Bennett Stirtz scored eight of Drake’s 10 points in overtime, including the game-winning 3-pointer, as the Bulldogs defeated Kansas State 73-70 in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday night at the Wildcat Classic.
Drake (10-0) remains one of five undefeated teams in Division I. The Bulldogs were led by Mitch Mascari with 25 points, while Stirtz added 22 and Cam Manwayu added 11.
K-State (6-4) had been 12-0 in overtime under head coach Jerome Tang in his first two seasons. The Wildcats were led by Coleman Hawkins’ 16 points. David N’Guessan added 13, Max Jones scored 12 and Dug McDaniel chipped in 10.
The Wildcats went the final 4:33 of regulation and all but 13 seconds of overtime without a field goal until Hawkins hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 70. But Stirtz answered with a 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left for the win.
K-State chipped away at a nine-point halftime deficit. Brendan Hausen hit a 3-pointer for his first points of the game to tie it at 49 with 10:23 left. Neither team led by more than three the rest of regulation.
With 1:34 left in regulation, N’Guessan hit two freebies for K-State to regain the lead at 63-61. McDaniel’s 3-pointer was off target and Drake had a chance to tie or take the lead in the final minute. Abreu hit two free throws with 23.9 seconds left to tie the game. Hausen’s 3-pointer at the buzzer fell short.
Drake got out to a fast start, taking an 11-0 lead. The Wildcats missed their first six shots, including four from 3-point range.
The Wildcats didn’t hit double figures until Jones’ 3-pointer at the 5:27 mark cut a 20-point Drake lead to 29-12. That bucket started a 14-2 spurt that got the Wildcats within 31-23. The Bulldogs led 36-27 at halftime.
Mascari, who came in averaging 12.2 points per game, had 18 in the half by hitting all six of his 3-point shots. Manyawu added nine points for the Bulldogs. Jones led K-State with seven.
–Field Level Media
