WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State (3-2) defeated UAB, 68-46, Friday night inside downtown Wichita's INTRUST Bank Arena behind Garrett Stutz' team-high 17 points and in front of a crowd of 11,204.
Balanced scoring allowed the Shockers to pull away for good early in the second half as Wichita State went on a 14-6 run to build a 15-point lead after a lay-up by Stutz at the 16:18 mark.
Seven other Shockers scored less than double-figures as Joe Ragland backed Stutz with nine points.
UAB's individual scoring was just as lop-sided as Cameron Moore had 18 points backed by Jordan Swing's nine points.
UAB then battled back to cut it to 45-37 at 13:10, but Wichita State buried the Blazers as they went on a 10-0 run to put the game away at the 10:32 mark.
The Shockers continued to out-last UAB, and were ahead by 22 points on a Stutz jumper, his last points before coming out of the game, at the 5:38 mark.
Wichita State out-shot the Blazers, 39.6 percent to 32.1 percent, but each team's three-point percentage was less than stellar as UAB made just 1-of-16 shots and WSU made 3-of-14 from the arc.
Wichita State and UAB battled to an early 8-8 tie through the first media timeout.
The Shockers then took the lead, 14-10, at the 12:10 mark with a trey from the right side from freshman Tekele Cotton, who had just entered the game for the first time.
The Shockers kept the lead until the 4:02 mark when the second of two-straight UAB dunks put the Blazers ahead, 21-20.
WSU's Smith then took the lead back, 23-21, with a trey at the 3:34 mark. Kyles free throws after the media timeout at 2:31 extended WSU's lead to four, again, 25-21.
To end the half, the Shockers again extended the lead to 29-22, on two free throws by Murry and a layup by Orukpe.
Stutz led the first half scoring with nine points, while Swing and Soko had six each for UAB.
Wichita State is next in action Thurs., Dec. 1, at home against Cal State Fullerton back at Charles Koch Arena.
