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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Wichita State bounced back from a rare league loss by spreading the ball around in yet another blowout win.
Ron Baker and Shaq Morris had 11 points each and No. 25 Wichita State pounded Drake 74-48 on Tuesday night for its 13th win in 14 games.
Thirteen players scored for the Shockers (18-6, 12-1 Missouri Valley Conference). They moved within two victories of clinching at least a share of its third straight league title — with three straight home games up next.
"We got more stops. We were able to get out in transition," said Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall, whose team lost at Illinois State 58-53 last weekend. "We had good flow."
That proved to be easy for the Shockers against the Valley's worst team. Wichita State never trailed, and rattled off a 27-5 run to close the first half in beating the Bulldogs for the ninth straight time.
Reed Timmer scored 20 points for Drake (6-19, 1-12), which lost for the 15th time in 17 games.
"Any mistake you make against a team like that, they're going to make you pay," Drake coach Ray Giacoletti said.
Wichita State was coming off just its second Valley loss in three seasons.
The woeful Bulldogs didn't stand a chance against a Shockers team seeking a measure of redemption.
Drake hung in for a few minutes, even closing within 17-16 at one point midway through the first half. But the Shockers tightened up their defense and spread the ball around, getting baskets from nine players in the first half to pull away.
Wichita State went 7 of 12 from 3-point range in the opening half, while Drake went 1 of 16 from the field and failed to score in the final 5:23 before halftime.
Marshall went to his bench liberally in the second half, allowing players who typically don't play much to put some shots up.
"When healthy, I think we're one of the most balanced teams around," Marshall said. "We've got a lot of guys who can put the ball in the basket."
Fred VanVleet had six points and five assists, including a wide-open 3 with 17 minutes left that made it 50-25.
TIP-INS
WICHITA STATE: The Shockers were the eighth team in this week's Top 25 to play a road game in Iowa — and that doesn't include the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes or 14th-ranked Iowa State. ... Early in the second half, the 6-foot VanVleet was alone in the paint to defend a 3-on-1 break. VanVleet forced a jump ball.
DRAKE: Timmer twice tricked opponents into fouling him on a 3-point attempt. He converted all six free throws. ... Dominik Olejniczak, a freshman from Poland, had nine points in his second career start. "We're going to go with him. He's the future. He played against men (Tuesday)," Giacoletti said.
STAT LINES
Wichita State had four players hit exactly one basket, including starter Evan Wessel. ... The Shockers' bench outscored Drake's 34-5. ... The Bulldogs kept the final score closer than the game really was by going 22 of 24 from the free throw line. ... The Shockers held Drake to 25 percent shooting and forced 15 turnovers.
QUOTABLE
"Making shots is kind of a good medicine for any offense," VanVleet said. The Shockers went 9 of 21 from 3-point range after shooting just 35 percent overall against Illinois State.
UP NEXT
Wichita State hosts Northern Iowa on Saturday.
Drake plays at Southern Illinois on Saturday.
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