BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — No. 2 Wichita State used a strong second half to move past No. 3 Tulsa in the American Conference Men’s Basketball Championship semifinals, 81–68, on Saturday afternoon at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
With the win, the Shockers (22–10) advance to face No. 1 South Florida in the championship final on Sunday at 3:15 p.m. ET / 2:15 p.m. CT on ESPN. It marks Wichita State’s first appearance in the championship game.
 
The Shockers shot 51.6 percent from the floor in the first half, with Kenyon Giles scoring 11 points to give Wichita State a six-point lead heading into halftime.
 
Tulsa scored the first five points of the second half to cut the Shocker lead to one point, but Wichita State answered with a 26–8 run to take a commanding 20-point lead. Giles scored 12 of those points during the run, knocking down four 3-pointers.
 
Giles led all scorers with 27 points, including seven 3-pointers — the second-most in an American Championship game. Michael Gray Jr. (13 points), Will Berg (13 points, 14 rebounds), TJ Williams (13 points) and Karon Boyd (12 points) all reached double figures for the Shockers.
 
Tylen Riley led the Golden Hurricane with 18 points. Miles Barnstable (14 points) and Tyler Behrend (13 points) also reached double figures.