Kansas State University Athletics
Kansas State University
6-0
Wyoming
4-3
Wildcats win thriller in Wyoming to remain perfect on the season
Dec 11, 2004 | Men's Basketball
CASPER, Wyo. Kansas State has made a habit of second-half comebacks this season. Saturday night at the Casper Events Center the Wildcats pulled off another one, this time on the road, and remained undefeated on the year with a 64-61 victory over Wyoming.
Fred Peete led all scorers with a career-high 24 points, including the final eight of the game for the Wildcats as Kansas State (6-0) out-scored Wyoming 17-5 over the final three minutes for their fifth come-from-behind win in six games.
The victory was also the first against a non-conference opponent away from Bramlage Coliseum since a 79-66 win at Wichita State on Dec. 14, 2002 for K-State, which has now won seven straight non-league games dating back to last season.
Off to its best start since the 1997-98 season, Kansas State trailed 32-30 at the break and struggled for the majority of the second half, especially at the free-throw line, where the Cats were able to connect on only 9-of-18 attempts.
But after scoring just 17 points over the first 17 minutes of the period, the Wildcats caught fire, pouring in 17 in the last three minutes, including 10 by Peete.
Jay Straight, who led the Cowboys with 17 points, canned his fifth 3-pointer of the game to give Wyoming a seemingly insurmountable 56-47 lead with just over three minutes to play
But the Wildcats would not go away. And after Marques Hayden hit 1-of-2 from the line and Peete added a lay-up, the Cowboys' edge had been trimmed to 56-50.
A hoop by Alex Dunn pushed the Wyoming lead back to eight points, but it would be the last field goal of the game for the Pokes.
A 3-pointer by Clent Steward and a bucket by Lance Harris got the Wildcats within a two points with a minute to play.
A pair of free throws by Dion Sherrell only temporarily stopped the bleeding for the Cowboys as Peete took over in the final 40 seconds, sandwiching an offensive put-back and a 3-pointer around a free throw by Wyoming’s Jerry Webb to tie the game with 21 seconds to go.
The junior then put the game on ice. Coming out of the pack after a missed Straight 3-pointer, Peete weaved his way to the hoop with just seconds remaining on the clock and scooped in the game-winning points on a spectacular spinning lay-up.
He added a free throw with one second to go to complete the 3-point play and Wyoming was unable to connect on desperation 3-pointer to end the game.
In the end, Kansas State more than made up for its struggle at the stripe with solid shooting from the floor. K-State shot 51 percent from the field for the game, including a 10-of-13 effort by Peete and 5-for-8 shooting by Lance Harris, while once again producing an solid defensive effort that held Wyoming (4-3) to just 36 percent from the floor.
Kansas State also had another solid effort on the glass. Three players hauled down five boards apiece and the Wildcats out-rebounded the Cowboys, 35-32.
Kansas State returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 18, when the Wildcats open a five-game homestand against Texas-San Antonio at Bramlage Coliseum at 7 p.m.
