WICHITA, Kan. - Alex Harden led a quartet of Shockers in double figures with a game-high 17 points as Wichita State (14-6, 8-0) avenged a 2012 loss to Illinois State (13-7, 5-3), 66-54, Friday night in Charles Koch Arena.

Jessica Diamond and Jazimen Gordon added 15 and 13 points, respectively and Darice Fountaine tallied another 10 points to pace the first-place Shockers.

Jamie Russell led Illinois State with 16 points and Candace Sykes added 15.

On Fri., Jan. 27, 2012 the Shockers entered Koch Arena to face the Redbirds the same way they did Friday night, as winners of their first seven conference games and looking to make a statement on their ascent to the top of the MVC standings. However, Friday night pitched a dramatically different result for head coach Jody Adams and the Shockers, who are off to their first 8-0 start in conference play in program history.

In the first half Wichita State opened the game on a 9-2 run with a pair of buckets from Harden. Illinois State countered with a 14-3 run of their own to take a 16-12 lead with 8:49 remaining on a jumper from Russell.

The senior-laden Shockers fought back to close the first half on a 16-8 run to take a 28-24 lead into halftime despite being outrebounded 21-9 through the first 20 minutes. Diamond and Harden each tallied a team-high seven points for WSU.

Diamond's jumper with 13:29 remaining in the game extended Wichita State's lead to double digits, 39-29. Over the next six minutes the veteran Shockers answered each punch by the visiting Redbirds.

After Jazimen Gordon's free throw reestablished the Shockers' 10-point lead with 7:24 left in the game the Redbirds made one final push as they went on a 7-0 run to get within three on a Janae Smith jumper with 5:04 remaining.

Harden and company answered the bell over the final five minutes repeatedly driving to the paint and earning trips to the free throw line where they connected on 10 of their final 12 attempts to put the game away.

The Shockers will take on Indiana State on Sun., Feb. 3 at 2:05 p.m. in the second game of a four game home stand.

- WICHITA STATE -