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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Like most opposing coaches, Oral Roberts' Scott Sutton entered his game against No. 11 Wichita State focused on not letting the Shockers' backcourt of Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker take over.
Sutton's Eagles held VanVleet and Baker to a combined 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting Saturday night, less than half their season average, but Wichita State still overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to cruise to a 71-58 victory.
"We did a nice job on those guys (VanVleet and Baker)," Sutton said. "Then I thought our big guys could play their bigs even. But their bigs are a lot better than what I saw on tape. When you add that to those guards, well I guess that's how you become a top-10 team."
Cleanthony Early scored 16 points to lead the Shockers. Chadrick Lufile added 14 points, Darius Carter had 12 and Tekele Cotton 11 as ichita State pounding the paint.
Shawn Glover scored 22 points on 9-of-22 shooting for Oral Roberts (5-4). Korey Billbury had 12 points and D.J. Jackson had 10.
Wichita State's 30-22 halftime deficit certainly wasn't stunning to the Shockers. It was the sixth time in seven games that Wichita State ended the first half with a deficit or tied.
"We've been trying to figure out what's going on," Early said. "I guess we have that `X' on our back now, and teams come out with so much energy."
That energy completely shifted to the Shockers after halftime.
After going 6 of 27 from the floor in the first half, the Shockers made nine of their first 12 shots of the second half.
"Their bigs just manhandled us," Eagles coach Scott Sutton said. "Our post defense was awful. Our transition defense was awful."
Early had two 3-pointers to key a 14-2 run to start the second half and give Wichita State a 36-32 lead.
"I thought we got rattled," Sutton said. "Then I thought we got fatigued."
The Shockers then used a 15-3 run to make it 51-37 on the second of two straight baskets by Carter midway through the period.
Oral Roberts was never in contention after that. A layup by Cotton with 4:46 remaining put Wichita State ahead 64-46.
"We really took the ball screens more aggressively in the second half," Marshall said. "Our roll guys were rolling to score, not just a rolling for a stroll in the park.
"And we got out in transition. That's when this team is at its best."
After shooting 48 percent in the first half, the Eagles were 8 of 26 (31 percent) in the second half. The Shockers outrebounded the Eagles 26-13 over the final 20 minutes.
Oral Roberts established its game plan early to start the game: Go to Glover.
The 6-foot-7 senior entered the game averaging 20.4 points and quickly hit two baseline jumpers to help Oral Roberts to a 7-2 lead.
Wichita State got back in it and eventually led 18-15 after Baker's two free throws with 7:13 remaining in the half.
But Oral Roberts went on a 9-0 run, including a turnaround, baseline jumper from Glover that gave the Eagles a 24-18 lead with 4:45 on the clock.
Glover scored six more points after that, including two free throws with less than a second on the clock that advanced the lead to eight. Glover finished the half with 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting.
In the second half, though, Glover scored just eight on 3-of-10 shooting.
"I thought Chadrack was really, really good guarding Glover in the second half," Marshall said. "We needed that bigger body on him. Chadrack leaned on him."
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