Free throws doom Wichita State basketball in one-score loss to DePaul
DePaul completed a two-year sweep of Wichita State on Saturday, holding off the Shockers for a 61-58 win at Koch Arena in a game that slipped away at the margins.
After falling behind 16-2 early, the Blue Demons (8-3, NET No. 172) steadied themselves and rallied back, then executed just enough down the stretch to decide a back-and-forth contest in the final minute.
Wichita State (6-5) forced 18 turnovers and created chances to swing the outcome, but inefficiency proved costly. The Shockers shot just 37.7% from the field and left 15 points at the free-throw line, a decisive flaw in a three-point loss.
DePaul, meanwhile, made the most of its opportunities, shooting 51% from the floor to offset the turnovers. Kenyon Giles led WSU with 16 points on 17 shots, while Emmanuel Okorafor added a career-high 12 points and eight rebounds, but missed free throws ultimately defined the night.
1. Missed free throws doom Wichita State in loss
WSU looked sluggish as it fell behind 51-42 at home with 11 minutes, 12 seconds remaining, but the Shockers finally found urgency with their backs against the wall. Dre Kindell ignited the rally during a 7-0 run, knocking down a 3-pointer after an offensive rebound and following it with a strong one-on-one drive that ended in a layup to pull WSU within 51-49 with 8:53 left.
The Shockers repeatedly stood on the doorstep but could not break through. T.J. Williams missed the front end of a bonus free throw that could have tied the game, then Karon Boyd missed two more at the line on the next possession. DePaul answered each miss, first with an N.J. Benson basket and later a R.J. Smith 3-pointer, keeping WSU chasing. Kindell split another pair of free throws, Boyd’s putback rolled off the rim, and a shot-clock violation stalled another possession.
Still, WSU kept pushing. Boyd trimmed the deficit to 59-56 with 1:26 left, then Williams cut it to 59-58 with 41 seconds remaining. Boyd forced a key turnover moments later, but again the Shockers came up empty at the line. DePaul’s C.J. Gunn made both free throws to extend the lead to 61-58.
WSU had multiple chances to force overtime, but Kenyon Giles’ potential tying 3 rimmed out, and after DePaul left the door open, WSU grabbed an offensive rebound during a final scramble after a missed free throw but did not get a shot up in time.
Ultimately, missed opportunities at the line told the story, as WSU went an uncharacteristic 13 for 28 on free throws after shooting 72.6% from the line before that this season.
2. Dramatic defensive swing costs Shockers in first half
The first half featured a dramatic defensive swing that told the story of Wichita State’s loss.
The Shockers looked electric out of the gate, racing to a 16-2 lead in the opening eight minutes while forcing turnovers on six of DePaul’s first 11 possessions. For a stretch, WSU’s pressure was dictating everything, as the Shockers turned defense into offense and limited the Blue Demons to just two points over their first 13 trips down the floor.
Then the game flipped. Over the final 12 minutes, DePaul poured in 34 points, scoring 1.62 points per possession against a WSU defense that suddenly couldn’t produce a stop.
The Shockers’ switch-everything defense again became an issue, as DePaul stretch forward C.J. Gunn took advantage. Gunn made his first six shots and erupted for an 11-point burst in less than two minutes, swinging the momentum. He had 16 points by halftime, as DePaul closed the half with a 36-31 lead — a 19-point turnaround in the final 12 minutes.
3. Will Berg injury forces WSU to reshuffle at center
WSU was without one of its key frontcourt pieces on Saturday, as Will Berg missed his first game of the season while wearing a walking boot on his left foot after spraining his ankle in practice earlier in the week. The injury is considered minor and short term, according to a source, giving Berg four days to try to return for Wednesday’s game against Wofford or eight days before the Shockers face Eastern Kentucky next Sunday.
Berg’s absence opened the door for Emmanuel Okorafor to make his first start of the season, and the senior delivered his most productive outing yet. After playing more than 20 minutes just once all season, Okorafor logged a career-high 32 minutes and posted a career-high 12 points to go with eight rebounds and a block.
The rotation shift also pushed true freshman Noah Hill into meaningful backup minutes against Big East competition. Hill provided energy off the bench, finishing with two points, five rebounds, one block and two steals in eight minutes.
This story was originally published December 13, 2025 at 1:29 PM.
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