The stage was set for another Koch Arena classic.

Wichita State hosted Tulsa Saturday evening two weeks after a 93-83 decision favored the Golden Hurricane Feb. 1, and just days after the teams lost on their home floors. 

Paired with how tight the race is for a top two seed headed into the conference tournament, it almost felt fitting that a season-high 7,569 fans filled the Roundhouse to watch a clash between two long-standing rivals.

The Shockers trailed by as many as nine in the second half, and tied it with 5 minutes, 28 seconds left in the game, before taking the lead for good with under three minutes after an 8-2 run to secure an emotional 81-77 win.

WSU led for just 2 minutes, 54 seconds during the game, but that was all that was required to snap a three-game losing streak to the team in blue and gold. The Shockers are now 16-10 on the year, 8-5 in the American Conference and are just a game-and-a-half back from first place in the league standings with the win.

Tulsa dropped its second-straight game and now sits at 20-6 overall and 8-5 in the conference.

Giles, who finished with a game-high 31 points, nailed the free throws that gave the Shockers the lead for good. Sophomore forward Dillon Battie and junior center Will Berg finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively. They combined for 10 rebounds.

As a team, WSU doubled Tulsa’s total in the paint, 52-26. And unlike the first meeting this season, the Shockers maintained a 41-35 edge on the glass, which included 14 offensive rebounds and 12 second-chance points.

And despite four of the Golden Hurricane’s players finishing in double figures, they were held to 36% from the floor and 28% from 3-point range in the second half.

Up next, WSU hits the road for a matchup against East Carolina Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Greenville, N.C.

For now, here are three takeaways from WSU’s come-from-behind victory:

Shootout favored Tulsa, but defense won it for Wichita State

The teams combined for 176 points in the initial matchup on Feb. 1, and 93 of them belonged to Tulsa. In the second half alone, the Golden Hurricane made 72% of their shots and ended the game scoring 1.368 points per possession.

The Shockers just couldn’t keep up with them in the Reynolds Center.

Knowing that headed into Saturday’s rematch, it was going to be defense that won it for WSU and pure shotmaking that won it for Tulsa. The Shockers have won every game since the start of conference play when they hold teams to 70 or fewer points, aside from hiccups against Rice and their most recent defeat to South Florida.

WSU only trailed by six before the break, 41-35, but the Golden Hurricane connected on 50% of their shots for 1.194 PPP.

Even when Koch Arena was its loudest throughout the second half, Tulsa didn’t get rattled. The Golden Hurricane repeatedly responded with shots from 3-point range to keep the Shockers at arm’s length. WSU just couldn’t get over the hump even after tying the game twice in the final five-and-a-half minutes. 

But the Shockers began to string some stops together. The Golden Hurricane suddenly wasn’t finding their answers. 

WSU dug in from that moment on and held Tulsa to just two for its last nine shot attempts. The Shockers were five for their last nine from the floor. They made five free throws down the stretch to hang on.

Senior Karon Boyd made arguably the play of the game when he blocked Tulsa guard Tylen Riley’s jump shot and Berg secured the defensive rebound.

Early foul troubles in second half don’t bite Wichita State

It’s no question that the American is a physical league. And it’s no question that in order to win, you have to be the more physical team.

But not even six minutes into the second half, WSU committed six fouls — some of which elicited the loudest groans from the crowd. Tulsa, meanwhile, committed just two during that time.

The Golden Hurricane spent the last 10 minutes, 35 seconds in the bonus, but made just one trip to the line and shot two free throws after that point.

Foul troubles proved the costliest for Tulsa, which committed 12 in the second half that gave WSU 16 untimed shots. The Shockers seized most of their opportunities at the stripe, finishing 5-for-8 down the stretch and 63% (17-of-27) for the game.

The teams combined for 38 fouls throughout, but WSU committed just one after the seven early ones in the final stanza.

No timeout granted at end of first half made Paul Mills irate

With around five seconds left in the first half, TJ Williams inbounded the ball to Will Berg, who caught it at midcourt and was forced to send an off-balance pass back to Williams.

While that happened, Williams was run into by a Tulsa player and both players hit the hardwood. WSU tried calling a timeout to prevent the collision and Berg’s inadvertent pass.

No timeout was granted. Mills, the most animated he’s been on the sideline this season and perhaps his entire tenure as the Shockers’ head coach, barked at the refs for at least a minute straight and even after the first half buzzer sounded. 

Who knows how much momentum that gave the Shockers going into the second half. He wasn’t administered a technical foul, however, and the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame induction carried on as normal during the break.