Wichita State's women's basketball team (6-7, 1-2) defeated Missouri State (4-8, 0-3), 75-67, in the first game of a split doubleheader Sunday on ESPNU against the Bears at Hammons Student Center. The men's game is to follow at 4:35 p.m. and can also be heard live on KNSS 1330 AM with Mike Kennedy and Terrell Benton.

This is the first time Wichita has secured back-to-back wins at Missouri State since the 1976-77 season, thirty years ago.  

Lexee McDonnell posted a career-high 24 points, backed by 17 points from Kiki Stephens. Antionette Wells led the Shockers in rebounds with 12 boards.

 

Tahnee Balerio led the Bears with 21 points followed by Tiff Terwelp and Breton Wyett with 18 and 10, respectively.

 

McDonnell scored the first points of the game at the 15:35 mark with a three-pointer. But it was answered with a 9-0 Missouri State run. Two baskets from behind the arc by Taylor Silas and shots from Balerio and Terwelp extended the Bears' lead to 12 with 5:30 left in the half. During the next 4:30 minutes, the Shockers went on a 16-4 run of their own, capped by two Daria Frazier free throws to tie the game, 29-29. MSU's Terwelp hit two free throws in the remaining minute to put the Bears up by two at the half.

 

The teams traded baskets for the first few minutes of the second half, until Wichita State gained its first lead since the beginning minutes on a Wells jumper to make it, 36-35. Field goals by Stephens and Kyrie Kinder and McDonnell's fourth three put the Shockers up by 10 at the 12:09 mark.

 

The Bears would come within three with 2 minutes remaining on a, 7-0, run fueled by free throws by Balerio and Roxanne Stiles. But Wichita State would go 7-1 from the line down the stretch to seal the, 75-67, win over Missouri State.

 

Wichita State went a season-best 18-20 from the line and shot a solid 52 percent in the second half.

 

The Shockers are back in action Jan. 11, taking on Illinois State at 7:05 p.m. in Normal, Illinois.