Kansas State University Athletics
Kansas State University
10-3
UMKC
7-5
Wildcats Get Back On Winning Track Against `Roos
Dec 23, 2010 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 23, 2010
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Career nights from three different Wildcats, including a game-high 24 points from sophomore Rodney McGruder, powered Kansas State to an 80-64 victory over UMKC Thursday night. A crowd of 11,565 braved the weather to watch the Wildcats end their two-game losing streak in Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State improved to 10-3 on the year, including a perfect 7-0 at Bramlage Coliseum. UMKC saw its two-game winning streak end to fall to 7-5 overall. The Kangaroos have lost 15 of 16 meetings with the Wildcats, including all nine in Manhattan. This was the first meeting between the schools since 2003 and the first in Manhattan since 1998.
McGruder led three players in double figures, as freshman Will Spradling tallied a career-high 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, while sophomore Wally Judge anchored the post with his first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. McGruder’s seven treys tied 10 others players for the fourth-most 3-point field goals in a single-game in school history. The team shot a season-high 3-point percentage, 57 percent, and posted the second-most makes with 11. Sophomore Nick Russell chipped in eight points, six rebounds and four assists, while junior Jamar Samuels led the team with five assists.
Senior Jay Couisnard powered the ‘Roos with 21 points, including a perfect 11-of-11 effort from the free throw line, to go with a team-high nine rebounds. Fellow senior Spencer Johnson added 13 points.
McGruder was firing on all cylinders with five of his career-high seven 3-pointers coming in the first half. With 11:49 left in the first half, he hit back-to-back-to-back shots from deep range to give the Wildcats a 33-18 advantage. Spradling added two 3’s of his own to give K-State eight 3-pointers in the first half out of just 10 attempts. The Wildcat defense was on tap as well holding UMKC without a field goal until the 12:36 mark left in the first half. McGruder’s 17 points and Spradling’s 10 in the first frame gave K-State a 44-29 lead at the half.
The second half delivered more of the same for the Wildcats when McGruder hit a 3-pointer from the corner from Samuels to give K-State their largest lead of the game, 56-34. UMKC made a run midway through the half but McGruder connected on another trey on a dish from Russell to quell the Roos’ momentum and lead the way to victory. Judge provided a big presence inside for the Wildcats with eight of his 14 points coming in the second frame.
The Wildcats will look to make it two in a row when they play North Florida on Dec. 31 at 1 p.m.
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