WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Oklahoma State guard Jeffrey Carroll looked around at 15,004 fans in Intrust Bank Arena and knew.
He knew why Wichita State was undefeated all-time in six games at its second home and understood this was the type of environment that caused his Cowboys to wilt last season.
Not Saturday night. Oklahoma State dominated Wichita 93-76 behind 22 points each from Carroll and Jawun Evans.
“I think we were more calm,” Carroll explained. “Last year, if teams made a big run, we would kind of give in. Now we just fight all the time.”
The Cowboys (9-2) were 14 of 28 from the 3-point line and shot 52.5 percent for the game. Leyton Hammonds scored 12 for Oklahoma State, and Phil Forte added 11.
Darral Willis had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Wichita State (9-3).
Markis McDuffie had 14 points and Zach Brown added 10.
“Kudos to Oklahoma State,” Shockers coach Gregg Marshall said. “They were tough, finished at the rim, hit their 3-pointers. . If they play like that all season, they’ll be in the NCAA Tournament and make a run.”
Oklahoma State took apart a defense that has been one of the nation’s best this season. The Shockers entered the day third nationally in field goal percentage defense (34.6) and 10th in scoring defense (59.5.)
The Cowboys became the first team to score 80 against Wichita State this season - and did it with 7:59 still remaining.
The onslaught started quickly, with Evans leading the way to a 10-1 lead. Even after Evans went to the bench with foul trouble, Carroll heated up.
He scored six straight Cowboys points, giving Oklahoma State a 30-13 lead with 8:54 to go before halftime.
Carroll came off the bench to make all six of his first-half shots on his way to a game-high 16 points before halftime, helping Oklahoma State to a 49-33 lead.
“I was just taking what my teammates gave me and converting them,” Carroll said. “I was just feeling it.”
Wichita State could not close the gap in the second half. Two three-pointers from Hammonds and another from Carroll put Oklahoma State ahead 61-41 with 16:41 to play, and the Shockers never threatened again.
BIG PICTURE
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys get their best victory - on the road against an NCAA Tournament quality team - just in time to provide momentum for Big 12 play.
Wichita State: On the verge of a national ranking, the Shockers were overmatched at times in a loss that could haunt Wichita State and the Missouri Valley Conference on Selection Sunday.
BENCH MATCHUP
Entering the game, Wichita State used its bench for 47.4 percent of its minutes, the most nationally. Oklahoma State was ninth at 43 percent
The Shockers averaged 48.4 points from its reserves (second nationally); the Cowboys 40.7 (fifth).
On Saturday night, led by Carroll, Oklahoma State’s bench won that matchup, 42 points to 22.
“That was a focus going into the game,” Cowboys coach Brad Underwood said. “If we could win the battle of the benches and outrebound them, we thought we could beat a very good team.”
NON-SHAQ ATTACK
Underwood thought his team did a good job taking Wichita State out of its offense. The biggest proof was the Shockers’ Shaquille Morris going 1 of 2 from the floor for four points in 16 minutes.
“I was scared to death coming into the game of big Shaq getting the ball in the post and going to the basket,” Underwood said.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma State gets a final pre-conference tuneup by hosting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Thursday.
Wichita State plays its final non-conference regular-season game against visiting South Dakota State on Thursday.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.