WICHITA -- Dexter Dennis provided the signature play in Wichita State’s long-awaited signature win, 68-63 over No. 6 Houston, Thursday evening at Charles Koch Arena.
Tyson Etienne and Alterique Gilbert scored 16-points each for WSU (13-4, 9-2) which moved into sole possession of first-place in the American Athletic Conference standings and notched its best home win since downing No. 2-ranked Louisville on Feb. 25, 1967.
Dennis tallied 12 points, six rebounds and two steals – the last with WSU clinging to a one-point lead in the final 20 seconds.
DeJon Jarreau paced Houston (17-3, 11-3) with 16 points to go with 13 from Quentin Grimes and 10 from Justin Gorham.
Beating Houston (No. 5 in the latest NCAA NET ratings) provides some juice for the Shockers’ postseason resume. They’re 2-2 in Quadrant-1 games, having also won last month at No. 53 Ole Miss.
The Shockers made 10-of-22 three-point attempts (.455) and out-rebounded Houston, 35-33.
Both were significant turns.
The Cougars came in leading the nation in three-point field goal percentage defense (.255) and ranked fifth in rebounding margin (+10.1).
The Shockers also outscored the visitors 18-5 off of free throws.
WSU trailed by as many as 12 points at the 5:37-mark of the first half but made seven-straight three-point attempts over the next eight minutes. Gilbert buried the last for a 10-point advantage, 44-34, with 16:57 to play in the game.
Houston rallied to within a possession on six-different occasions, including a last gasp came with 21 seconds on the clock when Grimes banked in a three to make it a 64-63 game.
Etienne missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Shockers fans held their collective breath as Houston prepared for a potential game-winning shot with the clock ticking inside of 15 seconds.
It never came.
Dennis swooped near the timeline to intercept a Jarreau pass and absorbed a hard flagrant-1 foul from Houston’s Gorham on a breakaway layup.
Dennis’ pain was the Shockers’ gain. He made both free throws, and the Shockers retained possession. Etienne added two more for the final margin.
UP NEXT
The Shockers welcome SMU to Charles Koch Arena on Thursday. The 6 p.m. CT tipoff will air nationally on ESPN2.
--goshockers.com--