WICHITA, Kan. – Tyson Etienne and Ricky Council each topped 20 points to propel Wichita State past SMU, 72-57, Saturday evening at Charles Koch Arena.
 
The Shockers (12-8, 3-5) won for the third time in four tries after an 0-4 conference start and handed SMU (16-5, 7-2) just its second loss in the last 74 days.
 
WSU used an 18-2 first-half run to build a 32-13 lead after 13 minutes of play.
 
The Shockers led by 16 at halftime and by as many as 21 at the 17:49-mark of the second half.
 
SMU capitalized on an eight-minute WSU field goal drought to claw within 10 points, 47-37, with 7:10 to play.
 
Tenuous times for a Shocker team that had squandered double-figure leads in five of its eight losses coming in.
 
Council helped restore order with 10 points in the final 6:30, capped by a steal and hammer dunk with 47 seconds left.
 
The second-year guard finished 6-of-9 from the field and 7-for-7 at the foul line to go with seven rebounds and three steals.
 
Etienne made 6-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-10 from deep, to record his 18^th career 20-point game. That's the most by a Shocker since Jason Perez (36 from 1996-00).
 
Saturday marked the first time since a Mar. 3, 2021 win at Tulane that two Shockers have both topped 20 in the same game. Trey Wade (23) and Dexter Dennis (20) were the heroes that day.
 
Craig Porter Jr. stuffed the box score with a team-high eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.
 
WSU shot 41.1 percent from the field, helped by an 8-of-21 performance from three (.381), and knocked down 18-of-20 free throws.
 
SMU shot 36.5 percent, including 5-of-20 from three, and made 14-of-21 free throws.
 
The Shockers won the turnover battle 17-12, helped by 10 steals.
 
Dennis (three steals) led an outstanding defensive effort, limiting SMU point guard Kendric Davis to a season-low eight points on 1-of-7 shooting. Davis had entered the night averaging a league-best 20.1 points with 18-consecutive double-figure scoring games.
 
Marcus Weathers led the Mustang scoring and rebounding with 14 and eight respectively.
 
WSU won its fifth-straight against SMU and now leads the all-time series 9-6.
 
The teams met for the first time in nearly two years. A combination of COVID-19 and weather led to six-straight postponements forced six-straight postponements (four last year and two this year). A makeup date for WSU's twice-postponed road game at SMU is still pending.
 
WSU will look to continue its momentum Tuesday when it travels to Orlando to take on UCF. The 8 p.m. CT tipoff airs nationally on ESPNU.