Kansas State opened the second half with 23 consecutive points to blow open an already lopsided game, as the Wildcats capped an impressive offensive performance with a 98-50 win over UIW on Sunday afternoon before 7,042 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State (9-1) collected its third 90-point scoring effort of the season, narrowly missing the school's first 100-point game since 2010 in the last few minutes before opting to dribble out the basketball in the closing seconds against an undermanned UIW (5-6) squad. The Wildcats connected on a season-best 59.1 percent (39-of-66) from the field, including 68.8 percent (22-of-32) after halftime, and saw seven players score in double figures.
The 9-1 start is best start by the Wildcats since opening the 2011-12 season with a similar 9-1 mark, while head coach Jerome Tang is off to the best 10-game start by a first-year coach in school history.
The 48-point margin of victory was the 10th-largest in school history and the largest since 2008.
K-State busted open a close contest with a 20-1 run midway through the first half before landing the knockout punch with a 23-0 start to the second half. Six different Wildcats contributed during the first-half run, including 5 points each from senior Markquis Nowell and freshman reserve Dorian Finister. The second-half run consisted of much the same balance with seven players registering points, including 3-pointers from senior Keyontae Johnson and juniors Ish Massoud and Nae'Qwan Tomlin.
Johnson led all scorers with 18 points on 7-of-9 field goals, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, to go with 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in a season-low 24 minutes of action. The Wildcats' leading scorer (17.3 ppg.) has now scored in double figures in all 10 games this season. Tomlin had a near double-double with 15 points and a season-high 9 rebounds in 23 minutes, while junior reserve Desi Sills added 14 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.
Sophomore Cam Carter, Finister and Nowell each added 10 points, as Nowell nearly notched another double-double with a game-high 8 assists to go with 5 rebounds in 23 minutes. Finister saw his most action of the season in 22 minutes, recording his first career double-digit scoring game to go with 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
UIW, which has 9 true or redshirt freshmen among its 16-man roster, connected on 38 percent (19-of-50) from the field, including 50 percent (7-of-14) from 3-point range, and made just 5 of 8 attempts from the free throw line. Freshman Trey Miller led the Cardinals with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
It was the first meeting between the schools.
HOW IT HAPPENED
K-State jumped out quickly, scoring the game's first 7 points, including a 3-pointer by sophomore Cam Carter to open the scoring. UIW answered by scoring 8 of the next 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointer, to close the gap to 9-8 just after the first media timeout. However, an intentional foul on the Cardinals' Benjamin Griscti ignited what would become a 17-0 run that pushed the lead to 26-8 midway through the first half. Five different Wildcats scored in the decisive run, including 5 points each from senior Markquis Nowell and freshman Dorian Finister.
The lead grew to 20 twice on buckets by junior David N'Guessan before UIW closed the deficit to 31-20 after 9 straight points capped by a corner 3-pointer from Griscti. Senior Keyontae Johnson took over in the last 4 minutes, scoring 10 of the team's last 14 points, to give K-State a 45-28 lead at the half.
The Wildcats extended their momentum to start the second half, as they rattled off 13 straight capped by a 3-pointer by junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin to build a 58-28 lead and force UIW head coach Carson Cunningham to call his first timeout with 16:22 remaining. The run continued after the timeout with 10 more consecutive points, including back-to-back 3-pointers from Johnson and junior Ish Massoud, that extended the lead to 68-28.
The Cardinals' first points off the second half came on a layup by redshirt freshman Davante Dennis with 13:33 remaining. However, the lead only grew from there, as the Wildcats built as much as a 52-point advantage with 5:24 to play after a dunk by Tomlin. The team got to 98 points after a layup by Finister with 1:47 remaining but could not get a shot to fall in the last minute en route to the 48-point victory.
PLAYER(S) OF THE GAME
Senior Keyontae Johnson led the Wildcats in scoring for the fifth time this season with 18 points on 7-of-9 field goals, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, to go with 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in a season-low 24 minutes.
Freshman Dorian Finister had career afternoon in his most action of the season, as he registered his first career double-digit scoring game (10 points) on 4-of-5 field goals, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc, to go with 7 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal in 22 minutes.
STAT OF THE GAME
98 – K-State recorded its highest point total since 2014, as the Wildcats connected on a season-best 59.1 percent (39-of-66) from the field with seven players scoring in double figures.
WHAT'S NEXT
K-State renews its rivalry with Nebraska (6-5) on Saturday, Dec. 17, as the Wildcats host the Cornhuskers in the Wildcat Classic at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. It will be the first Wildcat Classic since 2019.
