WICHITA, Kan. -- Wichita State defeated Winthrop, 66-20, behind a record-setting defense and a record-setting nine three-pointers by Alie Decker in the final game of the 2014 Winter Classic in front of 1,579 fans inside Charles Koch Arena Saturday afternoon.
Wichita State's defense held Winthrop to eight first-half points and a school-record 20 points for the game, the second time WSU has set the opponent low-game total this season. The Shockers also held Arkansas Pine Bluff to 26 points on Dec. 5.
Decker provided the fireworks offensively with a school-record nine treys, five in the first half, which broke the record previously held by Courtney Sims against Creighton (3-3-01) and Haleigh Lankster against Loyola (12-2-09).
Her 31 points, a career-high, were made on an 11-19 effort from the field and a 9-of-14 night from the arc. She also had three assists and three steals. Alex Harden backed her performance with 10 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Decker led a trio of all-tournament team selections for the Shockers, which also included Michaela Dapprich and Kelsey Jacobs.
After out-distancing the Eagles, 30-8, in the first half, the Shockers continued to extend the lead out of the locker room, out-scoring the Eagles, 11-6, in the first seven minutes for a 41-14 overall lead.
WSU's defense contributed to 21 Winthrop turnovers and held the Eagles to 17.2 percent (4-28)
from the field for the game, while Harden and Decker each had three steals to lead WSU.
Early on in the first half, WSU took a 10 point lead on a field goal and a trey from Decker at the 10:15 mark. Harden increased it to 12, 16-4, with a steal and drive to the bucket at 9:25.
Decker took the lead to 13, 19-6, with her third trey in less than eight minutes.
The Shockers had increased the lead to 18 by the next media timeout at 3:33, 24-6, on a free throw by Martin, and field goals by Harden and Chapel.
WSU extended its largest lead of the first half to 22 points, 30-8, on back-to-back Decker three-pointers with 55 and 14 seconds left, respectively, heading into halftime.
WSU shot 36 percent in the first half (12-33) led by Decker's 17 points and 6-of-10 field goal effort. WSU's defense held the Eagles to 14 percent (4-28) in the first half.
Earlier in the day, George Mason wrapped up its Winter Classic with a 65-53 win over Louisiana Monroe behind 26 points from redshirt junior Taylor Brown, a member of the all-tournament team. Jasmine Jackson was also selected from GMU to the all-tournament team.
Mason had also defeated Winthrop, 69-57, on Friday in the tournament set up for Wichita State and George Mason to play Winthrop and ULM without the two teams playing each other.
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