BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Kenyon Giles scored a career-high tying 26 points to lead Wichita State back from a 16-point deficit in its American Conference opener at UAB Wednesday afternoon, downing the Blazers, 75-70.

Wichita State (9-5, 1-0) picked up its first conference opening win since 2020.

The Shockers used a dominant second half on both ends of the floor, outscoring the Blazers 46-28 after the break. Wichita State shot 51.6 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three-point range in the second half after being held to 36.7 percent in the opening 20 minutes.

Giles knocked down eight of the team's nine three-pointers in the game, a career best and second most in a single game in school history. He was 9-for-17 from the field overall and 8-for-13 from beyond the arc.

TJ Williams added 12 points, six rebounds and a pair of assists. Will Berg came up a point shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.

UAB (9-5, 0-1 AAC) built early control behind strong interior play and rebounding, taking a 42-29 lead into halftime. The Blazers grabbed their largest lead of the game of 16 with 1:41 left in the first half.

The Shockers began chipping away immediately after the break. Giles connected on a pair of threes in the opening minutes, sparking a 12-3 run that cut the deficit to single digits. Wichita State continued to apply pressure defensively, forcing turnovers that led to transition opportunities and open perimeter looks.

Midway through the second half, Wichita State finally drew even at 56-56 on a Giles driving layup with 8:17 remaining. From there, the teams traded baskets until the Shockers seized control in the final four minutes.

Williams converted two free throws to give Wichita State its first lead since the opening minutes, and Berg followed with a pair of offensive rebounds that resulted in a putback to extend the advantage. After UAB trimmed the margin to one, Giles buried a deep three with 27 seconds remaining, and Berg sealed the game with a dunk in the final 15 seconds.

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Wichita State closes its road trip on Saturday at Charlotte with tip at 5 p.m. CDT on ESPNU.