NCAA News Wire
Kansas State 74, Texas 57
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State used an early 18-2 run to open a comfortable lead, then coasted to a 74-57 victory over No. 15 Texas on Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum.
Marcus Foster led K-State (16-7, 6-4 in the Big 12) with a career-high 34 points, 17 in each half. The 34 points was the most for a Kansas State freshman since Michael Beasley scored 39 against Kansas on March 1, 2008. Foster was the only Wildcat in double figures.
Texas (18-5, 7-3) was led by Isaiah Taylor with 17 points.
Kansas State’s defense was stifling, especially in the first half, when Texas shot only 25 percent (5-of-20) from the field and scored 18 points.
The Longhorns hit double figures in points with 6:59 remaining in the half.
Texas had only three assists in the first half, compared to 10 turnovers, while the Wildcats had 11 assists on their 15 field goals, with only two giveaways. Kansas State led, 39-18, at the break.
After falling behind, 45-21, early in the second half, Texas got back to within 50-34, led by Isaiah Taylor, who scored 11 of Texas’ first 16 points of the half.
But Foster went on a quick 5-0 spurt and the lead was safe. Texas could get no closer than 19 until mop-up time late in the game.
The Longhorns finished the game shooting 32.7 from the field (18-of-55). But their defense let them down.
Texas came into the game allowing their opponents to shoot 39.6 percent from the field. But the Wildcats torched them for 28-of-53 (52.8 percent), including 50 percent (8-of-16) from 3-point range.
The game was decided early.
After Jonathan Holmes hit a 10-foot jumper to open the scoring, K-State scored 18 of the next 20 points, keyed by two 3-pointers each by Foster and Spradling.
Foster also threw down an impressive dunk on an alley-oop from Wesley Iwundu and scored on a layup in transition during the run. Foster finished with 17 points in the first half.
NOTES: Kansas State stretched its home-court winning streak to 12 games, fourth longest in the 26-year history of Bramlage Coliseum. … Kansas State has won eight of its last 11 home games against ranked opponents, including a 3-0 mark this season. … During Texas’ seven-game winning streak coming into the game, the Longhorns defeated four straight ranked opponents, including K-State on Jan. 21, when the Wildcats were ranked No. 22.
