Wichita State women’s basketball made its return to Charles Koch Arena after losing both games in the Emerald Coast Classic last week. The Shockers faced off against Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) on Monday night, bouncing back with a win, 74-45.
The 29-point win was the largest margin of victory for Wichita State against a Division I opponent this season. The victory leaves Wichita State at 3-5 and Prairie View at 2-4.
“We put in a new offense … we wanted to try to get some more ball movement and cutting,” WSU head coach Terry Nooner said. “So it’s a little bit clunky at different times, as we learned in it.”
Both teams struggled to put the ball in the basket early in the game, staying in single digits scoring halfway through the first quarter. Despite the lack of scoring, the Shockers looked unbothered by the Panthers’ defense as the offensive motion looked fluid.
“It was better to just go ahead and try to make changes now,” Nooner said. “In the hope that by the time you get to conference play, that you will be running full steam.”
With less than two minutes to go, junior forward Bre’Yon White converted a tough and-one layup with the free throw to take the lead and bring the Shockers to double-digits, 10-8.
Right after that play, the WSU defense generated a fast-break opportunity capped off by junior guard Princess Anderson’s layup and free throw to make it 13-8.
To cap off the first, Anderson stole the ball and again capitalized on the fast break with a layup to finish 15-8.
“I feel like I did well with defense,” Anderson said. “Even though my shots were falling, I knew I just had to keep going. So I was just going to the basket, doing what I do best.”
Anderson set a new Division I career high with 17 points while adding five rebounds and four steals.
Although Wichita State played faster with junior guard Jasmine Peaks pushing the tempo off the bunch, the team settled for jumpers, going 1-4 from outside the arc in the second quarter.
Graduate student guard Taylor Jameson finally ended the cold spell just before halftime as she hit Wichita State’s first 3-pointer of the game to make the score 36-18, WSU.
Wichita State continued to pack on the scoring with improved shooting in the third quarter.
The Shockers shot 48% from the field during the second half compared to 37% in the first half. Wichita State also shot a respectable 2-4 from 3-point range in the third quarter.
The bigs struggled with foul trouble as senior centers Ella Anciaux and Aicha Ndour committed seven combined fouls in the game.
While not playing at a breakneck pace, the Shockers’ quick hands and overall speed led to winning the turnover battle. Wichita State forced 23 turnovers and scored 24 points off giveaways to Prairie View’s 15.
“We made some different tweaks to our defense, just to try to be a little bit more solid and more fundamentally sound, which helped us have better rebounding position,” Nooner said.
Wichita State outrebounded Prairie View 49 to 34. The Shockers also dominated the fast-break, scoring 23 points to Prairie View’s nine.
The game’s outcome was already decided by the fourth quarter. In the absence of the centers due to foul trouble, junior forward Jayla Murray took over in the final period, scoring 10 points off 5-6 shooting. That led to a new career high for Murray with 17 points.
“I feel like we all worked together,” Murray said. “Great assists from our guards.”
The dominant win ended with the Shockers dribbling the clock out. Three Shockers ended with double-digit points, Anderson, Murray and sophomore guard Salese Blow, who scored 13.
Wichita State will take the turnpike to face the University of Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse on Thursday, Dec. 5. Tipoff is scheduled at 6:30 p.m.
