The Sports Xchange
Nov 10, 2017
Darral Willis paced a balanced offensive attack with 19 points and No. 7 Wichita State hammered overmatched Missouri-Kansas City 109-57 on Friday night in the season opener for both teams at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kan.
Six Shockers scored in double figures, led by Willis, who also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds. Sophomore point guard Landry Shamet finished with 17 points, and Conner Frankamp had 11 points and nine assists for Wichita State, which shot 60.9 percent from the floor.
Isaiah Ross led Missouri-Kansas City with 12 points off the bench, and Broderick Robinson had 11 points for the Kangaroos from the Western Athletic Conference.
Shamet started the opener just three months after undergoing foot surgery to address a stress fracture. Shamet is on the watch lists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Naismith Trophy and the Lute Olson Award.
The Shockers exploded for 62 points in the first half to put away the Kangaroos. UMKC managed just two points in the final seven minutes of the first half and were down 62-23 at intermission.
Shaquille Morris added 16 points, and Rauno Nurger and Samajae Haynes-Jones each finished with 11 points for the Shockers, who join the American Athletic Conference this season.
UMKC was outrebounded 51-26 and committed 14 turnovers.
Wichita State returns all five starters from last season's NCAA tournament team and is the favorite in the AAC.
NOTES: Wichita State has won 16 consecutive season openers, with the Shockers' last opening loss coming against Delaware in 2001. ... Wichita State won its two exhibition games against Division II competition by an average of 47.5 points. ... Missouri-Kansas City upset Wichita State at Charles Koch Arena on Nov. 19, 2008. The Shockers have won 26 straight November home games since that defeat. ... Wichita State hosts College of Charleston on Monday. UMKC will look to bounce back against Haskell on Sunday.