WICHITA, Kan. – Jaila Harding's school record-breaking performance led the Shockers to a 62-61 win over UTSA Saturday afternoon during the annual Play4Kay pink game in Charles Koch Arena.
The Shockers used a decisive third quarter to seize control, outscoring the Roadrunners 25-16 coming out of halftime and holding on through a tightly contested fourth period. Wichita State led for nearly 28 minutes and withstood eight lead changes and six ties in a back-and-forth affair.
Wichita native
Jaila Harding delivered another milestone performance, pouring in 19 points while knocking down four three-pointers.
With her third make from deep, Harding broke Wichita State's 26-year old single-season record for made three-pointers, previously set by Courtney Sims in the 1999-2000 season, and she pushed her season total to 75 by the end of the night. She added a steal and logged nearly 37 minutes on her way to 19 points in the win.
The Shockers received balanced production across the lineup.
Abby Cater chipped in 12 points, while
Diamond Richardson added 11 off the bench to help Wichita State outscore UTSA 23-6 in bench points.
Taya Davis impacted the game beyond the box score, finishing with a team-high five assists and six rebounds.
After the teams went into halftime tied at 24, Wichita State scored the first five points of the third quarter and later went on an 8-0 run to push the lead to double figures. Harding shot 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in the third quarter, part of a stretch that saw the Shockers shoot over 60 percent from the field in the period.
UTSA made one final push in the closing minutes, cutting the deficit to one in the final seconds, but Wichita State's
Jaida McDonald recorded the game-saving block to secure the victory.
Wichita State finished the game shooting 45.8 percent from the floor and went 12-of-20 at the free throw line. The Shockers forced 13 UTSA turnovers in the first half and converted them into key transition opportunities, while holding the Roadrunners to 20 points in the paint.
The win moves Wichita State to 6-21 overall and 3-11 in conference play, while UTSA drops to 12-13 on the season and 7-7 in conference play.
