Markquis Nowell’s huge second half pushes Kansas State by Kentucky into Candy 16

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Markquis Nowell scored 23 of his 27 factors after halftime, and Kansas State overcame a horrid begin from exterior by hitting a few clutch 3-pointers whereas topping Kentucky 75-69 in Sunday’s second spherical of the NCAA Match.

The win sends the third-seeded Wildcats (25-9) to the Candy 16 for the primary time since 2018, and it got here because of a sequence of huge pictures that lastly pushed them by way of in a good recreation.

They’ll play the winner of the Michigan State-Marquette within the East Area semifinals.

Kansas State missed its first 13 3-pointers and sat at 2 for 17 for the sport when the skin pictures began falling.

There was Nowell burying a step-back 3 towards Cason Wallace to deliver Kansas State inside 60-59, adopted a bit later by Ismael Massoud burying one from the suitable wing on the 2:21 mark that gave Kansas State the lead for good at 64-62.

Keyontae Johnson added yet another from that aspect of the courtroom in entrance of the Kansas State bench, pushing the result in 67-62 with 1:23 left — sending a jolt with the sort of margin that felt large contemplating almost all the second half had been performed inside 4 factors.

The 5-foot-8 Nowell, a third-team Related Press All-American, performed a fearless ground recreation whereas making 7 of 14 pictures and 10 of 11 free throws.

The Harlem native additionally hit three 3s, together with the primary one over Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe after an 0-for-13 begin by Kansas State and one other after halftime along with his left foot on the “March Insanity” emblem close to midcourt.

Tshiebwe had 25 factors and 18 rebounds for sixth-seeded Kentucky (22-12), which shot 55% after halftime and led by eight early within the second half. However the Wildcats by no means may stretch that lead out, then couldn’t make their very own huge exterior pictures (4 for 20 for the sport) to reply when Kansas State made its transfer.

Take into account it the newest chapter in a run of surprisingly quick success for Kansas State underneath first-year coach Jerome Tang, who left Baylor after an extended stint on Scott Drew’s employees to take over in Manhattan.

He inherited a program that hadn’t been to the match since 2019, was coming off three straight dropping seasons and was picked to complete final within the Huge 12.

But after a summer season of reshaping the roster by way of the switch portal, the Wildcats constructed early confidence and thrived immediately — and now, that has them within the second weekend of the NCAA Match.

And the wager paid off in numerous methods Sunday.

There was Johnson, who transferred from Florida after collapsing in a recreation in December 2020 and hadn’t performed since earlier than resuming his profession with Kansas State.

There was Virginia Tech switch huge man David N’Guessan, who performed a number of late possessions along with his proper heel out of his shoe — but nonetheless had the tipout offensive rebound that led to Johnson’s 3.

And there was Massoud, who transferred from Wake Forest to Kansas State earlier than Tang’s arrival and caught round this yr. Taking part in a couple of 30-minute drive from his first faculty cease, he hadn’t scored earlier than hitting that vast 3.

For the opposite set of Wildcats, it marked one other earlier-than-hoped-for exit from March Insanity.

Tshiebwe had 25 rebounds i n the first-round win towards Windfall for probably the most in any match recreation since 1977, and the two-time AP All-American was once more a pressure inside. Wallace had 15 of his 21 factors after halftime, together with a number of occasions when the freshman guard used his 6-4 body to attain towards Nowell inside.

However No. 2 scorer Antonio Reeves (14.6 factors) managed 5 factors on 1-for-15 capturing, together with 1-for-10 from behind the arc with the lone 3 coming with 8 seconds left and Kansas State in management.

When it was over, Kansas State gamers started to hug one another at midcourt and have a good time, with guard Desi Sills — one other switch, fittingly — speaking animatedly to almost cameras as he walked across the courtroom in victory.

Later, after many of the workforce had left the courtroom, Johnson was nonetheless hanging round behind the bench to provide high-fives and signal autographs for followers.

And teammate Nae’Qwan Tomlin squeezed in yet another high-five of his personal earlier than working towards the locker room whereas pointing triumphantly to a different pocket of KSU followers.