WICHITA, Kan. - A hot shooting second half, four Shockers in double-figures and double-doubles from both Antionette Wells and Kiki Stephens helped push Wichita State (2-2) to a 78-71 win over UMKC (1-6) Tuesday night inside Charles Koch Arena.

Taylor Steven, who started her first game of the season at point-guard, led the Shockers with a career-high 17 points, and was joined in double-figures by fellow guard Kyrie Kinder, who poured in 12, on 5-of-10 shooting. Wells posted a season-best 16 points and 14 rebounds for her 19th career double-double, while Stephens helped the cause with a double-double of her own, her fifth career double effort, scoring 14 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Marcy Sudbeck added seven points for the Shockers, as 10 WSU players scored in the game.

Brittny Picconi poured in a game-high 19 points for UMKC, and she was joined in double-figures by two other Kangaroos - Alyssa Klein's 14 points and Chazny Morris' 11. Klein led all Kangaroo rebounders with nine, while Jowan Ortega led all players with six assists.

WSU shot better than 40 percent, 45.8 percent from the field, for the fourth time in four games this season, helped out by a 54 percent effort in the second half on 14-of-26 shooting. The Shockers were 5-for-7 from three-point range in the second half, and shot better than 40 percent from long range for the third-straight game, with a 53.3 percent clip against the Kangaroos. Wichita State posted a season-high six blocks, and narrowly outrebounded UMKC, 43-42 on the boards.

The Shockers limited UMKC to 38 percent shooting from the field, including a 20 percent mark from three-point range.

The teams traded baskets for much of the early going with neither team able to pull out to a substantial lead.

UMKC took its first lead of the game following a pair of Klein free throws at the 11:33 mark, but Whitney Rice answered with a three-pointer to give the Shockers a 14-12 lead with just over 11 minutes left in the half.

The Kangaraoos regained the lead with 6:44 remaining after a Morris three-pointer gave UMKC a 20-18 advantage. Sudbeck's old-fashioned three-point play with 6:30 remaining regained the lead for the Shockers, but UMKC answered right away with a basket from Picconi to take the lead once again, 22-21, with 5:55 remaining in the first half.

The teams traded baskets for much of the remainder of the half, one that saw a total of five ties and 10 lead changes. The Shockers built a four-point lead, 32-28, after a Steven three-pointer with 1:18 left, but UMKC answered with a Morris layin with :33 seconds left to cut the lead to just two at 32-30. A Stephens 14-footer with :09 seconds left gave the Shockers a 34-30 lead, and settled as the halftime score when the teams went to the break.

The Shockers opened the second half on a 7-2 run capped by a Steven three-pointer that have the Shockers a 41-32 lead with 18:30 left in regulation. UMKC responded with a quick 6-1 run of their own to cut the WSU lead down to 42-38.

A Leigh Mead three-pointer with 14:40 remaining cut the Shocker lead to just 45-43, and a Picconi runner in the lane with 14:04 left tied the game for the sixth time at 45-45. Another Mead three-pointer at the 13:36 mark gave UMKC a 48-45 lead, but two free throws from Jacie Hoyt got the Shockers within one at 48-47 with 11:28 left in the game.

Kiki Stephens connected on a three-pointer with 10:09 left to tie the game at 50-50, and Lexee McDonnell's first three-pointer of the evening gave the Shockers the lead, 55-53, with 9:13 left in the second half.

Antionette Wells' turnaround jumper with 7:40 left built the WSU lead to 59-55, and back-to-back three-pointers from Kinder and Steven gave the Shockers a 65-57 lead, one they would not give up again. UMKC would make it interesting down the stretch however, as the Kangaroos used a late 4-0 run to pull within five points at the 1:33 mark following an Ortega free throw, but two free throws down the stretch from Steven helped seal the win.

The Shockers hit the road for the last time in 2006 when WSU travels to California for a 3 p.m. CT, Sun., Dec. 3 matchup at San Diego State.

-Wichita State University-