Skip To Main Content

Wichita State Athletics

Events

Full Schedule
Shockers Win NIT Championship, 66-57

Men's Basketball Wichita State

Shockers Win NIT Championship, 66-57

Box Score

Wichita State will celebrate the 2011 NIT Championship at approximately 5 p.m. Friday inside Charles Koch Arena. The event is open to the public. Fans will not be able to greet the team at the airport, as the team will arrive by charter flight and bus directly to the NIT Championship celebration. 


NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Wichita State Shockers claimed their first National Invitation Tournament Championship with a 66-57 win against Alabama Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

The Shockers claimed their school record 29th men's basketball win of the season led by 12 points each from seniors Graham Hatch and J.T. Durley. Hatch's two 3-pointers in the closing minutes pushed the Shockers' lead to double digits.

Hatch was named the NIT Most Outstanding Player and Hatch and Garrett Stutz made the All-Tournament Team for the Shockers.

Wichita State shot 50 percent overall (23-for-46) and outrebounded Alabama, 35-27, in front of a crowd of 4,873. 

Tony Mitchell led Alabama with 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. The Crimson Tide finished the season with a 25-12 record.

The Shockers (29-8) grabbed their first lead of the game, 6-4, on a Gabe Blair layup at the 16:47 mark of the first half.

Wichita State led, 8-6, before an Alabama 3-pointer from Charvez Davis and jumper from JaMychel Green pushed the Crimson Tide ahead, 11-8.

Alabama built up a five-point lead midway through the half before the Shockers closed the gap. A Ben Smith rebound and put-back cut Alabama's lead to one point with just over 12 minutes remaining before halftime.

The Crimson Tide regained a five-point edge before a 6-0 Shocker run put Wichita State ahead, 18-17. Two Aaron Ellis jumpers and two made Demetric Williams free throws stemming from an intentional foul called on Alabama's Tony Mitchell came during the run.

An 8-0 run gave the Shockers a 33-25 lead - their largest of the half - with less than five minutes remaining before halftime. A three-point play from Toure' Murry kicked off the run, followed by a Durley jumper and 3-pointer.

A Stutz jumper put the Shockers ahead once again by seven points late in the half.

Alabama cut the lead to one point before two Stutz free throws gave the Shockers a 37-34 edge at halftime.

Both teams shot 50 percent in the first half and finished the half shooting 100 percent from the free-throw line. Durley led Wichita State with 11 first-half points. Green paced the Crimson Tide with 10 points. The Shockers outrebounded Alabama, 16-10, in the half and the Shockers committed 10 turnovers to Alabama's eight.

Alabama regained the lead, 41-40, on a free throw from Chris Hines about five minutes into the second half, but a three-point play from Joe Ragland regained a two-point Shocker lead.

A 3-pointer from Kyles, followed by an Ellis jumper, put the Shockers ahead, 48-43, midway through the half. That lead grew to eight points with a free throw from Stutz and layup from Williams that capped off an 8-0 Wichita State run.

The Shockers' lead grew to 11 points on back-to-back 3-pointers from Graham Hatch late in the game.

Wichita State advanced to the NIT Championship with four-straight wins in the tournament - beating Nebraska in the first round of the NIT, Virginia Tech in the second round and the College of Charleston in the quarterfinals before adding Tuesday's 75-44 semifinal win against Washington State, also at Madison Square Garden.

- Wichita State - 

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Gabe Blair

#32 Gabe Blair

F
6' 8"
Senior
J.T. Durley

#31 J.T. Durley

C/F
6' 8"
Redshirt Senior
Aaron Ellis

#0 Aaron Ellis

F
6' 9"
Senior
Graham Hatch

#14 Graham Hatch

G/F
6' 4"
Senior
Toure

#23 Toure' Murry

G
6' 5"
Junior
Joe Ragland

#1 Joe Ragland

G
6' 0"
Junior
Ben Smith

#20 Ben Smith

F
6' 5"
Junior
Garrett Stutz

#41 Garrett Stutz

C
7' 0"
Junior
Demetric Williams

#5 Demetric Williams

G
6' 2"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Gabe Blair

#32 Gabe Blair

6' 8"
Senior
F
J.T. Durley

#31 J.T. Durley

6' 8"
Redshirt Senior
C/F
Aaron Ellis

#0 Aaron Ellis

6' 9"
Senior
F
Graham Hatch

#14 Graham Hatch

6' 4"
Senior
G/F
Toure

#23 Toure' Murry

6' 5"
Junior
G
Joe Ragland

#1 Joe Ragland

6' 0"
Junior
G
Ben Smith

#20 Ben Smith

6' 5"
Junior
F
Garrett Stutz

#41 Garrett Stutz

7' 0"
Junior
C
Demetric Williams

#5 Demetric Williams

6' 2"
Sophomore
G