WICHITA, KAN. – Sophomore guard Haleigh Lankster came off the bench to lead Wichita State with 15 points in a 73-65 Missouri Valley Conference win against the Missouri State Bears Saturday at Charles Koch Arena.

A crowd of 2,109 came out for the Shockers' annual WBCA Pink Zone game and watched Wichita State improve to 14-11 overall and 6-8 in the league standings.

The win, which included 31 points from the Shockers' bench, ended a three-game losing skid for Wichita State and gave the Shockers their second win against the Bears this season. The Shockers beat the Bears, 92-85, in overtime Jan. 23 in Springfield, Mo.

Missouri State dropped its second-straight game, falling to 17-8 overall and 9-4 in the Valley. Bears' freshman forward Christiana Shorter led all scorers with 17 points.

Junior guard Sheena Johnson added 14 points for the Shockers. Freshman forward Michelle Price scored eight of her 11 points in the second half and added a game-high four steals. Senior guard Marisah Henderson and freshman guard Jessica Diamond led with six assists each.

Diamond led Wichita State to an early 4-0 lead in the game's first minute with a jumper and layup. The Bears went on to take the lead about three minutes into the game, which they maintained the throughout much of the first half.

Missouri State built up their largest lead of the first half, 19-12, 11:30 into the game. The Shockers responded with a 10-4 run to cut the Bears' lead to one point.

Wichita State later tied the game, 29-29, on a jumper from Lankster and soon went on to take their first lead since the game's opening minutes.
Two free throws from Johnson with 1:14 remaining in the half, followed by a three-pointer from Lankster boosted the Shockers to a 37-33 halftime lead.

Lankster led the Shockers with 11 points in the first half.

The Shockers used a 14-2 run early in the second half to build up their largest lead of the game, 55-44. Junior guard Morgan Boyd had five points during the run, followed by four points each from freshman center Jazimen Gordon and Lankster.

The Bears took their last lead of the game, 42-41, on a layup from Casey Garrison about three minutes into the second half. Wichita State led the rest of the way.

Missouri State cut the Shockers' lead to three points with about eight minutes left in the second half, but the Shockers responded again with a run, 8-2, to take a nine-point lead with about 5:30 remaining in the game.

The Bears committed 18 turnovers, which led to 24 points for Wichita State. The Shockers also outscored the Bears, 12-4, in fast-break points.
Eighteen of Wichita State's  37 rebounds came in the offensive end.

Saturday's win opened a three-game homestand for the Shockers, who host Evansville at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Southern Illinois at 2 p.m. Feb. 28 at Charles Koch Arena.

- Wichita State -