Those quadrant rankings are important because the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee uses them, along with a slew of other factors, to determine whether a team makes the NCAA Tournament in March.

Right now, Wichita State is ranked No. 134 in the preseason. A strong showing in both the non-conference and conference seasons would very well propel the Shockers up the rankings heading into Paul Mills’ second season at the helm of the Wichita State program.

Last season, the Shockers finished 15-19 overall with a 5-13 conference record. They started to heat up in the postseason AAC Tournament, but the season ended with a 72-60 loss to Alabama-Birmingham in the quarterfinal round.

The Shockers begin the 2024-2025 season at home with a game against Northern Iowa on Nov. 14.

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