Three things we learned from Kansas State’s improbable upset over No. 19 Texas Tech
Boy, did the Kansas State men’s basketball team need that.
The Wildcats won their first conference game of the season and reminded their doubters what they are capable of when they are at full strength by pulling off an improbable 62-51 upset against No. 19 Texas Tech on Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State (9-7, 1-4 Big 12) won thanks to 14 points from Nijel Pack, 12 points from Mark Smith and 10 points from Mike McGuirl. But the Wildcats got contributions from all over. Playing with a full assortment of players for the first time since Big 12 play began earlier this month, they beat the Red Raiders with a mixture of defense, toughness and timely shots.
“It feels really good,” Smith said. “We worked really hard and obviously guys felt like we were good enough to get wins. We just let some slip away. So obviously getting this one is really good. They are a top 25 team and hopefully we can just keep building off this momentum.”
This victory was meaningful for several reasons.
It ended a four-game losing streak. It restored some much-needed positive vibes within the fan base. And it proved the Wildcats could close out a tight game. Competing with Big 12 teams hasn’t been an issue for K-State this season. Beating Big 12 teams has. It held a second-half lead over TCU, West Virginia and Texas. It was tied with Oklahoma in the final moments. But all four of those games ended in defeat. Things changed against Texas Tech, as K-State finally held on to win instead of collapsing during crunch time.
Smith hit a crucial three-pointer in the final minute. Markquis Nowell also came up with some key defensive plays that prevented Texas Tech from stealing a late result.
Every player on K-State’s roster celebrated wildly afterward. Selton Miguel flexed his muscles in front of the student section and implored them to get as loud as possible. Smith pumped his fists like it was his first college win. Pack jumped around and slapped hands with Nowell. Then they all poured water on head coach Bruce Weber in the locker room.
“It’s about them,” Weber said. “They drenched me with water, but they’re the ones that found that inner strength to win. We encouraged them to come back after the other night and I’m so proud of them, all the guys. It’s a great team win.”
Texas Tech (13-4, 3-2) entered this game as one of the hottest teams in college basketball, having already beaten Kansas, Baylor and Oklahoma State in the past seven days.
But K-State stood up to the challenge. The Wildcats surged ahead to an early 11-3 lead and didn’t wilt when the Red Raiders fought back for a 28-26 lead at halftime. For once, they made all the big plays in the second half and won.
Here are some key takeaways from the game:
Welcome back Mike McGuirl
The “super senior” guard returned to K-State’s lineup after missing the past two games in COVID protocols and made an immediate impact for the Wildcats.
McGuirl came off the bench to score 10 points and send out one assist, but he also helped his team by making smart plays on both ends of the court while sharing some valuable advice with his teammates.
“He was very calm and he came in he hit threes,” associate head coach Chris Lowery said. “He did what he’s supposed to do as a player in our system. He’s got that pedigree.”
McGuirl might be the most underrated player on K-State’s roster. He is one of the few players who is old enough to have made big shots in important victories over the years. Remember, he was one of the main reasons the Wildcats beat Creighton in the NCAA Tournament when he was a freshman. He was also a key member of their Big 12 championship team as a sophomore.
K-State failed to protect second-half leads against West Virginia and TCU without him. His presence seemed to create a calming effect against Texas Tech and he deserves a lot of credit for the Wildcats pulling out a victory.
McGuirl had a message for his teammates before the game that seemed to help them along the way.
“No more moral victories,” McGuirl said. “We’re too good to have moral victories. It’s time to get some real wins and today was the start.”
Playing at full strength for a change
Even after a victory like this, it’s still hard to envision the Wildcats winning enough games against a difficult conference schedule to reach the NCAA Tournament. But some fans wrote them off as hapless far too soon.
K-State might only have one Big 12 victory to its name, but it has been competitive in all five of its games. With a different bounce here or a different result on a COVID test there, this team could easily have a winning record in conference play.
One thing that held the Wildcats back in their first four games: missing players and coaches.
Saturday’s game was the first time all season that K-State had 10 healthy scholarship players and all four of its coaches available at the same time.
So perhaps it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that the Wildcats responded by playing their best game. If they can stay healthy moving forward, maybe wins like this will happen more often.
Defensive juggernaut
Texas Tech is widely regarded as one of the best defensive teams in the country, but K-State outshined the Red Raiders in that department on Saturday.
Bryson Williams had 20 points for the Red Raiders, but everyone else on the team failed to reach double figures.
K-State limited Texas Tech to just three points at the second media timeout of the first half and made scoring difficult all afternoon long.
The Red Raiders averaged .785 points per possession, which goes down as one of the best numbers of the season for K-State. Credit the entire Wildcats’ rotation for playing strong defense, but Nowell was perhaps the MVP. He finished with five steals.
This story was originally published January 15, 2022 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Three things we learned from Kansas State’s improbable upset over No. 19 Texas Tech."