The first 10 minutes of the game were a defensive battle, as the two squads connected on a combined 7-of-23 shot attempts.
Leading 13-8,
Wichita State used a 9-3 spurt to push its advantage to 11 points at 22-11 with 5:55 left in the half.
The Kangaroos closed the gap to seven points at 23-16 with 2:53 on the clock, before the Shockers took a 28-19 lead into the break. UMKC struggled from the floor in the opening half, as it shot .259 from the floor and .200 (3-15) from long range.
Coming out of the half, Wichita State stretched its lead to a game-high 13 points over the first four minutes of the second half. Senior Tim Blackwell then scored the Kangaroos next seven points, as he helped his team get to within seven points at 35-28 with 13:17 left.
Back-to-back buckets from Mantas Griskenas and P.J. Couisnard put WSU up 11 (39-28) with 12 minutes on the clock, but UMKC scored the next six points to stay within striking distance at 39-34 with 10 and change remaining. Redshirt junior Brian Gettinger and Dane Brumagin both connected on treys during the spurt.
Wichita State kept its lead between five and eight points until the four minute mark, when UMKC made its move. Trailing 48-44, the Kangaroos went on an 8-1 run to turn a four-point deficit into a three point lead. Freshman Reggie Hamilton connected on a trey to start the stretch, junior Kenny Simms had a lay-up to tie the game and Gettinger connected on a triple that hit every side of the rim to give his team the 52-49 lead.
The Shockers took its final lead of the game with 1:30 remaining courtesy of a Gal Mekel three pointer from the top of the key, but Brumagin answered with a lay-up off of an offensive rebound to put the Kangaroos back on top.
WSU tied the game at 55 after Phillip Thomasson connected on 1-of-2 free throws with 47 seconds remaining. After a UMKC timeout, Brumagin put the Kangaroos on top for good with 27 ticks left on an acrobatic lay-up.
Wichita State's Matt Braeuer had a chance to tie the game at the free throw line with 17 seconds left, but he missed the second of two attempts. Simms, who had previously been 1-of-6 from the line on the night, stepped confidently to the line and sank both free throws to put UMKC up three (59-56) with 16 seconds left. Braeuer had a chance to send the game into overtime, but his shot was off the mark as UMKC went on to the three point win.
UMKC shot just .345 (19-55) from the floor, .391 (9-23) from three-point land and a season-low .545 (12-22) from the free throw line. WSU, meanwhile, shot .378 (17-45) from the field and .235 (4-17) from long range. The Shockers outrebounded the Kangaroos, 42-31.
Three UMKC players finished the game in double figures. Brumagin and Hamilton paced the squad with 13 points apiece, while Blackwell added 12 in the winning effort. Brumagin and Simms, who was playing his first game of the season after transferring from Florida International last year, tied for the team-high with six rebounds.
Two Shocker players scored in double digits with Braeuer leading the way with 14 points.
WSU returns home to face LSU on Wednesday, Dec. 19, in Charles Koch Arena. The game will be broadcast on Kansas Now Channel 22 with Bruce Haertl and Craig Steven calling the action. All Shocker games can be heard live on KNSS 1330 or through www.shockerradio.com.
