WICHITA, Kan. – Tekele Cotton scored a career-high 19 points in front of a record 14,356 fans at INTRUST Bank Arena Saturday afternoon, as the Wichita State men's basketball team defeated Tennessee, 70-61. The Shockers 10-0 start marks the best in school history and the win also gives Wichita State a 4-0 record in INTRUST Bank Arena.

Cleanthony Early scored 13 points on 6-of-15 shooting and Darius Carter added 11 and led the Shockers with career-high 14 rebounds in the victory.

The Shockers went 3-for-3 from three-point range in the early going, taking a 9-7 lead with 17:05 to go in the first half. VanVleet hit a long jumper at the 15:35 to extend the Wichita State lead, 13-9, adding to his eight points in the first 20 minutes.

Tennessee executed a traditional and-one play to go ahead, 19-17, at the 11:25 mark and made a three on the next play to take its largest lead of the half, 22-19. A layup by Early with 5:01 left on the clock gave the Shockers a 23-22 advantage. The Volunteers went to the line at the 3:00 mark to take back the lead and head into the locker room with a 26-25 lead over Wichita State.

The Shockers held Tennessee to 37 percent (9-for-24) from the field and 30 percent (3-for-10) from behind the arc, while Wichita State shot 44 percent (11-for-25) from the field and 37 percent (3-for-8) from three-point range in the first 20 minutes.

The two teams traded baskets to start the second half but a Carter layup and free throw put the Shockers up 35-31 with 16:37 left on the clock. Tennessee kept the Shockers without a field goal for over five minutes but a block by Cotton at the 9:17 mark led to a fast break layup for Cotton to put the Shockers back on top, 46-44.

Carter dominated the boards late in the game, tipping in a put back at the 8:47 mark to extend the Shocker lead, 49-44. Early hit a three with 2:46 left in the game to give Wichita State its largest lead of the game, 63-51. The Vols hit two consecutive layups but would not get any closer and the Shockers would go on to win, 70-61.

Wichita State finished the game shooting 43 percent (23-for-53) from the field and 37 percent (6-for-16) from behind the arc, while Tennessee shot 38 percent (20-for-52) from the field and 30 percent (6-for-20) from three-point range. The Shockers out-rebounded the Vols 36-31 and forced eight turnovers on the afternoon.

The Shockers will travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., Tuesday to take on Alabama in Coleman Coliseum. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. and will be shown on ESPNU.

-WICHITA STATE-