DAYTON, Ohio -- Wichita State's guards used their Final Four experience to pull out a defense-dominated First Four game on Tuesday night, leading the way to a 70-50 victory over Vanderbilt.
Fred VanVleet, the two-time Missouri Valley player of the year, scored 14 points, and Ron Baker also had 14 for Wichita State (25-8), which took control at the start of the second half and held on. The seniors were part of Wichita State's 2013 Final Four team.
The Shockers play Arizona on Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island.
Vanderbilt (19-14) couldn't take advantage of its pronounced size advantage on offense and never led in the second half.