MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State fans had come to call it The Streak, 24 years of home-court futility against Kansas.
All they had to do was wait for one of the greatest players in school history to be born and come to their rescue.
Michael Beasley, who wasn’t even alive when the Jayhawks began their 24-game winning streak in the Little Apple, scored 25 points Wednesday night and led the No. 22 Wildcats to an 84-75 victory over previously unbeaten Kansas, touching off a mob scene on center court.
“I know it means a lot around the city, people at the school,” said Beasley, who’s become a candidate for player of the year as the nation’s leading rebounder and No. 4 scorer. “But it’s just a game to me.”
Freshman guard Jacob Pullen had 20 points and freshman forward Bill Walker had 22, making sure that Beasley, who had guaranteed a Kansas State victory, did not have to eat his words.
“I knew my team was capable of beating anybody,” Beasley said. “And we showed it tonight.”
Always double- and sometimes triple-teamed when he touched the ball inside, Beasley was held to just eight points in the first half but scored six in a row in the first few minutes after intermission and No. 2 Kansas (20-1, 5-1 Big 12) never caught up.
Beasley was 4-for-4 from behind the 3-point arc as the Wildcats (15-4, 5-0) took over first place in a Big 12 conference they’ve never even competed in, let alone won.
Kansas, two victories short of matching the best start in its storied basketball history, lost on its rival’s homecourt for the first time since 1983. The 24-game streak in an opponent’s gym came within one of tying the NCAA Division I record which UCLA set against California from 1961-85.
“It doesn’t sting because of The Streak,” an obviously disappointed Kansas coach Bill Self said. “It stings because it’s our rival. I could care less about The Streak. But I do care about beating our rivals. So, yeah, this one stings more than what most would sting.”
Kansas State’s victory left No. 1 Memphis, an 89-77 winner Wednesday night over Houston, as the nation’s lone unbeaten team.
“We weren’t going to run the table,” Self said. “As much as I wish we could, that wasn’t going to happen. So this could be a good thing for us in the long run. But certainly it stings.”
The capacity crowd of 12,528 in Bramlage Coliseum, where Kansas had been 19-0, sensed the victory with more than five minutes to go and security guards, worried about a near-riot, moved near the court.
It didn’t keep the floor from being flooded by delirious Wildcats fans, who jumped over the press table and sent reporters, computers and notebooks flying.
Mario Chalmers had 19 points, Brandon Rush had 15 and Darrell Arthur 12 for Kansas, which had beaten Kansas State 35 of the past 36 overall.
“People act like there’s just one team in Kansas and we had a chance to show there isn’t,” said Walker. Then he paused, obviously exhausted. “It was a big win. I’m tired. I can’t think right now.”
No. 1 Memphis 89, Houston 77: At Houston, Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 30 points and Joey Dorsey grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds as the Tigers finished the night as the only undefeated team left in Division I.
Robert Dozier 17 of his 21 points in the second half and the Tigers (20-0, 6-0 Conference USA), who are matched the best start in school history.
Memphis matched its best start since 1985-86 and won its 15th consecutive road game.
No. 6 Georgetown 74, St. John’s 42: At New York, sophomore reserve Vernon Macklin scored a career-high 18 points and the Hoyas handed the Red Storm their worst Big East loss ever.
St. John’s (7-12, 1-7) finished 10-for-47 from the field (21.3 percent) in losing its sixth straight overall and eighth in their past nine games.
Roy Hibbert added 11 points and Jessie Sapp had 10 for the Hoyas (17-2, 7-1), who shot 52.8 percent (28-for-53) led by Macklin’s 8-for-10.
No. 8 Michigan State 51, Illinois 41: At East Lansing, Mich., Drew Neitzel scored nine of his 15 points during a key stretch in the second half and the Spartans improved to 19-2 for the first time in school history.
Illinois (10-12, 2-7) went on a 17-2 run after a rough start, led at halftime and responded to Neitzel’s scoring flurry by taking a 32-31 lead.
The Spartans (7-1), who have won all 13 games at home this season.
No. 23 Texas A&M 80, No. 10 Texas 63: At College Station, Texas, Josh Carter scored 19 points and the Aggies cruised to an easy win.
Carter has scored at least 10 points in 15 straight games and helped Texas A&M (17-4, 3-3) break a three-game winning streak for rival Texas (16-4, 3-2 Big 12), continuing a four-year tradition of the home team winning each game in this series.
The Longhorns played the Aggies even in the second half but it wasn’t enough to overcome a poor first half when they made just 9-of-30 shots.
No. 16 Drake 75, Creighton 65: At Des Moines, Iowa, Josh Young tied a career-high with 24 points and 16th-ranked Drake pushed its school-record winning streak to 18 games.
Jonathan Cox added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs (19-1, 10-0 Missouri Valley Conference), who finished the game on a 10-0 run.
Booker Woodfox scored 19 points and Stinnett had 15 to lead Creighton (14-6, 5-5), which has lost three straight.
No. 18 Pittsburgh 69, Villanova 57: At Pittsburgh, Sam Young and Tyrell Biggs led a game-changing rally in which the Panthers turned a one-point deficit in the second half into an 18-point lead and Pittsburgh (17-4, 5-3) bounced back from a rare home loss.
Scottie Reynolds scored 26 points for Villanova (13-6, 3-5 Big East), which lost its third in a row.
No. 24 Mississippi 74, No. 19 Vanderbilt 58: At Oxford, Miss., Chris Warren scored 20 points, Eniel Polynice added 18 and Mississippi’s freshmen had one of their best games of the season.
Led by Warren, freshmen scored 18 of Ole Miss’ first 26 points in the pivotal opening minutes of the second half as the Rebels (16-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) snapped a two-game losing streak and sent the Commodores (17-4, 2-4) to their fourth loss in five games.
Local
Bellevue CC 77, Everett CC 61: At Everett, Bryna Trescott scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and had two blocks, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Bellevue (5-4 league, 11-10 overall), which was led by Marissa Bower’s 21 points and nine rebounds. Lake Stevens alumni Kristina Schumacher and Monroe alumni Keena Hopkins each chipped in 10 points for EvCC (7-2 league, 14-7 overall).
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