No. 12 Wichita State 70, Saint Louis 65: Ron Baker's game-high 22 points led five scorers in double figures for the unbeaten Shockers as they turned back the host Billikens.
Cleanthony Early and Chadrack Lufile scored 12 points apiece for Wichita State (8-0), which was 17-of-19 from the foul line with Baker 6-of-7. Fred VanVleet and Tekele Cotton had 10 points each with Cotton collecting a team-high 10 rebounds.
Dwayne Evans scored 16 of his team-high 18 points in the second half for Saint Louis (6-2), which shot 39.6 percent from the floor, but allowed Wichita State to shoot 54.2 percent in the second half. Jordair Jett and Mike McCall Jr. added 12 points and four rebounds apiece while Rob Loe had 11 points and five rebounds.
The Shockers, who went into the game tied for eighth-best in the nation in turnover margin, committed a season-high 18 turnovers but outrebounded the Billikens 38-27. With the game tied at 64, Baker's layup with one minute left put the Shockers ahead for good as Saint Louis could only manage two free throws over the final two minutes.
Saint Louis opened the game by jumping out to a 14-4 lead, but Wichita State answered with a 20-2 run, capped by a Lufile layup, to take a 24-16 lead with 4:41 left in the half. The Billikens chipped away to take a 29-28 lead at the half on Loe's basket right before the buzzer.
GAME NOTEBOOK: McCall moved into sixth in career steals for Saint Louis with Jett moved into seventh. ... The Billikens lost to the Shockers for the second year in a row after winning five straight in the series. .... Saint Louis lost for only the fourth time in 39 home games over the last four seasons.
Wichita St. | Saint Louis | |
Ron Baker 22 | Scoring | Dwayne Evans 18 |
Fred VanVleet 6 | Assists | Dwayne Evans 4 |
Tekele Cotton 10 | Rebounds | Dwayne Evans 5 |
Ron Baker 6 | Free Throws Made | Dwayne Evans 8 |
Ron Baker 4 | Steals | Dwayne Evans 3 |
Kadeem Coleby 1 | Blocks | Dwayne Evans 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Wichita St. | 70 | 46.2 | 5-12 | 17-19 | 12 | 37 | 2 | 7 | 18 |
Saint Louis | 65 | 39.6 | 5-19 | 18-23 | 13 | 22 | 3 | 12 | 13 |