COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Rangie Bessard had 14 points and 13 rebounds, but Wichita State (3-8) fell, 54-48, to Tennessee Tech (4-8) Tuesday night inside the Eblen Center.
Jyar Francis played for the first time after missing four games with a concussion and scored 11 as the Shockers' only other double-figure scorer.
The Shockers took 56 total shots, making 18 for a 32 percent effort, while WSU was 1-for-16 from the arc on the night. TTU shot 36 percent (17-47) from the field, made 4-of-11 three's and made 16-of-21 free throws.
WSU went up 26-21 to open the second half on a basket by Bessard and a three-pointer by Francis at the 7:49 mark while holding TTU to just two free throws. Dean scored the Golden Eagles' first two baskets of the half to cut WSU's lead to 30-25 at 5:13.
Hickson's traditional three-point play tied the game at 30 before Goolsby's three at 4:04 gave the home team the lead 35-40. The Golden Eagles went up by as much as eight, 39-31, but the Shockers responded to close the half down three, 41-38.
In the fourth, WSU held TTU scoreless again until Howard made two free throws to extend the lead to 43-39, at the 7:13 mark. WSU's The teams traded baskets and the Golden Eagles again held a five-point lead, 46-41, into the media timeout at 4:32.
WSU took the lead on six-straight points, the last a layup by Bessard at the 2:52 mark to put WSU up 47-46. TTU responded with a three-pointer by Goolsby at the 2:28 mark for a 49-47 lead while a three by Jennings gave the Golden Eagles a 52-47 lead to put the game away.
In the first quarter, WSU held Tennessee Tech to four points and 20 percent shooting through the first five minutes. After the media timeout at 4:48, WSU out-scored the Golden Eagles 6-4 to take a 10-8 lead into the break. Francis saw her first time on the court since a concussion kept her out of the last four games.
TTU's shooting improved the second quarter to 31 percent (6-19), but the Shockers held a 15-13 lead despite five-straight points. After a Shocker timeout, at 6:33, TTU scored two-straight baskets to take a 17-15 lead at the 4:41 mark. TTU would score just one more basket over headed into the half, while Bessard, Mike and Francis each picked up a bucket to give WSU a 21-19 lead at halftime.
For the first half, WSU shot 26.7 percent (8-30) to the Golden Eagles' 34.6 percent (9-26). WSU was 0-9 from the arc while Tennessee Tech scored just one three in six tries.
Wichita State is next in action Dec. 29 against Oklahoma Christian in the Shockers' second of two exhibitions. WSU opens Missouri Valley Conference play and defense of its three-straight titles Jan. 1 at Indiana State.
