KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Senior Keyontae Johnson collected his second double-double of the season to pace four Wildcats in double figures, as Kansas State led from nearly start to finish in earning a 71-56 win over former conference foe Nebraska in the 11th Wildcat Classic on Saturday night before 13,184 fans at the T-Mobile Center.
ADVERTISINGThe win helped K-State (10-1) continue its best start to a season since 2016-17, as the Wildcats snapped a 4-game skid in the T-Mobile Center while handing Nebraska (6-6) its seventh straight defeat in the series.
Johnson led all scorers with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, to go with a game-best 11 rebounds, 2 assists and a career-tying 4 steals in 34 minutes. It was his 15th career double-double, including his seventh with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, while it was his 11th career 20-point contest. He has now scored in double figures in all 11 games this season.
Johnson was joined in double figures by junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin, who scored 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting,
including 2-of-5 from long range, along with senior Markquis Nowell and sophomore Cam Carter, who finished with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Nowell added a game-high 7 assists.
K-State playing in its first Wildcat Classic since a 66-63 loss to Saint Louis in 2019, used a strong finish to the first half to build a double-digit lead at the break. The Wildcats continued to extend that lead in the first 11 minutes of the second half, building as much as a 19-point lead at 59-40 before Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg called a timeout with just over 9 minutes to play in the game.
The timeout seemed to ignite the Cornhuskers, as they rattled off 10 straight points to cut the deficit to 59-50 with under 4 minutes to play before a corner 3-pointer by freshman Jamarques Lawrence got them to within 62-55 with 1:19 remaining. However, they could get no closer as the Wildcats scored 7 straight points and 9 of the last 10 points – all from the free throw line – to close the game out.
After shooting 48.4 percent (15-of-31), including 40 percent (6-of-15) from 3-point range, in the first half, K-State had to survive a poor second-half shooting performance, where he hit on just 31 percent (9-of-29) from the field, including 30.8 percent (4-of-13) from beyond the arc. For game, the Wildcats connected on 40 percent (24-of-60) from the field, including 35.7 percent (10-of-28) from 3-point range, while making 13 of 19 free throws.
Nebraska connected on just 32.1 percent (18-of-56) from the field, including just 19 percent (4-of-21) from 3-point range, while making 72.7 percent (16-of-22) from the free throw line. Only one Cornhusker scored in double figures, as sophomore Wilhelm Breidenbach had 13 points off the bench on 5-of-9 shooting.
Senior and Kansas City native Derrick Walker, who led Nebraska with averages of 15.3 points and 8.8 rebounds on the season, was held to just 7 points on 1-of-5 shooting with 6 rebounds and 5 turnovers.
The game was the second in a 3-game series between the old conference rivals with Nebraska visiting Bramlage Coliseum for the third installment during the 2023-24 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After Nebraska scored the game's first points on a dunk by junior Juwan Gary, senior Markquis Nowell gave K-State the lead on a 3-pointer on the next possession, which started a run of 8 consecutive points. The Huskers closed the gap to within 1 point on two separate occasions, but the Wildcats seemed to always have an answer, riding the efforts of senior Keyontae Johnson and junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin to build a 39-26 lead at the half.
K-State scored 14 of the last 19 points of the first half, which was capped by consecutive dunks by Tomlin and junior David N'Guessan.
The momentum continued for the Wildcats in the first 11 minutes of the second half, as they built as much as a
19-point lead at 59-40 before Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg called a timeout with 8:52 remaining. The timeout seemed to ignite the Cornhuskers, as they rattled off a 10-0 run to cut the lead to 59-50 and force head coach Jerome Tang to call a timeout with 3:43 remaining.
A 3-pointer by Tomlin on the subsequent possession gave K-State more breathing room at 62-50, but Nebraska was able to use a 5-0 run to close to within 62-55 with 1:20 to play. However, the Cornhuskers could get no closer, as the Wildcats closed it out at the free throw line, knocking 7 in a row and 9 of their last 10 at the line.
PLAYER(S) OF THE GAME
Senior Keyontae Johnson led the Wildcats in scoring for the sixth time this season with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, with a game-best 11 rebounds, 2 assists and a career-tying 4 steals in 34 minutes. He has now scored in double figures in all 11 games.
Junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin had an impressive line with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, to go with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in 34 minutes.
STAT OF THE GAME
20/24 – Kansas State had 20 assists on 24 made field goals with 6 of the 7 players who saw action registering at least 2 assists led by game-high 7 from senior Markquis Nowell. The Wildcats are sixth nationally in assist % (assists to made field goals) at 67.5 percent (201 assists to 298 made field goals).
IN THEIR WORDS
Head coach Jerome Tang
On the game…
"I was blown away by our fans' support. The staff they came back in, I think it was after the first warmup period, and (Coach) Jareem (Dowling) was like, 'coach, the energy out there is different. It's like an NCAA Tournament game, it's buzzing.' So I was like, okay, and I didn't want to look, I was trying not to let everybody see me look up in the rafters and go crap there's people up there too, like there was all around, it was really cool. I've played in T-Mobile before, but we've never had a home court advantage. This is pretty awesome to play in here and have a home court advantage."
On how the team performed tonight…
"We got some competitors, right, and they want to win, you know, and I think every day, our care factor is growing, that we care more about winning, and we care about individual stats and stuff. And I mean, Desi Seals, I mean, he played great defense, I don't think he played his best game statistically, but the energy and effort and the contributions that made up there like we can't do it without him right. And David N'Guessan wasn't really great, you know? I mean, he scored three points, but he had eight rebounds as his season high. But I mean his ball screen roll, his rim runs, all the things that he did, I mean, those things are valuable. So, I know it was Nae'Qwan and Keyontae up here, but they'll be the first to tell you like, Keyontae gets the wide open three in the corner in the first half because David rim ran right under and we were able to hit him for a wide open three. If he doesn't do that, you know, everybody is doing their part and I'm really proud of that. The couple guys I think as we go along, if I couldn't get them to just get a little bit more buying, right, we can have a deeper rotation than we have right now. And we're going to need it for the Big 12 but a lot of dudes, they're fun to coach and fun to watch and compete out there."
Senior Keyontae Johnson
On the game…
"Coach Perry and Coach Tang, they just told me that they want me to drive anytime they try to double me and go baseline and stuff like that. When I was driving, I told the guys when I catch it in the post or anything, just start cutting right away, don't wait till I make a move. I think the first time we did that Nae'Qwan [Tomlin] got the dunk and that's when everything started opening back up and the game just got slower for me."
On letting the game come to him…
"Yes. And again, I feel like I was rushing just trying to force things. Just adrenaline running, real close to the Nebraska guys and my parents were here at the game so just trying to do too much but after a while once, like the first five minutes, I started settling in and I just started getting back to my normal stuff and just playing how I play."
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- K-State's 10-1 start is the best since also opening the 2016-17 season at 10-1.
- Head coach Jerome Tang (10-1) continues the best start by a first-year coach in school history.
- K-State is now 127-14 in home venues in non-conference play since 2006-07.
- K-State is now 9-2 all-time in the Wildcat Classic in the first such game since 2019, snapping a 1-game losing streak… The Wildcats have won 6 of the 7 Classics.
- K-State is now 21-20 all-time in the T-Mobile Center, which includes the Wildcat Classic, Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, Hall of Fame Classic and NCAA Tournament… The Wildcats snapped a 4-game losing streak in the T-Mobile Center dating back to the 2021 Big 12 Championship.
- K-State is now 128-93 all-time vs. Nebraska, including 20-3 in games played in Kansas City… The Wildcats have now won 7 in a row over the Cornhuskers.
- K-State is now 169-154 all-time vs. current member of the Big Ten, including 90-53 in games played at home venues.
- K-State used a starting lineup of fifth-year senior Markquis Nowell, sophomore Cam Carter, fifth-year senior Keyontae Johnson, junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin and junior David N'Guessan… It marked the 10th time in 11 games using this lineup.
- Nowell made his 32nd start at K-State, while Carter, Johnson and Tomlin all made their 11th starts in Wildcat uniforms and N'Guessan his 10th… It was Johnson's 66th start in college (other 55 at Florida), the 15th for Carter (other 4 at Mississippi State), 10th by N'Guessan (all at K-State), while Tomlin made his 11th Division I start (all at K-State).
Team Notes
- K-State scored its 71 points on 40 percent shooting (24-of-60), including 35.7 percent (10-of-28) from 3-point range, and connected on 68.4 percent (13-of-19) from the free throw line.
- K-State had double-digit 3-pointers (10) for the third time this season, including the second straight game.
- K-State had an assist on 20 of its 24 made field goals, including 6 players with 2 or more assists.
- K-State scored 19 points off 18 turnovers and have now posted at least 12 points off turnovers in all 11 games, including 5 such games of 20 or more points, while forcing 195 turnovers (17.7 per game).
- K-State held the advantage on the glass, 40-39, including a season-tying 28 defensive rebounds… Of its 12 offensive rebounds, the Wildcats scored 13 second-chance points.
- K-State led 39-26 at halftime on the strength of 48.4 percent (15-of-31) shooting, including 40 percent (6-of-15) from 3-point range… Senior Keyontae Johnson led all scorers with 11 points.
- K-State moved to 7-0 this season when leading at the half.
Player Notes
- Senior Keyontae Johnson scored game-high 23 points on 9-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and 3-of-6 free throws to go with a game-best 11 rebounds, 2 assists and a career-tying 4 steals in 34 minutes… It was his 11th career 20-point game, including his third at K-State… He collected his 15th career double-double, including his second at K-State… He now has 49 career double-digit scoring games, including all 11 this season… He has now registered double-digit rebounds in 17 career games.
- Junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin scored 15 points on 6-of-10 field goals, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, to go with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in 34 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 7 games… He has grabbed at least 5 rebounds in 7 of 11 games.
- Senior Markquis Nowell scored 13 points on 3-of-14 field goals, including 3-of-11 from 3-point range, and made all 4 of his free throws to go with a game-high 7 assists, 2 steals and a rebound in 37 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 75 career games, including 28 in his K-State career and 9 this season.
- Nowell has 89 assists (8.1 apg.) through 11 games with 26 turnovers.
- Sophomore Cam Carter scored 10 points on 3-of-10 field goals, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, and 2-of-2 free throws to go with 2 assists and 2 rebounds in 26 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 5 games, including 3 times this season.
WHAT'S NEXT
K-State wraps up its December non-conference schedule on Wednesday, Dec. 21 by hosting Radford (6-6) in the second game of a men's and women's doubleheader at 1:30 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum.