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MANHATTAN, Kan. – Senior Coleman Hawkins and junior Dug McDaniel scored a combined total of 37 points, leading Kansas State to its finest all-around display of the season, resulting in a 70-67 victory over No. 16/17 Cincinnati during the Big 12 opener for both teams on Monday evening in front of 9,970 spectators at Bramlage Coliseum.
Although Hawkins and McDaniel stole the spotlight with 20 and 17 points respectively, numerous Wildcats stepped up in the closing moments to end a 3-game losing streak and achieve their first triumph over the Bearcats (10-2, 0-1 Big 12) since the 1958 NCAA Tournament. This victory marked the 18th consecutive season that K-State has secured at least one ranked win at Bramlage Coliseum.
The Wildcats (7-5, 1-0 Big 12) are now 3-0 in Big 12 openers under head coach Jerome Tang.
K-State held a lead of up to 9 points in the second half until Cincinnati mounted an 8-2 rally to tie the game at 56 with 5:31 remaining. Senior David N’Guessan, who was the third Wildcat to reach double figures with 13 points, countered with an old-fashioned 3-point play, putting the home team ahead 59-56 at the final media timeout with under 4 minutes to go.
Nevertheless, the Wildcats struggled to shake off the Bearcats, who kept narrowing the gap to single possession multiple times in the closing minutes.
With the score at 63-61 and just over a minute to go, senior Max Jones drove towards the basket, hitting a turnaround jumper to increase the lead to 4 points. Following Cincinnati’s response that brought the score to 65-63 with 27 seconds left, Hawkins sank the first free throw but missed the second. Nonetheless, Jones was there to secure the offensive rebound, tipping it out to junior C.J. Jones, who extend K-State’s lead to 68-63 by making a pair of free throws with 20 seconds remaining.
After a basket from the Bearcats with 8 seconds on the clock, C.J. Jones added 2 more free throws for a 70-65 lead before UC’s Dillon Mitchell netted the last points on a putback with just 1 second left.
The 70 points represent the highest total scored against Cincinnati this season, a team that entered the matchup ranked ninth in the NCAA for scoring defense (58.5 ppg.).
Hawkins led all players with game-highs in points (20), rebounds (10), and steals (4), marking his eighth career double-double and second while wearing a Wildcat uniform. This also marked his eighth career game scoring 20 points and his first at K-State.
McDaniel was just one point short of matching his season high, scoring 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting in his second start of the season, while N’Guessan achieved double-digit points for the 11th time in 12 games, registering 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting alongside 7 rebounds.
Throughout the game, K-State made 43.6 percent (24-of-55) of its shots from the field, including 52 percent (13-of-25) in the second half, while converting 16 of 20 attempts from the free throw line. The defense forced the Bearcats into 15 turnovers, resulting in a 15-8 advantage in points from those turnovers.
Cincinnati shot 46.7 percent (28-of-60), including scoring 36 points in the paint. Three players reached double figures, with junior Dan Skillings Jr. leading the team with 18 points. Transfer Dillon Mitchell recorded a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while sophomore Jizzle James contributed 11 points and a team-high 4 assists.
This victory ended an 8-game losing streak against the Bearcats, who were visiting Manhattan for the first time since 1967.
K-State will embark on a 2-game road trip on Saturday afternoon, traveling to Fort Worth, Texas, to face TCU (7-5, 0-1 Big 12) at Schollmaier Arena. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., CT on CBS Sports Network.
HEAD COACH JEROME TANG
Opening remarks…
“First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s clear that when assembling a new squad and you believe you have the solutions, you realize that you might not. At times, losses and hardships can influence your sense of self. During the Christmas break and these past few days, God has reaffirmed to me that my identity isn’t linked to winning or losing games, but in what we impart to these young men that will endure for eternity. Our players have shown resilience, persevering and moving forward, while our staff did an excellent job of simplifying the game and providing support, which the players embraced regarding the scouting report. However, we must also acknowledge our fans who turned up tonight—they were phenomenal, and that home court advantage is like having an easy plus 10; without them, we wouldn’t have secured this win. So, God receives the glory, our fans deserve the accolades, and our players should revel in the victory, but we need to move forward because in this league [Big 12], the moment you relax and think you have things under control, another ranked team arrives. I have maintained since media day, and I reiterated earlier, that I consider Cincinnati to be the most underrated team in the nation; whatever their rank is, it’s far too low. We are fortunate tonight, as we had the opportunity to play at home, and our players were incredibly focused, and I’m immensely proud of them.”
On K-State’s spirit post-Christmas break…
“They were eager to return on the 27th, and we had told them, ‘If you win both games against Wichita State and Drake, you can come back on the 27th.’ Unfortunately, that didn’t occur. Our staff suggested, ‘Coach, if we give them this additional day, they will recognize that we care about them more than just basketball.’ So, we honored that. I’m grateful we did it—not only for them, but I was also not prepared to return, so I appreciated that extra day.”
On commencing the Big 12 Conference with a victory…
“Starting with a win in any game, especially the Big 12 opener, is significant. Winning is tough, that’s the reality. Therefore, securing any victory, especially in front of your supporters, is substantial. It’s the Big 12, after all. I believe our players will feel excited, and the goal is to build upon what we accomplished tonight. I don’t foresee us losing focus or thinking it’s time to relax. We’ve just won, and at 7-5, there’s no time for complacency. We will celebrate tonight but get back to work tomorrow.”
FIRST HALF
Both teams started the game missing their first three attempts, until a jumper by senior Coleman Hawkins finally opened the scoring more than two minutes into the match. Two free throws from junior Dug McDaniel put K-State ahead 4-0 before a 3-pointer from Texas transfer Dillon Mitchell provided Cincinnati with its initial field goal. However, the Wildcats extended their lead to 9-3 following a layup by McDaniel and a 3-pointer from Hawkins, prompting UC head coach Wes Miller to call for his first timeout at 15:34.
McDaniel responded out of the timeout by hitting a 3-pointer, pushing the lead to 12-3, but the Bearcats quickly netted 6 straight points, narrowing the gap to just one possession at 12:46.
A jumper by senior Max Jones answered the Bearcats’ run with a jumperto provide the Wildcats some margin at 14-9, as he became the inaugural Wildcat apart from Hawkins and McDaniel to score in the matchup.
Consecutive baskets from McDaniel and Hawkins increased the advantage to 18-11 before a layup and another 3-pointer from Mitchell narrowed UC’s deficit to 18-17. The Wildcats held a 22-18 lead prior to the Bearcats executing a 9-4 run that enabled them to seize their first lead courtesy of a 3-point shot by junior Dan Skillings Jr. at the 2:34 mark.
Following a timeout called by head coach Jerome Tang, Hawkins concluded a strong first half with a 3-pointer and a driving layup, allowing K-State to take a 31-29 advantage into the halftime interval.
UC shot 48 percent (12-of-25) from the field; however, 8 turnovers resulted in 11 points for K-State. The Wildcats managed only 36.7 percent (11-of-30) but converted 6-of-7 attempts from the free throw line. Hawkins topped all scorers with 12 points alongside 5 rebounds and 2 steals.
SECOND HALF
Cincinnati netted the first points of the second half to even the score at 31-all before McDaniel executed a personal 6-0 run that propelled K-State to a 37-31 advantage, prompting a timeout by Miller at the 16:37 mark. Skillings responded with another 3-pointer following the timeout, but back-to-back 3-pointers from juniors Brendan Hausen and C.J. Jones expanded the Wildcats’ lead to their largest margin at 43-34.
Two 3-pointers sparked Cincinnati during a 9-4 run that trimmed the deficit to 47-43 just before the third media timeout at the 11:46 mark. Nevertheless, a layup from N’Guessan and another 3-pointer from Hawkins extended K-State’s lead to 52-45 near the midpoint of the second stanza.
A 9-2 run by the Bearcats leveled the score at 56-all with 5:31 remaining before N’Guessan executed an old-fashioned 3-point play to put the Wildcats back in front at 59-56 during the final media timeout with less than 4 minutes left. The teams exchanged points over the subsequent possessions, as K-State called a full timeout with 1:05 remaining, leading 63-61.
Following the timeout, Max Jones drove down the lane and sank a turnaround jumper, extending the Wildcats’ lead to 65-61. After another basket from the Bearcats, a critical sequence transpired following a missed free throw attempt by Hawkins. After converting the first attempt, he fell short on the second, but Max Jones managed to tip the rebound to C.J. Jones, who secured the pass and was fouled. He converted both free throws, granting the Wildcats a 68-63 advantage with 18.7 seconds remaining.
C.J. Jones concluded the scoring with 2 additional free throws for a 70-65 lead with 7.6 seconds to go before the Bearcats netted the final basket on a tip-in with 1.1 seconds left.
K-State shot 52 percent (13-of-25) in the second half, as N’Guessan and C.J. Jones led a well-rounded offensive effort with 9 points apiece.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
Although Hawkins and McDaniel stole the spotlight with 20 and 17 points respectively, numerous Wildcats stepped up in the closing moments to end a 3-game losing streak and achieve their first triumph over the Bearcats (10-2, 0-1 Big 12) since the 1958 NCAA Tournament. This victory marked the 18th consecutive season that K-State has secured at least one ranked win at Bramlage Coliseum.
The Wildcats (7-5, 1-0 Big 12) are now 3-0 in Big 12 openers under head coach Jerome Tang.
K-State held a lead of up to 9 points in the second half until Cincinnati mounted an 8-2 rally to tie the game at 56 with 5:31 remaining. Senior David N’Guessan, who was the third Wildcat to reach double figures with 13 points, countered with an old-fashioned 3-point play, putting the home team ahead 59-56 at the final media timeout with under 4 minutes to go.
Nevertheless, the Wildcats struggled to shake off the Bearcats, who kept narrowing the gap to single possession multiple times in the closing minutes.
With the score at 63-61 and just over a minute to go, senior Max Jones drove towards the basket, hitting a turnaround jumper to increase the lead to 4 points. Following Cincinnati’s response that brought the score to 65-63 with 27 seconds left, Hawkins sank the first free throw but missed the second. Nonetheless, Jones was there to secure the offensive rebound, tipping it out to junior C.J. Jones, who extend K-State’s lead to 68-63 by making a pair of free throws with 20 seconds remaining.
After a basket from the Bearcats with 8 seconds on the clock, C.J. Jones added 2 more free throws for a 70-65 lead before UC’s Dillon Mitchell netted the last points on a putback with just 1 second left.
The 70 points represent the highest total scored against Cincinnati this season, a team that entered the matchup ranked ninth in the NCAA for scoring defense (58.5 ppg.).
Hawkins led all players with game-highs in points (20), rebounds (10), and steals (4), marking his eighth career double-double and second while wearing a Wildcat uniform. This also marked his eighth career game scoring 20 points and his first at K-State.
McDaniel was just one point short of matching his season high, scoring 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting in his second start of the season, while N’Guessan achieved double-digit points for the 11th time in 12 games, registering 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting alongside 7 rebounds.
Throughout the game, K-State made 43.6 percent (24-of-55) of its shots from the field, including 52 percent (13-of-25) in the second half, while converting 16 of 20 attempts from the free throw line. The defense forced the Bearcats into 15 turnovers, resulting in a 15-8 advantage in points from those turnovers.
Cincinnati shot 46.7 percent (28-of-60), including scoring 36 points in the paint. Three players reached double figures, with junior Dan Skillings Jr. leading the team with 18 points. Transfer Dillon Mitchell recorded a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while sophomore Jizzle James contributed 11 points and a team-high 4 assists.
This victory ended an 8-game losing streak against the Bearcats, who were visiting Manhattan for the first time since 1967.
K-State will embark on a 2-game road trip on Saturday afternoon, traveling to Fort Worth, Texas, to face TCU (7-5, 0-1 Big 12) at Schollmaier Arena. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., CT on CBS Sports Network.
HEAD COACH JEROME TANG
Opening remarks…
“First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s clear that when assembling a new squad and you believe you have the solutions, you realize that you might not. At times, losses and hardships can influence your sense of self. During the Christmas break and these past few days, God has reaffirmed to me that my identity isn’t linked to winning or losing games, but in what we impart to these young men that will endure for eternity. Our players have shown resilience, persevering and moving forward, while our staff did an excellent job of simplifying the game and providing support, which the players embraced regarding the scouting report. However, we must also acknowledge our fans who turned up tonight—they were phenomenal, and that home court advantage is like having an easy plus 10; without them, we wouldn’t have secured this win. So, God receives the glory, our fans deserve the accolades, and our players should revel in the victory, but we need to move forward because in this league [Big 12], the moment you relax and think you have things under control, another ranked team arrives. I have maintained since media day, and I reiterated earlier, that I consider Cincinnati to be the most underrated team in the nation; whatever their rank is, it’s far too low. We are fortunate tonight, as we had the opportunity to play at home, and our players were incredibly focused, and I’m immensely proud of them.”
On K-State’s spirit post-Christmas break…
“They were eager to return on the 27th, and we had told them, ‘If you win both games against Wichita State and Drake, you can come back on the 27th.’ Unfortunately, that didn’t occur. Our staff suggested, ‘Coach, if we give them this additional day, they will recognize that we care about them more than just basketball.’ So, we honored that. I’m grateful we did it—not only for them, but I was also not prepared to return, so I appreciated that extra day.”
On commencing the Big 12 Conference with a victory…
“Starting with a win in any game, especially the Big 12 opener, is significant. Winning is tough, that’s the reality. Therefore, securing any victory, especially in front of your supporters, is substantial. It’s the Big 12, after all. I believe our players will feel excited, and the goal is to build upon what we accomplished tonight. I don’t foresee us losing focus or thinking it’s time to relax. We’ve just won, and at 7-5, there’s no time for complacency. We will celebrate tonight but get back to work tomorrow.”
FIRST HALF
Both teams started the game missing their first three attempts, until a jumper by senior Coleman Hawkins finally opened the scoring more than two minutes into the match. Two free throws from junior Dug McDaniel put K-State ahead 4-0 before a 3-pointer from Texas transfer Dillon Mitchell provided Cincinnati with its initial field goal. However, the Wildcats extended their lead to 9-3 following a layup by McDaniel and a 3-pointer from Hawkins, prompting UC head coach Wes Miller to call for his first timeout at 15:34.
McDaniel responded out of the timeout by hitting a 3-pointer, pushing the lead to 12-3, but the Bearcats quickly netted 6 straight points, narrowing the gap to just one possession at 12:46.
A jumper by senior Max Jones answered the Bearcats’ run with a jumperto provide the Wildcats some margin at 14-9, as he became the inaugural Wildcat apart from Hawkins and McDaniel to score in the matchup.
Consecutive baskets from McDaniel and Hawkins increased the advantage to 18-11 before a layup and another 3-pointer from Mitchell narrowed UC’s deficit to 18-17. The Wildcats held a 22-18 lead prior to the Bearcats executing a 9-4 run that enabled them to seize their first lead courtesy of a 3-point shot by junior Dan Skillings Jr. at the 2:34 mark.
Following a timeout called by head coach Jerome Tang, Hawkins concluded a strong first half with a 3-pointer and a driving layup, allowing K-State to take a 31-29 advantage into the halftime interval.
UC shot 48 percent (12-of-25) from the field; however, 8 turnovers resulted in 11 points for K-State. The Wildcats managed only 36.7 percent (11-of-30) but converted 6-of-7 attempts from the free throw line. Hawkins topped all scorers with 12 points alongside 5 rebounds and 2 steals.
SECOND HALF
Cincinnati netted the first points of the second half to even the score at 31-all before McDaniel executed a personal 6-0 run that propelled K-State to a 37-31 advantage, prompting a timeout by Miller at the 16:37 mark. Skillings responded with another 3-pointer following the timeout, but back-to-back 3-pointers from juniors Brendan Hausen and C.J. Jones expanded the Wildcats’ lead to their largest margin at 43-34.
Two 3-pointers sparked Cincinnati during a 9-4 run that trimmed the deficit to 47-43 just before the third media timeout at the 11:46 mark. Nevertheless, a layup from N’Guessan and another 3-pointer from Hawkins extended K-State’s lead to 52-45 near the midpoint of the second stanza.
A 9-2 run by the Bearcats leveled the score at 56-all with 5:31 remaining before N’Guessan executed an old-fashioned 3-point play to put the Wildcats back in front at 59-56 during the final media timeout with less than 4 minutes left. The teams exchanged points over the subsequent possessions, as K-State called a full timeout with 1:05 remaining, leading 63-61.
Following the timeout, Max Jones drove down the lane and sank a turnaround jumper, extending the Wildcats’ lead to 65-61. After another basket from the Bearcats, a critical sequence transpired following a missed free throw attempt by Hawkins. After converting the first attempt, he fell short on the second, but Max Jones managed to tip the rebound to C.J. Jones, who secured the pass and was fouled. He converted both free throws, granting the Wildcats a 68-63 advantage with 18.7 seconds remaining.
C.J. Jones concluded the scoring with 2 additional free throws for a 70-65 lead with 7.6 seconds to go before the Bearcats netted the final basket on a tip-in with 1.1 seconds left.
K-State shot 52 percent (13-of-25) in the second half, as N’Guessan and C.J. Jones led a well-rounded offensive effort with 9 points apiece.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- K-State ended an 8-game losing streak against Cincinnati, with the Bearcats now holding a series lead of 8-2… This marks the Wildcats’ first victory since an 83-80 double-overtime win in the 1958 NCAA Tournament on March 14, 1958… It was also the Wildcats’ first win in 3 encounters in Manhattan, including the inaugural matchup at Bramlage Coliseum.
- K-State now holds a 57-55 all-time record in conference openers stretching back to the Missouri Valley Conference era in 1914, including 39-20 at home… The Wildcats are 13-16 in Big 12 openers, with a home record of 9-5 at Bramlage Coliseum.
- Head coach Jerome Tang boasts a current record of 3-0 in Big 12 openers.
- K-State is now 436-149 all-time at Bramlage Coliseum, with a league record of 175-119.
- K-State’s all-time record against Top 25 opponents stands at 134-297, including 9-5 against the AP No. 16 team.
- K-State is currently 51-73 against Top 25 teams at Bramlage Coliseum, featuring a record of 47-70 against ranked Big 12 foes.
- K-State deployed a starting lineup of junior Dug McDaniel, junior Brendan Hausen, senior Max Jones, senior Coleman Hawkins, and senior David N’Guessan for the second time, the first since the LSU game (11/14/24)… Hausen, M. Jones, Hawkins, and N’Guessan have all started the first 12 games.
- Hawkins now has 94 career starts (Illinois/K-State), M. Jones has 93 career starts (Tampa/Cal State Fullerton/K-State), N’Guessan has 51 career starts (all at K-State), and McDaniel has 54 career starts (Michigan/K-State).
- All of Hausen’s 12 career starts have occurred at K-State.
TEAM NOTES
- K-State scored its 70 points while shooting 43.6 percent (24-of-55), including 30 percent (6-of-20) from beyond the arc, and making 80 percent (16-of-20) from the free throw line.
- The 70 points represented the highest tally allowed by Cincinnati this season.
- K-State compelled Cincinnati into 15 turnovers, translating those into 15 points.
- Cincinnati enjoyed a 36-30 edge on the boards, with 10 offensive rebounds leading to a 10-8 advantage in second-chance points.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Three Wildcats reached double figures, including 20 points from senior Coleman Hawkins, 17 points from junior Dug McDaniel, and 13 points from senior David N’Guessan.
- Hawkins recorded his 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, with 3-of-5 from 3-point territory and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe, to accompany 10 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists in 36 minutes… This was his eighth career 20-point game and his initial one as a Wildcat… He has now achieved 51 career games scoring in double digits, including 6 at K-State… Hawkins also claimed his eighth career double-double, with his second at K-State.
- McDaniel accumulated his 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting, with 1-of-4 from 3-point territory and 2-of-3 from the free throw line, alongside 2 assists and 2 rebounds in 33 minutes… He now has 43 career double-digit scoring games, with 6 at K-State.
- N’Guessan netted his 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 3-of-5 free throws, along with 7 rebounds… This marks his 36 career double-digit scoring games, including his team-leading 11 this season.
How to follow the ‘Cats: For comprehensive details on K-State men’s basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and stay updated with the team’s social media platforms on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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