Postgame Press Conference: Adams, Preston & Bessard
WICHITA, Kan. – Senior forward
Rangie Bessard poured in a game-high 22 points to lead Wichita State to a 65-54 exhibition win over Oklahoma Baptist Wednesday night at Charles Koch Arena.
Bessard just missed a double-double finishing with nine rebounds to go with her 22 points on 10-of-20 shooting.
Jeliah Preston and
Diamond Lockhart rounded out the double-figure scorers with 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Keke Thompson stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
As a team Wichita State shot 33 percent from the floor, including 6-of-18 from beyond the arc. The Shocker defense corralled the Lady Bison all night long, holding OBU to 32 percent with just four makes in 16 attempts from downtown.
Allies Fuller led Oklahoma Baptist with 14 points, while Katy Custer added 11. Autumn Avina added 10 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Wichita State wasted little time putting points on the board to open the game. The Shockers led 7-0 barely a minute into the game forcing an Oklahoma Baptist timeout. Leading 11-5, a Lockhart three-pointer made it 14-5 near the midway point.
Fouls kept the Lady Bison in it the first quarter, as the Shockers sent OBU to the free throw line 14 times in the first 10 minutes.
Back-to-back triples from Bessard and Preston put Wichita State up by nine, 23-14 with less than a minute remaining. After one quarter of play the Shockers held a 23-16 lead. Seven different players scored in the period to lead a balanced attack.
Consecutive fast break buckets from Preston gave WSU its first double-digit lead, 31-20, with 5:09 to go in the second quarter after the Shockers had just two points in the first three minutes. Wichita State scored just five more points the rest of the quarter to take a 36-24 lead into halftime.
Preston led all scorers with 13 points at the break behind a trio of three-pointers. After a hot start, Wichita State cooled off as the half went on to finish at 38 percent from the field. The Lady Bison were stifled for much of the half, shooting just 23 percent overall with 11 turnovers.
A Lockhart corner jumper gave Wichita State its largest lead of the game at the 5:32 mark of the third quarter, 44-29, after OBU had closed the gap to nine to begin the quarter. The Shockers would then go the final 5:32 of the third quarter without a field goal to see their lead trimmed to 47-39. WSU's final three points of the quarter came via the free throw line.
Bessard snapped the field goal drought with a traditional three-point play to open the final period. Lockhart then followed with a three-pointer and a jumper from the wing to make it 54-39 with 8:00 remaining.
The Shockers then took a 58-41 lead behind back-to-back layups from Bessard. Lockhart drilled another trey and
Alyssia Faye made 1-of-2 free throws to up the lead to 21 with 5:12 to go.
OBU called a timeout with 4:21 left following another easy bucket from Bessard and WSU leading 64-44. Another scoring drought coupled with an 8-0 run brought OBU back within 11, 65-54 with 1:27 to go in the game. Neither team would score again to make the final, 65-54.
Up Next
The Shockers host Southwest Baptist on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena for the final exhibition tune-up before the regular season begins Friday, Nov. 10 at Creighton. Wichita State and Southwest Baptist will be the first part of a Shocker basketball doubleheader. Following the Shocker women, the men's team will host Henderson State for an exhibition contest at 5 p.m.
