Kansas State University Athletics
Kansas State University
5-2,0-0Big 12
Florida A&M
0-6,0-0MEAC
Wildcats End Two-Game Skid, Down Rattlers on Monday Night
Dec 02, 2019 | Men's Basketball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State connected on a season-high 53.7 percent from the field, as the Wildcats used a 15-2 run to start the second half to build an insurmountable lead and snap a 2-game skid with a 76-58 win over Florida A&M to open a three-game homestand on Monday night at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State (5-2) set season-highs in points (76), field goals made (29), field goal percentage (53.7), assists (21) and second-chance points (13) en route to extending its winning streak to 32 games against non-conference opponents at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats have also now won 12 straight at home in the month of December.
Florida A&M (0-6), which is in the midst of a 13-game road trip to start the season, took a 2-0 lead 68 seconds into the contest before senior Xavier Sneed gave K-State the lead for good with the first of his two 3-pointers. A 14-4 run midway through the first half gave the Wildcats a 24-12 lead with 8:32 before halftime.
Leading 39-25 at the break, the team erupted for 9 consecutive points to start the second half en route to a 15-2 start to the half, as K-State led 54-27 after a dunk by junior Cartier Diarra at the 15:59 mark. The feisty Rattlers wouldn't go completely away, using a pair of 11-2 runs to close to within 67-52 with 5:09 remaining.
However, a fourth 3-pointer by junior Mike McGuirl, who registered double figure points in consecutive games for the first time in his career, to go with a pair of free throws by Sneed, pushed the lead back to 20 with 3:47 to play.
Sneed was one of three Wildcats to score in double figures, as he posted a team-high 18 points on 7-of-10 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks in 29 minutes. McGuirl scored a season-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-6 from long range, while Diarra added 11 points to go with team-highs in both assists (7) and steals (5).
Diarra now has 48 assists (6.9 apg.) and 20 steals (2.9 spg.) through the first seven games of the season, as both totals rank second in the Big 12 behind Iowa State's Tyrese Haliburton.
The Wildcats, which had 21 assists on 29 made field goals, missed on opportunities for an even bigger win, turning the ball over 20 times, including 11 in the second half, which led to 26 points for the Rattlers.
The vaunted K-State defense, which was stung for 73 points and 13 3-point field goals in its last outing against Bradley on Nov. 27, returned to form against Florida A&M, holding the Rattlers to 58 points on 44.6 percent (25-of-56) shooting, including 9.1 percent (1-of-11) from 3-point range. The Wildcats have now held 92 opponents to 60 points or less in the Weber era with the Wildcats boasting an 84-8 mark in those contests.
Junior transfer Evins Desir tied Sneed for game-high in scoring with 18 points on 9-of-16 field goals to go with a game-high 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 32 minutes of action for the Rattlers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Florida A&M jumped out to the early lead before senior Xavier Sneed gave K-State the lead with a corner 3 at the 17:33 mark. A Sneed bucket and a 3-pointer from junior Mike McGuirl extended the lead to 10-4 with 15:00 to play before back-to-back field goals by the Rattlers cut the advantage to just one possession.
A wide-open 3-pointer by McGuirl on the next possession ignited a 14-4 run by the Wildcats that pushed the lead to 24-12 after a pair of free throws by senior Makol Mawien at the 8:32 mark.
The two teams traded baskets before back-to-back shots by McGuirl, including a third 3-pointer, extended the lead to 35-20 to 3:45 before halftime. A Mawien layup off a pass from junior David Sloan finished off the first-half scoring, as the Wildcats carried a 39-25 advantage heading into the locker room.
K-State connected on 45.2 percent (14-of-31) in the opening half, including 35.3 percent (6-of-17) from 3-point range, and knocked down 5-of-6 free throws. McGuirl led all scorers with 13 points on 5-of-7 field goals, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, while Sneed added 8 points on 3-of-6 shooting, including a pair of triples.
Florida A&M hit on 42.3 percent (11-of-26) from the field, as junior Evins Desir led the way with 8 points.
The Wildcats opened the second half with 9 consecutive points, forcing Rattlers' head coach Robert McCullum, who spent a year as an assistant at K-State in the early '90s, to call a timeout at the 18:04 mark with the lead at 48-25. Four different Wildcats scored in the stretch with Diarra registering assists on 2 of the 4 field goals.
The run grew to 15-2 to start the second half, as a Diarra dunk extended the lead to 54-27 with 15:59 to play.
The pesky Rattlers wouldn't go away, using an 11-2 run, fueled by 6 points from Desir, to cut the deficit to 56-38 at the 11:58 mark. The Wildcats responded with a 9-3 spurt, which was capped by a 3-pointer from freshman DaJuan Gordon that pushed the lead back to 65-41 with 7:01 to play.
Florida A&M scored 11 of the next 13 points, which included 8 consecutive points, to close the gap to 67-52 with 5:07 remaining. However, that would be the closest the Rattlers would get, as a McGuirl 3 and a pair of free throws from Sneed pushed the lead back to 20 points with 3:47 to play.
K-State connected on a season-best 65.2 percent (15-of-23) in the second half, but the team turned the ball over 11 times, allowing Florida A&M to score 20 points to keep it competitive. Sneed scored 10 of his team-high 18 points in the second half on 4-of-4 field goals, while Diarra added 6 points and 4 assists.
PLAYER(S) OF THE GAME
Senior Xavier Sneed led the Wildcats in scoring for the fifth time in six games with a team-high 18 points on 7-of-10 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks in 29 minutes.
Junior Mike McGuirl scored in double figures for just the fourth time in his career with a season-high 16 points on 6-of-8 field goals, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, to go with 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 24 minutes.
STAT(S) OF THE GAME
15-2 – K-State opened the second half on a 15-2 run, extending its halftime advantage from 39-25 to 54-27 with 15:59 to play. Florida A&M got no closer than 15 points the rest of the half.
IN THEIR WORDS
K-State Head Coach Bruce Weber
On the game…
"We made some progress. We scored the most points all year and had our best field goal percentage. Our starters were very good if you look at the plus-minus, Xavier (Sneed) was plus 27, Mike McGuirl and Cartier (Diarra) were plus 17. Those three had a good night and they were locked in. Our bench struggled a little some, but you have to play them. They are new, young and they have to figure it out. We need them if we are going to make progress as a team. We made a little progress and now we have to keep moving forward."
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- K-State is now 109-6 in non-conference play at home dating back to 2006-07 with wins in 96 of its last 100 non-conference home games… The Wildcats have won 33 consecutive non-conference home games.
- Head coach Bruce Weber is now 155-91 at K-State, 468-246 overall.
- K-State is now 4-0 all-time against Florida A&M, including 3-0 at Bramlage Coliseum.
- K-State is now 25-0 all-time against teams from the MEAC with all 25 wins coming at home.
- The Wildcats' starting lineup consisted of juniors Cartier Diarra and Mike McGuirl, senior Xavier Sneed, freshman Antonio Gordon and senior Makol Mawien… This was the third time using this lineup.
- Sneed has now played in 112 career games, including 79 starts (40 consecutive)… Mawien has played and started in every game in his career, which now stretches to 78… Diarra has now played in 70 games, including 38 starts (9 consecutive)… McGuirl has now played in 53 career games, including 9 starts… This was the third career start for Gordon.
- Junior Levi Stockard III was the first player off the bench.
- Freshman Montavious Murphy did not play for the fourth consecutive game after sustaining an injury against Monmouth on Nov. 13… Junior James Love III and sophomore Nigel Shadd have missed all 7 games this season due to injuries.
- K-State scored a season-high 76 points on 53.7 percent (29-of-54) shooting, including 34.6 percent (9-of-26) from 3-point range, and connected on 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from the free throw line.
- K-State set season-highs for points (76), field goals made (29), field goal percentage (53.7), assists (21) and second-chance points (13).
- Florida A&M was held to 58 points on 44.6 percent (25-of-56) shooting, including 9.1 percent (1-of-11) from 3-point range… K-State has now held 92 opponents to 60 points or less in the Weber era with the Wildcats boasting an 84-8 mark in those contests, including 23 of their last 38 opponents.
- The teams combined for 37 turnovers (17 by Florida A&M and 20 by K-State) with 46 points scored off those turnovers… The Wildcats scored 20 points off turnovers… This was the fifth straight game K-State has forced 17 or more turnovers.
- The 39 first-half points were a season-high, hitting on 45.2 percent (14-of-31) from the field.
Player Notes
- Senior Xavier Sneed scored a team-high 18 points on 7-of-10 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks in 29 minutes… It marked his 20th career game leading the team in scoring… He has now scored in double figures in 58 career games.
- With his 18 points, Sneed moved past Willie Murrell (1962-64) into the career Top 20 in scoring.
- Junior Mike McGuirl scored a season-high 16 points on 6-of-8 field goals, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, to go with 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 24 minutes… It marked his fourth career double-digit scoring game, including his second this season… He has now scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
- McGuirl's 13 points in the first half were the second-most he has had in a half, falling short of 15 in the second half against West Virginia on Jan. 9, 2019.
- Junior Cartier Diarra scored 11 points on 5-of-10 field goals, including 1-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with team-highs in both assists (7) and steals (5)… He has now scored in double figures in 21 career games, including 4 this season… He has now led the team in assists in all 7 games this season… His 5 steals matched a career-high, which he also set with 5 against Bradley.
- Freshman Antonio Gordon matched his season-high with 9 points on 3-of-6 field goals, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range, to go with 3 rebounds and 1 assist in 30 minutes.
WHAT'S NEXT
K-State continues its homestand on Saturday night, as the Wildcats play host to Marquette (5-2) at Bramlage Coliseum, starting at 8 p.m., CT in the inaugural Big 12/Big East Battle on ESPN2. Fans are encouraged to wear white for the White Out, as the team will wear retro uniforms with the classic "Wildcats" script trimmed with purple and lavender jersey to go with white shorts featuring the vintage Wildcat logo. Tickets are available for less than $20 with a Wildcat 4 Pack.
