WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita
State used a 14-point first-half lead to withstand multiple second-half rallies
from the Drake University men's basketball team and defeat the Bulldogs, 71-56,
Wednesday night at Charles Koch Arena.
Drake (11-14, 5-9 MVC) was led by Ben Simons (Cadillac, Mich.) with 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
His 15 points moved him into the top 10 in career scoring at Drake with 1,294
career points. Richard Carter (Detroit,
Mich.) added 11 points and six assists while Jordan Clarke (Rockville, Md.) continued his strong play with 10
points for his fifth straight game in double-figures and eight boards.
Wichita State (21-5, 10-4 MVC) was led by Fred VanVleet's 17
points and nine assists off the bench. Carl Hall added 14 points and 10
rebounds to help the Shockers hold a 45-29 advantage in rebounding.
Drake was held to just two points in the final 9:37 of the
first half to allow the Shockers to build up a 30-16 lead at halftime that
would ultimately prove insurmountable for the Bulldogs. Kori Babineaux (Sacramento, Calif.) scored six points, one shy of a
career high, in the first half during a four-minute span to give the Bulldogs
an early lead.
A Carter jumper followed at the 9:37 mark to put Drake up
14-12. However, the Shockers answered with a 15-0 run as Drake couldn't get
shots to fall while the WSU defense limited Drake to 21.4 percent shooting in
the half. WSU closed the half on an 18-2 run to take a comfortable lead into
the locker room with balanced scoring from four Shockers that scored at least
five points in the opening half.
The Bulldogs came out firing in the second half and
connected on three-straight three-pointers to cut the lead to nine, 34-25, in
the first two minutes of the half. The spurt was indicative of the Bulldogs'
improved second-half offense as the team connected on 52.4 percent of its shots
in the second half and 7-of-12 from the three-point arc.
However, the Shockers continued to hit shots as well and
answered that Bulldog rally with seven straight points to extend the lead back
out to 16 points with 14:41 left in the contest. That lead would reach as many
as 21 points, 54-33, with 11:12 to play on a Cleanthony Early three-point play,
but the Bulldogs were undeterred as a 14-1 run pulled Drake back within eight
points, 55-47, with six minutes left. Eleven of those 14 points came from the
hot hands of Simons and Carter during that span.
Again, the Shockers answered the challenge and over the next
four minutes pushed their lead back out to as many as 18 points to hang on for
the final 71-56 tally and move into sole possession of first place in the
Missouri Valley Conference.
The Bulldogs return home for their next contest on Saturday,
Feb. 16 against in-state Missouri Valley Conference rival Northern Iowa. Tipoff
against the Panthers is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and will be broadcast
regionally on Mediacom MC22.
