|  Box Score (PDF) |  Postgame Press Conference 

WICHITA, Kan.  --    Wichita State defeated Loyola, 65-62 in overtime, Sunday afternoon inside Charles Koch Arena behind 26 points from Rangie Bessard, 13 from TaQuandra Mike and 11 from Diamond Lockhart.

WSU won the first quarter, 16-11, but Loyola took the final three quarters of regulation by five total points, 13-12, 18-16, and 15-13, to force the overtime. 
 
In overtime, Loyola struck first with a bucket and the front end of two free throws to go up 60-57, at 4:02. WSU got one back with a free throw by Mike, 60-58, before Jaleesa Chapel tied it with a 17-foot jumper, at 60-all at 2:39.
 
Mike made the second of two free throws at 1:59 before the two teams traded buckets with WSU up, 63-62 with 46 seconds left.  WSU missed its first free throw opportunities after a LU foul, but when the second opportunity came with five seconds remaining, Bessard made both free throws for the Shocker win, 65-62.

WSU out-shot Loyola, 46 percent (28-61) to 42 percent (25-60) and also out-rebounded the Ramblers, 40-33, to improve to 6-18, 3-10 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Loyola fell to 12-12, 8-5.
 
The Shockers maintained the lead through the third quarter after a 28-24 halftime lead as Loyola out-scored the Shockers, 18-16, in the third. WSU took a 44-42 lead into the fourth quarter, as Bessard reached 20 points and Lehne contributed four of her five points on two jumpers.
 
In the fourth, WSU went up as much as six twice before Loyola battled back to tie it up at the 5:10 mark on a three by Wheeler, 52-52. WSU, which had led since the 2:04 mark of the first quarter, surrendered the lead to go down, 57-54, in the fourth quarter on a traditional three-point play by Wheeler, who was fouled by Chapel, at the 2:01 mark.  Mike tied it back up at 57-all with a three-pointer at the 1:38 mark.
 
LU's Johnson missed both free throws at 1:09, but the Ramblers got the rebound but didn't score on the possession. WSU had a chance to break the tie, but missed its shot, as well, to give Loyola the ball with 18 seconds left. The Ramblers missed their shot to win, as well, in regulation as WSU grabbed the rebound as time expired.
 
Loyola opened the game on a 7-0 run before the Shockers broke the press and Mike used a jump stop basket to close the gap to 7-2 at the 7:44 mark.  Three more Shocker buckets gave WSU a 9-7 lead, but Manual answered to tie it at 9 before the two teams traded baskets for another 11-11 tie.
 
The Shockers closed the first quarter on a 7-0 run to take an early 16-11 lead. The two teams traded baskets again as the Shockers took two seven-point leads before Loyola went on a 9-2 run to tie it up, 22-22, at the 5:09 mark.  WSU out-scored Loyola over the final 4:41 to take a 28-24 lead into the halftime locker room.
 
Loyola out-shot the Shockers, 39.3 percent (11-28) to 37.1 percent (13-35) in the first half but WSU owned the rebounding lead, 25-16. Individually, Bessard had 15 points and seven rebounds for WSU, while Wheeler led the Ramblers with eight points.
 
Wichita State takes back to the road Feb. 19 at Evansville and Feb. 21 at SIU. The Shockers defeated UE, Jan. 24, 58-50, and also topped SIU, 57-48, on Jan. 22, in Wichita.