Tulsa Hosts Wichita State in AAC Clash

Golden Hurricane look to extend winning streak against struggling Shockers

Feb. 1, 2026 at 6:47am

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The Tulsa Golden Hurricane, riding a five-game winning streak, host the Wichita State Shockers in an American Athletic Conference matchup. Tulsa, with the conference's 16th-ranked offense, is favored by 6.5 points at home against a Wichita State squad that has struggled defensively in league play.

Why it matters

This game pits two teams heading in opposite directions in the AAC. Tulsa has emerged as one of the conference's top teams, while Wichita State's defensive woes have them hovering around .500. The outcome could have significant implications for the conference standings and NCAA Tournament seeding.

The details

Tulsa's high-powered offense, led by guards David Green, Miles Barnstable, and Tylen Riley, will look to exploit Wichita State's porous defense that ranks 286th nationally in efficiency. The Shockers rely on a slow, grind-it-out pace and offensive rebounding to stay competitive, but they'll be challenged to slow down Tulsa's up-tempo attack.

  • The teams last met in the 2025 AAC Tournament, with Tulsa winning 73-63.
  • Tulsa defeated Wichita State 84-77 in last season's matchup at the Reynolds Center.

The players

David Green

Tulsa's leading scorer, averaging 17.1 points per game.

Karon Boyd

Wichita State's top rebounder, pulling down 6.2 boards per contest.

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What they’re saying

“We must be ready to match Tulsa's intensity and tempo. They're playing great basketball right now, and we'll need to slow the game down to have a chance.”

— Kenyon Giles, Wichita State Guard

“Our guys are confident and playing with a lot of energy right now. We know Wichita State will try to grind this one out, but we feel we have the offensive firepower to pull away in the second half.”

— Frank Haith, Tulsa Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of this game will take a big step towards securing a top-4 seed in the upcoming AAC Tournament.

The takeaway

This matchup showcases the contrasting styles of two programs heading in different directions in the AAC. Tulsa's high-octane offense will look to overwhelm Wichita State's deliberate, defense-first approach, setting the stage for an intriguing conference clash.