STILLWATER, Okla. — Wichita State’s postseason journey continues in the National Invitation Tournament, but the path ahead holds a particularly familiar obstacle.

The Shockers rolled to a commanding 96-70 victory over Oklahoma State on Sunday night at Gallagher-Iba Arena to advance to the NIT quarterfinals. Now, they will face American Conference foe Tulsa for a fourth time this season. The game is slated for 6 p.m. Tuesday inside the Reynolds Center on ESPN2.

“You don’t want to play a team four times (in a season),” senior guard Kenyon Giles admitted with a laugh after the game. “You’re like, ‘I’m tired of these guys.’ 

“I like that we get to play them again,” he continued. “Really good team, we get to battle again one more time.”

Tulsa punched its ticket to the quarterfinal with a 77-66 win over Nevada-Las Vegas, setting the stage for another regional rivalry showdown in the postseason. It will be the first time Wichita State faces the same opponent four times in a season in the modern era (1945-present) and the first time in the long-standing rivalry between the teams dating back to 1931 that they will meet for a fourth time in a season.

“This is going to be a heck of a game and a really fun environment,” WSU coach Paul Mills said, making a playful plea to the community. “I do ask that the mayor would let everybody off in Wichita at 2 o’clock so everybody can make the 6 p.m. tip.”

The matchup presents a challenge for Mills, who has yet to defeat the Golden Hurricane on their home court in his three seasons at the helm. He holds a 0-3 record at the Reynolds Center with Wichita State — including a 93-83 loss earlier this February.

However, the Shockers enter the game with momentum, having won nine of their last 10 contests. During the stretch, they are averaging 80.8 points and 44.3 rebounds per game. Their only recent setback came in the American Conference Tournament championship game against South Florida, after they defeated Tulsa in the semifinals to get there.

Wichita State also benefits from a dedicated and road-tested fanbase.

The Shocker faithful traveled well to Tulsa in February and again to Stillwater on Sunday. They filled Sections 212 and 213 of the historic Gallagher-Iba, creating a Roundhouse-like atmosphere as Oklahoma State’s season concluded on its home court.

“When we played there last time (in Tulsa), we had a tremendous following,” Mills said. “Today (Sunday) here at Oklahoma State, for all the Shocker fans to come down, I look forward to seeing Shocker fans in Tulsa on Tuesday night.”

Wichita State has taken the last two meetings against Tulsa: an 81-77 win at Koch Arena on Feb. 14 and an 81-68 victory in the conference tournament semifinals on March 14. Yet, the Golden Hurricane earned the right to host the NIT quarterfinals matchup as the Tulsa Region’s No. 1 seed, while the Shockers are the No. 3 seed.

Regardless of the venue or seeding, the long-time rivals will clash with the highest stakes of their seasons on the line: a trip to the NIT’s Final Four in Indianapolis on Thursday, April 2 at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

“A lot of teams don’t get this opportunity,” Giles said. “So us getting it, we’re just trying to take advantage of it. We love this team.”