Things are looking up for Kansas State basketball after the Wildcats got their first win against the UMKC Roos on Monday Nov. 30, with a score of 62-58.
The Wildcats played better this game and were able to beat the odds with the help of Nijel Pack and DeJuan Gordon who scored a total of 14 points each to win the game.
Pack, a freshman, was able to start the Wildcats off with a three-point shot to give the them the lead early. The Wildcats led 17-0 early in the game with Kansas City going 0-for-8 with four turnovers. Gordon was also able to score 10 of his 14 shots in the first half and was able to pull down nine rebounds and had two steals and two assists.
The Kansas City Roos Brandon McKissic was able to pull them back into the game, hitting 10 of 17 shots. McKissic scored 15 after halftime and was able to pull the Roos up to 58 points in the final seconds, but it was not enough.
Kansas State also played good defense during the game and made UMKC turn the ball over 17 times. Even though the Wildcats themselves turned the ball over 18 times, they were still able to capitalize more on their turnovers than the Roos.
Kansas State seemed like the more aggressive team during this game and was able to score more points in the paint and be more aggressive to get to the free throw line. Kansas State completed 20 of 27 of their free throws and had a free throw percentage of 74.1%, which is more than it has made in the last three games.
UMKC was 5 of 8 from the free throw line and shot a free throw percentage of 62.5%. Kansas State also made 18 of 38 from the field. The ability to be aggressive in the paint and get to the free throw line won the Wildcats the game.
Kansas State was also 6 of 13 from the three-point line with assistance of Pack and Mike McGuirl. He was 2 of 5 from the field.
UMKC was 9 of 23 from three-point range with the assistance of Franck Kamgain, who scored 11 points for the Roos and was 2 of 3 from three-point range. Kamgain was able to inch the Roos closer in the final seconds of the game.
Kansas State was able to improve upon how it played previously in its last two games with this win.
What’s next for the Wildcats?
The Wildcats were scheduled to play the Butler Bulldogs on Friday Dec. 4, but due to positive cases of COVID-19 on the Butler team, the game is being postponed.
The Wildcats’ next game will now be against UNLV on Dec. 5. The Rebels are 0-2 so far this season.
With Kansas State basketball getting its first win, the Wildcats are confident going into their next game, which should be a good one.
Photo courtesy of KStateSports.com
