Markquis Nowell had 17 factors and 14 assists, and No. 3 seed Kansas State held off 14th-seeded Montana State 77-65 Friday evening for its first NCAA Event win since knocking off Kentucky in 2018 to achieve the Elite Eight.
The 2 Wildcat packages will meet once more in a rematch on Sunday within the second spherical of the NCAA Event on the Greensboro Coliseum. Kentucky, the sixth seed, defeated No. 11 Windfall 61-53 within the earlier sport.
Nowell and fellow third-team Related Press All-American Keyontae Johnson, who had 18 factors and eight rebounds, proved an excessive amount of for the Bobcats to deal with.
RaeQuan Battle had 26 factors on 9 of 17 capturing for Montana State (25-10), which had its eight-game win streak snapped.
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Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell (1) reacts through the second half of a first-round school basketball sport in opposition to the Montana State within the NCAA Event on Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Greensboro, N.C. (AP Photograph/John Bazemore)
Kansas State (24-9) led Montana State 34-28 on the break. The Wildcats stretched the result in 13 with 11 minutes remaining when Desi Sills scored on a layup off an inbounds move below his personal basket after a botched defensive task.
Montana State went to a 1-3-1 protection, which disrupted the Wildcats for a short while, and helped minimize the result in eight earlier than Nowell buried a deep 3-pointer from the left wing and Nae’Qwan Tomlin scored off a lob to push the lead again to 13.
Montana State would not stop, although, with Darius Brown flattening a 3 with 2:44 left.
David N’Guessan #3 and Markquis Nowell #1 of the Kansas State Wildcats rejoice through the second half in opposition to the Montana State Bobcats within the first spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event at The Fieldhouse at Greensboro Coliseum on March 17, 2023, in Greensboro, North Carolina.
However Tomlin, who completed with 13 factors, answered with one other dunk off after Nowell threaded the needle along with his 14th help, essentially the most ever by a Kansas State participant in an NCAA Event sport.
David N’Guessan added two technical foul free throws after which scored on an inside layup. Sills punctuated the win with a breakaway left-handed dunk giving the Wildcats a 16-point lead.
BIG PICTURE
Montana State: The Bobcats had been on the lookout for a greater exhibiting after dropping by 35 factors within the opening spherical of final 12 months’s event to Texas Tech, they usually received it. The Massive Sky champions confirmed they might compete on the NCAA Event stage however, ultimately, did not have the scale to compete with the Wildcats. Montana State was outscored 48-30 within the paint.
Kansas State: The Wildcats had some issues coming into the event after back-to-back losses to West Virginia and TCU. It was a battle at occasions, however the Wildcats completed with a flurry to seal the win.
Desi Sills #13 of the Kansas State Wildcats celebrates with teammates through the second half in opposition to the Montana State Bobcats within the first spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event at The Fieldhouse at Greensboro Coliseum on March 17, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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Kansas State beat Kentucky 61-58 on March 22, 2018, for its first win over the Wildcats in 10 tries.
