MANHATTAN, Kan. (KStateSports.com) – Senior David N’Guessan paced three Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 21 points, as Kansas State ended a 4-game losing streak with a 65-56 wire-to-wire win over Colorado on Sunday afternoon before 8,832 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State (14-15, 8-10 Big 12) led for more than 38 minutes in snapping a 4-game losing streak to Colorado (11-18, 2-16) and earning the first win in the series since 2010. The Wildcats led by as many as 17 points less than 6 minutes into the second half before the Buffaloes closed to within 60-52 points with less than 3 minutes to play.
N’Guessan, who eclipsed 1,000 career points in the first half, was able to hit a pair of free throws after a key offensive rebound to push the lead back to 62-52 with 2:28 to play as Colorado was on a 9-2 run. Junior C.J. Jones made 1 of 2 free throws after a pair of defensive stops before sophomore Macaleab Rich converted on a pair of free throws for an 11-point lead with 48 seconds.
N’Guessan scored his game-high 21 point on 8-of-14 field goals and 5-of-6 free throws to go with a game-best 8 rebounds and 2 steals in 33 minutes. It was his sixth career 20-point game, including his team-leading fifth of the season. He was joined in double figures by juniors Brendan Hausen (11 points) and Dug McDaniel (10 points). McDaniel also had 7 assists and 3 steals.
The Wildcats were even more shorthanded than they have been of late, as the team not only played without senior Coleman Hawkins for the third straight game but also were without sophomore reserve Mobi Ikegwuruka, who was injured in the loss to UCF on Wednesday.
K-State was able to get off to a quick start, scoring 12 of the first 14 points en route to taking a 16-point lead (33-17) with just over 2 minutes left in the first half. Nearly half of the team’s 33 first-half points came off turnovers, as the Wildcats scored 16 points off 7 Buffalo turnovers.
A 10-2 run extended the Wildcats’ lead to 46-29 with just over 14 minutes remaining, however, the Buffaloes slowly chipped away at the deficit, closing to within 60-52 with just over 3 minutes to play. N’Guessan and junior C.J. Jones combined for 3 of 4 free throws to push the lead back to double figures, as the Wildcats were never seriously threatened the rest of the way.
The Buffaloes were led by sophomore R.J. Smith, who finished with 11 points, while sophomore Bangot Dak and freshman Sebastian Rancik each had 10 points.
Colorado was able to out-shoot K-State, 39.3 percent to 34.4 percent, thanks to 48.1 percent (13-of-27) shooting in the second half. However, the Wildcats were able to score 20 points off 15 Buffalo turnovers while converting on 16 of 19 attempts (84.2 percent) from the free throw line.
The Wildcats now lead the all-time series, 97-48, including 55-11 at home and 16-9 at Bramlage Coliseum. The series is tied 18-all since the 1996-97 season in the first meeting as conference opponents for the first time since 2011.
K-State plays its final regular-season road game on Wednesday night, as the Wildcats travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats (17-12, 7-11 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT on ESPN+. The team will play its final regular season game on Saturday, March 8 when they host No. 9/9 Iowa State (22-6, 12-6 Big 12) at 12:30 p.m., CT on Senior Day at Bramlage Coliseum. Tickets can be purchased online at kstatesports.com/tickets or by phone (800) 221.CATS.
HEAD COACH JEROME TANG
Opening Statement…
“First of all, I want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for blessing me to be a coach here. I was on the radio just now and Wyatt [Thompson] said, “back with the coach of the ‘Cats,” it’s just really cool to hear, and so I want to make sure that I enjoy every bit of this thing because not everybody gets to do this. [I’m] really thankful, and proud of our guys. We had made a concerted effort to try and start the game a little grittier and tougher than we had the last few games and not put ourselves in a hole. We felt like we could turn them over and we did, so we got up to a good start there. Colorado is a very well-coached team and they always make a run at some point in all their games. They always make that run where it gets tight at the end. I thought David’s [N’Guessan] offensive rebound put us back up. I think it put us up 10 again, kind of stymied their run there. Just really proud of the guys. Wins are hard to get, so we’re tucking this one away and we’re focused on Cincinnati.”
On being able to limit second-chance points…
“It was big. It was one of the key areas we just couldn’t allow them to dominate. They’ve won two of the last four because they controlled the paint. That was the one area we didn’t win—partly due to our finishing. They had 36 points in the paint compared to our 26. In this situation, I don’t think it was about us not getting to the paint; it was about us getting there but not finishing the shots we normally make.”
On Dug McDaniel’s player development…
“Yeah, he’s able to move on from mistakes much faster now. Just a couple of games ago, he was missing shots and got passive– he turned down shots, but tonight he didn’t do that. He stayed aggressive shooting the ball. We’re gonna trust our work and the results are not always gonna look the way we wanted to. The results won’t always be perfect, but when Dug plays with confidence, it opens things up for everyone else. That growth of being able to move on from mistakes is huge. He’s also starting to think ahead. There are times when he’s telling me what he thinks we should run the next time down, and it hasn’t been anything for him, but for his teammates. That shows he’s starting to learn how to think [about] the game and manage it and that’s real growth. I’m so proud of him. Defensively, I feel like he’s much more locked in, understanding now that steals don’t make you a great defender; containing the ball and impacting the game do, he’s doing that as an extension. He’s being more aggressive, and there are a couple more steps he’ll take this year and next, that extension. His ability to kind of understand how he can get teammates shots. I still want him to be more aggressive, I still think he’s got special legs, and there are times we shouldn’t have to run the offense because he gets the ball, draws two, and moves it. We just play basketball and [I’m] looking forward to that growth. I know I’m supposed to say something really good about him right here, and I have a lot of good things to say about him, but the coach in me is like, “okay, how can we push him to the next level,” and that’s what he wants. He doesn’t want to stay in the same ways that he wants to, like, “what’s the next thing that I need to do,” so, really proud of him.”
On David N’Guessan playing with more urgency…
“I just think he’s being more aggressive and looking for a shot, the evolution that has to take place. We don’t need David to have 21 and Max [Jones] to have six, or Max to have 22 and David to have eight. We need it where we have five guys that are in double figures, and on the days that some of the other guys are struggling, they give you 22. That’s what we have to get to be the type of team we’re capable of being.”
On Coleman Hawkins’ injury report….
“Yeah, he had an injury that took place. I’m not even sure if I’m allowed to say, but he had an injury that happened last game, and I don’t know how long he’ll be out. It’s not like a season-ending injury. It’s something that he has to figure out if he can play with or not.”
On David N’Guessan’s production efficiency…
“Dave’s energy level, output and production have been consistent all year long, as you would expect from a third-year guy in the program. I don’t know if you would have told him when he transferred after two years at Virginia Tech, “you’ll go and score 1,000 points in your career,” I don’t know if he’d have thought that. I think that’s pretty cool that we were able to help him do that, and he’s put in the work to develop to get there. I’m looking forward to one day coaching three or four guys on the floor that have been in the program three or four years and then seeing, you know, what it can look like.”
FIRST HALF
K-State got off to a quick start, as the Wildcats jumped out to a 12-2 lead just after the first media timeout less than 4 minutes into the contest. Four Wildcats had points in the opening minutes, including 5 points from senior David N’Guessan.
A 6-0 run just after the second media timeout pushed K-State ahead 20-7, prompting a timeout by CU head coach Tad Boyle at the 9:22 mark. Back-to-back 3-pointers from junior Brendan Hausen gave the Wildcats a 26-12 before a 5-0 run by the Buffaloes cut it to single digits. Five straight points from freshman David Castillo again extended the lead to 14 (31-17) right before the final media timeout with 3:19 to play before the half.
N’Guessan scored on a layup out of the timeout to increase the lead to its largest at 16 (33-17) before the Buffaloes ended the half with 5 straight points to cut it to 33-22 at the break.
Neither team shot 40 percent in the opening half with K-State connecting on 35.7 percent (10-of-28) from the field, including 36.4 percent (4-of-11) from 3-point range, while Colorado hit on 31 percent (9-of-29), including 15.4 percent (2-of-13) from long range.
N’Guessan led all scorers with 9 points, while junior Dug McDaniel added 7 points.
SECOND HALF
Colorado cut the lead to single digits in the early moments of the second half before a Hausen 3-pointer sparked a 10-2 run to make it 46-29 and force a timeout by Boyle with 14:03 to play. After back-to-back baskets by the Buffaloes, a 3-pointer from McDaniel gave the Wildcats a 49-33 into the second media timeout with 11:37 to play.
A 10-5 run by Colorado sliced into the deficit right before the third media timeout, as K-State held a 54-43 lead with 7:19 remaining. However, the Wildcats were able to respond with a jumper by sophomore Macaleab Rich and a layup from N’Guessan to go back ahead 58-43.
The Buffaloes scored 4 straight points to once again trim the deficit to 11 points (58-47) right before the final media timeout, but the Wildcats answered with a jumper from Hausen. After a 5-0 run pulled the visitor to within 8 points (60-52), N’Guessan and junior C.J. Jones combined to make 3 of 4 free throws to extend the lead back to double figures at 63-52 with 1:10 remaining.
The teams traded free throws in next 2 possession before a dunk by freshman Sebastian Rancik with 6 seconds provided the final points in a 65-56 Wildcat win.
Colorado connected on 48.1 percent (13-of-27) from the field in the second half compared to just 33.3 percent (11-of-33) by K-State.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- K-State (14-15, 8-10 Big 12) snapped a 4-game losing streak with a 65-56 win over Colorado (11-18, 2-16 Big 12) at Bramlage Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.
- K-State snapped a 4-game losing streak to Colorado, earning its first win in the series since a 68-51 win on Feb 13, 2010, at home… The Wildcats now lead the all-time series, 97-48, including 55-11 at home and 16-9 at Bramlage Coliseum.
- K-State is now 39-8 at Bramlage Coliseum under Tang, including 21-6 in Big 12 play.
- K-State is now 441-152 all-time at Bramlage Coliseum, including 180-122 in league play.
- K-State used a starting lineup of junior Dug McDaniel, junior Brendan Hausen, senior Max Jones, senior David N’Guessan and junior Ugonna Onyenso for the second time this season… Hausen, M. Jones and N’Guessan have now started all 29 games… All 29 of Hausen’s career starts have come at K-State.
- Senior Coleman Hawkins and sophomore Mobi Ikegwuruka did not play due to injury.
- M. Jones now has 110 career starts (Tampa/Cal State Fullerton/K-State), N’Guessan now has 68 career starts (all at K-State), McDaniel now has 71 career starts (Michigan/K-State) and Onyenso now has 16 career starts (Kentucky/K-State).
- Sophomore Taj Manning made his first appearance since Jan. 29 vs. Oklahoma State.
TEAM NOTES
- K-State scored its 65 points on 34.4 percent (21-of-61) shooting, including 33.3 percent (7-of-21) from 3-point range, while hitting on 84.2 percent (16-of-19) from the free throw line.
- K-State had just 8 turnovers compared to 15 for Colorado.
- K-State scored 20 points off those 15 Colorado turnovers… It marked the seventh time this season scoring 20 or more points off turnovers.
- Colorado held a 36-35 advantage on the glass, however, K-State posted a 10-7 edge in second-chance points thanks to 9 offensive rebounds.
- K-State led 33-22 at the halftime, as K-State is now 14-4 when leading at the half.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Three Wildcats scored in double figures led by a game-high 21 points from senior David N’Guessan… He was joined in double figures by juniors Brendan Hausen (11 points) and Dug McDaniel (10 points).
- N’Guessan scored his 21 points on 8-of-14 field goals and 5-of-6 free throws to go with a game-high 8 rebounds and 2 steals in 33 minutes… It marked his sixth career 20-point game, including his team-high 5 this season… He now has 48 career double-digit scoring games, including his team-high 23 this season.
- N’Guessan eclipsed 1,000 career points in the first half, which encompasses his career at Virginia Tech and K-State… He has 828 points in his Wildcat career, which ranks third all-time by a Division I transfer (Denis Clemente, Markquis Nowell) in school history.
- Hausen scored his 11 points on 4-of-10 field goals, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, to go with 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 30 minutes… He now has 31 career double-digit scoring games, including 19 this season (11 in Big 12 play).
- McDaniel scored his 10 points on 4-of-17 field goals, including 2-of-8 from 3-point range, to go with a game-high 7 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds in 37 minutes… He now has 54 career double-digit scoring games, including 17 this season (12 in Big 12 play).
