26 March 2023
NEW YORK (KSNT) – K-State men’s basketball’s season came down to the final seconds.
In the Elite Eight, with a trip to the Final Four on the line, the Wildcats were down three points with seven seconds remaining.
Point guard Markquis Nowell dribbled down the court and delivered a pass to teammate Ismael Massoud. Massoud lost the ball trying to get around a defender, and K-State failed to get a shot off as the buzzer sounded on its season.
Nowell explains he was meant to get the final shot, but changed plans to get it to Massoud.
“I was trying to get Ish a shot,” Nowell said. “Coach wanted Ish to set the screen, and I waved it off because I felt like on the right side of the court, that’s where Ish hits most of his shots. They closed out hard to him. He didn’t get off a shot.”
The season ending was hard as soon as it was over, Nowell said.
“I mean, when that final buzzer hit, it was a little tough because I love these guys so much that I wanted to continue to keep playing for the rest of my life with them,” Nowell said.