Stutz leads
Shockers
over Iowa
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — When Garrett Stutz sets out to make up for a bad game, he goes right to work.
The 7-footer from North Kansas City scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half and helped power Wichita State past Iowa 74-57 Tuesday night in the consolation game of the CBE Classic.
The night before in a loss to Pittsburgh, Stutz had only one basket.
“I played real bad last night and knew I had to step it up,” he said. “I felt a little more confident. Film sessions and team meetings, (coach Gregg Marshall) challenged me to step up and be a leader. I’m not a freshman anymore.”
Stutz matched his season point total during his hot first half and scored 10 straight points in a torrid span of 3 minutes, 15 seconds. He admitted he couldn’t recall having such a flurry.
“I don’t know — that one was pretty good,” he said.
He also made two 3-pointers, something not normally seen from a 7-footer.
“The coach gives me the green light,” he said. “The second one I was a little bit worried about because I knew it was a little bit forced and a little too long. I’m glad it went in because if it didn’t I probably would have been on the bench pretty quick.”
Toure’ Murry also had 18 for the Shockers (3-1).
Iowa (1-4) never got closer than 7 points in the second half. The Hawkeyes got 18 points from Cully Payne. They have not started 1-4 since 1929.
“This game got away from us early,” said Iowa coach Todd Lickliter. “We were a step behind all night. They got really comfortable, were 8-for-12 from the three in the first half. Give them credit, they penetrated. Give our guys credit. They battled back and got it within seven.”
Lickliter said the Hawkeyes were not entirely surprised by Stutz.
“We knew he could shoot it. He’s got good size at seven-feet. We tried to fight around him and front, he caught it and laid it in. Then we were late on the weak side. He got wide open. We just couldn’t get there.”
In the second half, Stutz did not come off the bench until the Hawkeyes had made their run and got within seven points, and he did not score until he worked inside for a layup that made it 63-50 with 6:51 to go.
Payne scored six points in a quick second-half getaway for the Hawkeyes and Eric May’s 3-pointer made it 49-42 after about 5 minutes. But that was as close as Iowa could get to the fast-starting Shockers.
While Stutz carried the Shockers in the first half, Murry took over in the second, scoring 10 of his points. Graham Hatch had 14 points for the Shockers on 4-for-6 shooting, including 3 for 4 from beyond the arc.
After Stutz’s first bucket of the second half, Murry hit a long 3-pointer and Payne answered from behind the arc for Iowa. But Clevin Hannah threw in a 3-pointer for the Shockers and Murry followed with another long one.
Hannah, Wichita State’s leading scorer last year, made his first appearance of the year and had five points and six assists.
No. 3 Texas met Pittsburgh in the championship game.
Marshall could not remember a better effort by Stutz.
“That’s as good a half as Garrett has ever played for us. He’s been struggling,” Marshall said. “To see him in his hometown have that kind of half, it’s hard to play better - 16 points in 13 minutes. He was just a dominant force, inside, outside. He got a lot of things done for us. I’m really proud for him.”
WICHITA ST. (3-1) — Ellis 1-2 0-0 2, Durley 3-5 0-0 6, Hannah 2-6 0-0 5, Hatch 4-6 3-4 14, Murry 7-14 0-1 18, Manigault 0-0 0-0 0, Williams 2-3 0-1 5, Kyles 1-1 0-0 2, Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Blair 2-4 0-0 4, Mayes 0-0 0-0 0, Stutz 8-12 0-0 18. Totals 30-53 3-6 74.
IOWA (1-4) — Cougill 4-6 2-2 11, Cole 2-3 0-0 4, Tucker 2-6 2-4 7, Payne 5-7 6-7 18, Gatens 3-8 2-3 8, Bawinkel 0-0 0-0 0, May 2-7 4-4 9. Totals 18-37 16-20 57.
Halftime — Wichita St. 44-30. 3-Point Goals — Wichita St. 11-21 (Murry 4-7, Hatch 3-4, Stutz 2-4, Williams 1-2, Hannah 1-4), Iowa 5-18 (Payne 2-2, Cougill 1-3, Tucker 1-4, May 1-6, Cole 0-1, Gatens 0-2). Fouled Out — None. Rebounds — Wichita St. 27 (Blair 6), Iowa 21 (Cougill, May 4). Assists — Wichita St. 16 (Hannah 6), Iowa 7 (Payne 4). Total Fouls — Wichita St. 18, Iowa 12. A — NA.
