Poor perimeter shooting proved costly for Wichita State in a 66-57 loss to Alcorn State on Saturday afternoon.
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The Shockers (1-1) made three-point field goals on each of their first two possessions but hit just two more the rest of the day en route to a rare November setback on their home floor. They're 50-3 in the 20 seasons since Charles Koch Arena's renovation.
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WSU converted 18 of its 30 shots inside the arc but just 4-of-24 from beyond it to finish at just over 40 percent overall.
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Kenny Pohto (13 points) and
Jaykwon Walton (12) paced the Shockers offensively, while
Craig Porter Jr. finished just shy of a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.
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Alcorn (1-1), the defending SWAC champions, pushed Ole Miss for the better part of 30 minutes earlier this week before fading. Saturday they put a full 40 minutes together, shooting 54 percent in the second half.
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Former Shocker Trevin Wade scored a game-high 14 points, and Dominic Brewton and Keondre Montgomery added 13 and 11 respectively.
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The Braves put the Shockers on their heels early, sinking four of their first five three-point tries for a 16-6 lead near the 12:00-mark of the first half.
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WSU clamped down defensively and rode the scoring tandem of Walton and Pohto during a 14-0 run that allowed them to regain the lead just before halftime.
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Helped by Pohto's nine points, the Shockers enjoyed a 31-28 advantage at the intermission.
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WSU committed just five second-half turnovers, but four of them came during a disastrous stretch that turned the game in Alcorn's favor.
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Pohto sank a pair of free throws for a 46-41 lead with 11:34 to play, but the Shockers came up empty on each of their next eight possessions, during which they went 0-for-4 with four giveaways.
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The Braves capitalized with an 11-0 run. Keondre Montgomery banked in a deep three and Jeremiah Kendall converted a fastbreak layup for a 52-46 Alcorn advantage with 6:05 to play.
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Walton's layup with 4:58 to go stopped a six-and-a-half minute scoring drought, but the Braves kept the Shockers at arm's length the rest of the way.
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NOTABLE:
Alcorn's victory continued a positive week for the SWAC. Arkansas-Pine Bluff came within a point of upsetting No. 14 TCU on opening night. Friday evening, Grambling stunned Colorado, 83-74.
WSU had been 18-0 collectively against the 12 current members of the SWAC.
Alcorn joins UMKC (2008) and Louisiana Tech (2018) as the only teams that have beaten Wichita State in a November home game since Charles Koch Arena's 2003 renovation. Notably, both the 2008-09 and 2018-19 WSU teams went on to play in the postseason.
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UP NEXT:
The Shockers hit the road for Richmond next Thursday (6 p.m. CT, ESPN+) then travel to Kansas City for the Hall of Fame Classic, Monday-Tuesday, Nov. 21-22.