K-State was handled with ease by the #4 Texas Longhorns 82-67 in Austin in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated.
For the second straight game, K-State was shorthanded. Three players were out, headlined by Nijel Pack, who hasn’t played in over a week. Antonio Gordon and Seyree Lewis barely practiced. DaJuan Gordon and Carlton Linguard were both limited with injuries.
In a similar situation last Saturday against Oklahoma State, the Wildcats hung around into the second half. Texas wasted far less time in blowing this game open.
The Longhorns used an 18-0 run to build a 30-12 lead by the 5:29 mark of the first half. Texas drilled four threes during the decisive stretch while K-State went over seven minutes without a field goal.
The lead ballooned to 28 in the second half before a late K-State run covered the Vegas spread of 17.
“You have to have somebody step up and make a play, but I knew that would be tough,” K-State head coach Bruce Weber said. “We knew we had a difficult task.”
The Wildcats won’t soon forget Longhorns reserve forward Kamaka Hepa. He poured in 15 points – all from three-point range – after entering Saturday with only three points all season.
Hepa only played extensively because of the Longhorns’ covid issues. Regular contributors Greg Brown, Kai Jones, and Brock Cunningham were all out and gave Shaka Smart fewer available scholarship players than Weber.
Davion Bradford led K-State with 14 points and seven rebounds and has now scored in double figures in four of six Big 12 games. Rudi Williams (12), DaJuan Gordon (11), and Mike McGuirl (11) also joined Bradford in double figures.
This game did mark the unexpected college debut of freshman Luke Kasubke. A foot injury kept him sidelined for the first 13 games of the season, and Weber said earlier in the week that he was still a week or two away from playing.
It’s only a small consolation for a team that has now lost four straight overall and five consecutive league games.
Both of K-State’s games next week could be in jeopardy. Oklahoma and West Virginia missed games this week due to Covid-19.
The Wildcats may be closer to full strength with Pack, or even Ezeagu, back whenever they next take the floor.
