Brown’s Career-High 22 Carries K-State Past Oklahoma State, 96-88

GAME RECAP

96

FINAL

88

RV/RV
K-STATE
WILDCATS
14-4 (3-3 Big 12)

NR/NR
OKLAHOMA STATE
COWBOYS
10-8 (0-6 Big 12)

LEADERS:
B. Brown: 22pts, 3rebs, 4asts
D. Johnson: 18pts, 6rebs, 3blks
W. Iwundu: 15pts, 8rebs, 8asts

LEADERS:
J. Carroll: 24pts, 8rebs, 1ast
J. Evans: 20pts, 7rebs, 3asts
P. Forte: 12rebs, 3asts, 1reb

TEAM	1ST	2ND	F
K-State	51	45	96
Oklahoma State	54	34	88

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Sophomore Barry Brown paced a potent Kansas State offense with a career-best 22 points, as the Wildcats earned their first win at Gallagher-Iba Arena since 2012 with a 96-88 win over Oklahoma State on Wednesday night in front of 8,948 fans.

The 96 points were the most scored in a Big 12 road game in school history and the most since posting 101 in an overtime win at Oklahoma on March 2, 1991. Overall, the point total was the ninth-most recorded by the Wildcats in a road contest and the most-ever against Oklahoma State regardless of venue.

The Wildcats (14-4, 3-3 Big 12), which won for just the second time in the last 17 meetings at Gallagher-Iba Arena, took the lead for good after a 3-point play from senior D.J. Johnson with 13:49 remaining. The Cowboys (10-8, 0-6 Big 12) would close to within 80-76 at the 5:02 mark on a pair of free throws from junior Mitchell Solomon, however, a Brown layup just 30 seconds later ignited a 10-3 run to close out the victory.

Brown paced five players in double figures with a career-high 22 points on 9-of-17 field goals, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, while Johnson added 18 points, 6 rebounds and a game-high 3 blocks. Senior Wesley Iwundu, who became the 27th Wildcat to eclipse the 1,000-point barrier, finished with 15 points, a game-tying 8 rebounds and a career-best 8 assists. Sophomore Kamau Stokes (12) and freshman Xavier Sneed (11) also reached double figures.

The Wildcats connected on 50 percent or better from the field for the ninth time this season, including the third consecutive road game, hitting on 56.3 percent (36-of-64) from the field and 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from 3-point range. The team knocked down 81 percent (17-of-21) from the line, including 86.7 percent (13-of-15) in first half.

Oklahoma State finished at 45.2 percent (28-of-62) from the field, including 54.5 percent (12-of-22) from 3-point range, and went a near perfect 20-of-22 from the free throw line. After connecting on 50 percent (16-of-32) in the first half, the Cowboys shot just 40 percent (12-of-30) after halftime.

Junior Jeffrey Carroll paced five Cowboys in double digits with a game-high 24 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including a perfect 4-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with a game-tying 8 rebounds. Sophomore Jawun Evans added 20 points, a team-high 7 assists and 3 steals, while senior Phil Forte finished with 12 points.

The Basics
• Final Score: Kansas State 96, Oklahoma State 88
• Records: Kansas State 14-4, 3-3 Big 12 // Oklahoma State 10-8, 0-6 Big 12
• Attendance: 6,673
• Next Game: Saturday, Jan. 21 // vs. 7/8 West Virginia // 5 p.m. CT // ESPN2

The Short Story
• Sophomore Barry Brown led a stellar offensive performance by Kansas State with a career-high 22 points, as the Wildcats notched their first win at Gallagher-Iba Arena since 2012 with a 96-88 victory over Oklahoma State on Wednesday night.
• The 96 points were the most scored in a Big 12 road game and the most since totaling 101 in overtime at Oklahoma on March 2, 1991. Overall, they were the ninth-most ever scored by the Wildcats in a road contest and the most-ever against Oklahoma State.
• K-State connected on better than 50 percent in both halves for the fifth time this season, including the second time in Big 12 play, as the Wildcats shot 56.3 percent (36-of-64) from the field.
• Brown paced five Wildcats in double figures with his second career 20-point game to go with a game-high 4 steals, while senior D.J. Johnson added 18 points, 6 rebounds and game-high 3 blocks.
• Senior Wesley Iwundu, who became the 27th Wildcat to record 1,000 career points in the first half, finished with 15 points, a game-tying 8 rebounds and a career-tying 8 assists.
• Sophomore Kamau Stokes (12) and freshman Xavier Sneed (11) also registered double figures.
• Junior Jeffrey Carroll was one of two Cowboys with a 20-point game, as he totaled a game-high 24 points on 7-of-10 shooting to go with game-tying 8 rebounds. Sophomore Jawun Evans finished with 20 points, 7 assists and 3 steals.

How It Happened | First Half
• Both teams started the game off hot, earning a 13-all tie at the first media timeout at the 15:13 mark after each connected on 5 of their first 7 field goals.
• K-State was able to carve out a 24-20 advantage with 11:38 to play on the strength of reserves Carlbe Ervin II and Isaiah Maurice, but OSU quickly recaptured the edge on a 4 consecutive free throws and back-to-back layups by Evans to take a 28-24 to force a Wildcat timeout at the 10:35 mark.
• The Wildcats were able to close to within 28-27 on a 3-pointer by Brown, but an 8-4 spurt gave the Cowboys a 36-31 edge heading into the third media timeout with 7:38 before halftime.
• It was during the run that Iwundu scored his 1,000th career point on a jumper at the 8:33 mark.
• K-State closed to within 36-35 on a layup by Brown and 2 free throws by Iwundu with 5:41 before halftime, but OSU responded with 6 in a row to again gain control at 42-35 just 24 seconds later.
• A second Brown dunk closed the gap to 46-45 with 2:57 to play then the Wildcats were able to tie it at 49-all on a Stokes’ layup at the 1:24 mark.
• A 3-pointer by Forte and 2 free throws by Brandon Averett gave the Cowboys a 54-51 lead the break.
• The 51 points were the most scored by the Wildcats in a first half in the Bruce Weber era, surpassing 49 scored vs. Oklahoma State on Jan. 23, 2016, while the 54 points allowed were also a high of the Weber era, topping the 51 by Kansas on Jan. 3, 2017.
• Both teams shot over 50 percent from the field, as the Wildcats connected on 52.9 percent (18-of-34), including 28.6 percent (2-of-7) from 3-point range, and went 86.7 percent (13-of-15) from the line. The Cowboys connected on 50 percent (16-of-32), including 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from long range, and hit on all 13 free throw attempts.
• Brown led with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while Johnson and Stokes each added 10 points.

How It Happened | Second Half
• K-State was able to tie the game at 54-all on a 3-pointer by Dean Wade but OSU again responded with 4 straight points to force a Wildcat timeout at the 18:42 mark.
• The Wildcats came out of the timeout strong, scoring 5 in a row, taking the lead at 59-58 on a 3-pointer by Brown with 17:09 to play.
• K-State was able to maintain the edge before OSU tied it at 66 on a 3-pointer by Forte at the 14:08 mark.
• However, the Wildcats responded with 5 straight points highlight by Johnson’s 3-point play to regain the advantage at 71-66 with 13:12 remaining.
• K-State was able to push it to 6 twice, including 76-70 on a jumper by Sneed at the 9:54 mark.
• OSU crept back within 76-74 behind 4 consecutive points from Davon Dillard with 8:17 remaining.
• The Wildcats pushed the advantage back to 80-74 on layups by Stokes and Johnson with 5:27 to go.
• The Cowboys would get within 80-76 with just over 5 to play on a pair of free throws by Solomon, but a 10-3 Wildcat run capped by a Brown 3-pointer put the game away with 1:39 to play.
• K-State connected on 60 percent (18-of-30) of its field goals in the second half, including 62.5 percent (7-of-15) from 3-point range, and knocked down 4-of-6 attempts from the free throw. Brown scored 11 points after halftime on 4-of-8 field goals, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Beyond the Boxscore
• The Wildcats snapped a 4-game losing streak at Gallagher-Iba Arena and won for just the second time in 17 meetings and the first time since a 66-58 victory on Jan. 12, 2012.
• The 96 points are the ninth-most scored in a road game in school history and the most since 101 in a win at Oklahoma in overtime on March 2, 1991… It was also the most scored in a Big 12 game under head coach Bruce Weber and the second-most in his tenure after the 98 vs. Southern Utah on Nov. 14, 2014.
• K-State set season-highs for points, field goals made (36) and attempted (64) and points in the paint (48)… The 48 points in the paint tied for the most in the Bruce Weber era.
• The Wildcats connected on 50 percent or better from the field for the ninth time this season, including the fourth time in Big 12 play, while the team shot 50 percent or better in both halves for the fifth time.
• K-State dished out 20 or more assists for the fifth time with 21 on 36 made field goals.
• The Wildcats posted double-digit steals for the sixth time this season with 11… The team scored 21 points off those turnovers, which is the sixth game time that he scored 20 or more points off turnovers.
• It marked the fourth time this season that five or more Wildcats scored double figures.
• Brown has scored in double figures in a team-high 14 games.

Quotable
• “I talked about us having to have emotion today and that’s probably the most important aspect of tonight’s win,” said head coach Bruce Weber. “We had to do it together and we all did that. You have five guys in double figures and the bench guys did a nice job of coming in and making sure we finished the game. Wes [Iwundu]’s line (15 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) is what I have been dreaming of all season. He was really good tonight. Barry [Brown], of course, was really, really good and to have a career-high. A lot of guys played well. It was just a good team win and great road win. We’ve been so close (on the road) and something good finally happened. If you have a good attitude, good things will come.”

Up Next
• K-State returns home to Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday afternoon to take on another former Wildcat coach – Bob Huggins – and his nationally-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers (15-3, 4-2 Big 12) at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN2. Tickets are available for as low as $18.75 with the Wildcat 4-Pack at www.kstatesports.com or via phone at (800) 221.CATS.