David N’Guessan scored 14 of his team-high 18 points in the second half and added 10 rebounds to rally Kansas State past host Cincinnati, 54-49, in Big 12 action Wednesday night.
Dug McDaniel added 13 points for Kansas State (15-15, 9-10 Big 12), which swept the season series and won its second straight after a four-game skid.
Day Day Thomas had 12 points while Jizzle James added 10 for Cincinnati (17-13, 7-12), which lost its home finale and suffered a big blow to their hopes for an NCAA Tournament at-large berth.
It was an ugly shooting night for both teams, especially from beyond the arc as the two teams combined to convert just 5 of 36 from 3-point range.
Cincinnati took a 35-28 lead on a Thomas 3-pointer and an Aziz Bandaogo free throw with 14:30 left. But Max Jones knocked down a jumper that sparked eight straight points during a 12-2 spurt that put the Wildcats ahead for good.
Cincinnati managed to cut the lead to 52-49, but committed a foul as the shot clock was winding down on defense. Kansas State managed to run out the clock as boos rained down on the Bearcats on Senior Night.
Kansas State had two key players return from injury. Wing Coleman Hawkins was back in the starting lineup after missing three games due to a right knee injury while Mobi Ikegwuruka returned after a one-game hiatus due to an undisclosed injury.
Hawkins wore a long sleeve on his right leg and a brace to protect his knee. He labored at times in the first half before connecting on a 3-pointer. He finished with nine points and eight rebounds in 34 minutes. Ikegwuruka was limited to two first-half minutes.
Kansas State missed 10-of-11 shots at one point, allowing Cincinnati to build leads of 15-7 and 17-9. The Bearcats took a 25-22 lead into halftime despite converting just 1 of 9 from beyond the arc and 11-of-26 shots overall.
–Field Level Media
