Wichita State (20-7, 13-2 MVC) used pressure defense and solid inside play to pull away from visiting Missouri State early and never looked back in a 99-68 win over the Bears before a sellout crowd of 10,506 at Koch Arena Thursday.
Twelve different WSU players finished in the scoring column, led by 16 from Zach Brown and 15 apiece from All-American backcourt standouts Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker. The Shockers also shot 59.1 percent from the field, scored 50 points in the paint and posted 13 steals.
Freshman Obediah Church led MSU’s efforts with 14 points, 8 rebounds, a blocked shot and a pair of dunks while converting 7-of-8 from the field. Dequon Miller pitched in 12 points and 7 assists for the visitors, while Chris Kendrix scored 11.
Missouri State (11-16, 7-8) kept pace early, matching the Shockers bucket for bucket and rebound for rebound to an 8-8 tie at the first media break. But WSU went on a 9-0 run over the next four minutes before a jumper by Church drew Missouri State back within 20-14 midway through the opening half.
WSU’s Shaquille Morris scored twice more from there to build the home side’s lead back to double figures before Church converted an alley-oop dunk to make it 25-16. But the Shockers reeled off the game’s next 11 points to gain a 20-point lead for the first time at the 6:36 mark and pushed ahead 51-27 by the intermission.
The Bears scratched back within 16 early in the second half, going on a 10-2 run in the first two minutes of the final stanza to make it a 53-37 contest. But over the next four-plus minutes, Wichita State erupted with an 18-4 run to lead it 71-41, and keep the visitors out of reach.
For their part, the scrappy Bears continued to challenge the home club and got big buckets from underclassmen, Kendrix, Ryan Kreklow and Jarred Dixon to get the deficit back to 21 midway through the second half. Dixon became the 16th Missouri State freshman to eclipse 200 points as a rookie and finished with 8 points and 2 steals, while Kreklow tossed in 8 off the bench behind a 6-for-6 night at the foul line.
MSU finished 25-of-59 (.424) from the field and 15-of-19 (.789) at the stripe while converting 3-of-14 (.214) shots from bonus distance. The Bears were out-rebounded by a narrow 35-32 margin, snagged 13 offensive rebounds and forced 10 WSU mishaps. But, the Bears’ 18 turnovers led directly to 29 Wichita State points, essentially defining the final margin.
Wichita State, which played before a sellout home crowd for the 44th consecutive time, was 39-of-66 from the field, 7-of-18 (.389) from long range and 14-for-18 (.778) at the stripe with just 10 offensive rebounds and 15 second-chance points.
With just three games left in the Missouri Valley Conference schedule, WSU holds a two-game lead over second-place Illinois State, while the Bears slide back into a sixth-place tie with Indiana State – both one game behind fifth-place Northern Iowa.
The Bears play two of their final three Valley games at JQH Arena, including Sunday’s 3 p.m. showdown against red-hot Loyola. Tickets for the Loyola game can be purchased at MissouriStateBears.com/tickets or during regular box office hours at JQH Arena and by phone at (417) 836-7678.
