Kansas State is slowly but surely proving to be an improved offensive team in 2016.
The trio of Wesley Iwundu, Barry Brown and D.J. Johnson led the Wildcats on a 21-0 run in the middle of the first half Tuesday night, guiding the way for K-State in a 81-68 victory over Omaha at Bramlage Coliseum.
For a second-straight game, K-State was cold offensively in the early-going, falling behind 13-4 on 1-of-5 shooting. The Wildcats also turned the ball over five times in that stretch.
“I got after them, especially with how we were playing defense,” Weber said. “They were doing whatever they wanted, and we were just flat on both ends.
“We found a spark after that.”
K-State looked like a different team the rest of the first half. The Wildcats made six of their next seven shots to erase their deficit. Iwundu, Brown and Johnson were all contributors, scoring 11 points apiece in the first half.
Meanwhile, Omaha went more than seven minutes without making a shot from the field. During that stretch, K-State turned a nine-point deficit into a 12-point lead.
“You can see that we’re starting to find a little rhythm. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.”
Brown finished the game with a team-high 15 points. K-State stretched its lead to as big as 26 in the second half, thanks to solid contributions by Carlbe Ervin and Isaiah Maurice off the bench.
Ervin registered career-highs in rebounds (9) and assists (8) and led the team in both categories.
“He and D.J. got the game ball tonight,” Weber said. “They gave their all and really set the tone for everyone else.”
Kamau Stokes finished the evening with 14 points. He went 3-of-5 on three-pointers and the only player in the game to make more than one. Maurice and Xavier Sneed added eight points each.
Omaha (1-2) outscored the Wildcats 13-2 over the final four minutes against K-State’s bench players.
K-State returns to action on Sunday when it hosts Hampton.
