For the second consecutive game, heroics from junior forward Corey Washington were essential to giving Wichita State men’s basketball a win.
Tied at 59 with Monmouth University with less than two minutes to play, Washington was called for a foul that sent the Hawks to the free-throw line and the home fans into a fit of rage.
After Monmouth missed at the charity stripe, Washington splashed a 3-point transition shot followed by a forceful slam on the next possession, helping send Wichita State past the Hawks, 70-66.
Washington said the feeling of making the important late buckets was amazing.
“I feel like those plays gave us a big amount of energy,” Washington said. “And that’s what started flipping the game for us.”
The Shockers started the season off at 4-0 for the second straight campaign. With the loss, Monmouth dropped to 0-5 to start its season.
“I thought we played our best when our best was required,” head coach Paul Mills said. “That’s actually a really good win. Your team needs to know how to find some resolve when it matters.”
Comfort was a virtue throughout the first half. Each team played stifling and aggressive defense without allowing baskets as the Shockers shot 9-27 from the field and 1-8 from deep. Monmouth converted 13-31 attempts, including two from deep and three at the free throw line.
After fifth-year guard Justin Hill capped off a 12-2 run, opening up a 15-11 advantage for Wichita State, the home team’s offense fell flat on its face. For the next 10:52 of game time, the Shockers failed to convert all 10 of their shot attempts, relying on free throws to score any points.
Senior guard Harlond Beverly snapped the field goal drought to give Wichita State a slim, 28-26 advantage with a little more than a minute left in the half. Hill and Beverly later connected on an alley-oop, but the Hawks ended the half making a jumper in the paint to go into the break with a 31-30 lead.
Monmouth led the rebound battle during the first half, 27-17, with a plus-eight margin of victory on the offensive glass. The Hawks’ bench was more involved, scoring 10 points from non-starters to the Shockers’ two.
Monmouth came out of the locker room with more fire and better halftime adjustments as the Hawks quickly drained two 3-pointers to go up, 40-34. Despite answers from Beverly and senior center Matej Bošnjak, Monmouth took its largest lead of the game, 45-38, after knocking down a midrange jumper.
Wichita State went on another long scoring drought, this time nearly three minutes in length, allowing the Hawks to keep a 6-point cushion, 50-44. Trailing 52-44, the Shockers found a rhythm on offense and ripped off a 10-2 run that was capped off by dunks from Beverly and Washington. Hill assisted Beverly and Washington on both plays.
Washington’s offensive explosion and late free throws proved the turning point as the Shockers scrapped for the win.
Mills said to win close games like the one against Monmouth, the team needs to be battle-tested.
“We could have been pretty disappointed about allowing a 0-4 team to come into our gym and get their first win,” Mills said. “We’re not going to lose sight of that reality, but we have to be a lot better (going forward).”
Washington ended with a game-high 20 points, adding eight rebounds to his stat line. Beverly trailed Washington in points with 15, grabbed six rebounds and made four assists.
Beverly said Washington’s confidence to step up at the end of the game was impressive.
“I just saw a killer kill,” Beverly said. “I’m used to it. I see it every day (in practice) so I’m glad you all (the fans) got to see it, too.”
Bošnjak started his first game this season in the absence of senior center Quincy Ballard, who was a game-time injury decision. Bošnjak finished the game with a season-high 12 points on 4-4 shots from the field and 4-5 from the free throw line.
Wichita State will hit the road for a three-game neutral-site stint beginning on Friday, Nov. 22, when it faces off against Saint Louis University in Kansas City, Missouri. The Billikens lead the all-time series against the Shockers, 41-24, dating back to 1936 but WSU has won the last six meetings with its last win coming a season ago.
Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. at the T-Mobile Center.
