Kansas State (10-1, 0-0 Big 12) 80
Central Missouri State (9-2, 2-0 MIAA) 58
For the second time in three games, Kansas State opened the game with a lineup of seniors Jeremiah Massey and Justin Williams and sophomore Cartier Martin at the forward positions and sophomore Fred Peete and freshman Clent Stewart at the guards... The group also started together against Rutgers... The fivesome is now 1-1 on the season as a starting unit... Massey made his 30th career start, Martin his 13th and Williams his sixth... Peete and Stewart each made their 11th career starts.
With its win this evening, K-State improved to 10-1 on the year and equaled its best start through 11 games since posting the same record during the 1997-98 campaign... It is just the ninth time in school history that the Wildcats have opened with 10 or more wins in their first 11 games... Kansas State also improved to 36-6 under Wooldridge in non-conference home games.
The Wildcats’ victory over Central Missouri State tonight improved Kansas State to 4-2 all-time vs. the Mules, including a perfect 4-0 mark in Manhattan... K-State also improved to 46-23 against current members of the MIAA... Tonight’s game was the first meeting between the two teams since Dec. 18, 1976 -- an 85-55 K-State win.
After a slow start, the Wildcats finished up shooting 50 percent from the floor -- connecting on 31 of 62 attempts --- thanks to a red-hot second half that saw K-State hit on a season-best 62 percent (18 of 29)... Kansas State’s previous best half was its 55-percent effort during the final 20 minutes at Wyoming on Dec. 11... The Cats have now shot 45 percent or better from the field in seven of their last eight games... K-State has now shot 50 percent or better from the field four times this season.
Central Missouri connected on just 6 of 26 3-point attempts (23 percent)... It is the second time in as many games that Kansas State has held its opponent to less than 25-percent shooting from 3-point distance... Over the last two games, K-State’s opponents have hit just 8 of 36 attempts (22 percent).
Kansas State outrebounded the Mules, 44-32... The Wildcats have yet to be outboarded this season... K-State did have equal rebounds vs. both Denver (43) and UTSA (32).
Kansas State’s 80 points tonight marked the first time the Wildcats have hit the 80-point mark in consecutive games this season... K-State scored 81 points last Thursday vs. Eastern Illinois... The Cats have now scored at least 80 points in three of their last four games.
The Wildcats dished out a season-high 25 assists on their 31 field goals tonight... Lance Harris and Clent Stewart led the way with six each... Harris’ assist total was a career-high, while Stewart’s tied a career-best.
Fred Peete led all scorers with a career-high 25 points, topping his previous best of 24 at Wyoming... It is the fifth time in 11 games this season that Peete has paced the Wildcats on the scoreboard and the third time he has topped the 20-point plateau... The sophomore has now scored in double figures in seven games this year... Peete also equaled his career high for rebounds with nine and just missed out on his first career double-double... Just for good measure, Peete also had four assists --- one short of his career high of five.
Jeremiah Massey finished with 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting and has now hit the 20-point mark in each of the last two games and five times this season... His nine field goals tied a career-high... He also hit 2 of 3 from the free-throw line and is shooting 84.4 percent (65 of 77) at the stripe this season... Massey’s 20 points marked the 15th time in his career that he has hit the 20-point mark.
Cartier Martin finished with a season-high 13 points... He has now scored in double figures in five straight games, six of the last seven contests and seven of K-State’s 11 games this season... The sophomore also collected a career-high eight rebounds.
Justin Williams recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 boards... His 10 rebounds were a season high, while his 10 points marked the second time this season and the second time in the last four games that the senior has scored in twin figures.
Kansas State had four players score in double figures for the first time this season.
