PROVO, Utah (KStateSports.com) – Kansas State could not dig itself out of an 18-point first-half deficit, as the Wildcats saw its 6-game winning streak end in an 80-65 loss to BYU on Saturday night before a sold-out crowd of 17,228 fans at the Marriott Center.
K-State (13-12, 7-7 Big 12) scored a season-low 22 points in the first half, connecting on just 27.3 percent (9-of-33), including 25 percent (3-of-12) from 3-point range, while BYU (17-8, 8-6 Big 12) built a 40-22 lead at the half behind 48.4 percent (15-of-31) shooting.
A 16-3 run pulled K-State to within 53-45 near the midway point of the second half, which included 5 straight points from junior C.J. Jones. However, BYU responded with 10 of the next 12 points to build its lead back to 63-47 at the third media timeout with 7:25 to play. The Wildcats could get no closer than 13 points the rest of the way as the Cougars moved to 12-2 at home this season.
Senior Dug McDaniel scored a game-high 22 points, connecting on 9-of-16 field goals, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, in 37 minutes. He now has 10 career 20-point games, including 3 this season, including in back-to-back games. He was joined in double figures by junior Brendan Hausen, who finished with 12 points on 3-of-10 field goals and 3-of-3 free throws.
Jones finished with 9 points in nearly 20 minutes while sophomore Mobi Ikegwuruka snagged a season-high 7 rebounds to go with his 4 points.
BYU was led by junior Richie Saunders, who had 17 points and 14 rebounds, while junior Dallin Hall (16 points) and senior Fousseyni Traore (11 points) also scored in double figures. Junior Keib Keita fell one point short of a double-double with 9 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks.
BYU connected on 49.1 percent (27-of-55) from the field with 40 of its 80 points coming in the paint. The Cougars were just 6 of 23 from 3-point range, but made it up for it with 21 points off turnovers, 11 second-chance points, 15 fast-break points and 41 bench points.
K-State hit on 41 percent (25-of-61) from the field, including 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from 3-point range, and shot just 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from the free throw line.
The loss snapped K-State’s Big 12-best 6-game winning streak, which was the second-longest of head coach Jerome Tang‘s tenure and the longest such streak in Big 12 play since a 9-game winning streak from Jan. 9 to Feb. 12, 2019.
K-State remained winless in 4 trips to Provo, including 0-3 at the Marriott Center. The Wildcats and Cougars are now tied at 5 wins each in the all-time series.
K-State continues its road swing on Monday night with a visit to Utah (14-11, 6-8 Big 12) at 8 p.m., CT on ESPN2. The Wildcats will return to Bramlage Coliseum on Sunday, Feb. 23 when they play host to Arizona State (12-12, 3-10 Big 12) at 3 p.m., CT on ESPN+. Tickets can be purchased online at kstatesports.com/tickets or by phone (800) 221.CATS.
HEAD COACH JEROME TANG
Opening statement…
“First of all, just want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the opportunity I have to live life with these guys and be the head coach at Kansas State. It’s a blessing. Even in the tough times, there’s just so much goodness and greatness that you see in these young men and the way we’re able to impact their lives. I want to give all the credit to the BYU staff and their players. They kicked our butts tonight. They were a better team. They were more physical team; they were more assertive team. They were just all around better than we were tonight, and they get all the credit for that win. And thankfully, you know, we got a quick turnaround, you know, so we don’t have to live with this one for very long. And so, we’ve got to regroup and head down to Salt Lake for the next one to play another really good team.”
On the slow start…
“We had 25 made buckets at the end of the game on six assists, which meant they made us play one on one, you know, and we could never get them chasing and when they weren’t switching screens. And so, we needed to set screens, and we didn’t do they were way more physical on the screens that then we were and so, and that’s on me. And so, we will correct that.”
On Coleman Hawkins’ shooting being down the last 2 games…
“This is a team game, so it’s not one guy, like everybody picks each other up. He does get a lot of attention. And so, even if Coleman’s stats were a little bit better, I don’t know, they would have mattered tonight. And I thought he did everything we need him to do to help us beat Arizona at home. And so, you know, this is not about one guy. Whether he played well or didn’t play well as a team. We didn’t play well tonight.”
On BYU’s ability to attack K-State in the paint…
“Well, you know, they rank No. 1in the Big 12 in three-point attempts and finishes at the rim. That’s what they want to do. We knew which way those guys wanted to drive. They just did it better than we were able to defend it tonight.”
On what K-State did well during the winning streak that it was able to do tonight…
“Probably more assisted buckets, and we played better defense. Our defense has been really good for the most part, and tonight their speed and their physicality took it to us.”
On the key to navigating a short turnaround…
“You had to wash it. Just have to wash it real quick recovery. Do what we have to do tonight. Wash this, you know, start, start prepping right away. The good thing for young guys get over stuff quicker than us older people. And because whether you’re winning or losing like whatever happens, you got to be able to get rid of that and move on to the next game and make it a one game season, you know? And that’s what we’ve been doing. That’s what allowed us to be successful of recently. And so now it’s just whether we had won or lost this game. We still have to improve, and we still have to get better. And so that’s what we have to try and do in a short period of time.”
FIRST HALF
BYU got off to a fast start, scoring 9 of the first 12 points, but K-State was able to close the deficit to 11-9 at the first media timeout behind back-to-back 3-pointers from junior Brendan Hausen. A free throw by senior Coleman Hawkins pulled the Wildcats to within 11-10, but the Cougars stayed hot, rattling off a 13-2 run to go ahead 24-12 and forced a timeout by head coach Jerome Tang.
A layup by junior Dug McDaniel ended a scoring drought for K-State and helped ignite the offense, but BYU continued its torrid start, answering nearly every Wildcat bucket, to go ahead 32-20 at the third media timeout with 6:36 before halftime. The score remained the same at the final media timeout at the 3:42 mark, as the teams combined to go 0-of-11 from the field.
BYU ended the drought with a layup to start a streak of 6 straight points for a 38-20 lead before senior David N’Guessan scored his first points with a jumper with 1:12 to play. The Cougars finished off the half with a dunk from senior Fousseyni Traore for a 40-22 advantage.
BYU connected on 48.4 percent (15-of-31) from the field, including 24-10 edge in points in the paint, while K-State scored its season-low 22 points on 27.3 percent (9-of-33) from the field, including 25 percent (3-of-12) from 3-point range.
McDaniel led the Wildcats with 7 points, while Traore and Richie Saunders had 10 points each to pace the Cougars.
SECOND HALF
McDaniel scored the first 5 points of the second half to cut the deficit to 13, but BYU responded with 9 in a row to go ahead 49-27. A bank shot by McDaniel ended the run but a technical was called on the K-State bench on the next possession resulting in a free throw and a 50-29 lead.
Three free throws by Hausen sparked a 16-3 run by K-State that cut the deficit to 53-45 at the 10:48 mark. Six different Wildcats scored in the run, including 5 in a row by junior C.J. Jones. However, BYU responded by scoring 10 of the next 12 points to go back out 63-47 right before the third media timeout with 7:25 to play. From there, the Cougars led by as many as 20 points down the stretch en route to moving to 12-2 at home, including 5-2 in Big 12 play.
Both teams shot better than 50 percent in the second half, including 57.1 percent (16-of-28) shooting by K-State on its 43 points scored. McDaniel led all scorers with 15 points.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- K-State (13-12, 7-7 Big 12) saw its 6-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday night in an 80-65 loss to BYU (17-8, 8-6 Big 12) at the Marriott Center.
- The series is now tied at 5 wins each, as K-State fell to 0-4 all-time in Provo, including 0-3 at the Marriott Center.
- K-State fell to 2-7 on the road, including 2-5 in the Big 12.
- 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 15th time and the 14th straight game… Hausen, M. Jones, Hawkins and N’Guessan have now started the first 25 games… All 25 of Hausen’s career starts have come at K-State.
- Hawkins now has 107 career starts (Illinois/K-State), M. Jones now has 106 career starts (Tampa/Cal State Fullerton/K-State), N’Guessan now has 64 career starts (all at K-State) and McDaniel now has 67 career starts (Michigan/K-State).
TEAM NOTES
- K-State scored its 65 points on 41 percent (25-of-61) shooting, including 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from 3-point range, while hitting on 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from the free throw line.
- K-State is now 0-9 this season when not reaching 70 points.
- Both teams had 12 turnovers with BYU holding a 21-16 edge in points off turnovers.
- BYU held a 41-31 advantage on the glass, including 27 defensive rebounds… Both teams had 14 offensive rebounds with BYU holding an 11-8 edge in second-chance points.
- K-State’s 22 first-half points were a season-low.
- BYU led 40-22 at the halftime as K-State fell to 0-8 when trailing at the half this season.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Two Wildcats scored in double figures led by a game-high 22 points from junior Dug McDaniel… He was joined in double figures by Brendan Hausen (12 points).
- K-State fell to 0-4 this season when only two Wildcats are in double figures.
- McDaniel scored his 22 points on 9-of-16 field goals, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and 3-of-3 free throws with 2 assists, 2 steals and a rebound in 37 minutes… He now has 10 20-point games in his career, including 3 this season… He now has scored in double figures in 51 career games, including 14 this season.
- Hausen scored his 12 points on 3-of-10 field goals, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range, and 3-of-3 free throws to go with 2 rebounds and an assist in 26 minutes… He now has 28 career double-digit scoring games, including 16 this season.
- Sophomore Mobi Ikegwuruka had a season-high 7 rebounds.
