In a matchup between the two teams at the bottom of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) standings, Wichita State men’s basketball outlasted the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on the road, 66-58.
With the win on Tuesday night, the Shockers ended a four-game losing streak and upped their record to 12-10 overall and 2-7 in the AAC — with both their wins in conference play coming against Charlotte. The 49ers dropped to 8-15 overall and 1-9 in the AAC.
Wichita State was without two regular starters, fifth-year guard Justin Hill and senior guard Harlond Beverly. Hill sat out with a toe injury and Beverly was out via concussion protocol.
With the two guards, WSU head coach Paul Mills said in his postgame radio interview that he needed the veteran players to step up in their absence.
“And you see that,” Mills said. “You have Quincy (Ballard) going for 12 points, 13 boards. And then you have Corey (Washington) going for 21 and 10.”
Junior forward Corey Washington’s 21 points on 9-15 shooting set a new season-high for him. This was Washington’s 17th game this season eclipsing double-digit scoring and his fifth double-double.
With his 12 points and 13 rebounds, Senior center Quincy Ballard secured his seventh double-double of the season.
The Shockers shot just 2-12 from 3-point range, but it didn’t matter because they outscored Charlotte 42-26 in the paint. Wichita State also converted 14 points from eight offensive rebounds compared to the 49ers’ nine second-chance points on seven offensive rebounds.
Charlotte knocked down 4-7 (57%) of its 3-pointers in the first ten minutes of the first half to take a 20-10 lead, using runs of 7-0 and 8-0 to open up the cushion. The Shockers’ defense tightened and held Charlotte to zero makes on its next six shots from deep for the rest of the half.
The Shockers dug themselves out of the 10-point hole with a 10-4 run, including four makes on their next six shots from the floor to cut the deficit to four points, 24-20. The teams began trading buckets, but Wichita State converted three more attempts from the floor than the 49ers to take a slim, 33-31, lead at halftime.
Senior guard Bijan Cortes, who hadn’t made a shot in the previous three games, broke his drought with a layup down the stretch that gave the Shockers the lead. Washington dropped a dozen points in the first 20 minutes and found ways to finish shots with both hands and on the offensive glass.
Wichita State started the second half on a 6-2 run and opened up its biggest lead of the night at that point, 39-33. For the next 5:46 of game time, Charlotte outscored the Shockers by eight points to retake the lead, 45-43.
A sneaky Washington found room on the weakside baseline, converting a layup and a subsequent and-one foul shot, giving Wichita State another two-point lead. Washington’s three-point play sparked a 14-2 run for the Shockers, who upped their lead to 11 points, 61-50, the largest lead by either team.
Charlotte cut Wichita State’s lead to one possession, 61-58, following an 8-0 run spanning over three minutes of game time, but Cortes and senior guard Xavier Bell sank clutch-time free throws to help secure the eight-point victory.
Freshman guard Zion Pipkin played 14 minutes off the bench with some of the guards out, a new season-high.
Mills said Pipkin handled the extra minutes well.
“I thought the best thing he did was advance the ball,” Mills said. “And it allowed Corey to get some buckets. And he’s got great stamina and again, (he) didn’t turn it over. So three assists, zero turnovers, it’s a plus seven … given the 14 minutes that he played.”
Wichita State will stay on the road for its next game in Tampa, Florida when it plays the University of South Florida. The Bulls dominated the first matchup nearly a month ago, winning 91-72 in their first victory in Charles Koch Arena — ever.
Tipoff for that game is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 9, at 1 p.m. in the Yuengling Center.
