ST. LOUIS - Cleanthony Early and Ron Baker combined to score 51 points but it was not enough for the Shockers to advance to the Sweet 16 as Kentucky upended Wichita State 78-76 in the third round of the NCAA tournament. Andrew and Aaron Harrison led the Wildcats with 20 points and 19 points, respectively. Julius Randle posted a double-double for Kentucky with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Wichita State ends the season 35-1, the best record in Shocker basketball history. Early's 31 points ties the third best scoring performance in a single game of an NCAA tournament in Wichita State history.
Aaron and Andrew Harrison combined to score the first seven Kentucky points, but the Shockers had an answer for every Wildcat basket early on as Chadrack Lufile scored back-to-back buckets to give Wichita State a 7-6 lead before the first media timeout. Baker hit a trey from the corner to start the scoring for Wichita State and Lufile came off the bench and scored four quick points to give Wichita State the early lead.
Early popped a three-pointer for a 10-8 Wichita State lead but Kentucky answered with back-to-back threes from Aaron Harrison and James Young to take a 14-10 lead. Baker quickly stopped the Kentucky 6-0 run with a driving layup and free throw to cut the Wildcat lead down to one at 14-13.
Andrew Harrison drained a three from long distance after two Kentucky offensive rebounds to get the Wildcat lead back to up to four at 19-15, but Wichita State went on a 7-0 run that gave the Shockers a 22-19 lead and forced Kentucky to use a timeout. Tekele Cotton scored five consecutive points and Fred VanVleet picked Andrew Harrison's pocket and dished it off to Darius Carter for a breakaway dunk that ignited the Shocker crowd inside the Scottrade Center.
After a running jumper by Kentucky's Young, VanVleet hit a jumper, and Early and Baker finished two driving lay ups to give Wichita State a 30-23 lead with 5:14 to play in the first half.
Kentucky answered with four unanswered points, including a dunk from Willie Cauley-Stein that cut the Shocker lead to five, 32-27.
The Shocker faithful rose to their feet once again towards the end of the first half.
VanVleet came up with his second steal of the game and delivered a perfect bounce pass to a cutting Early as Early finished with a thunderous dunk and added a free throw after being fouled on the play.
The old fashioned three-point play gave Wichita State a nine point lead in the first half before Young connected on his second trey of the game as the shot clock expired to get the Wildcats back within six at 37-31.
Early led all scorers at the half with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Young led Kentucky with eight points, including 2-of-3 from beyond-the-arc. Both teams shot 54.2 percent (13-of-24) from the field. The Shockers were 3-for-8 from long distance, while the Wildcats were 4-for-10.
Wichita State scored the first three points of the second half on an Early three-pointer, but Kentucky went on a 9-0 run in a span of 2:15 seconds to close the gap to 40-39. Julius Randle finished a one handed put back dunk, Aaron Harrison added a three-pointer from the left wing, and Randle grabbed his own miss and laid it back in with a foul that added a free throw.
Alex Poythress gave Kentucky its first lead of the second half with a transition layup but Baker quickly regained the lead for Wichita State with and-one lay up that gave Wichita State a 43-41 edge with 16:15 remaining in regulation.
Aaron Harrison hit his third three-pointer of the game that put Kentucky on top 48-46 and Cauley-Stein gave the Wildcats a four point lead with an alley oop dunk from Andrew Harrison.
Carter hit one of two free throws and Early drained a 17-foot jumper to cut the Kentucky lead to 50-49, but Randle answered with a driving up and under layup and added a free throw to get the lead back to four at 53-49.
Nick Wiggins brought the Shockers back to within one after a trey from the corner, while Lufile and Early gave the Shockers a three-point lead at the 8:54 mark of the second half. Lufile powered up for an easy lay in and Early made back-to-back transition lay ups for a 58-55 Wichita State advantage.
Kentucky tied the game once again at 60-60 when Aaron Harrison banked in a three-pointer, but Baker took a handoff and nailed a step back three-point jumper for a 63-60 lead with 6:27 remaining.
The Wildcats converted on the other end with another layup to get within 63-62 on an Andrew Harrison layup.
Early, a senior from Middletown, N.Y. hit a three from straight away and then hit another three from the corner right in front of Shocker bench for a 69-64 Shocker advantage with 4:36 remaining in the second half.
Kentucky used a 6-0 run to regain the lead at 70-69. Four of those points came from free throws by Aaron and Andrew Harrison.
Early hit a jumper for a 71-70 Wichita State lead. Young followed Early's jumper and gave Kentucky a 73-71 lead with a three from the right wing with 1:41 to play in the game.
Two free throws by Andrew Harrison put Kentucky up 75-71 with 42 seconds to play before Baker banked in a three-pointer from the left wing that cut the Kentucky lead to 75-74 with 29 second remaining.
The Shockers were forced to foul and sent the freshman Randle to the line. Randle sank both free throws for a 77-74 Kentucky advantage. Baker's three-point attempt to tie the game with 10 seconds left was short, but Early grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Early drained both free throws to get Wichita State within one again at 77-76.
Baker fouled Andrew Harrison with seven seconds left and a one point Kentucky lead. Harrison made made the first free throw but missed the second and the Shockers had possession, down 78-76 with 3.2 seconds left on the clock.
Head coach Gregg Marshall called timeout to draw up a last second play and a chance for Wichita State to force overtime or win the game with a three.
VanVleet went for the win with an attempt from straight away three but the ball bounced off the rim and into Kentucky's possession. Wichita State ended its season with a 78-76 loss in the third round of the NCAA tournament.
-WICHITA STATE-
