K-STATE GETS SPECIAL WIN OVER BAYLOR
Kansas State coach Jerome Tang leaped onto the courtside table and pumped his fists, then landed a spectacular dismount, before climbing into the student section and joining in the “Wabash Cannonball” dance to celebrate another ranked win.
This one was as special as any of them.
Keyontae Johnson scored 25 points, Markquis Nowell added 14 points and 10 assists, and the No. 14 Wildcats followed a long first-half slump with a big second-half run to beat ninth-ranked Baylor 75-65 on Tuesday night.
In doing so, they gave their firstyear coach a season sweep of Tang ’s former team and his longtime mentor, Scott Drew.
“I tried to tell y’all I’m athletic,” said Tang, who spent 19 years on the Baylor bench and helped bring a national title to Waco, Texas. “They were arguably the hottest team in the league, except the second half of the last game and this game.”
Cam Carter added 10 points for the Wildcats (21-7, 9-6 Big 12), who trailed 34-31 at the break before their 18-4 charge gave them control.
They coasted from there to a school record-tying seventh win over a ranked team this season.
The last two — against Iowa State and Baylor — came after the Wildcats had lost four of five.
“I thought it was another typical Big 12 game,” Drew said. “K-State played like you’re supposed to on your home court. I thought Keyontae Johnson, we really had trouble matching up with him pretty much all night, and then Nowell struggled from the field but 10 assists, zero turnovers. That’s why they’re firstteam all-leaguers.”
Keyonte George hit six 3-pointers and scored 23 points to lead Baylor (20-8, 9-6), which had won seven of its last eight against the Wildcats and three straight in Manhattan. LJ Cryer added four 3s and finished with 16 points.
“You know, it comes back to all of us. It’s a team effort,” George said. “We just have to play harder, including myself.”
No. 9 Texas 72, No. 23 Iowa State 54: Sir’Jabari Rice and Tyrese Hunter each scored 15 points and host Texas (22-6, 11-4) raced away
from Iowa State with a big first half to keep the Longhorns at the top of the Big 12. Iowa State fell to 17-10, 8-7.
No. 10 Marquette 73, No. 19 Creighton 71 (OT): Tyler Kolek’s short jump shot gave Marquette the lead with 29 seconds left, and the visiting Golden Eagles (22-6, 14-3) took a huge step toward the Big East regular-season title with a win over Creighton (18-10, 12-5).
No. 25 Texas A&M 68, No. 11
Tennessee 63: Wade Taylor IV scored 25 points, including four free throws down the stretch, and host Texas A&M (21-7, 13-2 Southeastern Conference) extended its winning streak to six games with a victory over Tennessee (20-8, 9-6).
No. 13 Miami 76, Virginia Tech 70: Norchad Omier had 17 points and 14 rebounds as Miami (23-5, 14-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) beat host Virginia Tech (16-12, 6-11) for its seventh straight win.
Villanova 64, No. 16 Xavier 63: Justin Moore scored 25 points to give visiting Villanova (14-14, 8-9 Big East) its biggest victory under firstyear head coach Kyle Neptune. Souley Boum led Xavier (20-8, 12-5) with 17 points.
Michigan State 80, No. 17 Indiana 65: Tyson Walker shook off a slow start to score 23 points and lifted host Michigan State (17-10, 9-7 Big Ten) in its first home game since last week’s shootings on campus that killed three students and hospitalized five students. The Hoosiers fell to 19-9, 10-7.
West
Utah State 65, Wyoming 55:
Steven Ashworth scored 19 points as the Aggies (22-7, 11-5 Mountain West) pulled away late to beat the Cowboys (8-19, 3-12).
Fresno State 74, Air Force 69:
Eduardo Andre scored 26 points and Isaiah Hill added 22 as the visiting Bulldogs (10-17, 6-10 MW) held off the Falcons (14-15, 5-11).
Nevada 66, San Jose State 51:
Trailing at halftime, the Wolf Pack (21-7, 11-4 MW) outscored the visiting Spartans (16-2, 7-8) by 19 in the second half, led by Will Baker’s 18 points.