No moral victories as Wildcats lose 90-88 at KU

The Wildcats came painfully close Tuesday to winning their first game at Allen Fieldhouse since Jim Wooldridge was K-State’s head coach, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

K-State started off the game hot, leading for much of the first half, but lost steam late in the half and trailed by 10 at halftime.

The Wildcats slowly clawed their way back in the second half, and Dean Wade tied the game at 75. After KU extended the lead again, Barry Brown tied the game at 84 on a drive with 1:39 left in the game. The final 99 seconds saw KU take a lead and K-State re-tie the game twice. K-State had an opportunity to take the lead in the final seconds, but Dean Wade’s 3-pointer with 11 seconds was off the mark. KU got the ball with 5.6 seconds left and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk won it for the Jayhawks with a layup at the buzzer.

About that buzzer beater. I’ll just leave it to Martavious Irving, who said it best.

All of K-State’s starters finished the game in double figures scoring, led by Wade’s 20 points. Wesley Iwundu had 17; Barry Brown and Kamau Stokes had 13 each, and D.J. Johnson scored 10. Josh Jackson killed K-State in the first half. The Wildcats contained him better in the second half, but he still led all scorers with 22. Landen Lucas had 18; Frank Mason III, 15; Devonte Graham, 13; and Mykhailiuk, 11.