WICHITA, Kan. (Interstat) — Wichita State used a dominant defensive performance to defeat Charlotte 74-64 in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Charles Koch Arena. The Shockers forced 14 turnovers, converting them into 22 points, while committing only six themselves. Kenyon Giles led Wichita State with 23 points and Karon Boyd added 18. Dezayne Mingo scored a game-high 24 points for the 49ers. Charlotte led briefly early, but Wichita State took a 35-34 lead into halftime and steadily extended its advantage. The Shockers improved to 14-9 overall, while the 49ers fell to 13-10.

WICHITA, Kan. (Interstat) — In a rematch of a double-overtime thriller from just over a month ago, the Wichita State Shockers exacted a measure of revenge with a methodical 74-64 victory over the Charlotte 49ers in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at a raucous Charles Koch Arena. The game, however, lacked the late drama of the Jan. 3 meeting, which Charlotte won 104-100 in double overtime. This time, the Shockers used a stifling defensive effort and capitalized on a staggering disparity in takeaways to pull away in the second half and hand the 49ers their tenth loss of the season. The most important part of the game was Wichita State’s overwhelming defensive pressure, which completely disrupted Charlotte’s offensive flow and created a torrent of transition opportunities. The Shockers forced 14 Charlotte turnovers while committing only six themselves. That 16-point advantage in possession was compounded by Wichita State’s ruthless efficiency in converting those miscues, outscoring Charlotte 22-5 in points off turnovers. The Shockers also tallied nine steals and seven blocked shots, showcasing a defensive intensity the 49ers could not match. Charlotte guard Dezayne Mingo, a 6-foot-4 guard from Hamilton, Canada, kept his team within striking distance with a game-high 24 points, but received little offensive support outside of Major Freeman’s 11 points. The 49ers’ offense was stagnant, managing only two assists for the entire game, a statistic that underscored their struggles against Wichita State’s active defense. The Shockers, by contrast, shared the ball effectively with nine assists and were led by the backcourt duo of Kenyon Giles and Karon Boyd. Giles, a 5-foot-10 guard from Chesapeake, Virginia, poured in 23 points and dished out three assists. Boyd, a 6-foot-5 guard from Concord, North Carolina, added 18 points, two assists and two blocks, providing a critical two-way performance. The game was tight for much of the first half, with Charlotte trailing by just a point, 35-34, at the break. The Shockers began to create separation early in the second period. A driving layup by Giles at the 17:14 mark pushed the lead to 39-37, and the home team steadily built from there. A key sequence occurred midway through the half when consecutive 3-pointers from Giles, the latter assisted by Dre Kindell, extended a 57-54 lead to 60-54 with 7:43 remaining, forcing a Charlotte timeout. Charlotte could never mount a sustained response. Every time the 49ers scored, Wichita State answered, often by attacking the paint, where they finished with a 38-26 advantage. The Shockers’ interior defense, anchored by 7-foot-2 center Will Berg of Stockholm, Sweden, who had eight points and three blocks, deterred Charlotte drives and altered countless shots. Wichita State’s offensive rating of 113.1 points per 100 possessions dwarfed Charlotte’s mark of 91.9, illustrating the chasm in efficiency. The Shockers also won despite shooting a dismal 12 of 24 from the free-throw line, leaving potential points on the board that could have widened the margin further. With the win, Wichita State improved to 14-9 overall and strengthened its position in the AAC. Charlotte fell to 13-10, seeing a two-game winning streak snapped. The Shockers will look to build on this defensive showcase when they travel to face Tulane on Sunday. Charlotte, seeking to regain its footing, faces a quick turnaround with a trip to Memphis also scheduled for Sunday. The victory also allowed Wichita State to cover the pregame spread as 9-point favorites. The total score of 138 fell under the over/under line of 141.5.

Preview: Charlotte 49ers at Wichita State Shockers WICHITA, Kan. (Interstat) — A pivotal American Athletic Conference matchup featuring two teams jockeying for position in the league standings will take place Wednesday night when the Charlotte 49ers visit the Wichita State Shockers at Charles Koch Arena. Both teams enter with identical 13-9 overall records, adding stakes to a rematch of a classic played just over a month ago. On Jan. 3 in Charlotte, the 49ers outlasted the Shockers 104-100 in a double-overtime thriller, setting the stage for a tense return game. Charlotte arrives riding a wave of momentum, having won five of its last six games. The 49ers are coming off an 80-70 home victory over Rice on Jan. 30. A key catalyst has been the recent surge of guard Anton Bonke. Over his last four games, Bonke is averaging 15.5 points, including a 25-point performance in an overtime win at Temple on Jan. 28. Wichita State looks to rebound after a 93-83 road loss at Tulsa on Sunday. The Shockers have been strong at home in conference play, with recent decisive wins over Memphis and East Carolina. Their interior presence is anchored by 7-foot center Will Berg, who is coming off a 16-point, 6-rebound effort against Tulsa and recorded a monstrous 15-rebound game in an overtime win at South Florida on Jan. 18. The game features a contrast in recent trajectories. Charlotte’s winning streak has been built on clutch play, with three of its last five wins coming by four points or fewer or in overtime. Wichita State has shown volatility, mixing impressive victories with occasional defensive lapses. A key battle will be on the glass. Wichita State, led by Berg, will look to dominate the paint, while Charlotte will rely on its perimeter scoring and the hot hand of Bonke to counter. The winner will gain a valuable conference victory and sole possession of the better head-to-head tiebreaker, a potential critical factor for seeding in next month’s AAC tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST Wednesday.