9 March 2024
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Arthur Kaluma scored 23 points, Cam Carter added 21 and Kansas State beat sixth-ranked Iowa State 65-58 on Saturday, giving the Wildcats’ flickering NCAA Tournament hopes a big boost heading into the Big 12 Tournament.
David N’Guessan added 11 points and a career-high 16 rebounds on senior day for the Wildcats (18-13, 8-10 Big 12), who blew most of a 17-point, second-half lead before holding on for their third win over a top-10 team this season.
Kansas State also beat No. 4 Kansas and No. 9 Baylor at home, where it went 15-3 this season.
Curtis Jones had 16 points and Keshon Gilbert and Tamin Lipsey 13 apiece for the Cyclones (24-7, 13-5), who couldn’t replicate their rally from 14 down to beat BYU earlier in the week and had their four-game winning streak snapped.
Iowa State looked as if it would make senior day a forgettable day for Kansas State early on, relentlessly harassing one of the nation’s most turnover-prone teams into offensive miscues and mental mistakes.
Fortunes suddenly flipped with the Cyclones leading 18-10 and about seven minutes left in the first half.
Kansas State held them without a field goal for more than six minutes, going on a 12-1 run to help take a 28-24 lead into the break. Then, the Wildcats scored the first nine points as part of a 15-2 run to begin the second half, stretching their lead to 17 while holding Iowa State without a field goal until Lipsey’s lay-in with 13:30 to go.
The Cyclones finally got some momentum going, and a 10-0 run got them within 48-43 with 7:18 left.
Kansas State answered by pushing its lead back to double digits, though. And when Iowa State began to slap on full-court pressure in an attempt to mount a late-game comeback, Kaluma and Carter along with Tylor Perry were able to break it, and make just enough foul shots in the final minutes to wrap up the win.
UP NEXT
Iowa State earned a double-bye for the Big 12 tourney and will play a quarterfinal game Thursday.
Kansas State will play a second-round game in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.