Kansas State rallies late to turn back Wichita State 55-50
Kansas State forward David N'Guessan (3) gets past Wichita State forward Gus Okafor (23) to dunk the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wichita State Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Keyontae Johnson scored 17 points, Marquis Nowell hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute and Kansas State had the last rally in a 55-50 victory over Wichita State on Saturday night.
Gus Okafor’s 3-pointer gave Wichita State a 45-39 lead with 10:02 left to play, but the Shockers didn’t score again until Quincy Ballard made 1 of 2 free throws with 5:14 remaining. Kansas State (7-1) took a 47-45 lead on Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s layup and Marquis Nowell answered Ballard’s free throw with a bucket to extend the Wildcats’ lead to three.
Ballard sank two free throws, Craig Porter Jr. buried a jumper and Wichita State (4-4) grabbed a 50-49 lead with 2:13 to go. Nowell sank 1 of 2 free throws to knot the score, then stole the ball and sank a 3-pointer with an assist from Desi Sills to put K-State up 53-50 with 54 seconds left. The Shockers turned the ball over on their final two possessions.
Tomlin finished with 14 points and six rebounds for K-State. Nowell scored 11 with seven assists.
Porter topped the Shockers with 11 points.
Kansas State, under first-year coach Jerome Tang, opened the season with six straight wins before losing by 12 to Butler last time out. It was the Wildcats’ longest win streak since 2018.
The Wildcats have won four straight over the Shockers and lead the all-time series 22-11, including a 15-2 mark on their home floor. The two in-state rivals played last year — a 65-59 Wildcats victory — after a 20-year hiatus in the series.
