Kansas State University Athletics
Monday, February 28
Lubbock, TX
8 p.m.
Kansas State University
14-15,6-11Big 12
68
at
73
Texas Tech
23-7,12-5Big 12
1
2
F
Kansas St.
31
37
68
Texas Tech
39
34
73
K-State Battles 12/12 Texas Tech Down to Wire in 73-68 Loss
Feb 28, 2022 | Men's Basketball
Box ScoreHighlightsStats (PDF)QuotesAudio: Weber Press ConferenceAudio: Miguel Press ConferenceAudio: McGuirl Press ConferencePhoto Gallery
McGuirl led four players in double figures with 18.
LUBBOCK, Texas – A limited Kansas State team gave No. 12/12 Texas Tech everything it could have and more before falling 73-68 in the final seconds before a sold-out crowd of 15,098 fans at United Supermarkets Arena.
With the win, the Red Raiders (23-7, 12-5 Big 12) finished their home schedule with a perfect 18-0 record, winning all but two of those by double figures. However, it was the Wildcats who gave them their toughest test of the season, as the 5-point loss was the closest in their 18 home victories.
K-State (14-15, 6-11 Big 12), which played without its second-leading scorer Markquis Nowell, who also leads the Wildcats in both assists and steals, battled back from an 8-point halftime deficit to take numerous leads in the second half, including 68-67 after a pair of free throws by sophomore Selton Miguel with 1:25 to play.
However, the experienced-laden Texas Tech squad made key plays in the final stretch, starting with a big jumper from senior Davion Warren on the next possession that gave the Red Raiders the lead for good at 69-68 with 1:05 remaining. They were able to finish it off with a pair of defensive stops and two free throws from senior Adonis Arms and Warren in the final 47 seconds to complete the victory.
Warren finished the night with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-11 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and provided a formidable scoring duo with fellow senior transfer Bryson Williams, who scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Arms added 10 points and a game-high 6 assists.
Another close game continued a heartbreaking stretch for the Wildcats, which dropped to 3-8 in games decided by 5 points or less, including 3-7 in Big 12 play. The team has led or been tied in the second half of 7 of their 11 conference losses.
Four Wildcats scored in double figures led by an impressive night from fifth-year senior Mike McGuirl, who turned in a season-high 18 points on 7-of-15 field goals, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range, while playing all 40 minutes. Sophomore Selton Miguel, who earned his first start in more than a month in place of Nowell, scored 14 points on 4-of-9 field goals and 5-of-6 free throws, while fellow sophomore Nijel Pack and fifth-year senior Mark Smith added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
K-State dropped its fourth straight game to fall below .500 for the first time this season. The Wildcats will need a win in Saturday's home game against Oklahoma (15-14, 5-11 Big 12) to secure a bye at next week's Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
KEY STRETCH(ES)
For the second straight game, K-State got off a strong start, leading through the first 2 media timeout due to its strong shooting from the field. The Wildcats led by as many as 8 points at 23-14 after a layup by sophomore Luke Kasubke at the 10:07 mark. During this early spurt, senior Mike McGuirl scored 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, while sophomores Ish Massoud and Nijel Pack added 6 and 5 points, respectively.
Texas Tech responded with a 9-2 run to close the deficit to 25-23 after a pair of free throws by senior Adonis Arms with under 7 minutes to play. K-State pushed back ahead by scoring 6 of the next 10 points to take a 31-27 lead after a jumper by sophomore Selton Miguel with 4:11 before halftime.
However, the Red Raiders finished the first half on a strong note, using a 12-0 run to take a 39-31 lead into the break. Senior Davion Warren cap the run with a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left on the clock.
Senior Mark Smith got things going to start the second half, scoring 7 of the Wildcats' 9 points capped by a 3-pointer to tie the score at 40-all with 17:41 to play. The Red Raiders responded with 6 straight points to jump back ahead at 46-40 and drive the sold-out crowd to near deafening levels.
Down 50-44 with just over 14 minutes to play, K-State used an 11-3 run over a 3-minute span to take a 55-53 lead after a 3-pointer by Pack. The teams then traded the lead over the next few minutes with the Wildcats taking a 61-58 advantage after a pair of free throws by Miguel with just over 6 to play. However, senior Bryson Williams responded with a 3-point play to tie the score at 61-all.
The teams again took turns taking the lead in the final few minutes before a Warren jumper with 1:05 to play gave the Red Raiders the lead for good at 69-68. McGuirl missed a 3-pointer on the next possession and Arms was fouled and knocked down 2 more free throws for a 71-68 lead. Pack attempted to tie the game with 14 seconds before his 3-pointer was blocked and Warren finished off the scoring with a pair of free throws.
PLAYER(S) OF THE GAME
Fifth-year senior Mike McGuirl scored a season-high 18 points on 7-of-15 field goals, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range, while grabbing 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in playing all 40 minutes.
Sophomore Selton Miguel posted double figures for the second time in 3 games with 14 points on 4-of-9 field goals, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range, and a 5-of-6 from the free throw line in 37 minutes.
STAT OF THE GAME
36 – Texas Tech took advantage of K-State's smaller lineup to outscore the Wildcats, 36-10, in the paint. The advantage was even more stark in the second half at 18-2.
IN THEIR WORDS
K-State Head Coach Bruce Weber
On the game…
"It's just Groundhog Day. I appreciate the guys, love the guys. They care. We were undermanned without Markquis (Nowell). Obviously, they had some people out also but we came to play against one of the top teams in the country in a place where no one's beat them here. We played them till the end like no one has done all year. I thought with a one day prep, I didn't know how they would do but we just kept showing them what we did the first time and we just said we just got to repeat that. It wouldn't be as easy here. They got too many baskets in the paint, got us on that little bit of secondary break where they just beat us a few times. Overall, just a great effort. I feel for the guys. Mike McGuirl stepped up, played all 40 minutes, made big shots. I thought he was really good on defense and had a great steal at the end. Selton (Miguel) has struggled but without Markquis he got his chance, and he took advantage of it, made some big plays and gave us a chance. Ish (Massoud) battled. Mark Smith didn't have quite the numbers he's had, but he helped us with that run to start the second half to give us a chance. And then Nijel (Pack), without Markquis he's got to handle a lot. They could double him. We found him a few times, Mike (McGuirl) and Selton (Miguel) found him a couple times. The crowd is unbelievable here. It might be better than Kansas to be honest, the noise, the music, the energy, and our guys fought through that and had great poise and gave themselves a chance to win."
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
WHAT'S NEXT
K-State concludes the regular season on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats play host to Oklahoma (15-14, 5-11 Big 12) at 3 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum. The Sooners won the first meeting, 71-69, way back in the first conference game of the season on January 1.
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on K-State men's basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
With the win, the Red Raiders (23-7, 12-5 Big 12) finished their home schedule with a perfect 18-0 record, winning all but two of those by double figures. However, it was the Wildcats who gave them their toughest test of the season, as the 5-point loss was the closest in their 18 home victories.
K-State (14-15, 6-11 Big 12), which played without its second-leading scorer Markquis Nowell, who also leads the Wildcats in both assists and steals, battled back from an 8-point halftime deficit to take numerous leads in the second half, including 68-67 after a pair of free throws by sophomore Selton Miguel with 1:25 to play.
However, the experienced-laden Texas Tech squad made key plays in the final stretch, starting with a big jumper from senior Davion Warren on the next possession that gave the Red Raiders the lead for good at 69-68 with 1:05 remaining. They were able to finish it off with a pair of defensive stops and two free throws from senior Adonis Arms and Warren in the final 47 seconds to complete the victory.
Warren finished the night with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-11 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and provided a formidable scoring duo with fellow senior transfer Bryson Williams, who scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Arms added 10 points and a game-high 6 assists.
Another close game continued a heartbreaking stretch for the Wildcats, which dropped to 3-8 in games decided by 5 points or less, including 3-7 in Big 12 play. The team has led or been tied in the second half of 7 of their 11 conference losses.
Four Wildcats scored in double figures led by an impressive night from fifth-year senior Mike McGuirl, who turned in a season-high 18 points on 7-of-15 field goals, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range, while playing all 40 minutes. Sophomore Selton Miguel, who earned his first start in more than a month in place of Nowell, scored 14 points on 4-of-9 field goals and 5-of-6 free throws, while fellow sophomore Nijel Pack and fifth-year senior Mark Smith added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
K-State dropped its fourth straight game to fall below .500 for the first time this season. The Wildcats will need a win in Saturday's home game against Oklahoma (15-14, 5-11 Big 12) to secure a bye at next week's Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
KEY STRETCH(ES)
For the second straight game, K-State got off a strong start, leading through the first 2 media timeout due to its strong shooting from the field. The Wildcats led by as many as 8 points at 23-14 after a layup by sophomore Luke Kasubke at the 10:07 mark. During this early spurt, senior Mike McGuirl scored 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, while sophomores Ish Massoud and Nijel Pack added 6 and 5 points, respectively.
Texas Tech responded with a 9-2 run to close the deficit to 25-23 after a pair of free throws by senior Adonis Arms with under 7 minutes to play. K-State pushed back ahead by scoring 6 of the next 10 points to take a 31-27 lead after a jumper by sophomore Selton Miguel with 4:11 before halftime.
However, the Red Raiders finished the first half on a strong note, using a 12-0 run to take a 39-31 lead into the break. Senior Davion Warren cap the run with a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left on the clock.
Senior Mark Smith got things going to start the second half, scoring 7 of the Wildcats' 9 points capped by a 3-pointer to tie the score at 40-all with 17:41 to play. The Red Raiders responded with 6 straight points to jump back ahead at 46-40 and drive the sold-out crowd to near deafening levels.
Down 50-44 with just over 14 minutes to play, K-State used an 11-3 run over a 3-minute span to take a 55-53 lead after a 3-pointer by Pack. The teams then traded the lead over the next few minutes with the Wildcats taking a 61-58 advantage after a pair of free throws by Miguel with just over 6 to play. However, senior Bryson Williams responded with a 3-point play to tie the score at 61-all.
The teams again took turns taking the lead in the final few minutes before a Warren jumper with 1:05 to play gave the Red Raiders the lead for good at 69-68. McGuirl missed a 3-pointer on the next possession and Arms was fouled and knocked down 2 more free throws for a 71-68 lead. Pack attempted to tie the game with 14 seconds before his 3-pointer was blocked and Warren finished off the scoring with a pair of free throws.
PLAYER(S) OF THE GAME
Fifth-year senior Mike McGuirl scored a season-high 18 points on 7-of-15 field goals, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range, while grabbing 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in playing all 40 minutes.
Sophomore Selton Miguel posted double figures for the second time in 3 games with 14 points on 4-of-9 field goals, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range, and a 5-of-6 from the free throw line in 37 minutes.
STAT OF THE GAME
36 – Texas Tech took advantage of K-State's smaller lineup to outscore the Wildcats, 36-10, in the paint. The advantage was even more stark in the second half at 18-2.
IN THEIR WORDS
K-State Head Coach Bruce Weber
On the game…
"It's just Groundhog Day. I appreciate the guys, love the guys. They care. We were undermanned without Markquis (Nowell). Obviously, they had some people out also but we came to play against one of the top teams in the country in a place where no one's beat them here. We played them till the end like no one has done all year. I thought with a one day prep, I didn't know how they would do but we just kept showing them what we did the first time and we just said we just got to repeat that. It wouldn't be as easy here. They got too many baskets in the paint, got us on that little bit of secondary break where they just beat us a few times. Overall, just a great effort. I feel for the guys. Mike McGuirl stepped up, played all 40 minutes, made big shots. I thought he was really good on defense and had a great steal at the end. Selton (Miguel) has struggled but without Markquis he got his chance, and he took advantage of it, made some big plays and gave us a chance. Ish (Massoud) battled. Mark Smith didn't have quite the numbers he's had, but he helped us with that run to start the second half to give us a chance. And then Nijel (Pack), without Markquis he's got to handle a lot. They could double him. We found him a few times, Mike (McGuirl) and Selton (Miguel) found him a couple times. The crowd is unbelievable here. It might be better than Kansas to be honest, the noise, the music, the energy, and our guys fought through that and had great poise and gave themselves a chance to win."
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- K-State dropped just its fourth straight game to fall below .500 to 14-15 overall and 6-11 in Big 12 play.
- K-State still leads the all-time series, 25-21, but Texas Tech has now won 11 of the last 15 meetings, including 8 in a row at home… The last Wildcat win in Lubbock came on Feb. 25, 2014.
- K-State has played 11 games decided by 5 points or less… Six of the Wildcats' 11 Big 12 losses have been by one possession… The team has led or been tied in the second half in 7 of the 11 conference losses.
- K-State fell to 1-12 this season when allowing an opponent to score 70 or more points… In contrast the team is 13-3 when holding its opponent below 70 points.
- K-State registered double-digit 3-pointers for the 11th time, including the seventh time in Big 12 play.
- K-State was out-rebounded 34-23, including 8 offensive rebounds by Texas Tech that resulted in a 13-6 edge in second-chance points… The Wildcats are now 3-12 when being out-rebounded.
- Although the turnovers were close, 12-11 in favor of Texas Tech, K-State held a 14-7 advantage in points off turnovers… It was the fewest points allowed off turnovers since the Ole Miss game.
- Texas Tech got 18 points from its bench on 7-of-15 field goals compared to just 4 points for K-State.
- K-State is now 4-11 on the season when trailing at the half.
- K-State had just 7 players compete in the game, tying for the fewest this season.
- K-State had 4 players score in double figures for the eighth time this season.
- Fifth-year senior Mike McGuirl led the way with 18 points on 7-of-15 field goals, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range, to go with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in playing all 40 minutes… It marked the 14th time leading the team in scoring in his career, including his first this season… He has now scored in double figures in 38 career games, including 8 times this season.
- Sophomore Selton Miguel scored 14 points in his return to the starting lineup, hitting on 4-of-9 field goals, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range, and making 5-of-6 from the free throw line… It marked his 16th career double-digit scoring game, including his ninth this season.
- Sophomore Nijel Pack scored 13 points on 5-of-14 field goals, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range, to go with 3 rebounds, a team-high 3 assists and a steal in 38 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 20 consecutive games… He has double figures in 42 of 51 career games, including 26 of 27 this season.
- Pack has now hit a 3-pointer in 32 consecutive games dating back to last season, which extends his own school record that he broke at home vs. Baylor on Feb. 9, 2022 and was originally set by Steve Henson (25) between Jan. 5, 1989 and Dec. 2, 1989.
- Pack currently ranks fourth on the school's single-season Top 10 list for 3-point field goals with 90… It is the most 3-pointers in a single season since the 2009-10 season when Jacob Pullen (110) and Denis Clemente (88) combined for nearly 200 makes… He has already broken the sophomore record for 3-pointers (90).
- Fifth-year senior Mark Smith finished with 11 points on 2-of-5 field goals and 6-of-6 free throws to go with a game-high 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 38 minutes… He has now led the team in rebounding in 21 of 28 games… He has now scored in double figures in 61 career games, including 21 this season.
- K-State used a starting lineup of sophomore Nijel Pack, fifth-year senior Mike McGuirl, sophomore Selton Miguel, fifth-year senior Mark Smith and sophomore Ish Massoud… This marked the first time using this lineup and the 11th different lineup this season… Smith is the only Wildcat to start all 29 games.
- Junior Markquis Nowell missed tonight's game due to injury (hamstring).
- McGuirl is now 10th all alone on the school's Top 10 list for career games played with his 130th appearance, passing D.J. Johnson (129; 2012-12).
WHAT'S NEXT
K-State concludes the regular season on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats play host to Oklahoma (15-14, 5-11 Big 12) at 3 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum. The Sooners won the first meeting, 71-69, way back in the first conference game of the season on January 1.
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on K-State men's basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Team Stats
KState
TTU
FG%
.420
.491
3FG%
.400
.250
FT%
.800
.810
RB
23
34
TO
11
12
STL
8
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
6
Players Mentioned
G
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