Kansas State Opens Big 12 Slate with Win over Texas, 65-62
By Dan Horton
The Kansas State Wildcats opened the Big 12 schedule against Texas … surprise, surprise, another win over a Texas school.
Fresh off the win in the Texas Bowl by the Gridiron ‘Cats against Texas A&M, The Hardwood ‘Cats opened Big 12 basketball play against Texas.
Wouldn’t you know it, another win over a Texas school.
Kansas State (12-1) jumped out with an early 15-0 run to fuel a first half that saw the Wildcats up 32-29.
The Wildcats edged a .500 Texas (6-7) team that has been struggling and inconsistent Longhorns squad. Texas out shot the Wildcats in both FG% and 3-pt%.
K-State shot 36% to Texas’ 46%. From the arc, Texas was just barely better than KSU. Where it mattered tonight was at the charity stripe.
Kansas State got to the line 33 times and made 26 of those 33 freebies. Texas only stood at the line 12 times draining 7.
Dean Wade led all scorers with 18 points. Wesley Iwundu (16) and Kamau Stokes (15) also scored in double figures. Stokes also dished out 6 assists.
Wade was 7 of 10 from the field and 2 for 4 behind the arc. Stokes contributed at the line going 9 for 10 at the stripe. Barry Brown and Iwundu both recorded 7 boards a piece and Brown added four steals.
It wasn’t all roses, though, for the ‘Cats. After building an 11 point lead in the second half, they let Texas back in it, late. At 63-49, Texas put up 11 straight to make it 63-60. However, Stokes nailed 2 free throws to seal the win 65-62.
Texas committed 17 turnovers in the contest to K-State’s 12. That’s the 11 time in their last 13 games with double-digit turnovers.
Next: Are the Hardwood 'Cats better than you Think?
Up next for the Wildcats is an early season Sunflower Showdown. K-State travels to Lawrence for a Tuesday night match-up.
The Jayhawks are currently ranked 3rd in the nation. Kansas sits at 12-1 (1-0 Big 12) on the year with their only blemish to Indiana to start the year. They got the best of TCU tonight winning 86-80.