Dexter Dennis provided the signature play in Wichita State's long-awaited signature win, 68-63 over No. 6 Houston, Thursday evening at Charles Koch Arena.

Tyson Etienne and Alterique Gilbert scored 16-points each for WSU (13-4, 9-2) which moved into sole possession of first-place in the American Athletic Conference standings and notched its best home win since downing No. 2-ranked Louisville on Feb. 25, 1967.
 
Dennis tallied 12 points, six rebounds and two steals – the last with WSU clinging to a one-point lead in the final 20 seconds.
 
DeJon Jarreau paced Houston (17-3, 11-3) with 16 points to go with 13 from Quentin Grimes and 10 from Justin Gorham.
 
Beating Houston (No. 5 in the latest NCAA NET ratings) provides some juice for the Shockers' postseason resume. They're 2-2 in Quadrant-1 games, having also won last month at No. 53 Ole Miss.
 
The Shockers made 10-of-22 three-point attempts (.455) and out-rebounded Houston, 35-33. 
 
Both were significant turns.
 
The Cougars came in leading the nation in three-point field goal percentage defense (.255) and ranked fifth in rebounding margin (+10.1).
 
The Shockers also outscored the visitors 18-5 off of free throws.
 
WSU trailed by as many as 12 points at the 5:37-mark of the first half but made seven-straight three-point attempts over the next eight minutes. Gilbert buried the last for a 10-point advantage, 44-34, with 16:57 to play in the game.
 
Houston rallied to within a possession on six-different occasions, including a last gasp came with 21 seconds on the clock when Grimes banked in a three to make it a 64-63 game.
 
Etienne missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Shockers fans (2,625 of them) held their collective breath as Houston prepared for a potential game-winning shot with the clock ticking inside of 15 seconds.
 
It never came.
 
Dennis swooped near the timeline to intercept a Jarreau pass and absorbed a hard flagrant-1 foul from Houston's Gorham on a breakaway layup.
 
Dennis' pain was the Shockers' gain. He made both free throws, and the Shockers retained possession. Etienne added two more for the final margin.