WICHITA, Kan.- Missouri State earned league supremacy handing the Shockers their first loss, 59-56, in Valley play Sunday night in front of a sold-out crowd inside Charles Koch Arena.

The loss to the Bears snapped Wichita State's 32-game home winning streak in Valley play and eight game winning streak this season.

The Shocks went on a late 14-4 run in an exciting thriller inside Koch Arena, but it just wasn't enough in the end, as WSU was not able to overcome missed free throws and a poor shooting night. 

With the win, Missouri State becomes the only undefeated team left in the Missouri Valley Conference improving to 5-0 in the league.  Wichita State falls to 4-1.

The Shockers were led in scoring by J.T. Durley who posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.  Toure' Murry led the Shocks on the boards with 11 rebounds. 

Missouri State placed three in double figures with Kyle Weems, Jermaine Mallet, and Adam Leonard all scoring 11 points.  Will Creekmore was one point shy of a double-double posting nine points and 10 rebounds.

Missouri State shot a scorching 50 percent from the 3-point line compared to Wichita State's 26 percent.  The Shockers were 10-for-19 from the line shooting a low percentage of 52.

Both teams came right out of the gate firing as it looked like a three-point shooting contest inside Charles Koch Arena.  The Bears took an early 3-0 lead with a 3-pointer from Weems.  Graham Hatch answered right back with a long ball from the top of the key, but Nafis Ricks wanted in on the action knocking down another 3-pointer for the Bears.  Kyles evened the score, 6-6, with a shot from behind the arc, but a second 3-pointer from Weems gave the Bears a 9-6 lead going into the first media timeout.

The Shockers scored four-straight points out of the media timeout off of two free throws from Gabe Blair and a jumper from Joe Ragland, WSU up 10-9.  Missouri State took an 11-10 lead into the 12-minute media with a post-up from Creekmore.

A 3-pointer from Demetric Williams put WSU ahead 15-13, but Aaron Cooper evened the score with a pull-up jumper right outside of the lane.  Weems pushed the Bears ahead with an old fashioned three-point play, but Williams answered right back with his second three of the game, score tied at 18.  MSU scored seven unanswered points, including a 3-pointer from Jermaine Mallet with a little under eight minutes to play in the first half.

Murry stopped the run with a made free throw, but the Bears' hot shooting continued with another 3-pointer from Leonard to put MSU ahead 28-19.  Durley ended a dry spell for the Shockers hitting a turn-around jumper in the lane bringing WSU within seven with 5:12 left in the first half.  The Shocks last field goal was at the 9:46 mark meaning they went 4:34 without a field goal.  The Bears took a 30-22 lead into the final media timeout of the first half off a runner from Caleb Patterson. 

Patterson gave Missouri State the first double digit lead of the game with a jumper from the left baseline putting the Bears ahead 32-22 with a little over two minutes left in the first half.  Patterson stretched that lead out to 13 with a 3-pointer from the top of the key.  Stutz stopped Patterson's 7-0 run with a jumper inside making the score 35-24 in favor of the Bears at the half. 

Williams paced the Shockers at the half with six points off of two 3-pointers.  Weems led the Bears with nine points.  Poor shooting hampered WSU in the first twenty minutes as they shot 30-percent from the field compared to MSU's 46-percent.  The Bears shot a scorching 60-percent from behind the arc. 

Wichita State out-rebounded Missouri State in the first half 19-16.  Murry and Mallet led both of their teams with six rebounds apiece.

Hatch got the Shockers started in the second half with a jumper making the score 37-26.  The Bears took their largest lead of the game, 39-26, after a make from Leonard.  Durley scored four straight points bringing the Shockers within nine, but Ricks stretched it back out to double digits with a jumper, making the score 41-30 going into the first media timeout of the second half.

Ragland chipped into that lead, 41-32, with a jumper from the left wing, but the Bears and Shocks continued to trade baskets.  Stutz scored off a strong post-up down low, and Mallet answered right back with one of his own.  Ragland drove the baseline bringing the Shockers within nine again, but then Weems answered with a dunk to push the Bears ahead, 46-36.

A 3-pointer from Mallet with a little over eleven minutes left in the game put the Bears ahead 49-36.  Stutz answered with a basket down low and went to the free throw line for a plus one.  Hatch's offensive rebound off of the and-one attempt led to a Durley field goal making the score 49-40.  A steal and drunk from Kyles brought the fans at Charles Koch Arena to their feet, Bears up 51-42.  Aaron Ellis hit a jumper from the wing bringing the Shockers within eight with 8:26 left to play.

Murry knocked down a jumper in the paint, 53-47, to shorten the Bear's lead to six. Three straight free throws from Kyles and Blair brought the Shockers within three points and the fans inside Koch Arena on their feet.

The Shockers used a 14-4 run to take their first lead since early in the first half, 54-53, with 3:54 left to play the game.  Blair knocked down a jumper from the elbow and then a tip-in from Durley gave WSU that lead. The Bears last made field goal came at the 10:38 mark in the second half.  Leonard ended the Shockers' run and gave the Bears a 56-54 lead with a connection from behind the arc.

Two free throws from Blair brought the Shockers within one, 57-56, with 1:45 left in the game. A steal by Durley gave WSU the ball with one-minute left on the clock.  The Shockers were not able to capitalize on the play, giving the ball back to the Bears with 33.1 seconds left in the game.

Ricks was fouled and hit one free throw putting the Bears up 58-56 with 23.5 seconds left.  A turnover from Murry sealed the Shockers fate giving the ball back to the Bears with 2.7 seconds left in the game.  Leonard went to the line and knocked down a free throw making the final score 59-56.

Tonight's loss to the Bears snapped Wichita State's 32-game home winning streak in Valley play and eight game winning streak.  Wichita State out-rebounded Missouri State 40-32.

The Shockers are next in action on Wed., Jan. 12 when they travel to Omaha, Neb. to take on Creighton. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. and action can be seen on Kansas 22.  Wichita State returns home to Charles Koch Arena on Wed., Jan.19 when they play host to the Panthers of Northern Iowa.

-WICHITA STATE-