Wichita State basketball battles Colorado State on Thanksgiving after devastating 5-point loss to unbeaten Saint Mary’s

Wichita State basketball heads into a Thanksgiving showdown against Colorado State after dropping a heartbreaker to unbeaten Saint Mary’s Wednesday night. The Shockers fought hard in the Battle 4 Atlantis opening round. Now they look to bounce back in Nassau.

Shockers Fall Short Against Saint Mary’s in Nail-Biter

Wichita State came up short 70-65 against unbeaten Saint Mary’s in the Battle 4 Atlantis opening round Wednesday night. The Shockers gave the defending tournament favorites everything they could handle. Five WSU players scored in double figures, led by Kenyon Giles and TJ Williams with 15 points each.

Giles scored 12 of his 15 points after halftime, including a burst of eight straight that pulled Wichita State within three. Karon Boyd, Dre Kindell, and Emmanuel Okorafor all added 10 points. The Shockers nearly stole the game late when Kindell hit a deep left-wing three to give WSU a 65-64 advantage with 1:16 remaining.

Saint Mary’s (7-0) had averaged nearly 30 points per contest before facing Wichita State. The Gaels’ three-point prowess was limited as Wichita held them to just 2-of-16 from distance. But defensive struggles allowed Saint Mary’s to dominate inside where Andrew McKeever collected five offensive rebounds.

Wichita State Defense Held Saint Mary’s to Historic Low

Team Statistic	Wichita State	Saint Mary’s
Final Score	65	70 (Winner)
Players Scoring Double Figures	5	3
Three-Pointers (Made-Attempted)	Not listed	2-16
Record	4-2	7-0

Holding Saint Mary’s to just 2-of-16 three-pointers was a major achievement for Wichita State. The Gaels entered ranked third nationally in three-point percentage. Yet the Shockers’ interior defense allowed offensive rebounds that hurt them. Paulius Murauskas dominated late with key put-backs and free throws.

The game was decided by five points, with Saint Mary’s overcoming a late Shocker surge. Joshua Dent answered a crucial Kindell three with a pull-up in the paint. Murauskas then converted four straight free throws in the final 18 seconds.

Colorado State Faces Similar Struggles After Virginia Tech Loss

Colorado State (4-2) faces Wichita State fresh off a close loss to Virginia Tech 66-64 on November 26. The Rams have struggled this week, dropping games to Denver (83-81) and Virginia Tech. Both losses were decided by just two points.

Kyle Jorgensen leads Colorado State averaging 16.7 points on 64.6% shooting. The Rams average 85.5 points per game scoring more than Wichita State‘s 79.0. However, Colorado State is allowing 72.2 points defensively compared to the Shockers’ 64.0.

The Rams have been the better three-point shooting team this season. Colorado State allows just 10.0 made threes per game while Wichita State makes 7.3. This offensive disparity could be key with both teams seeking Thanksgiving wins.

Loser’s Bracket Battle Features Matching 4-2 Records

This matchup pits two teams with identical 4-2 records against each other in the Battle 4 Atlantis loser’s bracket. Wichita State is ranked ahead in scoring defense (64.0 vs 72.2) but lags in three-point shooting efficiency.

Colorado State is listed as the slight favorite with 1.5-point spread in their favor. Both teams feature balanced scoring, but the Rams’ season scoring average of 85.5 points exceeds Wichita State’s 79.0. The Shockers’ defensive strength may yield a low-scoring affair similar to the Saint Mary’s matchup.

Head-to-head, both teams struggled in close games this week. Colorado State lost narrow contests while Wichita State fought Saint Mary’s down to the wire. Thanksgiving games are typically well-attended, but the Nassau venue may benefit Colorado State who is 3-1 at home to Wichita State’s 0-1 away record.

What Can the Shockers Accomplish Against Colorado State on Thanksgiving?

Wichita State needs to regroup after the tough Saint Mary’s loss and refocus on the loser’s bracket. Down to five remaining games in the tournament, a win keeps the Shockers alive. The question is whether Giles and Williams can replicate their double-figure scoring against a tougher Colorado State defense.

The Shockers shot 45% from the field against Saint Mary’s and must replicate that efficiency. Dre Kindell delivered the crucial late three against the Gaels, proving the bench can step up. If Boyd and Okorafor maintain their scoring punch, Wichita State has the offensive firepower.

“Wichita State (4-2) will now go through the loser’s bracket and face Colorado State on Thanksgiving at 7 p.m. CT on ESPNU.”

— Wichita State Athletics, Official Statement

Sources

• ESPN – Live game coverage and statistics for Wichita State vs Colorado State
• Wichita State Athletics – Official game recap and player performance details
• AP News – Team records and matchup preview information