Wichita State needed a critical 3-pointer from Corey Washington to break a tie in the final two minutes and provide the separation needed for a 70-66 win over what was the No. 293-ranked team in the country by Ken Pomeroy’s metrics.

Monmouth was within 11 points of No. 24 Rutgers deep into the second half, with the Hawks facing another tough test against unbeaten Wichita State.

If Western Kentucky tested WSU’s physical toughness, Montana State tested WSU’s toughness in regards to its will to defend. The Shockers had to defend all 50 feet of width on the court because the Bobcats almost always had five shooters on the floor at the same time.

Wichita State remains undefeated after a 70-66 victory against Monmouth on Monday night at Charles Koch Arena. However, it was not an easy win; the Shockers were favored to defeat the Hawks by 16.5 points.

Corey Washington, the former Saint Peter’s star, drained a 3-pointer with 1:36 to play to give Wichita State a 62-59 lead, before his dunk in transition after a Monmouth turnover at the other end pushed the Shockers’ lead to five points.