A Heartbreaking Loss for Wichita State

What should have been a straightforward road win turned into a long, painful night for the Wichita State Shockers. After building an 18-point lead in the second half and having every opportunity to close the game in regulation, the Shockers failed to make the final plays they needed. The result was a gut-wrenching 104-100 double-overtime loss to the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday night at Halton Arena.

The game came down to a dramatic buzzer-beater that sealed the victory for Charlotte. Karon Boyd’s put-back while being fouled resulted in a three-point play to tie the game with 8.3 seconds left. However, the Shockers’ fate was sealed when Arden Conyers drilled a three-pointer while being fouled by Dillon Battie with just 1.3 seconds remaining. Conyers’ four-point play secured the win for the 49ers.

This loss spoiled what could have been a 2-0 start in conference play for the Shockers, who now head back home with a 1-1 record, feeling disappointed about the missed opportunity on their opening road swing.

How the Game Went to Overtime

After an 18-5 run coming out of halftime, Wichita State looked poised to cruise, building an 18-point cushion before things suddenly tightened. Charlotte caught fire from the perimeter, going on a sustained 22-9 run that trimmed the deficit to 69-67 with 5:37 left and turned a comfortable game into a grind.

WSU seemed to steady itself when Kenyon Giles hit a three-pointer to push the lead to 78-71 with 3:12 remaining. However, that wasn’t enough to close the door on Charlotte.

With 19 seconds left, Mike Gray Jr. made two free throws to bring the score to 80-75. A series of late miscues opened the door for Charlotte. The 49ers grabbed an offensive rebound for a putback, then Wichita State committed a turnover on the ensuing in-bounds play when Will Berg couldn’t secure the pass. A jump ball went in Charlotte’s favor.

With 7.7 seconds left and protecting a three-point lead, WSU miscommunicated on a switch, leaving Damoni Harrison open in the corner for the tying three-pointer with 5.4 seconds left. Giles’ buzzer-beater missed, sending the game to overtime.

How the Shockers Lost the Game in Overtime

What followed was a sequence of missed chances and brutal timing. WSU appeared in control late in the first overtime, but foul calls and defensive breakdowns repeatedly reopened the door for Charlotte.

After Karon Boyd put WSU ahead at the line, a foul on a three-point shooter kept Charlotte alive. Then Dezayne Mingo buried a game-tying three with 26 seconds left. Kenyon Giles had a clean look for the win at the buzzer, but his three missed.

The chaos continued in the second overtime. Mingo hit two more threes to shift momentum, yet Wichita State kept answering — a step-back jumper from Dre Kindell, a dunk by Will Berg, and a late Boyd putback and free throw that improbably tied the game at 100 with 8.3 seconds left.

That only set the stage for the final blow: Arden Conyers drilled a three while being fouled with 1.3 seconds remaining, completing a four-point play that decided the double-overtime heartbreaker.

Star of the Game for Wichita State

Kenyon Giles

Giles is putting on a traveling show to begin his debut in the American Conference. After hitting eight threes and scoring a career-high 26 points to help WSU erase a 16-point deficit in a comeback win at UAB, the 5-foot-10 senior nearly matched that scoring output in the first half on Saturday.

The 49ers had no answer for Giles in the first half, as he hit 8 of 10 shots, including five triples, to notch 21 points by the break. But in the 30 minutes after halftime, Giles only managed six points on 1-of-11 shooting. He finished with 27 points while playing 47 minutes.

Through two games of conference play, Giles has scored 53 points with 14 three-pointers.

Unsung Hero of the Game for WSU

Karon Boyd

Boyd logged another workmanlike effort, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, one block, and two steals while playing 46 minutes. He notched the crucial three-point play in the final seconds of double overtime to briefly tie the game for WSU before the heartbreaking loss.

Stat of the Game for Shockers

Charlotte shooting 9-for-17 on 3s after halftime

For one half, WSU executed the defensive plan perfectly, holding Charlotte to a miserable 2-of-12 showing from three-point range. That discipline, however, vanished after halftime.

Charlotte found its rhythm as Wichita State allowed a steady diet of clean catch-and-shoot looks—precisely the shots the 49ers love to shoot. Even when WSU forced tougher attempts, Dezayne Mingo rose to the moment, pouring in a career-high 26 points while knocking down four threes, several of them off the dribble.

The breakdowns grew more costly late. With WSU protecting a three-point lead at the end of regulation, a blown switch on an inbounds play left Damoni Harrison wide open in the corner for the game-tying three.

Charlotte struck again with another tying triple in the final 30 seconds of the first overtime, then Mingo buried two more threes in the second overtime to seize control. After halftime, Wichita State simply could not solve Charlotte’s perimeter attack.

Up Next on Wichita State Basketball Schedule

The Shockers return to Koch Arena for their first homestand of the conference season looking to shake off the defeat. WSU hosts Rice (6-9, 0-2 American) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, then North Texas (9-5, 0-1 American) at 2 p.m. Sunday.

American Conference Standings

• 2-0, Temple (10-5)
• 2-0, Memphis (7-7)
• 1-0, Tulsa (13-1)
• 1-0, Tulane (10-4)
• 1-0, Florida Atlantic (9-5)
• 1-1, Wichita State (9-6)
• 1-1, Charlotte (7-8)
• 0-0, South Florida (8-5)
• 0-1, UAB (9-5)
• 0-1, North Texas (9-5)
• 0-1, East Carolina (5-10)
• 0-2, Rice (6-9)
• 0-2, UTSA (4-10)