Four days after scoring just 52 points in a loss to North Texas, Wichita State put 57 on the board… before halftime.
Tyson Etienne led a group of six double-figure scorers with 20 points and the resurgent Shockers exploded for a 102-66 victory over Prairie View A&M on Wednesday evening at Charles Koch Arena.
Playing without injured starters
Joe Pleasant (hamstring) and
Craig Porter Jr. (ankle), Wichita State (9-3) closed out non-conference play with its first 100-point performance since hanging 112 on Savannah State a little over two years ago (Nov. 16, 2019).
The Shockers shot a season-best 47.7 percent and knocked down 12 threes on 40 percent accuracy. They out-rebounded the visiting Panthers 47-30, won the turnover battle 16-9, and also swatted away nine shots.
Etienne was an efficient 6-of-11 from the field and tallied five assists and four steals. It was his third 20-point performance of the season and his 15
th as a Shocker.
Morris Udeze finished with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting. He supplied three of the Shockers' eight dunks to move into the top-10 on WSU's career list (45).
In his first-career start, sophomore forward Clarence "Monzy" Jackson set new personal-bests with 15 points in 26 minutes to go with eight rebounds and a pair of steals.
Junior point guard
Qua Grant started for the first time season the season-opener and contributed six points, eight assists and four steals in 30 turnover-free minutes.
Dexter Dennis chipped in 14 points on three dunks and shared the team lead with nine rebounds.
Kenny Pohto (12 points, nine rebounds, three blocks) and
Chaunce Jenkins (11 points, three blocks) both played extended minutes off the bench.
The Shockers suited up just eight players due to injuries and redshirts. All eight clocked at least 20 minutes and scored at least half-a-dozen points.
Jeremiah Gambrell put up a game-high 22 points for three-time defending SWAC champion, Prairie View A&M (0-10), which shot 38.7 percent from the field. The Panthers entered the evening ranked 10
th nationally in steals (10.6) but managed just four.
Grant and Jackson were early catalysts for the Shockers, combining to score WSU's first nine points for a 9-2 lead.
Grant's three-pointer capped a 12-2 spurt that upped the advantage to 21-7 after less than six minutes of play.
Jackson delivered the signature play in a game full of them when he dove into the Shocker bench for a loose ball, sending chairs flying, then hustled to the opposite end for a transition tip-dunk.
Helped by Jackson's 13 first-half points, the Shockers led comfortably at the intermission, 57-33.
The Shockers shot over 59 percent and finished the first half with more blocks (6) and steals (5) than turnovers (2).
WSU opened the second half with another flurry that included four threes and three Udeze dunks. The last made it a 79-44 ballgame with 13:19 to play.
The teams traded baskets from there.
ALSO NOTABLE:
- The Shockers improved to 4-0 all-time against Prairie View A&M. This was the first meeting since 1999.
- Isaac Brown earned his 25th win in his 34th game – tied with Gary Thompson for the fastest Shocker head coach to that milestone.
- With two three-pointers, Etienne moved into sole possession of ninth-place on WSU's career triples list (155). He needs just four more to match Landry Shamet for eighth and five to tie Markis McDuffie for seventh-place.
- With two threes, Dennis (154 threes), passed David Kyles for 10th-place on WSU's all-time list.
UP NEXT:
The Shockers begin their American Athletic Conference title defense next Wednesday at East Carolina (9-3). The 6 p.m. CT tip will air on ESPN+.
