|  Box Score (PDF)

CARBONDALE, Ill.  --  Wichita State couldn't withstand a second-half SIU offensive charge despite shooting a season-high 60.9 percent from the field to drop an 80-66 decision Sunday afternoon inside SIU Arena.
 
The Shockers were led in scoring by Rangie Bessard, who had 23 points while TaQuandra Mike had 19 for WSU which shot 60.9 percent (28-48), its highest percentage of the season.
 
SIU was led in scoring by Rishonda Napier, who had 30 points, including 18 from three-pointers. Cartaesha Macklin backed her with 18 points and Kylie Giebelhausen had 14. SIU shot 51.7 percent (30-58) for the game, including 56.3 percent (9-16) from three-point range.
 
SIU turned 19 Shocker turnovers into 22 points, while SIU had nine turnovers. WSU also scored a season-high 42 points in the second half but SIU poured in 53 to secure the win.
 
Both offenses opened up through the first half of the third quarter as Bessard had seven points and Napier had four treys for 12 points, the last that came at 5:02. Bessard answered with a 17-foot jumper at 4:46 to cut SIU's lead to 43-39.
 
SIU out-scored WSU over the final 4:46 of the third quarter, 11-8, to take a 54-47 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
SIU extended its lead quickly to 13, 64-51, at the 7:35 mark with a 7-4 run and never looked back as the closest WSU got was eight at 5:52, but SIU continued to answer and extended the lead to 14 twice, including the final score, 80-66.
 
WSU took a 14-8 lead into the first quarter media timeout at 4:32 on 75 percent shooting and five points from Bessard, three which came on a bucket and a foul at the 6:13 mark.
 
SIU out-scored WSU, 6-4, through the remainder of the quarter to cut the Shocker lead to four at 18-14.  Mike had seven points in the first frame but picked up her second foul at 1:15, while Macklin ended the quarter with six points for the Salukis.
 
SIU held WSU scoreless through the first 3:24 of the second quarter, and took the lead, 23-22, at the 3:52 mark on a Stephenson layup.  SIU out-scored WSU, 4-2 over the final four minutes to take a 27-24 lead into the halftime locker room.
 
For the half, WSU shot 52.6 percent (10-19) to the Salukis' 39.3 percent (11-28). Bessard led WSU scorers with nine points and Giebelhausen led SIU with nine points. SIU held a 14-12 edge on the glass and turned 12 Shocker turnovers into 10 points while the WSU only forced six Saluki turnovers.
 
Wichita State is next in action Sat., Feb. 27, at Missouri State before returning home for the final two home games of the regular-season against Illinois State and Indiana State, March 3 and 5, respectively.