Kansas State arrived in San Juan for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off with lofty goals.
The Wildcats didn’t have a perfect week by any means, but for the most part coach Bruce Weber likes the team he’s taking back home.
Thomas Gipson had 18 points and 10 rebounds as Kansas State cruised to a 52-38 win over Long Beach State in the seventh-place game at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on Sunday.
Marcus Foster added 10 points, his third double-figures performance of the tournament and fifth straight overall.
For the game the 49ers were held to just 19 percent shooting from the field and 21 percent from beyond the arc.
The game was close early before Wildcats (3-3) pulled away in the second half as the 49ers’ shooting percentage fell below 15 percent. They went more than 20 minutes without a field goal, missing 28 consecutive shots at one point.
Long Beach State (1-6) got no closer than 15 points in the second half. Mike Caffey led the 49ers with 13 points.
It was Kansas State’s second win this season over Long Beach State. The Wildcats posted a 13-point win Nov. 17.
The 38 points is a season-low for the 49ers, which lost their sixth straight.
Kansas State took a 25-13 lead in the opening 20 minutes. The Wildcats had a 10-2 advantage in the paint, with most coming from Gipson, who finished the half with 11 points.
Long Beach State tied it at 10, but went cold from the field as K-State closed with a 15-3 spurt.
The 13 points scored by the 49ers was a tournament-record low for a half. The 49ers struggled from all over, shooting just 12 percent (4 for 32) from the field and 16 percent (2 for 12) from the 3-point line.
The Wildcats return to Bramlage Coliseum on December 1 for a game with Central Arkansas, tipoff is set for 3 p.m.
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