TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Cleanthony Early had a season-high 26 points and was a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe as No. 11/9 Wichita State executed down the stretch to beat Alabama 72-67 and improve to 11-0 on the season. 

Both Fred VanVleet and Tekele Cotton chipped in 11 points, while Darius Carter scored nine points and pulled down seven rebounds off the bench for Wichita State in the win. The Shockers shot 44 percent (22-50) from the field and made 25-of-27 free throws during the contest.

 Wichita State jumped out to a 16-6 lead early in the first half that was highlighted by five straight points from VanVleet. VanVleet drained a three-pointer from the top of the key and followed it up with a layup off of an Alabama turnover. 

 Alabama took advantage of a four minute Wichita State shooting drought and cut the Shocker lead to 26-24 after a Retin Obasohan three-pointer and would tie the game at 26-26 on a Trevor Releford driving lay-up that capped a 12-4 Crimson Tide run. 

Evan Wessel's offensive rebound and put back gave the Shockers a slim 29-26 lead with 2:07 to go in the first half but two Alabama threes by Releford and Rodney Cooper gave the Crimson Tide their first lead of the game at 32-31. 

Tekele Cotton made two free throws in the final minute of the first half to give Wichita State a 33-32 lead at intermission. 

The Shockers shot 45 percent (10-22) from the field and made 12-of-13 free throws in the first half, while the Crimson Tide shot 47.6 percent (10-21) from the field and 40 percent (4-10) from behind the arc. 

Cleanthony Early scored the first five points of the second half and gave the Shockers a 38-32 advantage. Ron Baker found a cutting Early and Early threw down a base line jam to open up the second half, and followed the dunk with a corner three to increase the Shocker lead to six points. 

Alabama cut the lead to 40-38 after a Cooper lay-up, but an old-fashioned three-point play by Darius Carter put Wichita State back up by five, 45-40 at the 12:43 mark of the second half. The Crimson Tide would take its first lead of the second half at 52-51 after back-to-back threes from Releford, but Baker connected on hist first three-pointer of the game that tied the game at 56-56. 

Baker found Early again in transition for an easy dunk that put the Shockers up 62-59 with just under three minutes to play in the game. Early followed the dunk with a three-point play after a made jump shot and a free throw, but Cooper hit a three-pointer to cut the Wichita State lead to 65-64 with two minutes left in regulation.

VanVleet hit a running jumper and Carter had a crucial offensive put back as Wichita State made enough plays down the stretch to escape with a 72-67 win.

The Shockers are next in action on Sunday, Dec. 22 when they take on North Carolina Central at 7 p.m. inside Charles Koch Arena.

-WICHITA STATE-