Wichita State's Second-Half Surge Secures a Comeback Win over Milwaukee
The Shockers mounted an impressive offensive in the second half, outscoring Milwaukee 19-7 to secure a 75-58 victory at Charles Koch Arena on Saturday night. This comeback was a stark contrast to their sluggish first half, where they trailed by two points.
Wichita State's shooting improved significantly in the second half, with a 53.6% field goal percentage and a 5-of-8 performance from beyond the arc, compared to their 31.3% and 1-of-9 in the first half. This turnaround was largely due to the stellar performance of Kenyon Giles, who scored 18 of his game-high 24 points after halftime. He demonstrated his versatility, going 7-of-13 from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range.
TJ Williams and Karon Boyd also contributed significantly. Williams scored a career-high 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Boyd added 12 points and five boards. Emmanuel Okorafor, the key bench player, had a season-high 11 points and eight rebounds in just 19 minutes of play.
The Shockers dominated the rebounding battle, out-rebounding the Panthers 45-36, which was a significant factor in their victory. Milwaukee's confidence in the first half, fueled by sharp shooting from Stevie Elam and Danilo Jovanovich, resulted in an 11-point lead. However, the Shockers responded with a 9-0 run, highlighted by a Giles three and an Okorafor dunk, to narrow the gap to two points at halftime.
The turning point came in the second half when Wichita State's pressure defense took effect. The Panthers struggled, scoring just 28 points and making only 2-of-12 shots from deep in the final 20 minutes. The Shockers, on the other hand, seized the momentum with a 10-3 burst early in the half, reclaiming the lead. This was followed by a 7-0 run, sparked by Michael Gray Jr.'s three-pointer, which further extended their lead.
Looking ahead, Wichita State will face a challenging schedule, playing three games in three days in the Bahamas at the Marriott Bonvoy Battle 4 Atlantis from November 26-28. They will kick off their tournament with a match against Saint Mary's on Wednesday, November 26, at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
