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David N’Guessan’s 22 points, including two free throws with 55.7 seconds left, including Kansas State took advantage of Arizona State missing two free throws at 4.1 for a 71-70 victory on Tuesday night in Tempe, Arizona.
Max Jones scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half, while Brendan Hausen added 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.
Coleman Hawkins contributed 11 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, while Dug McDaniel finished with seven points, nine assists, and eight rebounds.
With the win, the Wildcats extended their streak to four straight victories, marking the second time in the Jerome Tang era that they’ve won consecutive road games.
Another Road Game, Another Slow Start
This game could have easily swung in either direction.
Arizona State jumped out to a commanding 15-0 lead as K-State missed its first nine field goal attempts. Even after Max Jones finally got the Wildcats on the board nearly seven minutes in, a missed dunk and a turnover allowed the Sun Devils to extend their lead to 18-2.
However, K-State stormed back, outscoring Arizona State 33-14 over the final 10:53 of the first half to take an improbable 35-32 lead into the break.
"Just for the record, we did not want to start like that," Coach Jerome Tang said. "No, we didn't want a back-and-forth game. But our guys, man, they fought through it."
A big reason for the turnaround? The Wildcats attacked the paint—and one player took over.
N’Guessan’s Career Night
Even with the additions of Dug McDaniel and Coleman Hawkins, veteran forward David N’Guessan has been K-State’s most consistent presence.
He delivered his best performance of the season, scoring 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, grabbing eight rebounds, and sinking 83% of his free throws. His final two free throws gave the Wildcats a 71-67 lead with a minute to go.
But his biggest play might have been on defense.
With three seconds left, N’Guessan fouled Arizona State’s Jayden Quaintance as he attempted a dunk. A 51.6% free throw shooter, Quaintance missed both shots, sealing the K-State victory.
Winning the Margins
Kansas State didn't put together a complete game, but they found a way to win on the road—something they’ve struggled with in the past.
Like in their win over Iowa State, the Wildcats controlled key areas of the game.
They finished with 20 assists, outrebounded Arizona State 38-34, and dominated points in the paint, 30-16. Their defense and rebounding have continued to improve, helping them close out tight games.
"We won the points in the paint," Tang said. "And then we only turned it over 11 times, and we had 20 assists on 27 made buckets."
Pivotal Stretch Ahead
With the win, K-State improves to 11-11 overall and 5-6 in Big 12 play, taking another step in the right direction.
"I'm super proud of the whole team, and to play and win back-to-back road games, it's hard. It's hard, especially that second game," Tang said. "So I am fired up about Saturday."
The Wildcats now return home for a daunting two-game stretch against two of the Big 12’s best—Kansas and Arizona. First up: the rival Jayhawks, fresh off a win over Iowa State.
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. and can be heard live on Wildcat 91.9 FM.
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