FORT WORTH, Tex. (KStateSports.com) – Senior Noah Reynolds’ layup with 12 seconds to play capped a 7-0 game-ending run by TCU, as the Horned Frogs rallied past Kansas State for a 63-62 win on Saturday afternoon before 6,108 fans at Schollmaier Arena.
K-State (7-6, 1-1 Big 12) led 62-56 after a 3-pointer by senior Max Jones with 3:14 to play before TCU (8-5, 1-1 Big 12) rallied for the victory to remain unbeaten at home. The Wildcats took the 6-point lead after getting a jumper from junior Dug McDaniel and layups from sophomore Macaleab Rich and senior David N’Guessan during a 9-4 run while holding a narrow 53-52 lead.
Following a tip-in by sophomore Vasean Allette after an offensive rebound, senior Brendan Wenzel knocked down a 3-pointer to pull the Horned Frogs to within 62-61 with 1:17 to play. It was Wenzel’s first appearance after missing the last 3 games due to injury.
Both teams came up empty on the next two possessions before N’Guessan was fouled after grabbing his career-best 17th rebound of the game with 24 seconds. However, the senior couldn’t convert on the 1-on-1 free throw opportunity, as Wenzel secured the rebound and fed it to Reynolds, who converted on a layup with 12 seconds.
Head coach Jerome Tang called a timeout with 9.5 seconds to set up the potential game-winning play, but McDaniel’s layup was off the mark as the horn sounded.
K-State’s road woes continued in the loss, as the Wildcats dropped their 12th consecutive game in a true road environment dating back to last season. The team has now lost nine straight road games in Big 12 play. The last road win came at West Virginia on Jan. 9, 2024.
The Wildcats connected on 54.8 percent (17-of-31) of its field goals in the second half after hitting on a season-low 26.3 percent (10-of-38) in the first half when they trailed by as many as 8 points. They were able to close to within one possession at 27-24 at the halftime break after a jumper from senior Coleman Hawkins and a 3-pointer from junior Brendan Hausen.
For the game, K-State shot 39.1 percent (27-of-69) from the field, including 21.4 percent (6-of-28) from 3-point range, while making just 2 of 5 attempts from the free throw line. The Wildcats outscored the Horned Frogs, 40-30, in points in the paint.
McDaniel was one of four Wildcats to score in double figures with 12 points on 6-of-15 field goals to go with a game-high 5 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in his second consecutive start. He was joined in double figures by Hawkins (11 points), N’Guessan (10 points) and Hausen (10 points).
N’Guessan tallied his fifth career double-double, including his second this season, with his 10 points and career-high 17 rebounds. The 17 rebounds tie for the third-most rebounds by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game and the most since Michael Beasley had 17 vs. Missouri on Feb. 16, 2008.
TCU narrowly outshot K-State, converting on 39.3 percent (24-of-61) from the field, including 40 percent (6-of-15) from 3-point range, to go with 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from the free throw line. The Horned Frogs were outrebounded 47-36 by the Wildcats but took advantage of their 10 offensive rebounds to score 19 second-chance points.
Reynolds led three TCU players in double figures with his game-high 18 points, which came on 7-of-13 field goals and 3-of-3 free throws. He was joined in double figures by senior Trazarien White and Allette, who each scored 14 points. Junior big man Ernest Udeh Jr. scored just 2 points, but was pivotal with 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.
It marked the second consecutive season that TCU has beaten K-State on a last-second shot. Last season, Jameer Nelson Jr.’s 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left lifted the Horned Frogs to a 75-72 win over the Wildcats at Bramlage Coliseum on Feb. 17, 2024.
TCU has now won 3 straight in the series, including back-to-back games in Fort Worth.
K-State concludes its road swing on Tuesday night, as the Wildcats travel to Stillwater, Okla., to take on Oklahoma State (8-5, 0-2 Big 12) at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The game will tip off at 7 p.m., CT on ESPN+.
HEAD COACH JEROME TANG
Opening statement…
“I just want to thank our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for this opportunity that I have to live life with these dudes and guys in the locker room. It’s such a blessing. So thankful for the growth that’s taking place and the opportunities that we have in front of us. This was one heck of a Big 12 basketball game with an incredible environment, and they made one more play than we did.”
On why K-State was unable to score in the last 3:14 of the game…
“You just have to credit them for playing really good defense.”
On if K-State’s offense was out of sync in the first half having to take 22 3-pointers…
“No, we’ve got good shooters, and we want to shoot the ball. Probably not that many. I thought we settled in the first half. The second half, we decided it wasn’t going to settle. And obviously we had a better shooting performance.”
On if he got what he wanted on the final possession…
“We wanted to go fast. And I thought he (Dug McDaniel) made the right decision. He turned on the ball screen and got to the rim. He made, like, probably five of those similar type shots earlier and so and then we had two offensive rebound opportunities. So, I’m living with that.”
On the message to his team in the locker room with the quick turnaround…
“It’s the Big 12. If we’d won the game, it’s still the same. You have to flush it, kind of like golfers and tennis players. You know, it’s one point, you move on to the next. It’s one game. We have to move on to the next. We flush it and we start preparation. Preparation starts with treatment and whatever we have to do right now. We don’t get to travel back tonight. So, we have to take care of their bodies, get them food and rest, and start our scout on Oklahoma State.”
FIRST HALF
K-State jumped out to a 6-2 lead behind 4 points from senior Coleman Hawkins, however, TCU responded with 13 of the next 15 points, including 7 in a row, take a 15-8 lead at the 12:04 mark. A 3-pointer from junior Brendan Hausen ended a 6-0 Horned Frogs’ run to cut the deficit to 15-11 at the second media timeout less than 25 seconds later.
A Hausen free throw pulled the Wildcats to within a one possession out of the media timeout, but they couldn’t capitalize, missing 9 straight field goals before a Hawkins’ layup closed the gap to 19-14 with less than 7 minutes in the half.
A jumper by senior David N’Guessan and a corner 3-pointer by Hausen once again got K-State to within a possession at 21-19, however, TCU responded with 5 straight points to provide some cushion at 26-19 at the final media timeout with 3:44 to play. However, despite their dismal shooting, the Wildcats were able to finish off the half on a high note, with a layup by Hawkins and a third 3-pointer from Hausen to close to with 27-24 at the halftime break.
K-State shot just a season-low 26.3 percent (10-of-38) from the field, including 13.6 percent (3-of-22) from 3-point range, in the first half. Hausen (10 points) and Hawkins (8) combined for 18 of the Wildcats’ 24 points. N’Guessan pulled down 14 rebounds in the first half, which tied for the 10th-most by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game in school history.
SECOND HALF
K-State was able to tie the game at 27-all on a 3-pointer by Hawkins on the first possession of the second half. TCU scored 10 of the next 14 points to push back ahead, 37-31, just after the first media timeout. However, the Wildcats used an 8-0 run keyed by a 4-point play from senior Max Jones to take a 39-37 lead and forced a timeout by head coach Jamie Dixon at the 13:52 mark.
A 3-pointer out of the timeout returned the lead to the Horned Frogs before back-to-back baskets by juniors Dug McDaniel and C.J. Jones gave the Wildcats a 43-40 lead. Another 3-pointer by the Frogs tied the game at 43-all just before the second media timeout with 11:40 to play.
Sophomore Macaleab Rich provided a spark with 6 points in a stretch where K-State took its largest lead at 47-43 before TCU closed it to 51-50 at the third media timeout with 7:40 remaining. A layup by McDaniel out of a timeout by head coach Jerome Tang started a 6-2 run that gave the Wildcats a 59-54 lead at the final media timeout at the 3:45 mark.
After a pair of free throws by TCU, a 3-pointer by Max Jones pushed K-State ahead 62-56 with 3:14 to play. However, the Horned Frogs scored on back-to-back possessions, including a 3-pointer to close to within 62-61 before Dixon called his final timeout with 1:15 remaining.
A missed free throw by N’Guessan on a 1-on-1 opportunity set up the game-winning shot by senior Noah Reynolds as he drove the line and made a layup over Hawkins with 12 seconds. K-State had one last chance in the waning seconds after a timeout by Tang with 9 seconds, but McDaniel’s layup was off the mark as the clock expired.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- K-State still leads the all-time series, 21-14, including 8-5 in games played in Fort Worth… TCU has now won the last 3 games in the series with back-to-back games in Fort Worth.
- K-State has now lost 12 consecutive road games, including 9 straight in Big 12 play… The last road win by the Wildcats came at West Virginia on Jan. 9, 2024.
- It marked the second straight season that the Horned Frogs have beaten the Wildcats on a last-second shot… Last season, Jameer Nelson Jr.’s 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left lifted TCU to a 75-72 win at Bramlage Coliseum on Feb. 17, 2024.
- K-State used a starting lineup of junior Dug McDaniel, junior Brendan Hausen, senior Max Jones, senior Coleman Hawkins and senior David N’Guessan for the third time and the second straight game… Hausen, M. Jones, Hawkins and N’Guessan have now started the first 13 games… All 13 of Hausen’s career starts have come at K-State.
- Hawkins now has 95 career starts (Illinois/K-State), M. Jones now has 94 career starts (Tampa/Cal State Fullerton/K-State), N’Guessan now has 52 career starts (all at K-State) and McDaniel now has 55 career starts (Michigan/K-State).
TEAM NOTES
- K-State scored its 62 points on 39.1 percent (27-of-69) shooting, including 21.4 percent (6-of-28) from 3-point range, while making 40 percent (2-of-5) from the free throw line.
- K-State scored 40 points in the paint… It marked the third time this season that the Wildcats have scored 40 or more points in the paint.
- K-State held a 47-36 rebounding advantage but TCU made the most of its 10 offensive rebounds with 19 second-chance points… The 47 total rebounds were a season-high, along with 29 defensive rebounds.
- TCU had just 6 turnovers compared to 12 by K-State.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Four Wildcats scored in double figures led by 12 points from junior Dug McDaniel… He was joined by senior Coleman Hawkins (11 points), senior David N’Guessan (10 points) and junior Brendan Hausen (10 points).
- McDaniel scored his 12 points on 6-of-15 field goals, including 0-of-4 from 3-point range… He now has 44 career double-digit scoring games, including 7 this season… He also added a game-high 5 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in 35 minutes in his second straight start… All 12 of his points came in the second half on 6-of-10 shooting.
- Hawkins scored his 11 points on 5-of-14 field goals, including 1-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks in 31 minutes… He now has 52 career double-digit scoring games, including 7 at K-State.
- N’Guessan collected his fifth career double-double, all coming at K-State, with 10 points on 5-of-8 field goals to go with a career-high 17 rebounds, 4 assists and a block… He now has 37 career double-digit scoring games, including his team-leading 11 this season.
- N’Guessan 17 rebounds tie for the third-most rebounds by a Wildcat in a Big 12 game and the most since Michael Beasley had 17 vs. Missouri on Feb. 16, 2008.
- N’Guessan’s 4 assists matched his season high.
- Junior Brendan Hausen scored his 10 points on 3-of-7 field goals (all from 3-point range) and 1-of-1 free throws to go with 3 rebounds and an assist in 31 minutes… He now has 21 career double-digit scoring games, including 9 at K-State.
