Markquis Nowell had 17 factors and 14 assists, and No. 3 seed Kansas State held off 14th-seeded Montana State 77-65 Friday evening for its first NCAA Event win since knocking off Kentucky in 2018 to achieve the Elite Eight.
The 2 Wildcat applications will meet once more in a rematch on Sunday within the second spherical of the NCAA Event on the Greensboro Coliseum. Kentucky, the sixth seed, defeated No. 11 Windfall 61-53 within the earlier recreation.
Nowell and fellow third-team Related Press All-American Keyontae Johnson, who had 18 factors and eight rebounds, proved an excessive amount of for the Bobcats to deal with.
RaeQuan Battle had 26 factors on 9 of 17 taking pictures for Montana State (25-10), which had its eight-game win streak snapped.
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Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell (1) reacts through the second half of a first-round faculty basketball recreation in opposition to the Montana State within the NCAA Event on Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Greensboro, N.C. (AP Photograph/John Bazemore)
Kansas State (24-9) led Montana State 34-28 on the break. The Wildcats stretched the result in 13 with 11 minutes remaining when Desi Sills scored on a layup off an inbounds cross below his personal basket after a botched defensive project.
Montana State went to a 1-3-1 protection, which disrupted the Wildcats for a short while, and helped minimize the result in eight earlier than Nowell buried a deep 3-pointer from the left wing and Nae’Qwan Tomlin scored off a lob to push the lead again to 13.
Montana State would not give up, although, with Darius Brown flattening a 3 with 2:44 left.
David N’Guessan #3 and Markquis Nowell #1 of the Kansas State Wildcats have fun through the second half in opposition to the Montana State Bobcats within the first spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event at The Fieldhouse at Greensboro Coliseum on March 17, 2023, in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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However Tomlin, who completed with 13 factors, answered with one other dunk off after Nowell threaded the needle together with his 14th help, probably the most ever by a Kansas State participant in an NCAA Event recreation.
David N’Guessan added two technical foul free throws after which scored on an inside layup. Sills punctuated the win with a breakaway left-handed dunk giving the Wildcats a 16-point lead.
BIG PICTURE
Montana State: The Bobcats have been on the lookout for a greater displaying after dropping by 35 factors within the opening spherical of final yr’s match to Texas Tech, and so they obtained it. The Massive Sky champions confirmed they might compete on the NCAA Event stage however, in the long run, did not have the dimensions to compete with the Wildcats. Montana State was outscored 48-30 within the paint.
Kansas State: The Wildcats had some issues coming into the match after back-to-back losses to West Virginia and TCU. It was a battle at instances, however the Wildcats completed with a flurry to seal the win.
Desi Sills #13 of the Kansas State Wildcats celebrates with teammates through the second half in opposition to the Montana State Bobcats within the first spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event at The Fieldhouse at Greensboro Coliseum on March 17, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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Kansas State beat Kentucky 61-58 on March 22, 2018, for its first win over the Wildcats in 10 tries.
