3-Point Barrage Carries K-State Past Oklahoma State, 75-57

STILLWATER, Okla. – Kansas State showed its vast ability from long range on Saturday evening, as the Wildcats connected on 16 3-point field goals – the second-most triples in school history – to propel themselves past Oklahoma State, 75-57, in front of 8,457 fans at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

The 16 made 3-point field goals were the most-ever in a conference game and the most since the Wildcats connected on a school-record 23 against Fresno State on March 24, 1994. Eight different Wildcats had at least one 3-pointer, including a career-tying 5 by senior Barry Brown, Jr.

The Big 12’s co-leader, K-State (16-5, 6-2 Big 12) has now won 6 consecutive games in Big 12 play for the first time in nearly 6 years and the first time since also winning 6 in a row from Feb. 18 to March 5, 2013.

The Wildcats were stellar on both ends of the court, connecting on 53.1 percent (26-of-49) from the field, including 55.2 percent (16-of-29) from 3-point range, while holding the Cowboys (9-12, 2-6 Big 12) to 57 points, including 38 with 5:32 remaining in the contest, on 40.7 percent shooting (22-of-54). The squad has now held 13 of 21 opponents and 82 under Weber to 60 points or less this season.

The 75 points were a high in Big 12 play, as K-State connected on 50 percent or better from the field for the fourth time this season, including the second time from 3-point range, and had 19 assists on 26 made field goals.

The Wildcats broke open a tight game, which stood at just 30-27 with 3:17 left in the first half, with 19 consecutive points broken up by the two halves. The team ended the half on a 13-0 run capped by a fourth 3-pointer by Brown just before the buzzer then scored the first 6 points (all from senior Dean Wade) of the second half to take a commanding lead. The advantage grew to as many as 34 points (72-38) with 5:32 remaining.

Wade (24 points) and Brown (18 points) combined for 42 of the Wildcats’ 75 points on 15-of-20 field goals, including 8-of-12 from 3-point range. Wade went a perfect 9-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, to go with a game-high 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks, as he became just the seventh player in school history to go 9-of-9 or better from the field and just the fourth to do so in a conference game.

Brown went 6-of-11 from the field, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range, and has now scored in double figures in a team-high 17 games, including 8 consecutive. The seniors were joined in double figures by sophomore Cartier Diarra, who added 10 points on 3-of-5 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.

Junior Curtis Jones paced two Cowboys in double figures with 14 points on 5-of-9 field goals, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, while fellow junior Lindy Waters III added 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting.

K-State has now won 3 consecutive games at Gallagher-Iba Arena for the first time in nearly 40 years and the first time since winning 3 in a row from 1979-81. The 18-point win was the largest in Stillwater in nearly 46 seasons since a 91-67 victory on Feb. 26, 1973.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Big 12’s best 3-point shooting team started the game on fire, knocking down a pair from beyond the arc, to give Oklahoma State a 10-6 lead into the first media timeout at the 15:24 mark.

K-State closed the gap behind back-to-back jumpers from senior Barry Brown, Jr., including a 3-pointer, to tie the game at 12-all at the 12:24 mark before sophomore Cartier Diarra connected on a trey from the corner to give the Wildcats their first lead at 15-14 with 11:45 to play.

After OSU regained the lead on a jumper at 16-15, K-State scored 7 of the next 8 points capped by a lay-up by junior Xavier Sneed to push the lead to 22-17 and force head coach Mike Boynton, Jr., to call a timeout with 6:52 before halftime.

After the timeout, Brown knocked down a 3-pointer from the side of the key to extend the lead to 25-17. The two teams traded baskets over the next few minutes before the Wildcats ended the half on a 13-0 run capped by Brown’s fourth trey of the half to extend the lead to 43-27 at the break.

K-State connected on a season-high 61.5 percent (16-of-26) from the field, including 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from 3-point range, in the first half, while OSU shot 40.7 percent (11-of-27), including 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from long range. Brown (15) and fellow senior Dean Wade (12) combined for 27 of the Wildcats’ 43 points.

Wade opened the second half scoring with a 3-pointer then added a free throw to push the lead to 47-27 at the first media timeout at the 15:54 mark. Wade accounted for the Wildcats’ first 9 points, including a second trey, to push the advantage to 52-29 with 12:48 remaining.

Back-to-back 3-pointers from Brown and Wade pushed the lead to 58-32 and forced OSU to call its fourth timeout with 11:32 to play in the game.

A 3-pointer and two free throws by Diarra extended the advantage to 63-32 midway through the second half.

The success from long range continued, as freshman Shaun Neal-Williams, sophomore Mike McGuirl and senior Kamau Stokes all connected on 3-pointers in successive possession, as the Wildcats’ lead ballooned to 72-38 with 5:32 remaining.

Head coach Bruce Weber emptied the bench with just over 5 minutes to play with the lead at 32 points, which allowed the always-dangerous Cowboys to get going offensively. OSU finished the game on a 19-3 run, which included 5 of its 11 made 3-pointers, to close the final gap to 75-57.

Nine of the Wildcats’ 10 second-half field goals came from 3-point range, as the squad connected on 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from the field, including 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from long range. The Cowboys hit on 40.7 percent (11-of-27) in the second half, including 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from 3-point range.

Wade scored 12 points after halftime on 4-of-4 shooting, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Dean Wade – Senior Dean Wade scored a game-high 24 points on perfect 9-of-9 field goals, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. It marked his 18th career 20-point game, including his third this season. He is just the seventh Wildcat to go 9-of-9 or better from the field, including just the fourth to do it in a conference game.

STAT OF THE GAME

16 – K-State connected on 16 made 3-point field goals against Oklahoma State, which is the second-most in school history and the most-ever in a conference game. It is the most made 3-pointers since the Wildcats connected on a school-record 23 against Fresno State on March 24, 1994. The 16 made 3-pointers surpassed the previous mark for a conference game of 15 set against Nebraska on Jan. 8, 2000.