Wichita State's size is hard for most American Athletic Conference schools to match. Its side of the American Athletic Conference Tournament bracket gives it a chance to highlight the skills of centers Asbjørn Midtgaard and Jaime Echenique.
They dominated Thursday's 73-57 win over 11th-seeded East Carolina in Memphis in the first round of the tournament. Echenique scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Midtgaard finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. They combined to score 10 of Wichita State's first 17 points as the Shockers (18-13) overwhelmed the Pirates (10-21) with their size and execution.