In a high-octane clash, Texas Tech's sizzling first-half shooting and K-State's defensive woes spelled a decisive 100-72 defeat for the Wildcats. This setback leaves K-State at 11-16 overall and 3-11 in conference play.
K-State Standouts:
- PJ Haggerty: 17 points, 7-17 FG
- Nate Johnson: 15 points, 5-10 FG
- Taj Manning: 10 points, 4-8 FG
- Khamari McGriff: 8 points, 4-8 FG
- Luke Bamgboye: 12 points, 5-8 FG, 6 REB
- Jaylen Petty: 10 points, 3-11 FG
Texas Tech Leaders:
- Donovan Atwell: 26 points, 8-11 FG, 6-9 3FG
- Christian Anderson: 21 points, 8-13 FG, 3-6 3FG, 9 AST
- LeJuan Watts: 19 points, 6-11 FG, 6-6 FT, 6 REB
K-State aimed to establish Nate Johnson early, and he delivered with the opening buckets, including a three from the corner. Khamari McGriff added an inside finish, but the Wildcats then hit a scoring drought until Andrej Kostic connected from deep.
Texas Tech responded fiercely. Christian Anderson, Donovan Atwell, and Jaylen Petty each nailed threes, while the Red Raiders maintained consistent pressure in the paint.
The Wildcats, already thin up front, faced more adversity when Dorin Buca rolled his ankle. Tech seized the opportunity, draining four consecutive shots, including a corner three by Atwell, prompting a K-State timeout.
A 15-2 run by Texas Tech, highlighted by five consecutive threes, further widened the gap. A technical foul against Grant McCasland momentarily halted the onslaught, allowing Johnson to score from the line, but K-State struggled to string together defensive stops. Maria Akuentok's emphatic dunk pushed the lead to 17, forcing another timeout.
K-State's depth issues and defensive lapses were evident against a well-spaced Texas Tech offense. The Red Raiders hit eight threes in the first half, exploiting miscommunications and creating open looks.
It wasn't until the final minutes of the half that David Castillo hit a corner three, followed by a strong Johnson layup. PJ Haggerty's buzzer-beater provided a brief 6-0 run, but Texas Tech still led 49-35 at halftime.
The second half saw Khamari McGriff assert himself inside, but the Wildcats couldn't sustain momentum. For every K-State response, Texas Tech had an answer. Andrej Kostic's threes were met by Atwell's quick replies, and LeJuan Watts added to the Red Raiders' tally.
Midway through the second half, a spark from PJ Haggerty and Nate Johnson trimmed the lead to 10, but K-State's scoring drought allowed Christian Anderson to extend Tech's lead back to 20. Despite efforts from Castillo and Kostic to ignite a run, Texas Tech's relentless scoring, including a Petty dunk, kept the Wildcats at bay.
Even bench player Tyree Bryan got in on the action with an uncontested three, as K-State closed the game with another scoring drought. A 12-0 run by Texas Tech sealed the deal, with Nolan Groves' free throws pushing the Red Raiders past the century mark in a commanding victory.
K-State shot 44 percent from the field (28-of-64), 30 percent from three (6-of-20), and struggled at the line with 59 percent (10-of-17). Texas Tech dominated the boards, out-rebounding K-State by 12, and capitalized on second-chance points.
The Wildcats look to regroup as they continue their road trip, facing the Colorado Buffaloes on Wednesday night at 8 p.m.