'We were pretty hard on them': Kansas State basketball responds with 84-42 blowout victory

MANHATTAN — Bruce Weber had a laundry list of improvements he wanted to see from his Kansas State basketball team after a rough two-game performance last week at the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City.

For one day, at least, the Wildcats checked every box.

Clicking on all cylinders at both ends of the floor, the Wildcats hit North Dakota with a 16-point run late in the first half and never took their foot off the Sunday on the way to an 84-42 blowout of the Fighting Hawks.

The back-to-back losses to nationally-ranked Arkansas and Illinois by identical 72-64 scored Monday and Tuesday at T-Mobile Center not sit well with either the Wildcats' coaches or players.

"Honestly, it was disappointment," said super-senior guard Mike McGuirl, who broke out of an early slump with a season-high 15 points against North Dakota. "We're very confident in this team that we have.

"We weren't happy at all after that tournament, and we didn't sit around and be babies about it. We got in the gym, got in the film room, took hard coaching — the coaches really coached us hard — and went through two tough practices and prepared for today."

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With the victory, the Wildcats improved to 3-2 heading into a 7 p.m. Wednesday home game against Albany before traveling to Wichita next Sunday to face Wichita State at Intrust Bank Arena.

After the Hall of Fame Classic, Weber got on the Wildcats about sharing the ball — they had just nine assists against Illinois — as well as shot selection, turnovers and defense in general and specifically against 3-pointers.

There were no such concerns against North Dakota as K-State shot 60.3%, made 9 of 19 3-pointers and had 21 assists on offense with just 12 turnovers. Defensively, the Wildcats forced 17 turnovers with 13 steals and scored 25 points off those turnovers, while holding North Dakota to 29.3% shooting overall and 3 of 31 from 3-point range.

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"We were pretty hard on them when we got back on Wednesday," Weber said of the practices following the Hall of Fame Classic. "We got after them watching film, challenged them — their pride — and we showed them a lot," Weber said. "Then we had off on Thanksgiving, ate together, and then came back and showed good things on Friday.

"They came out with a good mindset. You love five guys in double figures."

Markquis Nowell came off the bench to lead the Wildcats in scoring for the second straight game with 18 points to go with five assists and five steals. Nijel Pack added 16 points, including four 3-pointers, center Kaosi Ezeagu had a career-high 15 points plus a season-best seven rebounds and Mark Smith finished with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Ezeagu stays on the floor, comes up big

Ezeagu, who had been foul-prone the first four games, had one in 20 1/2 minutes against North Dakota and turned in easily his best offensive performance, making 6 of 7 shots, all from close range. With 7-footer Davion Bradford still recuperating from a preseason bout with pneumonia and strep throat — he suited up bud did not play — Ezeagu knew he had to stay on the floor.

"I felt that I had to improve with the whole foul trouble deal because I was normally sitting two minutes into the game," he said. "I feel I'm getting more confident with my teammates and they're starting to trust me more, so I really feel when my guards trust me it really empowers me and I can do stuff.

"Beginning of the game, I told myself I was not going to foul. I just need to produce more and help my teammates, help my guards out, because we can't be just an outside scoring team and (can) use some inside presence."

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Breakout game for McGuirl

McGuirl, who started every game and finished second on the team in scoring last year, had not scored in double figures the first four games, turning the ball over nine times with just seven assists.

With Selton Miguel sidelined by a hip injury, McGuirl returned to the starting lineup and turned in a solid all-around effort Sunday, making all six of his shots, including both 3-pointers, and adding five assists and three steals.

"It was good to see Mike (break out)," Weber said. "I told him today, 'You're back in the starting lineup, now keep it. It's up to you,' and for him to be consistent is the key."

McGuirl, a fifth-year senior taking advantage of the extra COVID-19 season, wasn't overly concerned about the early slump.

"It's nowhere I haven't been before," he said. "I'm not new to struggling, going through this.

"I've got great teammates around be who always support me, who get me through every day, and they're the reason I was able to get through it."

Defense rises up

In the 28 games K-State has held opponents under 50 points during Weber's 10 years as coach, the Wildcats are 27-1.

"Our coaching staff was (adamant) on hot hands and putting pressure on the basketball and not allowing guys to have easy catches," Nowell said. "That is what led us to the steals and keeping the guys in a frenzy.

"It's been big, and we've just got to keep building on that every day on that defensive end."

He got no argument from Weber.

"The coaches at halftime, we'd talk and we had a three, four-minute period where that defense was as good as it's been all year and as good as some of our other teams. We were flying around.

"That was my big emphasis: play with a passion."

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State basketball solid in blowout victory over North Dakota