Cleanthony Early scored 26 points and Fred VanVleet made two free throws with 11 seconds left to lift No. 11 Wichita State to a 72-67 victory over Alabama on Tuesday night.
Early scored nine straight points for Wichita State (11-0) during one late stretch and the Shockers extended the program's best start, answering every time the Crimson Tide (5-5) threatened to overtake them.
VanVleet and Tekele Cotton each had 11 points for Wichita State, which outrebounded Alabama 38-26. Trevor Releford led Alabama with 22 points after missing the Charleston Southern game with a hip injury.