WATCH: Wichita State hits game-winner from logo
The Wichita State Shockers opened their 2021-22 season with a 60-57 win over Jacksonville State. However, the win did not come without its fair share of drama. After going back and forth all night, Wichita State guard Tyson Etienne called his own number for a deep 3-point game winner with less than two seconds remaining.
Etienne scored seven of the Shockers final nine points over the final two minutes, starting with a pair of free throws. Going back and forth with Jacksonville State, he then knocked down a jump to take a two-point lead with 28 seconds left. Instead of taking the clock to zeros, the Gamecocks used tempo and got an open layup to tie the game again.
Looking to end the game, Etienne slowly brought the ball into the frontcourt, stopping on top of the wheat-based mascot logo. After hesitating, the Wichita State junior pulled up and shot the ball from two steps inside the half-court line, draining the game winner.
Etienne finished the game with a team-high 16 points on 5-of-14 shooting and 2-of-7 from the 3-point line. He added four rebounds, three assists and one steal.
Another crazy finish
Trailing by three, the Akron Zips tied the game with six seconds remaining on a step-back three point shot by Ali Ali. The shot was good and a foul was called on E.J. Liddell, his fifth of the night and fouling him out of the game.
Ali stepped up to take the go-ahead free throw and drained it, giving Akron a one-point lead. The Buckeyes hurried the ball up the court and called a timeout to inbound the ball with 3.2 seconds left. Malaki Branham received the inbounds pass and found Zed Key in the paint with a bullet pass. Key caught the pass and made a strong finish at the rim over the defense to win the game for Ohio State.
There ended up being just enough time on the clock for a full court desperation inbound pass by Akron. The ball fell short and wide on the touch-shot attempt as the Buckeyes survived their opening game.
Prior to fouling out, E.J. Liddell had a great night with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists. Zed Key’s game-winner was for two of his 14 points on the night, with another big basket coming on the play before Ali’s three point shot. On a missed shot at the rim, Key tipped in the rebound to give Ohio State their three-point lead. Freshman Malaki Branham gave a big contribution on the night along with his game-winning assist, with 7 points and 6 rebounds of his own off the bench.