Staff report

WICHITA — Catawba’s men’s basketball team opened a new season with a strong effort at Division I Wichita State, a Final Four team in 2013.

Catawba had a realistic chance for a monumental upset until it went cold with about nine minutes left. Wichita State pulled away and won the exhibition, 75-64, at Koch Arena.

Catawba, 11-15 last season, got off to a great start and led 6-0 after three possessions. Catawba was down at halftime, 34-31.

Eleven minutes into the second half, Catawba held a slim lead, but the Shockers, brutal from the 3-point line up to that point, suddenly made three in a row from long distance to take the lead for good.

Veterans Samajae Haynes-Jones (19 points) and Markis McDuffie (14) made clutch shots, while freshman Jamarius Burton added 16 points off the bench.

Catawba got 18 points from Jameel Taylor and 15 from Malik Constantine, who shot 7-for-10.

During the decisive drought, Catawba went eight minutes without making a field goal before Constantine connected with 49 seconds left. Carter Phillips hit a late 3-pointer for the Indians.

Catawba shot 40.4 percent from the floor, including 3-for-15 on 3-pointers.

Catawba made 18 turnovers, while the Shockers had 15. Catawba held its own on the glass with the taller Shockers, grabbing nine offensive boards.

Wichita State shot 43 percent from the floor, but just 5-for-23 on 3-pointers.

CATAWBA (64) — Taylor 18, Constantine 15, Lilly 9, McLaughlin 6, Hassett 5, Phillips 3, Zemonek 2, McElveen 2, Robinson 2, Cooper 1, Johnson 1, Barber, Whitfield, Cannon, Bowen.

WICHITA STATE (75) — Haynes-Jones 19, Burton 16, McDuffie 14, Poor Bear-Chand 6, Stevenson 5, Brown 4, Moore 4, Midtgaard 4, Udeze 3.

Catawba                  31    33    — 64

Wichita State        34     41    — 75