WICHITA (AP) — Ron Baker scored 18 points, and No. 8 Wichita State beat Saint Louis 81-52 on Saturday.
Evan Wessel and Rauno Nurger had 15 points apiece to help the Shockers (5-1) bounce back from Wednesday’s overtime loss at Utah. The setback against the Utes was Wichita State’s first regular-season loss since March 2, 2013.
Baker, Nurger and Wessel were a combined 17 of 25 from the floor.
Marcus Bartley scored 13 points for Saint Louis (5-3).
The Billikens trailed 14-10 with 13:27 remaining in the first half, but managed just one field goal over the next eight minutes. The Shockers seized control with a 20-3 run that featured five points from Nurger, more than his previous total all season.
Wessel capped the surge with a 17-foot jumper and 3-pointer to make it 34-13 with 5:30 remaining. The junior was 6 for 9 from the field while setting a career high for points.
Baker’s feathery fadeaway jumper with 2:25 to play in the half pushed Wichita State’s lead to 43-17, and the Shockers went deep into their bench.
Saint Louis trailed 45-25 at halftime, and it got worse. Wichita State scored the first 13 points of the second half. Tekele Cotton capped the run when he turned a steal into a dunk with 16:39 to play.

TIP-INS
Saint Louis: The Billikens have six straight home games coming up. They do not play on the road again until Jan. 6 at George Washington. ... Saint Louis’ first true road loss matches its total from last season, when the Billikens were 11-1 on the road.
Wichita State: The Shockers outrebounded the Billikens 41-20, including a 19-5 margin in the first half. It was a focus after Wichita State was outrebounded at Utah for the first time this season and just the sixth time in the previous 44 games.

UP NEXT
Saint Louis hosts South Dakota State on Tuesday.
Wichita State hosts Seton Hall on Tuesday.

FOUL ISSUE
One of Wichita State’s most effective players at Utah was starting center Darius Carter, who had 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in just 17 minutes. Carter had foul trouble in the first half against the Utes and fouled out before overtime.
On Saturday, Carter picked up his first foul less than three minutes into the game. He was soon replaced by Nurger. Carter returned to the court late in the half and was called for a charge. He played just seven first-half minutes.
Nurger, a 6-foot-10 freshman, took advantage of the extra playing time. He was 5 for 9 from the field and 3 for 3 at the line.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
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Saturday

At Wichita
Koch Arena

No. 8 WICHITA ST. 81,
SAINT LOUIS 52
SAINT LOUIS (5-3)
McBroom 0-4 3-4 3, Yacoubou 1-3 0-0 2, Roby 1-3 0-0 2, Agbeko 1-2 0-0 2, Manning 1-4 0-0 2, Bartley 5-7 2-3 13, Yarbrough 1-3 1-3 4, Reynolds 0-4 6-8 6, Jolly 1-4 4-4 7, Lancona 0-1 0-0 0, Gillmann 3-5 1-3 9, Crawford 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 15-42 17-25 52.
WICHITA ST. (5-1)
Wessel 6-9 0-1 15, Carter 1-3 2-2 4, VanVleet 3-3 2-3 8, Baker 6-7 3-3 18, Cotton 2-6 3-5 7, Kelly 1-2 1-2 3, Brown 1-2 0-0 3, Henderson Jr. 0-1 0-0 0, Bush 0-0 0-0 0, Holland 2-3 0-0 5, Simon 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 0-1 0-0 0, Nurger 5-9 3-3 15, Wamukota 0-2 0-0 0, Morris 1-2 0-0 2, Glass 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 28-52 15-21 81.
Halftime—Wichita St. 45-25. 3-Point Goals—Saint Louis 5-14 (Gillmann 2-4, Yarbrough 1-1, Bartley 1-2, Jolly 1-3, McBroom 0-1, Manning 0-1, Reynolds 0-1, Lancona 0-1), Wichita St. 10-18 (Baker 3-4, Wessel 3-5, Nurger 2-4, Holland 1-1, Brown 1-2, Cotton 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Saint Louis 20 (Gillmann 4), Wichita St. 41 (Kelly 7). Assists—Saint Louis 9 (Roby 4), Wichita St. 20 (Cotton 7). Total Fouls—Saint Louis 18, Wichita St. 23. A_15,004.