How Wichita State basketball stacks up to rest of AAC with televised games on schedule
More than half of the regular-season games for the Wichita State men’s basketball team will be available to watch on national television this season.
The American Athletic Conference released its tip times and TV information for the 2023-24 season on Wednesday, revealing the Shockers will play on the ESPN family of networks (ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU) at least 15 times with a marquee game at Memphis on Feb. 3 slated for a CBS broadcast.
It’s clear the AAC decision-makers favor WSU as a compelling story in Paul Mills’ first season on the sidelines, as the Shockers play the third-most games on linear television — behind only Florida Atlantic (14) and Memphis (13) — during the conference season. Only six AAC games will be streaming on ESPN+ for WSU, down from eight last season.
However, Koch Arena won’t appear on a primary network, either CBS or ESPN, this season. Outside of the trip to Memphis, WSU’s only other opportunity for a prime-time slot comes with a flex decision between ESPN and ESPN2 on Jan. 18 for a game at Florida Atlantic. WSU played six games on primary networks during its debut season in the AAC, then five each during the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons with that total dropping to just once last season.
Wednesday’s release also finalized the tip times for WSU’s three marquee non-conference games, all coming away from the Roundhouse:
at Missouri at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 (ESPN2)
vs. Kansas State at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21 (ESPN+)
vs. Kansas at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30 (ESPN2)
Curiously, the only regular-season game not currently scheduled to be televised is the annual Intrust Bank Arena game when WSU plays South Dakota State at 6 p.m. Saturday Dec. 9.
In years past, the matchup has always been broadcast on linear television. Because the game is hosted by a third party and not WSU, Global Sports Management has the rights to broadcast the game. The downtown arena could potentially host an ESPN+ broadcast, although there are obstacles to make that happen. It is still possible for a network to pick up the game once the season begins if WSU has early success.
Of the 17 home games in Wichita, 10 of them come during the weekend with four 6 p.m. Saturday games and six Sunday afternoon games. Of the seven weekday games at Koch Arena, five feature 6:30 p.m. start times with a pair of 8 p.m. games.
The two most anticipated home games during the conference slate both have early start times on a Sunday, as the Shockers host Memphis on Sunday, Jan. 14 at noon on ESPN2 and then host FAU on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.
TV times for Wichita State basketball 2023-24 schedule
Note: All game times listed are Central and p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Sunday, Oct. 29 — Rogers State (exhibition), 1 (no television)
Monday, Nov. 6 — Lipscomb, 6:30 (ESPN+)
Thursday, Nov. 9 — Western Kentucky, 6:30 (ESPN+)
Sunday, Nov. 12 — Friends, 1 (ESPN+)
Thursday, Nov. 16 — at Coastal Carolina (Myrtle Beach Invitational), 3:30 (ESPNU)
Friday, Nov. 17 — vs. Furman or Liberty (Myrtle Beach Invitational), TBA (ESPNU or ESPN+)
Sunday, Nov. 19 — vs. TBA (Myrtle Beach Invitational), TBA (ESPN network)
Saturday, Nov. 25 — vs. Norfolk State, 6 (ESPN+)
Wednesday, Nov. 29 — Richmond, 6:30 (ESPN+)
Sunday, Dec. 3 — at Missouri, 2 (ESPN2)
Saturday, Dec. 9 — vs. South Dakota State (at Intrust Bank Arena), 6 (no television)
Saturday, Dec. 16 — Southern Illinois, 6 (ESPN+)
Thursday, Dec. 21 — vs. Kansas State (at T-Mobile Center), 7:30 (ESPN+)
Saturday, Dec. 30 — vs. Kansas (at T-Mobile Center), 3 (ESPN2)
Thursday, Jan. 4 — North Texas, 8 (ESPN2)
Sunday, Jan. 7 — at Temple, noon (ESPN2 or ESPNU)
Sunday, Jan. 14 — Memphis, noon (ESPN2)
Thursday, Jan. 18 — at Florida Atlantic, 6 (ESPN or ESPN2)
Sunday, Jan. 21 — at South Florida, 1 (ESPN+)
Wednesday, Jan. 24 — East Carolina, 6:30 (ESPN+)
Sunday, Jan. 28 — SMU, 2 (ESPN2)
Wednesday, Jan. 31 — at Tulsa, 6 (ESPNU)
Saturday, Feb. 3 — at Memphis, noon (CBS)
Wednesday, Feb. 7 — UTSA, 6:30 (ESPN+)
Sunday, Feb. 11 — Florida Atlantic, 11 a.m. (ESPN2)
Thursday, Feb. 15 — at East Carolina, 6 (ESPN+)
Sunday, Feb. 18 — at Charlotte, 11 a.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU)
Wednesday, Feb. 21 — Tulsa, 8 (ESPNU)
Sunday, Feb. 25 — Temple, 3 (ESPN2)
Wednesday, Feb. 28 — at UAB, 7 (ESPN+)
Saturday, March 2 — Rice, 6 (ESPN+)
Friday, March 8 — at Tulane, 8 (ESPN2)
