Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State Postgame Notes

February 03, 2024 | Cowboy Basketball

Oklahoma State Postgame Notes vs. Kansas State
Final Score: Oklahoma State – 75, Kansas State – 72
Records: Oklahoma State 10-12 (2-7); Kansas State 14-8 (4-5)
Feb. 3, 2024 | Stillwater, Oklahoma (Gallagher-Iba Arena)

Oklahoma State Leaders: Points – Javon Small (18), Rebounds – Quion Williams (10), Assists – Javon Small (7)
Kansas State Leaders: Points – Tylor Perry (19), Rebounds – Arthur Kaluma (5), Assists – Cam Carter (5)

Game Notes:
• Quion Williams posted a career-high 17 points and 10 rebounds, with six on the offensive glass.
• Williams became the second Cowboy this season with 10 rebounds in a half, joining Javon Small who logged 10 of his 12 in the second half against West Virginia (Jan. 27).
• The last 10-rebound half prior to that came on Dec. 20, 2022 when Moussa Cisse collected 10 second-half boards (and 12 overall) against A&M-Corpus Christi.
• Jamyron Keller played a crucial role off the bench posting 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench. In the team's first eight Big 12 contests he had tallied just four points in 26 minutes.
• John-Michael Wright has scored in double-figures in all five games since rejoining the starting lineup on Jan. 20 and in nine of his 10 starts this year.
• Keller and Wright were two of five Cowboys in double-digit scoring, the most in a conference game for OSU this season.
• Tylor Perry didn't score in the first half of the Jan. 20 game in Manhattan but had nine the rest of the way. He went scoress on 0-for-6 shooting in the first half of Saturday's rematch before busting loose for 19 points on 5-of-7 second-half shooting.
• The Wildcats' five free throws on seven attempts both matched season-lows. They were also 5-of-7 against Texas Tech on Jan. 13.
• Jarius Hicklen failed to connect on a three-pointer, ending a streak of 17 consecutive games with a triple (Nov. 20, 2023 - Jan 30, 2024).
• With the absence of Bryce Thompson (shoulder), Quion Williams re-joined the starting lineup for the first time since Jan. 16 alongside Javon Small, John-Michael Wright, Connor Dow and Brandon Garrison in the starting lineup.
• OSU's 15.8% block percentage was a season-high. The Cowboys swatted six of K-State's 38 two-point attempts.
• K-State finished with just five second-chance points on three offensive rebounds in Manhattan (Jan. 20) but had 20 on 11 offensive boards in the rematch. It marked just the second time this season that OSU has surrendered more than 12 second-chance points in a game (25 vs. South Carolina State, Dec. 31).

Game Flow:
• Oklahoma State hit the gas late in the first half by slowing K-State's offense. The visitors turned the ball over five times and missed six straight shots during a 6:08 scoring drought.
• OSU took advantage with 12 straight points to turn a 24-17 deficit at the 6:50-mark into a 29-24 lead with 2:05 to play in the half.
• Garrison opened the scoring for the Cowboys, converting on a standing layup under the basket.
• After Williams found Wright on a second-chance cut, the Wildcats punched a 7-0 run to lead 12-4, holding OSU to three straight misses in the stint.
• OSU called a timeout with 10:01 in the first trailing, 19-11. Out of the huddle, Jamyron Keller ended a four-minute drought with a layup.
• After a 6-for-24 start, OSU made 4-of-5 during its 12-0 run. Justin McBride's three-pointer tied it and Williams put the Cowboys in front for the first time, 27-24, with 2:28 left.
• Small's midrange bankshot capped off the run, making it 29-24 with 2:05 to go before halftime.
• K-State spanned halftime with a 5-0 run. Arthur Kaluma's three-point play cut OSU's lead to 29-27 at the break. Cam Carter's jumper tied it at 29 with 19:43 left.
• OSU went in front for good just 39 seconds into the second half (32-29) on Wright's three-pointer.
• The Cowboys were 6-for-10 from three over the first nine minutes of the half but attempted just one more the rest of the way.
• After K-State rallied to within 59-55 (6:26), Williams scored consecutive layups over the next 42 seconds -- the last resulting in a three-point play -- to boost the lead back to nine with 5:44 remaining.
• KSU pounded the ball inside repeatedly over the last 4:00. Five Wildcats combined for six baskets -- all from close range.
• Small split a pair of free throws to lead by four with 35.4 to play.
• After a blown up drive and layup, Tylor Perry recouped the ball and slashed in for a layup to cut the deficit to 74-72 with 16 seconds left.
• K-State fouled Keller with 12 seconds left. The freshman missed the first but made the second for a 75-72 lead.
• OSU denied Perry the ball and Cam Carter misfired from three. Perry tracked down a long rebound but missed wide right on a deep three from the left wing.

The Cowboy win…
• Marked their second in three games and boosted their overall record to 10-12 (2-7, Big 12).
• Made them 9-5 at home this year.
• Was their first over K-State's Jerome Tang (1-3).
• Made them 37-28 against the Wildcats in Stillwater with victories in four of the last five.