Wildcats Claw Past Mountaineers in Overtime Showdown at Bramlage Coliseum
In a hard-fought conference game, the Kansas State Wildcats, ranked 10th, overcame the 22nd-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers with a final score of 73-64. The Wildcats' season record improved to an impressive tally while the Mountaineers faced another setback. The game saw both teams locked in a tight battle that extended into overtime before the home team sealed their victory.
The Wildcats started off slow with only five points in the first quarter but found their rhythm to add nineteen points by halftime. Their performance peaked in the fourth quarter and overtime, scoring twenty-three and fifteen points respectively. Kansas State's offensive efforts were led by their accuracy from two-point range where they shot an effective forty-six percent and from beyond the arc with an outstanding fifty-seven percent success rate.
Defensively, Kansas State outperformed West Virginia as well, registering six blocks to their opponent's five and nine steals while holding them to just thirty-five percent shooting from the field. The Wildcats also dominated on rebounds with forty-five total compared to thirty-three by West Virginia, including a significant advantage on defensive boards at thirty-four against twenty-two.
Kansas State's teamwork shone through with seventeen assists contributing to their seventy-three total points scored during playtime. Despite committing more turnovers than West Virginia at twenty-three against eighteen, they maintained better control overall which was reflected in nearly equal assists turnover ratios for both teams.
The Mountaineers put up a valiant effort throughout regulation time and into overtime but were ultimately unable to keep pace with Kansas State's scoring surge late in the game. They did manage fifteen steals which contributed significantly to their twenty-three points off turnovers but it wasn't enough as they fell short by nine points when overtime concluded.
Looking ahead for fans of Kansas State Wildcats is another exciting matchup as they are scheduled away against rivals Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse on February 25th at 1:00 PM Central Time. This encounter will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN2 channel 209 for supporters eager to follow every moment of this anticipated clash.