The decision to play one more year of college basketball is a decision that fifth year senior guard Mariah McCully still  feels confident in since the start of the season for the Wichita State Women’s basketball team. 

McCully is averaging 13 points per game and has a total of 39 assists, seven blocks and 36 steals. She also has scored in double figures eleven times this season including 23 points against the University of Kansas. However, McCully said her personal stats are more than just a cumulation of scoring a lot of points. It’s about seeing her hard work through her basketball journey pay off. 

“It basically gives me confidence in your own intuition because I knew when I came back that I would have one of my best seasons since I’ve been here and so then I was looking at the team we had and the team is exactly what I expected. 

McCully usually has headphones in when she is warming up for a game, and has a specific song called Documentary by YFN Lucci that she listens to. This song has been a reflection of her journey for her before games. After a loss to Kansas last month, McCully gave everyone in the press conference a description of how much the song has put things in perspective for her. 

“I’ve been through a lot with this basketball stuff and it just really put my story into one like people slept on you,” McCully said. “Keep your confidence. Don’t give up. You got dreams ahead of you that you gotta chase so I just think it gets me in a good set of mind before a game because it reminds me you know I overcame a lot so I just have to like keep it going.” 

McCully said that head coach Keitha Adams is excited that McCully is realizing the talent she has to play well for the Shockers. 

“She’s been encouraging me but she already new right off the bat that I should have never even had that second doubt in my mind,” McCully said. “She already had that type of faith in me when it came to basketball. She’s more like that’s what I’m talking about.” 

McCully said that this year’s team has helped her connect with her teammates well due to what she considered to be the best team she’s ever played with at Wichita State. 

“For me personally there hasn’t been a team where I’ve connected with every single person like this,” McCully said. “I feel like I’ve always had that drama on the team where there was either jealousy or there was backstabbing or fake stuff going on. This year, there’s not a doubt in my mind that I know there is none of that going on. We’re all genuinely happy with each other. This is one of the best teams I’ve had, like on the team and off the court.”