WICHITA, Kan. (Interstat) — A dominant first-half performance and a balanced scoring attack propelled Wichita State to a comfortable 74-59 victory over Memphis in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at a sold-out Charles Koch Arena.

The Shockers (13-8, 4-4 AAC) seized control early, building an 18-point halftime lead and withstanding a brief second-half push from the Tigers (9-10, 3-5) to snap a two-game home losing streak. Wichita State shot 44.8% from the field and connected on nine 3-pointers, while its defense held Memphis to a frigid 3-for-19 from beyond the arc and forced 17 turnovers.

The game’s decisive stretch came in the opening period. After a slow start from both teams, Wichita State used a 13-2 run to build a double-digit lead it would never relinquish. The Shockers’ ball movement and interior presence were overwhelming, as they assisted on six of their first 11 field goals and scored 24 of their 40 first-half points in the paint. Memphis, meanwhile, struggled with offensive cohesion, committing 10 turnovers and shooting just 30.3% in the half.

Kenyon Giles and Dillon Battie set the tone for Wichita State. Giles, the floor general, played 39 minutes and finished with 14 points and three assists, including a deep 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer to extend the lead to 40-22. Battie provided energy and efficiency, scoring 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting, grabbing three offensive rebounds, and adding three assists and a block.

Memphis showed brief signs of life after halftime, opening the second period with an 8-2 spurt to cut the deficit to 12 points. Curtis Givens, who led the Tigers with 11 points, and Aaron Bradshaw, who added 10 points and seven rebounds, fueled the mini-rally. But every time the Tigers threatened, Wichita State had an answer, usually from Karon Boyd. The junior wing scored 12 of his team-high 14 points in the second half, including two critical 3-pointers that stifled Memphis momentum.

The Shockers’ depth was also a key factor. Will Berg contributed 10 points and four assists off the bench, providing a steady hand in the post, while Brian Amuneke sparked the first-half surge with nine points, all from 3-point range. Wichita State’s bench outscored Memphis’s reserves 25-16.

Simon Majok was a bright spot for the Tigers, scoring all 10 of his points in the second half, but Memphis could never consistently string together stops and scores. The Tigers finished the game with an offensive rating of just 78.4, their second-lowest output of the season, and were out-rebounded 40-33.

Defensively, Wichita State effectively clogged driving lanes and contested perimeter shots, holding Memphis to its second-lowest point total this year. The Shockers also capitalized on Memphis’s mistakes, scoring 17 points off turnovers.

The victory moves Wichita State back to .500 in conference play as it heads into a road test at Tulsa next Sunday. Memphis, which has lost three of its last four, looks to regroup at home against Florida Atlantic on Thursday.

The most important part of the game was Wichita State’s commanding first-half performance, where they established a decisive 40-22 lead. This early dominance, fueled by efficient offense and stifling defense, created a margin that Memphis, despite a brief second-half push, could never seriously threaten. The Shockers’ ability to answer every Memphis run, particularly with timely shots from Boyd and Giles, cemented the victory and underscored their control of the contest from start to finish.