Ten games into the season, TJ Williams is proving his ceiling keeps rising.
The redshirt freshman guard scored a career-high 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds, powering Wichita State to a 74-69 win over Northern Iowa in overtime at the McLeod Center.
“Credit to TJ Williams and showing up down the stretch,” head coach Paul Mills said in a post-game radio interview.
Regulation ended Saturday night tied at 59, but Williams seized the spotlight in the extra five minutes. He imposed his will for nine of WSU’s (6-4) 15 points in overtime, attacking the Panthers (7-2) relentlessly.
Whether finishing at the rim or drawing contact, he converted 3-of-4 field goals, and as many free throws. He made 7-of-12 shots and 4-of-6 attempts at the line overall.
“I called him over and said, ‘Listen, we’re not going to shrink in this moment. You’re built for it,’” Mills said. “And you know what? He showed up and made plays.”
His performance not only sealed the win but also broke a troubling trend of road losses.
And for the Shockers, it couldn’t have come at a better time. They’d dropped every game away from Koch Arena this season by two possessions, including an 0-3 showing last week at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.
The flipped script offers promise, with WSU’s first two games in the American Conference coming on the road. Before then, the Shockers turn their attention to DePaul on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 11 a.m. in the Roundhouse.
WSU finished 26-of-60 from the field, 9-of-25 from 3-point range, and 13-of-17 at the free throw line. The Shockers sank their last four free throw attempts down the stretch to stave off UNI and ended the game on an 8-0 run.
The first half was a grind. WSU weathered multiple 6-0 bursts from the Panthers during the opening 20 minutes before building a 35-28 halftime lead. Junior guard Dre Kindell provided a spark off the bench, scoring 10 points and going 5-for-5 at the charity stripe in 12 minutes. Meanwhile, UNI opened 0-for-9 to start from deep.
Early in the second half, WSU stretched its lead to 12, but familiar road woes resurfaced. Scoring droughts, turnovers and defensive lapses allowed UNI back in the ball game. The Panthers surged ahead 47-46 after a 9-0 run fueled by three Shocker miscues and later led by six with four minutes left.
It looked like another road collapse. But this time, WSU refused to fold.
Trailing 56-50, the Shockers outscored UNI 9-3 in the final four minutes of the game to force overtime. It ultimately rested in senior guard Mike Gray Jr.’s right hand with 10 seconds to go in regulation, as he stepped up cool and collected to the charity stripe and sank two untimed shots to knot it up.
UNI briefly surged ahead in overtime, but Williams wouldn’t let WSU falter. His fearless play delivered the Shockers their first road win of the season and a breakthrough that could redefine their confidence in the final stretch of non-conference play.
Box score breakdown
WSU — 35; 24; 15 — 74
UNI — 28; 31; 10 — 69
Shooting (fg-3pt-ft)
WSU: (43% — 36% — 76%)
UNI: (44% — 17% — 55%)
Leaders
Points — WSU: TJ Williams (18), Mike Gray Jr. (15), Kenyon Giles (12). UNI: Tristan Smith (16), Will Hornseth (15), Trey Campbell (14).
Rebounds — TJ Williams (9), Karon Boyd (7), Will Berg (6). UNI: Will Hornseth (8), Leon Bond III (6), Trey Campbell (5).
Assists — WSU: Mike Gray Jr. (4), Kenyon Giles (2), Dre Kindell (2). UNI: Ben Schwieger (5), Will Hornseth (4), RJ Taylor (4).
