WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – Wednesday marks 20 years to the day that the Wichita State men’s basketball team played its first game in the school’s newly renovated facility, Charles Koch Arena. On Nov. 29, 2003, Wichita State took care of business against Northern Arizona, 68-51.
A sellout crowd attended the opener, a celebration for Wichita State returning to campus after playing home games in the 2002-2003 season at the Kansas Coliseum, now the home of the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR).
Wednesday night, the Shockers tip-off against a stronger opponent than the visitors 20 years ago. Richmond, one of the stronger mid-majors in the country, rolls into town.
The past 20 years saw the Wichita State men’s basketball program rise to national prominence, nearly reaching the NCAA mountain in the 10th season of home games at Koch Arena. Over the next few years, the Shockers remained nationally relevant, most notably in the year after the Final Four run in which the 2013-14 club completed an improbable undefeated regular season.
The current Shockers, looking to return to the glory days of the past decade, sat at 6-1 ahead of Wednesday night’s game against Richmond. First-year head coach Paul Mills is the fourth man to lead Wichita State men’s basketball in Koch Arena.
On the WSU women’s basketball team, the Shockers are also looking to ignite a run that’ll fill seats in the 10,506-seat arena. Under first-year head coach Terry Nooner, Wichita State hopes to recapture the success they experienced from 2012 to 2015, a run that included three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2014, the Shockers, a No. 14 seed, nearly upset third-seeded Penn State, an effort that captured national attention.
The 3-4 Shockers women return to their home court Friday against Saint Louis.
Koch Arena is also the home of the successful Wichita State volleyball program and plays host to a few high school basketball games, including the Class 6A state tournaments.
In recent years, there’s an electric atmosphere inside the arena, serving as a host site for The Basketball Tournament.
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