Late Wichita State Basket Shocks Cats

Friday, December 20

Guaynabo, P.R.

9 a.m.

Montana State University

4-4,0-0Big Sky

Wichita State University

7-4,0-0AAC

Wichita St.

Montana St.

Freshman Darian White drives for two of her 12 points against Wichita State,

Photo by: Jack Murrey

12/20/2019 1:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Wichita State’s Mariah McCully pulled down her own missed shot and converted the offensive put-back with 1.6-seconds remaining to lift the Shockers to a 66-64 victory over Montana State on Friday afternoon in the opening game of the Coqui Classic in Mario Morales Coliseo.

By: Tom Schulz

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Wichita State's Mariah McCully pulled down her own missed shot and converted the offensive put-back with 1.6-seconds remaining to lift the Shockers to a 66-64 victory over Montana State on Friday afternoon in the opening game of the Coqui Classic in Mario Morales Coliseo.

Montana State (4-4) battled back from a 14-point second period deficit with a strong fourth quarter. A Martha Kuderer three-pointer tied the contest at 58-all with four-minutes, 16-seconds remaining. MSU freshman Darian White followed with a steal and a layup to give the Cats its largest lead at 62-58 with just over three minutes left.

Wichita State's (7-4) Carla Bremaud hit her fourth triple of the contest to even the score at 64-all with one-minute, 32-seconds left.

MSU's Fallyn Freije had a tough look at 15-footer as the ensuing shot clock ran down. After advancing the ball, the Shockers put the game in the hands of McCully, its leading scorer. McCully took a short jumper in the lane that clanked off short, before grabbing the rebound and sinking a three-footer to secure the win.

"The whole game I felt we gave up too many offensive boards and gave them a lot of and-ones," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "I was pleased with our fight in the second half and we got into a good flow by attacking the basket. It took us a little while to shake off the rust of not playing in 15 days, but our defense helped keep us in the game."

Freije led the Bobcats with 14 points, while pulling down eight rebounds and handing out two assists. Also in double-digits were White and Oliana Squires with 12 and 11 points, respectively. White had a solid game for the Bobcats adding a season-high six assists, while Squires hit three triples giving her 153 career makes from long distance, moving her past Delany Junkermier into fourth on MSU's all-time three-point list.

Bremaud led three Shockers in double-figures with a game-high 15 points.

The Bobcats will face No. 11 Texas A&M on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. (MT)