Wildcats Battle Past Rams, 71-67

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) - David Hoskins scored a career-high 24 points to lead Kansas State to a 71-67 win over Colorado State on Wednesday night.

Cartier Martin added 18 points and Lance Harris 14 for the Wildcats, who shot only 35 percent from the field but went 27-for-32 from the free throw line.

Colorado State pulled ahead early in the second half, but Hoskins kept the Wildcats within striking distance. His 3-point play with 4:52 remaining gave Kansas State a 62-53 lead - its biggest of the game.

The Rams managed to close within 69-67 on Stephan Gilling's 3-pointer with 9.4 seconds to go, but Hoskins calmly sank two free throws to seal the win.

Michael Harrison led five Rams in with 13 points. Sean Morris and Cory Lewis added 12 each, Stuart Creason had 11 and Michael Morris 10.

Jason Smith, who had been averaging more than 19 points per game for the Rams, was 0-for-5 from the field and finished with six points.

Hoskins, a junior college transfer, made his first start after coach Jim Wooldridge was unhappy with his team's performance in an 89-60 victory over Longwood on Monday.

The 6-foot-5 sophomore was often matched up with Smith and Creason, Colorado State's twin 7-foot centers. But that didn't stop Hoskins from doing most of his damage inside, where he got both players into foul trouble and made 12-of-15 from the free throw line.

Colorado State (6-1), off to its best start since 1970, jumped out to an early lead on back-to-back 3-pointers from Lewis and Michael Morris. The Rams extended their advantage to as many as 10 when Sean Morris made three free throws with 11:33 to go in the first half.

But then the Rams got into foul trouble, as Smith picked up his second foul with 8 1/2 minutes to go in the half and his third a few minutes later. Kansas State (6-1) took advantage, with Martin's two free throws triggering a 14-2 run.

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Team Stats

David Hoskins

Cartier Martin

Lance Harris

Mario Taybron

Kansas State University Athletics