WICHITA, Kan. — Wichita State never trailed and led for more than 39 minutes Wednesday night, using a blistering first-half surge and a dominant rebounding effort to pull away from East Carolina, 77-60, at Charles Koch Arena. 

Wichita State (12-8, 4-3) tied a season high with 49 total rebounds and outrebounded the Pirates by 14, including 17 offensive rebounds.

Kenyon Giles notched his ninth 20-point game of the season behind a game-high 27 points, while adding three rebounds, three assists and three steals. He added five more three-pointers to his season total, as he continues to climb the single season charts. He is just 29 three-pointers away from the current record of 99.

Michael Gray Jr. chipped in 12 points, four rebounds and four assists and Dillon Battie added 10 points and five rebounds. Aside from the 12 points Karon Boyd put up on the offensive end, it was his defense that factored heavily on the win. Boyd was tasked with defending the American Conference's leading scorer Jordan Riley for much of the night. Riley came in averaging 22.2 points a game, but finished with 15 on 5-of-18 shooting.

Wichita State set the tone immediately, scoring on second-chance opportunities and in transition to open a double-digit cushion in the first seven minutes. Giles sparked a decisive early run, knocking down back-to-back threes off turnovers as the Shockers ripped off a 10–0 burst to push the margin to 26-8 with 13:11 remaining in the first half. Wichita State shot 48.6 percent before the break and took a 44-32 lead into halftime.

The two teams were actually tied at 21 rebounds apiece at the break, but the Shockers were plus-13 after halftime.

The Shockers wasted no time reasserting control after the break. Giles opened the second half with a three off an offensive rebound, and Battie followed with an alley-oop slam off a Gray assist to push the lead back to 17. When ECU briefly cut into the margin behind three-pointers from Corey Caulker and Demitri Gardner, Wichita State responded with paint touches and disciplined execution.

Boyd's dunk at the 14:44 mark made it 56-40, and Giles continued to deliver in key moments, scoring on a floater, converting at the line and later knocking down another three off a second-chance opportunity at 11:41 to push the lead to 61-43.

The Shockers' defensive effort also stood out during the closing stretch. Will Berg and Dre Kindell combined for multiple blocks in the lane, while Wichita State limited ECU to one field goal during a four-minute span midway through the half. Gray Jr. put the finishing touches on the night with a second-chance three at 4:34, stretching the lead to its largest at 73-52.

Up Next
Wichita State is scheduled to host Memphis on Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2.