Feb. 25, 2006
Box Score
WICHITA, Kan. - Illinois State fired in 12 three-pointers, including a career-high 17 points by Levi Dyer, but Sean Ogirri's three second-half treys lifted Wichita State to a 64-57 win and its first outright Missouri Valley Conference regular season title since 1983, at Charles Koch Arena on Saturday.
With the loss, ISU finished the regular season with a 9-18 overall record and 4-14 in league play. Wichita State won the conference with a 23-7 mark, including a 14-4 league record.
The Redbirds used the 3-point shot to stay close in the first 20 minutes, trailing 26-24 at the intermission. The `Birds fired in six first-half threes and didn't score a two-pointer until the 8:26 mark of the first half. Wichita State led 22-17 with 7:28 left on the clock, but back-to-back baskets by Neil Plank and Brandon Holtz brought the Redbirds to within one point, at 22-21. Kyle Wilson scored the final four points for the Shockers, but Roberto Fortes gunned in his second trey of the half to make the score 26-24.
Wichita State missed its first 11 three-pointers of the game and with the scored knotted at 39-39, Ogirri buried back-to-back triples to put the Shockers in front 45-39. After a Plank free throw, P.J. Couisnard dropped in Wichita State's third straight three and gave the Shockers a 48-40 lead and one they would never relinquish.
The Redbirds shot 39.2 percent from the field and 42.9 from beyond the arc, on a 12-for-28 effort. Dyer was 5-for-11 on threes for a team-high 17 points. Fortes added 12 points and Michael Vandello tossed in 10. Kyle Wilson led WSU and all scorers with 18 points, while Ogirri finished with 16 tallies and Couisnard finished with 10.
Illinois State will return to action on Thursday night at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The Redbirds, the No. 10 seed, will face Evansville in the 8:30 p.m. game on Thursday night.
