K-State Beats #9 Baylor in Overtime, 68-64

From K-State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State’s magic in overtime games under head coach Jerome Tang continued Tuesday night, as the Wildcats ended the game on a 9-0 run, highlighted by junior Arthur Kaluma’s 4-point play with 20 seconds left, to collect a 68-64 overtime win over No. 9/9 Baylor before 10,055 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.

K-State (13-4, 3-1 Big 12) are now 10-0 in overtime games under Tang, including 5-0 this season. The 5 overtime wins tie the school record for the second consecutive season and third time overall. The 10 total overtime wins are the third-most by a head coach in school history.

Down 64-59 with 1:12 remaining in the extra period, the Wildcats started their game-ending 9-0 run with a 3-pointer from freshman R.J. Jones with just over a minute to play. Following a stop on defense, senior David N’Guessan got a big offensive rebound off a missed 3-pointer from redshirt freshman Dorian Finister with 22 seconds remaining, delivering it to Kaluma at the top of the key where he nailed the 3-pointer before being fouled with 20 seconds.

Arthur Kaluma hits the game-winner in OT and moves Kansas State to 3-1 in Big 12 play pic.twitter.com/afKVyE5TVM

— Zac Carlson (@zaccarlson) January 17, 2024

After Kaluma’s free throw gave K-State a 66-64 lead, Baylor (14-3, 3-1 Big 12) had another opportunity to respond but redshirt freshman Langston Love’s 3-pointer from the corner was off the mark and senior Tylor Perry snagged the rebound before being fouled with 6 seconds left. Perry nailed both free throws to finish off the win and complete the night 11-of-12 from the line.

Three Wildcats scored in double figures led by a game-high 18 points from junior Cam Carter and Perry, while Kaluma added his team-leading fourth double-double with 12 points and team-high 10 rebounds. Sophomore Jerrell Colbert and redshirt freshman Dorian Finister came up big off the bench with 6 and 5 points, respectively. Finister added 5 rebounds and 3 assists in nearly 20 minutes.

The Wildcats needed special heroics to even get to overtime, as they trailed the Bears, 52-46, with 1:53 to play. After a timeout by Tang, Kaluma started a run of 7 consecutive points that pulled the Wildcats ahead 53-52 after 2 free throws by Perry with 34 seconds. A layup by junior Jayden Nunn gave Baylor the lead with 16 seconds to play but Perry was fouled bringing the ball up the floor just 2 seconds later. He made 1-of-2 from the line to tie the game at 54-all before Nunn’s 3-pointer missed at the buzzer.

All told, K-State led for just 4 minutes and 9 seconds compared to more than 36 minutes by Baylor.

The overtime win was highlighted by another stellar defensive effort by K-State, which held one of the nation’s top scoring teams (86.1 ppg.) to nearly 22 points under its scoring average and its second-fewest points of the season. Baylor scored its 64 points on a season-low 32.9 percent (25-of-76) shooting, including 17.9 percent (5-of-28) from 3-point range.

Two Bears scored in double figures led by 15 from Love, who finished 6-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range. Senior Jalen Bridges scored 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting, while freshman Yves Missi had near double-double with 9 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Senior RayJ Dennis dished out a game-high 8 assists to go with 7 points and 9 rebounds.

K-State finished the night shooting 40.7 percent (22-of-54) from the field, including 30.4 percent (7-of-23) from 3-point range, while hitting on 77.3 percent (17-of-22) from the free throw line.

Playing in its 200th game against a Top 10 opponent, K-State claimed its 53rd Top-10 victory in school history, including its fourth under Tang. The Wildcats now have 21 Top 10 wins at Bramlage Coliseum.

Tang is now 3-0 all-time against his friend and former boss Scott Drew after his Wildcats swept the season series in 2022-23. This will be the only regular-season meeting between the schools with the new 14-team format, snapping a 12-year streak of playing home-and-home every year since 2011-12.

K-State concludes its homestand on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats play host to Oklahoma State (8-9, 0-4 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT. The game is sold out.

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