By: Wichita State
WICHITA, KAN. - Junior guard Sheena Johnson's
three-point play with 24 seconds remaining boosted Wichita State to a 59-57 win
against Southern Illinois Sunday at Charles Koch Arena.
The Shockers battled back from a seven-point deficit
in the second half of the Missouri Valley Conference game to set a school
record with their 13th home win of the season.
A crowd of 1,678 watched the Shockers improve to
16-11 overall and 8-8 in the league standings during their final regular-season
home game.
Johnson led Wichita State with 10 points and senior guard
Marisah Henderson added a game-high nine assists and five steals on Senior Day.
Freshman center Jazimen Gordon led all players with 11 rebounds.
Wichita State honored the team's two seniors Henderson
and Ashley Gladden, whose season was cut short by a torn ACL, before the game
started.
Southern Illinois Salukis senior guard Christine
Presswood led all scorers with 24 points, including six three-pointers. The
Salukis fell to 4-23 overall and 3-14 in the league standings as they missed
their final three field goal attempts in the closing seconds Sunday.
The Wichita State win evened the season series
between the teams and also assured the Shockers of their first winning season
since 2005-06 when they finished 15-13 and their second winning season since
2000.
Wichita State grabbed the game's early lead, but
Southern Illinois answered with a 15-3 run to extend to a 10-point lead less
than seven minutes into the game.
The Shockers struggled offensively throughout the
first half, shooting 30.0 percent and making just nine field goals. But Wichita
State still managed to cut the Salukis' lead to single digits, converting
7-of-10 free throws.
Two free throws from Gordon, who had replaced the
injured Michelle Price as the shooter at the line, followed by a three-point
play from Johnson cut Southern Illinois' lead to three points late in the first
half.
A buzzer-beating layup from Henderson maintained
that margin at halftime as the Salukis took a 29-26 lead out of the opening
period.
Price led the Shockers with seven points in the
first half. Presswood led the Salukis with 11 points.
Sophomore guard Haleigh Lankster gave the Shockers
their first lead since the game's opening minutes with a layup at the 16:13
mark for a 35-34 lead.
Southern Illinois responded with a 10-2 run that included
two Presswood three-pointers and extended the Salukis' lead once again to seven
points.
The Shockers' 8-1 run later in the half tied the
game 52-52 with a jumper from Johnson with 4:33 left in regulation.
Wichita State finished the game shooting 42.6
percent overall, including 58.3 percent in the second half.
Wichita State travels to close out the regular
season schedule, playing at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Bradley and at 3:05 p.m.
Saturday at Northern Iowa.
The MVC Tournament follows March 11-14 in St.
Charles, Mo.
- Wichita State -