Huge run propels Kansas State to 81-68 victory against Omaha

Kansas State basketball fans will remember the Wildcats’ 81-68 victory over Omaha on Tuesday at Bramlage Coliseum when the season ends.

Why?

K-State is unlikely to go on a bigger run than the 21-0 spurt it displayed against the Mavericks.

That’s how good the Wildcats were, at times anyway, in their second game of the season. They were dominant enough to overcome an unsettling 14-3 deficit by scoring 21 straight points and pulling away for a drama-free win.

Here’s how the memorable run went down:

Kamau Stokes gave K-State its first ounce of momentum by making a three, then freshman swingman Xavier Sneed got the crowd on its feet with a dunk. D.J. Johnson followed that highlight with a layup, and the Wildcats were off to the races.

Wesley Iwundu and Barry Brown both made threes, Johnson made a jumper, Brown hit a layup and a free throw, then Johnson gave the Wildcats a 25-14 lead with a traditional three-point play of his own.

The scoring surge lasted nearly seven minutes, with K-State holding Omaha scoreless the entire way.

The Mavericks, 1-2, opened the game with energy and seemed poised to challenge the Wildcats, 2-0, but their upset hopes were quickly dashed. The game was never in doubt after K-State’s dominant run.

Bruce Weber’s team lapped Omaha in the second half and led by 26 before finishing the game with walk-ons.

Brown, a sophomore guard, led the charge by scoring a game-high 15 points. He continues to be K-State’s most consistent threat on offense, and he appears to be settling in for more. After a layup in the first half, when the Wildcats were at their best, Brown celebrated by flexing his right bicep and kissing it in front of the student section.

Iwundu also had his second straight strong outing. The senior win had 14 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Stokes, a sophomore point guard, made three three-pointers on his way to 14 points.

Johnson was once again solid inside, finishing with 11 points and seven rebounds.

This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 9:37 PM with the headline "Huge run propels Kansas State to 81-68 victory against Omaha."