Box Score TERRE HAUTE, Ind.- Wichita State fell to 10-6 and 1-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference as Indiana State (11-4, 4-1) defeated the Shockers, 68-63, in Terre Haute, Ind. on Wednesday night. The Sycamores are now in a four-way tie for first in the conference along with Creighton, Northern Iowa and Missouri State.
P.J. Couisnard had a game-leading 20 points. The only other WSU player to manage double-digits was Ryan Martin with 10. Matt Braeuer led in rebounds, bringing down seven boards.
Cole Holmstrom led the Sycamores with 16 points and Marico Stinson followed with 13. Gabe Moore added 12, while Topeka native Jay Tunnell chipped in 11.
Wichita State pounded the ball down low early, scoring their first eight points in the paint. But the Sycamores answered every time with 10 lead changes in the first five minutes of play. Back-to-back three-pointers by Holstrom fueled a 15-4 run that gave Indiana State their largest lead of 12, 26-14.
WSU responded with a 14-3 run of their own, capped by consecutive field goals by Sean Ogirri that brought the Shockers to within one at the 4:49 mark. Indiana State ended the half with a 33-30 lead.
The Sycamores jumped in front 43-32 early in the second half and it looked like ISU would pull away. Wichita State wouldn't quit and kept coming back. The Sycamores led by just three points, 54-51, with seven minutes left and that was the closest Wichita State would come the rest of the game.
Couisnard hit four consecutive free throws to again pull within three with 2:55 remaining. The Shockers would continue to threaten to overtake ISU but the Sycamores found an answer each time, holding WSU off for the 68-63 win.
“Everyone was excited at the half. We had confidence in the locker room, then we came out here and I don't know where the energy went,” said Couisnard.
The Shockers return to Charles Koch Arena to play two-in-a-row at home. WSU will take on Evansville, Saturday, Jan. 13, at 7:05 p.m. The Creighton Bluejays come to town on Monday, Jan. 15 to take on the Shockers at 7:05 p.m.
-WIchita State-
