Wichita State defeats Rice 63-59 in AAC showdown

Wichita State secured a narrow 63-59 victory against Rice University in a key American Athletic Conference matchup. Harlond Beverly led the Shockers with 16 points, while Xavier Bell contributed 13 points. Despite shooting below 40%, Wichita State's defensive effort limited Rice to just 36% shooting, and they dominated the boards with a 46-36 rebounding advantage. The win marks the Shockers' seventh victory in their last nine games, improving their overall record to 18-12 and 8-9 in the AAC. Head coach Paul Mills emphasized the importance of offensive rebounds in securing the victory, especially amid poor shooting from beyond the arc. Wichita State's final regular season game will be against Tulsa on Senior Night.