After falling to the No. 1 team in the country by 81 points, Head Coach Keitha Adams said she was the most inspired she had ever been.

“Some people look at that game as the worst day of my life in my coaching career. I’ve chosen to look at it as the best day of my life in my coaching career,” Adams said. “We played the best team in the country. It inspired me, it motivated me.”

Adams came back from that game with a mission.

“Ever since that game and since I’ve been back, I’m on a mission,” Adams said. “We have a lot of hard work to do, and every day I’m really motivated. I think that’s what that game did for me.”

Adams channeled that motivation into her team heading into the Temple game.

Wichita State bounced back from a four game loss streak with a seven-point win over Temple.

The Shockers went on an early 7-0 run by forcing three turnovers and hitting three of their four field goal attempts, forcing Temple to take an early timeout.

The Shockers had a double-digit lead by the half, and had three players score double digits. Senior forwards Rangie Bessard and Angiee Tompkins both with 11 and junior forward Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage with 10.

Wichita State was able to maintain their lead for the rest of the game until the final two minutes where Temple cut the deficit to four.

Senior guard  Keke Thompson said the determining factor when the game gets close comes down to who holds their composure the best.

“Being composed…that can be the difference between you and another team,” Thompson said. “Keeping your composure and handling the pressure well…that’s what we did.”

Another determining factor was Bessard’s scoring. The Owls weren’t able to completely catch up due to their failed efforts to stop Bessard. She  had 11 of the Shockers’ first 18 points in the quarter.

Bessard finished with a career-best of 38 points and six rebounds in her 33 minutes.

“Rangie was very aggressive as always, she took it to them,” Thompson said. “Coach said ‘Go get it’ and she went and got it.”

Bessard said she is motivated to make the most of her final few games at Wichita State.

“Our games are becoming shorter, our times with each other are becoming shorter,” Bessard said. “We have to go out there and now we have to take these last games and play our hearts out.”

The Shockers head to SMU to go for the season sweep over The Mustangs. Tipoff is at 2 p.m. on Saturday.