Box Score
WICHITA, KAN. - A
career-high 21 points from junior J.T. Durley and senior Clevin Hannah's final
regular-season home appearance capped Wichita State's 76-55 win against
Southern Illinois Saturday at Charles Koch Arena.
The Missouri Valley
Conference men's basketball win pushed the Shockers to a perfect 17-0 home record
in front of a sellout crowd of 10,506. The
17 home wins set a record for regular-season victories at Charles Koch Arena, which
opened in 1955 as the Roundhouse.
The Shockers improved
to 23-8 overall and 12-6 in league play on head coach Gregg Marshall's 47th
birthday, defeating the Southern Illinois Salukis (15-14, 6-12) for the second
time this season. Wichita State entered the game tied for second with Illinois State
in the conference standings.
Forward Durley finished
the game with a team-leading five rebounds as the Shockers outrebounded the
Salukis, 32-22.
Guard Hannah, the team's
lone senior honored before the Senior Day game, scored 13 points and added a
game-high nine assists.
Freshman guard Kendal
Brown-Surles led the Salukis with 15 points.
Hannah sparked the
Shockers' offense early, converting Wichita State's first three shots,
including two three-pointers to open the game. The Shockers built a 10-0 lead
as they held Southern Illinois scoreless on its first eight shots and without a
field goal for the game's first 5:54.
Hannah went on score 10
of Wichita State's first 15 points. The Shockers built up a 15-point lead
midway through the first half.
Wichita State took a
38-26 lead into halftime, paced by 12 points from Durley. The Shockers shot
65.2 percent in the first half, including making 5-of-9 three-pointers.
The Salukis cut the
Shocker lead to eight points in the opening minutes of the second period. Wichita
State responded with a 20-5 run that included seven points from Durley and two
three-point plays from sophomore center Garrett Stutz. The run extended the Shockers
to a 60-37 lead midway through the second half.
Wichita State, which
shot 58.1 percent in the game, led by as many as 26 points in the second half
to conclude the regular-season schedule.
The Shockers have finished
a season undefeated at home only two other times since 1955-56, going 13-0 in
1965-66 and 15-0 in 1986-87.
Wichita State next travels
to compete in the MVC Tournament March 4-7 in St. Louis, Mo.
- Wichita State -
