From K-State Athletics
Kansas State scored 13 straight points, including the last 5 in regulation to force overtime, as the Wildcats seized the momentum to overtake North Alabama, 75-74, in the extra period on Saturday afternoon before 9,528 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State (6-2) won its third overtime game of the season, including its second in a row, as the Wildcats moved to 8-0 in overtime games under head coach Jerome Tang. He is the first head coach in school history to win his first eight overtime games, breaking a tie with Dana Altman, who was a perfect 7-0 in overtime games in his tenure from 1991-94. Only Hall of Fame head coaches Tex Winter (15) and Jack Hartman (14) have won overtime games than Tang in school history.
Senior Tylor Perry, who led five Wildcats in double figures with 16 points, helped rally the Wildcats from a 65-60 deficit with 27 seconds left, as he had a hand in the last 5 points, including the game-tying 3-pointer with 8 seconds left that sent the game to overtime at 65-all.
Can't make this stuff up @TimarPerry https://t.co/6Gazzab1kf pic.twitter.com/fmLjR4HYt9
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) December 2, 2023
It marked the sixth time in his Division I career that Perry has made a shot to either win a game or send the game into overtime, as he led the country with 5 as a junior at North Texas in 2021-22.
In the overtime period, Perry had two assists on layups by senior David N’Guessan along with a jumper and a pair of free throws by junior Arthur Kaluma, as the Wildcats scored the first 8 points in overtime to take a 73-65 lead with 2:43 to play. However, North Alabama (4-4) got a 4-point play from junior Detalian Brown and two free throws from junior Will Soucie to close to within 73-71 with 9 seconds.
K-State was able to execute a perfect inbounds play with a long pass and dunk by junior Cam Carter with 7 seconds to take 75-71 lead before a 3-pointer by freshman Canin Jefferson closed it to 75-74 with 0.9 seconds left. Carter missed both free throws on the ensuing possession, but the Lions couldn’t get a shot off before the clock expired.
Trickyyyyy 👀#KStateMBB x @camryncarter23 pic.twitter.com/wDVV7yrE4e
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) December 2, 2023
Perry was joined in double figures by Carter (14 points), Kaluma (12 points), N’Guessan (12 points) and redshirt sophomore Jerrell Colbert, who set career-highs in both points (10) and rebounds (8). Kaluma tied Colbert for the team lead in rebounds, while Perry dished out a team-best 6 assists for the fourth consecutive game and the fifth time overall.
K-State connected on just 35.2 percent (19-of-54) from the field, including 16.7 percent (3-of-18) from 3-point range, while the Wildcats scored nearly half their points from the free throw line, where they made 34 of 48 attempts. The 34 makes were the most in a game since 2015, while the 48 attempts tied for the most since 2016.
North Alabama connected on just 35 percent (21-of-60) from the field but did make 10 3-pointers on 28 attempts and were stellar from the free throw line, making 22 of 28 attempts. Three players scored in double figures led by 19 points each from Brown and sophomore Jacari Lane. Lane dished out a game-high 11 assists, while senior Damian Forrest grabbed a game-best 10 rebounds.
