Kansas State University Athletics
Kansas State University
8-1
Rutgers
6-3
Rutgers holds off Kansas State, 76-66
Dec 28, 2004 | Men's Basketball
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- Fred Peete scored 16 points and Cartier Martin added 15, but it wasn't enough to overcome a hot-shooting Rutgers squad as the Scarlet Knights handed the Wildcats their first loss of the season 76-66, before 10,133 at Bramlage Coliseum.
Ricky Shields scored 25 points and Quincy Douby added 21 to pace Rutgers.
Kansas State (8-1) had been off to its best start since 1997, but Rutgers (6-3) wrecked the Wildcats' perfect record, as the two teams faced each other for the first time.
The Scarlet Knights shot 47.2 percent (25-of-53), while Kansas State shot just 38.3 percent (23-of-60). Rutgers had held its previous four straight opponents to an average of 56.5 points on 37.9 percent shooting.
Douby and Shields came out strong in the first half. Shields had 13 points and Douby added 12 as the pair connected on 10-of-14 shots, including 5-of-9 3-pointers.
Kansas State got to within 10 points only twice in the first half behind 32.3 percent shooting (10-of-31) and seven turnovers.
The Scarlet Knights led 35-25 at halftime, but the Wildcats were able to get close in the second half, going on a 14-4 run that included a 3-pointer from Clint Stewart followed by a reverse layup from Marques Hayden that made it 54-52 with 8:17 left in the game.
But Cartier Martin squandered an opportunity to tie it when he stepped out of bounds while driving baseline. Shields then nailed a 3-pointer to halt a five-minute scoring drought for Rutgers.
The Wildcats got to within four on a Lance Harris 3-pointer that made it 62-58 with 3:48 to play, but the duo of Shields and Douby outlasted their opponents down the stretch.
Fred Peete led Kansas State with 16 points, and Martin added 15.
The Wildcats outrebounded the Scarlet Knights 45-27.
