Marcus Evans scored a team-high 15 points and helped VCU mount a second-half comeback attempt, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Wichita State in a 73-63 loss Saturday inside a frenzied Charles Koch Arena.
Jamie Echenique scored eight points in the first 3:03 of the contest as the Shockers (10-1) opened the game on an 18-6 run. VCU (9-3) never led in the game, but back-to-back buckets by junior forward Corey Douglas and Hyland trimmed the Shockers’ lead to 29-23 with 7:27 left in the first half.
Wichita State responded with a 9-4 burst, punctuated by a three-pointer from Jamarius Burton, and led by as many as 18 in the second half.
An 8-2 Rams run got the margin to 69-60 with 2:17 left, but VCU would get no closer.
Issac Vann added 11 points for the Rams, while Marcus Santos-Silva overcame early foul trouble to provided seven points and seven rebounds in the second half
Echenique controlled the paint for Wichita State and finished with 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Grant Sherfield also supplied 14 points for the Shockers.