Kansas State weathers Roos comeback, wins 69-53
Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell (1) drives under pressure from Kansas City forward Allen David Mukeba Jr. during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Keyontae Johnson scored 19 points, Cam Carter added 16 and Kansas State defeated Kansas City 69-53 on Thursday night.
Desi Sills scored 10 of his 11 points in the final 6 1/2 minutes to help the Wildcats (3-0) blunt a Roos rally.
Shemarri Allen scored 21 points, including 16 in the second half when the Roos cut a 20-point deficit to 10, the final time with four minutes to go. Anderson Kopp added 13 points.
A soaring dunk by Johnson put K-State up by 20 early in the second half. But a 3-of-17 shooting stretch by the Wildcats aided Kansas City’s comeback. The Roos (1-4) were not able to get the margin to single digits with Sills putting in four layups.
After Kansas City got the game’s first basket, Johnson scored the next eight points and the Wildcats led the rest of the way. Carter had five points and Nae’Qwan Tomlin four in a 9-0 run late in the half with K-State leading 41-25 at the break. Carter had 14 points on 4-of-7 3-point shooting with the Wildcats 7 of 16 from the arc in the half. They missed their four attempts from the arc in the second half.
The Roos had 22 turnovers, two more than their average, that resulted in 26 points for the Wildcats, who made 11 steals.
K-State leads the series 20-1.
