Kansas State (16-11, 6-10 Big 12) 73, Nebraska 53 (14-13, 7-9 Big 12) 53
March 5, 2005
Bramlage Coliseum
For the fifth straight game, Kansas State started a lineup of senior Jeremiah Massey and sophomores Cartier Martin and Lance Harris at the forward spots and sophomore Fred Peete and freshman Clent Stewart at guard positions... The start was the sixth of Harris’ career and his fifth straight... Massey’s start was the 45th of his career, 26th of the season and the senior’s 15th straight... Martin also made his 26th start of the year (29th career) and has now been in K-State’s opening lineup for 23 consecutive games... Peete and Stewart, both first-year players, have been in the Wildcats’ starting lineup for every game this season... With today’s start, Stewart became the first true freshman in school history to open every regular-season game... As a starting unit, the group improved to 3-2 on the season.
Today’s victory was the Wildcats’ third in their last four games... Kansas State ends the regular season with a 16-11 overall record (6-10 Big 12)... K-State’s 16 wins are the most of the Jim Wooldridge era and the most for the Wildcats since the 1998-99 squad went 20-13 and advanced to the postseason NIT... With the win, K-State now leads the all-time series 119-89 and split the season series with Nebraska for the third time in the last four years (the Wildcats swept the Husker is 2003-04)... Kansas State has now taken three of the last four meetings with the Huskers and 10 of the 19 games between the two schools in Big 12 play... K-State’s win this afternoon was its fourth in a row at home over Nebraska... The Huskers have not won in Bramlage Coliseum since edging the Wildcats, 63-61, on Jan. 1, 2001... The win improved K-State Head Coach Jim Wooldridge to 5-6 vs. Nebraska, while Husker head man Barry Collier slipped to 6-5 vs. the Cats.
Today’s victory improved Kansas State to 6-10 in Big 12 play... It is the second straight year and the third time in five seasons under Head Coach Jim Wooldridge that the Wildcats have hit the six-win mark in the Big 12.
K-State’s 20-point victory today was its biggest since the Cats defeated Missouri 75-54 on Jan. 15 at Bramlage Coliseum.... It is the Wildcats’ biggest win over Nebraska since K-State defeated the Huskers 77-53 on Jan. 22, 2003... Kansas State has now defeated Nebraska by 20 or more points in two of its last three games vs. the Huskers in Manhattan... Nebraska’s 53 points were the fewest by a K-State opponent since the Wildcats held Missouri to the same number in Columbia on Jan. 29... The Huskers’ 53 points were 42 fewer than Nebraska scored in the first game between the two teams in Lincoln on Jan. 8, 2005... Nebraska’s 53 points are the second fewest by a K-State opponent in Big 12 play this season and the third fewest by any opponent this season... K-State has now held five opponents to 53 points or less this year.... The Huskers’ 20 field goals were the third fewest by a K-State foe this season and the fewest since Missouri was held to 19 on Jan. 29 in Columbia... Nebraska’s 53 points tied the Huskers’ season-low offensive output in Big 12 games this year... Missouri (Feb. 19) and Texas (Jan. 15) also held the Huskers to just 53 points... NU’s season low this year is 48 points vs. Minnesota (Dec. 8) and Creighton (Dec. 11).
Kansas State’s win over Nebraska improved the Wildcats to 13-5 at home this season... It is the most wins in Bramlage Coliseum in a single season since the Wildcats won 14 in the Purple Palace during the 1998-99 campaign.
Kansas State led 33-25 at the half and improved to 12-2 on the year when leading at intermission... The Wildcats have now hit 20 or more free throws in two of their last four games (21 vs. Baylor)... K-State attempted 30 free throws, four off their season-high of 34 vs. Missouri (Jan. 15) and the most by the Wildcats since they attempted the same number vs. Baylor... Kansas State is now 16-1 when it attempts more free throws than its opponent.
Kansas State’s out-rebounded Nebraska 36-26 and improved to 12-2 when grabbing more boards than their opponents... The Wildcats have now won the battle of the boards in four of their last five games... The Wildcats’ 20 assists today were just five off their season high of 25 vs. Central Missouri State on Jan. 3... The 20 assists are the most by the Cats since dishing out 22 vs. Baylor on Feb. 23... K-State also had just seven turnovers, its fewest since having just five at Texas on Feb. 12... The Cats also had a season-low of five vs. Texas Tech on Jan. 12.
Jeremiah Massey finished with 25 points... Massey has now scored in double figures in 18 straight games and 24-of-27 games this season... The senior was good on 9-of-11 free throws and has now had double digits in free throw attempts in nine games this season, including three straight... Massey’s game-high 25 points marked the 15th time this season that he has paced the Wildcats in scoring.
With a career-high nine assists today, freshman Clent Stewart continued his pursuit of Steve Henson’s Kansas State freshman season assist record of 114 during the 1986-87 campaign... Stewart heads into the Big 12 tournament with 109 assists and needs just six more to overtake Henson.
Justin Williams finished with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting... Combined with his 10 points on Wednesday night at Kansas, Williams has now scored in double figures in consecutive games for the first time in his career... Williams entered today’s game with just four double-figure outings in his career.
