MANHATTAN, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics)– Junior Markquis Nowell led three Wildcats in double figures with a season-high 22 points, as Kansas State played perhaps its best all-around offensive game of the season in an 82-64 win over Green Bay on Sunday afternoon before 5,437 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State connected on 54.9 percent (28-of-51) from the field, including knocking down a season-high 11 3-point field goals on 21 attempts, and were a near perfect 15 of 17 from the free throw line. It marked the first time since an 87-69 win over No. 4 Oklahoma on Jan. 16, 2018, that the Wildcats have shot better than 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line in game.
The Wildcats (6-3) have now 4 of their last 5 games and moved to within 2 games of 400 career victories at Bramlage Coliseum, which opened for the 1988-89 season.
With senior Mike McGuirl out with the flu and sophomore Nijel Pack playing just 14 minutes as he returns from missing two games due to a concussion, K-State relied on its three Division I transfers to lead the way, as Nowell, sophomore Ish Massoud and fifth-year senior Mark Smith combined for 53 of the Wildcats’ 82 points. The trio also accounted for 17 of the team’s 26 rebounds and 12 of its 17 assists.
Nowell, who was starting for the third straight game in place of Pack, continued his impressive play on Sunday afternoon against Green Bay after nearly posting the school’s first triple-double against Marquette on Wednesday. He collected his first 20-point game as a Wildcat, scoring on his game-high 22 points on 7-of-13 field goals, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, while adding a game-high 8 assists, 3 rebound and a steal in 34 minutes. He missed becoming the first player in school history with consecutive points/assists double-doubles.
Massoud was equally as sharp offensively, posting back-to-back double-digit scoring games with a season-high 17 points on 5-of-5 shooting, including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc, and a 3-of-3 effort from the free throw line. He is just the 18th player in school history to go perfect from the field on 5 or more field goals and the second this season after Mike McGuirl went 6-of-6 against North Dakota on Nov. 28.
Smith tallied his third double-double of the season with 14 points on 5-of-12 field goals to go with a game-high and career-best 10 rebounds in 27 minutes, while adding 3 assists on zero turnovers and a pair of steals.
Three other Wildcats (Selton Miguel, Davion Bradford and Pack) each added 6 points.
Green Bay (2-8), which nearly played K-State even in the second half after trailing by 16 points at the half, were led by redshirt freshman Japannah Kellogg III and freshman Kamari McGee, who finished with 15 and 14 points, respectively. The Phoenix connected on 47.7 percent (21-of-44), including 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from 3-point range, and made 78.3 percent (18-of-23) from the free throw line.
KEY STRETCH(ES)
The teams went back and forth to start the game, going through 5 lead changes and 2 ties, before Green Bay took a 15-12 lead after a 3-pointer by freshman Kamari McGee at the 15:23 mark.
K-State responded to its largest deficit with an 8-0 run, which included back-to-back 3-pointers from fifth-year senior Mark Smith, that gave the Wildcats a 20-15 advantage with 12:42 remaining.
After the Phoenix closed to within 22-20 on a layup by redshirt sophomore Randy Tucker just over 2 minutes later, the Wildcats scored 7 straight points capped by a 3-pointer from junior Markquis Nowell to extend the lead to 29-20 with just under 10 minutes before halftime.
A 6-0 run by Green Bay once again put them within a possession at 29-26 after a layup by redshirt freshman Japannah Kellogg III at the 6:54 mark, K-State responded with 10 in a row, highlighted by consecutive 3-pointers by sophomore Ish Massoud that pushed the advantage to 39-26 with 2:08 to play.
The Wildcats scored 7 of the last 11 points in the half, including a layup by Nowell with 7 seconds left, to take a 46-30 advantage into halftime.
Despite trailing by 16 points, Green Bay kept the game close throughout the second half, as K-State led 56-39 at the first media timeout at the 15:59 mark. The Phoenix closed to within 14 at 60-46 on a pair of free throws by freshman Cade Meyer with 12:27 to play.
The Wildcats responded 8 of the next 10 points, including a steal and score by sophomore Luke Kasubke, to push the game to 20 points at 68-48 with just 10 minutes remaining. It would be first of three times the team pushed the lead to 20, including 73-52 on a 3-pointer by Massoud with 8 minutes left.
PLAYER(S) OF THE GAME
Junior Markquis Nowell posted his first 20-point game as a Wildcats, he scored a game-high 22 points on 7-of-13 field goals, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and 4-of-4 free throws to go with a game-high 8 assists and 3 rebounds and a steal in 34 minutes. It was the 17th 20-point game of his college career.
Sophomore Ish Massoud posted double-digit points in consecutive games for the first time this season with a season-high 17 points on perfect shooting (5-of-5 from the field, including 4-of-4 from 3-point range, and 3-of-3 from the free throw line) to go with 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in 31 minutes.
Fifth-year senior Mark Smith collected his third double-double of the season with 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting and a game-high 10 rebounds, while adding 3 assists and 2 steals in 27 minutes.
STAT OF THE GAME
11 – K-State connected on a season-high 11 3-point field goals on 21 attempts, finishing at 52.4 percent shooting from long range. It was the most 3-pointer since also connecting on 11 vs. Jacksonville last season.
IN THEIR WORDS
K-State Head Coach Bruce Weber
On the game…
“It’s a good win. Obviously as a coach, I always want more and that’s what I told them. I expect more. I hope they expect more. I thought we moved the basketball a little better. Our big emphasis was to get people moving side to side. We have enough weapons. I’ve said all along we have good shooters, but not unless we get open shots and that’s anybody. (We were) 11 out of 21 from three, maybe three (of those shots) were bad ones or questionable off the line. After watching film of Marquette and some of our other games, I told our guys you don’t get more points for being 8-10 feet off the line. Get on the line. Move the basketball. Get it going side to side, then we’re able to break people down. We had some real positive performances. Obviously Markquis (Nowell) has a pretty good and efficient line, had a couple of turnovers down the stretch but was really good. Mark (Smith) with a double-double and then he led us on our Play Hard chart with 14 and then three assists and no turnovers which is really positive. With Ish (Massoud), I’ve talked about somebody taking the team outside of the coaches and becoming the leader and talking and giving us great energy. He stepped up this past couple of days and then the game rewarded him. (He was) 5-for-5, 4-for-4, 3-for-3 for 17 (points), pretty efficient with two assists, so it was good. We got Nijel (Pack) back in there. I called his dad this morning when he got the okay to play. My goal was 15-20 minutes. I was a little scared there when he hit the floor. It was more his butt and his back. With the score where it was, there was no point in pushing it. He wanted to get in and get some rhythm going and not have another week without a game. We accomplished some stuff, made some strides offensively. Now we gotta keep growing and get better. Big game next Sunday, no doubt, after a week of exams.”
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- With the win, K-State has now won 4 of its last 5 games and improved to 6-3 on the year.
- K-State is now 120-14 in non-conference play at home dating back to 2006-07, including 111-12 at Bramlage Coliseum.
- K-State is now 398-138 (.742) all-time at Bramlage Coliseum, including 259-80 (.763) since 2001-02.
- K-State leads the all-time series, 3-1, including 3-0 at home… The Wildcats are now 11-1 all-time against Horizon League opponents, including 10-0 at home.
- K-State used a starting lineup of junior Markquis Nowell, sophomore Selton Miguel, fifth-year senior Mark Smith, sophomore Ismael (Ish) Massoud and junior Kaosi Ezeagu… This marked the first time using this lineup this season and the fourth different lineup used this season… Ezeagu, Massoud and Smith have each started the first 9 games… Ezeagu earned a start in his 15th career game at K-State… Massoud now has 17 starts in his college career… Smith now has 89 starts in his college career… Nowell earned his third straight start at K-State, while he now has 55 in his career… Miguel has now started 26 games in his Wildcat career, including 4 of 8 games played this year.
- Sophomore Nijel Pack returned to action on Sunday after missing 2 straight games… He came off the bench for the first time in his career after he started his previous 30 games played.
- Three other Wildcats – freshman Maximus Edwards, sophomore Seryee Lewis and junior Carlton Linguard, Jr. – did not play due to injury… Lewis is out for the season, while Edwards is out for an extended time… Linguard continues to be day-to-day.
Team Notes
- K-State scored 82 points on 54.9 percent shooting (28-of-51), including 52.4 percent (11-of-21) from 3-point range, and connected on 88.2 percent (15-of-17) from the free throw line.
- The Wildcats hit on 50 percent from the field, including 50 percent from 3-point range, and were 80 percent or better from the free throw line in a game for the first time since the 2017-18 season when the team shot 56.5 percent from the field, including 52.9 percent from 3-point range, and were a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line in a win over No. 4 Oklahoma on Jan. 16, 2018.
- The 11 3-point field goals were a season-high and came on 21 attempts… The 52.4 percent shooting from long range was the best with a minimum of 10 attempts since hitting on 54.5 percent against Alabama State on Dec. 11, 2019.
- The Wildcats had 17 assists on 28 made field goals, including 8 by junior Markquis Nowell.
- At least three players have scored in double figures all 9 games this season.
- K-State held a 26-22 edge on the glass, including 20 defensive boards… The Wildcats have now won the rebounding battle in 7 of 9 games this season.
- K-State held advantages on points off turnovers (13-9) and bench points (18-11).
- K-State led at the half for the sixth time this season, rallying from an early 3-point deficit, for a 46-30 advantage at the break… Junior Markquis Nowell led the Wildcats with 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting.
Player Notes
- Junior Markquis Nowell collected his first 20-point game as a Wildcat, as he poured in a game and season-high 22 points on 7-of-13 field goals, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and went 4-of-4 from the free throw line… It marked the 17th time in his career he has scored at least 20 points in a college game… He has now scored in double figures in 54 career games in college, including the seventh time in 9 games at K-State… He also added a game-high 8 assists, 3 rebounds and a steal in 34 minutes.
- Sophomore Ish Massoud scored in double figures for the fourth this season and in consecutive games for the first time this season with a season-high 17 points on 5-of-5 field goals, including 4-of-4 from 3-point range, and 3-of-3 from the free throw line… He is the 18th Wildcat to go perfect from the field on 5 or more field goals in school history and the second this season (Mike McGuirl vs. North Dakota).
- Fifth-year senior Mark Smith posted his third double-double of the season, including the fourth in his career, with 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, to go with a game-high 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in 27 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 46 career games, including 6 at K-State… He tied his career high in rebounds for the 4 time in his career.
WHAT’S NEXT
K-State will take a week off from competition for semester exams before playing two games in a 3-day span next week. The Wildcats will travel to Lincoln, Neb., to take on former conference foe Nebraska (5-6) at 5 p.m., CT on Sunday, December 19 at Pinnacle Bank Arena before returning home on Tuesday, December 21 to host McNeese State (3-7) at 7 p.m.
