The RoundHouse | 12/19/2018 10:10:00 PM

 
 
 
Wichita State led by three points at halftime and 10 three minutes into the second half. Oral Roberts got to within six for 13 seconds before the Shockers pushed the lead to nine.
 
The lead grew from there, staying in double digits, before expanding to 18-plus for the final 4:21. Wichita State defeated ORU 84-63 on Wednesday at Koch Arena.
 
Quite the contrast from Saturday's near-collapse against Southern Mississippi at Intrust Bank Arena. Quite a contrast from the second half against Baylor earlier this season.
 
Shocker coach Gregg Marshall estimated his team played 36-plus good minutes on Wednesday. That's enough to win a lot of games. Wichita State outscored ORU 48-30 in the second half.
 
"We realize we've been kind of slower in the second halves this year," Wichita State guard Ricky Torres said. "That was an emphasis. When we get a lead, we're going to have to keep it."
 
The Shockers (7-4) kept it and grew it to complete their first three-game win streak of the season. They limited the bad shots. They limited the turnovers – five in the second half. They made foul shots – 9 of 13 in the second half. The mental breaks that marked second-half slumps did not haunt this game.
 
"Less dumb plays; more winning plays," Wichita State senior Markis McDuffie said. McDuffie finished with 25 points and made all 10 of his foul shots. 
 
Torres played an important role in the second half. He made 4 of 5 shots, including a three-pointer, in the second half. He finished with 13 points (6-of-9 shooting) with six assists, a block and one turnover.
 
Marshall called it his best game as a Shocker. Torres can run the offense and usually passes the ball crisply. He can get into the lane to set up teammates. His jump shot deserted him most of the season. If he can approach Wednesday's accuracy, he adds an important asset to Wichita State's spacing on offense. 
 
"It's about time," Torres said. "It's a good thing. My teammates and the staff, everybody just kept confidence in me. That kind of kept me going. It's about time, really."
 
Torres entered the game 11 of 34 from the field and 1 of 20 from three-point range.
 
His mid-range jumpers exposed a hole in ORU's zone defense and helped the Shockers shoot 45.7 percent from the field in the second half, 63.6 percent from three-point range.
 
"Love that elbow pull-up," Marshall said. "You've got to be able to live there as a lead guard in college basketball. And also making a three. All he needs to do is make one or two of every game."
 
Everybody loved the hustle play in the first half that resulted in a three-point play for Jaime Echenique and a 21-15 lead.
 
Erik Stevenson dove to keep a loose ball alive. Isaiah Poor Bear Chandler grabbed it away from an opponent. From the floor, he lobbed to Echenique for a basket and foul shot.
 
"One of my favorite plays of the season," Marshall said.
 
"That was special," McDuffie said.
 
Those are the plays the Shockers won a lot of games with. This team will need to continue to make those plays if it wants to improve.

Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.