Kansas State basketball stuns No. 19 Texas Tech: Three takeaways
MANHATTAN — Now that's how you finish.
After letting a five-point lead slip away just three days earlier against TCU, Kansas State made all the right plays down the stretch Saturday against No. 19-ranked Texas Tech, stunning the Red Raiders, 62-51, at Bramlage Coliseum.
It was the first Big 12 Conference victory for the Wildcats, who improved to 9-7 overall and 1-4 in the league. Texas Tech (13-4, 3-2), which was coming off impressive victories over both No. 10 Kansas and No. 1 Baylor in the past week, saw its three-game winning streak end.
After Terrence Shannon pulled Texas Tech within a point at 50-49 with 4:50 left, K-State ended the game on a 12-2 run. Mark Smith scored half of his 12 points with a pair of 3-pointers down the stretch.
The Wildcats also got a game-high 14 points from Nijel Pack and 10 from Mike McGuirl. Bryson Williams was the lone double-figure scorer for Texas Tech with 20 points.
Markquis Nowell led the defensive effort for K-State with five steals, and he had nine assists. Pack led the Wildcats to a 33-29 rebounding advantage with seven.
Here are three takeaways from a much-needed victory for K-State.
Wildcats fight back
K-State had been in every conference game so far but couldn't find a way to finish the job.
Against Texas Tech, the Wildcats kept their poise against arguably the hottest team in the Big 12, even when the Red Raiders went to a full-court press down the stretch.
The difference this time?
"Number one, we've been there before," said associate head coach Chris Lowery, who filled during the postgame media session for Bruce Weber, who had practically lost his voice during the game. "We've been there so many times and I've been on them about you either dig a hole or draw a line, and we really draw that line and hold the other team on the other side of that line.
"Too many times we've dug a hole for ourselves and fallen in and can't get out of it, and today was the day that we actually stayed on the right side of the ledger with a win. You've got to overcome stuff like this if you're going to grow as a team."
Welcome back, Mike McGuirl
McGuirl returned after two weeks in COVID-19 protocols to score in double figures for just the third time this season and first since he had 10 on Dec. 5 at Wichita State.
He finished with 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting, including 2-for-3 from 3-point range.
"I know how big Mike was for us last year and him coming back, we missed him the last couple of (games)," Pack said. "I was so confident in him.
"From the beginning, I've been telling him, 'I believe in you. I believe in you probably more than you believe in yourself.' And today he came out and was that big spark for us. He made good shots, he made good reads and was aggressive, and that's what we needed from him."
McGuirl was the Wildcats' second-leading scorer last year at 11.8 points per game, but has been overshadowed by Pack and transfers Nowell and Smith this season, averaging 6.1 points and 2.2 assists coming into the game.
Another fast start for the 'Cats
K-State seems to have put its slow start syndrome to rest. Now it's a matter of sustaining the early momentum.
The Wildcats got out of the gates quickly again against Texas Tech by showing patience on offense and instead of chucking up 3-pointers, knocking down mid-range jumpers on the way to an 11-3 lead.
But Texas Tech, which missed seven of its first eight shots, suddenly found the range and went on a 17-2 tear to grab the lead. K-State hit a pair of 3-pointers before intermission to trail 28-26 at the half.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State basketball team Texas Tech Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum
