Gradual Begin Dooms West Virginia at Kansas State – West Virginia College Athletics

Kansas State scored 19 of the sport’s first 21 factors and by no means seemed again in defeating West Virginia 73-60 tonight at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas.
 
Dug McDaniel’s 15 factors led a stability Wildcat offense that included 14 from David N’Guessan, 12 from Max Jones, 11 from Coleman Hawkins and 10 off the bench from C.J. Jones.
 
“We did not convey the tenacity like I believed we might,” West Virginia coach Darian DeVries mentioned afterward. “I believed we had a few good days of apply after the (Arizona State) loss. We have been extremely centered and we got here out flat in these first 5 minutes and by no means actually recovered.”
 
West Virginia obtained a game-high 22 factors from Javon Small, however all of them have been hard-earned factors in 38 minutes of motion. Small made seven of his 16 subject objective makes an attempt, together with three of six from 3, oftentimes with two and typically three gamers on him.
 
Because it did earlier this week in a 65-57 loss to the Solar Devils, West Virginia struggled to make its 3s, connecting on solely 4 of 21 for 19%. Of their final two video games, the Mountaineers are eight of fifty from behind ther arc and the result’s their first dropping streak of the season.
 
“The Arizona State was the identical manner, we begin out down 10-2 and it is laborious to all the time hold crawling again,” DeVries mentioned. 
 
Apart from Small, Amani Hansberry was the one West Virginia participant to make a 3, the ahead ending one-of-six from behind the arc.
 
Kansas State’s largest lead was 26 factors at 42-16 proper earlier than the tip of the primary half.
 
The Mountaineers have been a lot better within the second half, outscoring Okay-State 42-31, however the opening half’s margin was too massive to beat.
 
“The final 20 minutes we actually competed and performed the best way we have to play if we’ll achieve success,” DeVries mentioned. “I am definitely happy with the fellows for that, however attempting to dig your manner out of a 24-point gap on the half is hard.”
 
For the sport, the Wildcats shot 47.3% from the ground and scored on 55.7% of their offense possessions. In the meantime, the Mountaineers scored on simply 43.1% of their 65 offensive possessions.
 
Toby Okani chipped in with 13 and Sencire Harris completed with 12 factors for West Virginia. Solely 5 of the ten gamers who obtained on the ground scored for the Mountaineers tonight.
 
Kansas State snapped its six-game dropping streak and boosted its document to 8-11 total and 2-6 in Massive 12 play, whereas West Virginia drops to 13-6 and 4-4.
 
“Like I informed (his gamers), this can be a good league. Individuals have a foul sport or two, and you’ll’t let it flip into 4 or 5,” DeVries mentioned. “We will get on the airplane and go house and we’ll prepare for an enormous house sport towards Houston on Wednesday. We’re again at our place towards a prime 10 crew within the nation, no matter occurs of their sport, and I do know our guys can be able to go and I am positive our crowd can be able to go as nicely.”
 
Earlier this month, the Cougars topped West Virginia 70-54 in Houston again on Jan. 15.