Little-known fact: You must score to win the game.
A closing six-minute scoring drought doomed the K-State Wildcats, as they fell to Texas Tech 61-57 in Bramlage Coliseum Tuesday night.
The Wildcats (7-9, 1-4 Big 12) have been offensively challenged of late, so they turned up defensive pressure, forcing 14 Turnovers and holding the Red Raiders (12-4, 3-2) 16 points below their season scoring average. But K-State did not manage to break 60 against a team that yields 66 per game on average. The result? Close, but not enough.
It was a frustrating end to a game that showed some signs of growth. The Cats, without Coleman Hawkins on the floor, staged a 15-5 run over the last 4:07 of the first half, converting a 26-18 deficit to a 33-31 halftime lead. The run was fueled by a tough bank shot in the lane and 3-point bucket from Brendan Hausen, plus two lay-ups and a 3-pointer from the corner by David N’Guessan.
Hausen continued the hot shooting early in the second half, and his three-pointer with 15:22 to play gave K-State a 44-38 lead.
The familiar scoring lull followed, as the Red Raiders scored the next 13 points to take a 51-44 lead with 12:46 remaining. Enter Coleman Hawkins. The 6-10 forward, who had watched his teammates stage a run late in the first half, put on his own show over three possessions, scoring a jumper to break the drought, then backing that up with long 3-point buckets on the next two possessions to get the Wildcats within one, 53-52.
Another Hawkins jumper with just under six minutes to play tied the game at 57. Tech’s Elijah Hawkins (no relation) put the Red Raiders up 59-57 on the next possession.
Then, the Keystone Cops routine set in. Neither team scored for over five minutes. K-State’s possessions to close the game:
- Missed Hawkins 3-point bucket on an ill-advised heat check under pressure early in the shot clock
- Dug McDaniel missed 3-pointer
- David Castillo missed 3-pointer
- Hawkins turnover
- Hausen missed 3-pointer
- Castillo turnover
- Castillo missed shot near the rim
- Hawkins missed 3-pointer
- Castillo missed 3-pointer, Hawkins miss on the put-back.
Two themes are so prevalent in that 5 minute, 50 second symphony of offensive disappointment that I won’t even label them for you.
Tech got a Darrion Williams layup to drop with 17 seconds to play to end its drought and seal the game.
Brendan Hausen scored 13 on 4-9, (3-8 outside) shooting to lead the Cats. Hawkins (12), N’Guessan (11), and Max Jones (10) all reached double figures, as well. Jones deserves special mention for working his tail off, as he collected 9 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal, while affecting the game with max effort on both ends of the floor.
Williams scored 16 for Tech. Hawkins dropped in 14.
Both teams took 52 field goal attempts. Texas Tech shot 50% for the game, including 5-13 (38.5%) from three-point range. K-State shot only 36.5% (19-52), including 9-30 (30%) from outside. When those threes were dropping, it was exciting. When the Cats just needed a hoop, they could not get it inside and put one through.
Next Game
The annual road trip of horrors in Lawrence is Saturday at noon and—oh, look!—the whole nation will get to see it on big ol’ CBS. Hooray.