MANHATTAN, Kan. — James Anderson scored 30 points and Obi Muonelo hit two key 3-pointers in the final minutes to boost Oklahoma State past No. 10 Kansas State 73-69 Saturday, just six days after the Wildcats beat No. 1 Texas on the same court.
Kansas State (16-3, 3-2 Big 12) sliced a six-point deficit to one on Curtis Kelly’s two free throws with 26.9 seconds to go. But the Wildcats fouled on each of their next two possessions. Nick Sidorakis iced the victory for the Cowboys (15-4, 3-2) with a pair of free throws with 5 seconds left in a rough-and-tumble game that included three technical fouls and 36 turnovers.
Anderson, the Big 12’s leading scorer, missed only one of 11 free throws and was 9 for 18 from the floor while tying his season high. He was nearly unstoppable even though the Wildcats double-teamed him every time he touched the ball.
Denis Clemente had 19 points for Kansas State and Kelly had 13.
Muonelo hit a 3-pointer to give Oklahoma State a 61-56 lead, and then with 2:11 to go he canned another 3 to give the Cowboys a 66-60 lead.
After Kelly’s two free throws made it 70-69, he was called for a foul during a struggle for a loose ball on the other end and Roger Franklin made one of two foul shots. Chris Merriewether was called for a foul under the Kansas State basket and Sidorakis went to the line for Oklahoma State.
Technical fouls were called against Kansas State’s Denis Clemente, Oklahoma State’s Matt Pilgrim and Kansas State coach Frank Martin, who was the toast of Manhattan after Monday night’s 71-62 victory over Texas — the school’s third win over a top-ranked team.
The loss snapped Kansas State’s 14-game home winning streak, the longest in the 22-year history of Bramlage Coliseum.
Oklahoma State trailed by three points at halftime but opened the second half with a 10-1 run and silenced the sellout crowd when Anderson’s fastbreak bucket put the surprising Cowboys on top 42-36.
But then Rodney McGruder’s 3-pointer stopped the Oklahoma State momentum and the Wildcats finally got the lead back at 48-46 on a pair of free throws by Kelly.
It was knotted 48-all when Clemente stole the ball at halfcourt and drove in for a layup that triggered a 7-0 run, resulting in Kansas State’s 55-48 lead with 9:40 to go.
But back came the Cowboys, who broke off a 10-0 run sparked by a 3-pointer from Muonelo, who had 14 points and was 3 for 4 from beyond the arc.
After Keiton Page stole the ball at midcourt, Anderson’s reverse layup tied it at 55. Muonelo made the front end of a one-and-one, Sidorakis hit a jumper and suddenly Oklahoma State led 58-55.
Jamar Samuels hit a free throw to make it 58-56, but then Muonelo canned a 3-pointer that put the Cowboys on top 61-56.
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