STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Javon Small scored 18 points and Quion Williams recorded a double-double and Oklahoma State held on to beat Kansas State 75-72 on Saturday.

The Cowboys (10-12, 2-7 Big 12) have won two of their last three games and sent Kansas State (14-8, 4-5) to its fourth-straight loss. The Wildcats' last win came on Jan. 20 when they beat Oklahoma State at home 70-66.

Williams scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, reserve Jamyron Keller scored 12 points and Brandon Garrison and John-Michael Wright each scored 10 for the Oklahoma State.

Tylor Perry scored 19 points for Kansas State, Cam Carter scored 17, Alex Kaluma 14 and backup Will McNair Jr. 12.

Keller made 1 of 2 foul shots with 12.2 seconds left to provide the Cowboys with the game's final margin. Carter missed a 3-point attempt, and after recovering the long rebound, Perry gathered it in, drove to his left and put up a desperation 3 attempt that went right of the rim never touching the iron.

Oklahoma State never trailed in the second half.

After trailing for most of the first half, the Cowboys found a spark. Down 24-19 they proceeded to outscore Kansas State 12-3 over the final 6 1/2 minutes and led 29-27 at halftime.

The Wildcats host eighth-ranked Kansas on Monday. The Cowboys — losers of eight of nine — will enter the Big 12 gauntlet when they travel to face No. 4 Houston on Tuesday, heads to No. 23 Oklahoma on Feb. 10 and then hosts No. 22 BYU on Feb. 17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707007919725.png" alt="Photo KSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo KSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Javon Small scored 18 points and Quion Williams recorded a double-double and Oklahoma State held on to beat Kansas State 75-72 on Saturday.The Cowboys (10-12, 2-7 Big 12) have won two of their last three games and sent Kansas State (14-8, 4-5) to its fourth-straight loss. The Wildcats' last win came on Jan. 20 when they beat Oklahoma State at home 70-66.Williams scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, reserve Jamyron Keller scored 12 points and Brandon Garrison and John-Michael Wright each scored 10 for the Oklahoma State.Tylor Perry scored 19 points for Kansas State, Cam Carter scored 17, Alex Kaluma 14 and backup Will McNair Jr. 12.Keller made 1 of 2 foul shots with 12.2 seconds left to provide the Cowboys with the game's final margin. Carter missed a 3-point attempt, and after recovering the long rebound, Perry gathered it in, drove to his left and put up a desperation 3 attempt that went right of the rim never touching the iron.Oklahoma State never trailed in the second half.After trailing for most of the first half, the Cowboys found a spark. Down 24-19 they proceeded to outscore Kansas State 12-3 over the final 6 1/2 minutes and led 29-27 at halftime.The Wildcats host eighth-ranked Kansas on Monday. The Cowboys — losers of eight of nine — will enter the Big 12 gauntlet when they travel to face No. 4 Houston on Tuesday, heads to No. 23 Oklahoma on Feb. 10 and then hosts No. 22 BYU on Feb. 17.

Oklahoma State hands Kansas State 4th straight loss

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Oklahoma coach Porter Moser had seen enough of Kansas State's three leading scorers on film that he knew taking away any combination of them would probably mean good things for the Sooners on Tuesday night.

They couldn't stop Tylor Perry. But they completely shut down Cam Carter and Arthur Kaluma.

That defensive performance, combined with 23 points from Jalon Moore and 21 from Javian McCollum, helped No. 23 Oklahoma pull away from the Wildcats down the stretch for a 73-53 victory.

“Our guys got a lot of respect for their guys. We watched Kaluma and Carter and those guys, and I thought our guys did a good job on them,” said Moser, whose team allowed Perry to score 23, but never let Carter and Kaluma get going.

The Wildcats' two top scorers were a combined 3 of 20 from the field, 0 for 10 from the 3-point arc and had eight turnovers.

“I thought our guys really took the challenge on,” Moser said. “They knew how good those guys were.”

Sam Godwin added 11 points and Rivaldo Soares had 10 for Oklahoma (26-5, 4-4 Big 12), which actually blew most of a 17-point first-half lead before using a 12-1 run over the closing minutes to win its final scheduled trip to Bramlage Coliseum.

The Wildcats (14-7, 4-4) didn't score for more than 8 minutes to start the game and finished 16 of 53 from the field (30.2%) and 4 of 28 from the 3-point arc. They also turned the ball over 14 times while losing their third consecutive game.

“I'll have to go back and look at the film and see if there's something there,” Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “Even though we didn't score, I thought we were playing with good energy and got some good looks.”

Kansas State probably couldn't imagine a worse start than its last time out, when fourth-ranked Houston shut out the Wildcats for nearly 6 minutes to begin a 74-52 blowout. But the Sooners held them scoreless through two media timeouts before David N'Guessan finally made the second of two foul shots with 11:49 to go in the first half.

The Wildcats' first field goal didn't come until the 10:30 mark. By that point, Oklahoma had built a commanding lead.

“Players have to make plays, and make plays for each other,” Tang said. “We're not getting enough of that.”

The Sooners weren't great offensively, either. They led just 35-19 at the break. And their failure to capitalize on all of that cold Kansas State shooting nearly cost them as their lead dwindled to 51-44 with less than 8 minutes to go.

That's when the Sooners pulled down two offensive boards and Godwin got a bucket to go. Kansas State misfired at the other end, Oklahoma got another offensive rebound and Otega Oweh ended an 0-for-10 shooting slump with another basket.

The Sooners were off on the run that put the game away.

“We’ve got some hard workers,” Carter said after the loss, “and we’re going to bounce back.”

Oklahoma had lost four of its last six with only a single true road win at Cincinnati, so picking up a win at Kansas State should provide the Sooners with some much-needed momentum for the second half of the Big 12 schedule.

Kansas State was outscored 40-18 in the paint. That doesn't compute when the Wildcats also were so poor from the 3-point arc.

Oklahoma returns home to play Big 12 newcomer UCF on Saturday.

Kansas State heads to Oklahoma State on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706700930350.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Oklahoma coach Porter Moser had seen enough of Kansas State's three leading scorers on film that he knew taking away any combination of them would probably mean good things for the Sooners on Tuesday night.They couldn't stop Tylor Perry. But they completely shut down Cam Carter and Arthur Kaluma.That defensive performance, combined with 23 points from Jalon Moore and 21 from Javian McCollum, helped No. 23 Oklahoma pull away from the Wildcats down the stretch for a 73-53 victory.“Our guys got a lot of respect for their guys. We watched Kaluma and Carter and those guys, and I thought our guys did a good job on them,” said Moser, whose team allowed Perry to score 23, but never let Carter and Kaluma get going.The Wildcats' two top scorers were a combined 3 of 20 from the field, 0 for 10 from the 3-point arc and had eight turnovers.“I thought our guys really took the challenge on,” Moser said. “They knew how good those guys were.”Sam Godwin added 11 points and Rivaldo Soares had 10 for Oklahoma (26-5, 4-4 Big 12), which actually blew most of a 17-point first-half lead before using a 12-1 run over the closing minutes to win its final scheduled trip to Bramlage Coliseum.The Wildcats (14-7, 4-4) didn't score for more than 8 minutes to start the game and finished 16 of 53 from the field (30.2%) and 4 of 28 from the 3-point arc. They also turned the ball over 14 times while losing their third consecutive game.“I'll have to go back and look at the film and see if there's something there,” Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “Even though we didn't score, I thought we were playing with good energy and got some good looks.”Kansas State probably couldn't imagine a worse start than its last time out, when fourth-ranked Houston shut out the Wildcats for nearly 6 minutes to begin a 74-52 blowout. But the Sooners held them scoreless through two media timeouts before David N'Guessan finally made the second of two foul shots with 11:49 to go in the first half.The Wildcats' first field goal didn't come until the 10:30 mark. By that point, Oklahoma had built a commanding lead.“Players have to make plays, and make plays for each other,” Tang said. “We're not getting enough of that.”The Sooners weren't great offensively, either. They led just 35-19 at the break. And their failure to capitalize on all of that cold Kansas State shooting nearly cost them as their lead dwindled to 51-44 with less than 8 minutes to go.That's when the Sooners pulled down two offensive boards and Godwin got a bucket to go. Kansas State misfired at the other end, Oklahoma got another offensive rebound and Otega Oweh ended an 0-for-10 shooting slump with another basket.The Sooners were off on the run that put the game away.“We’ve got some hard workers,” Carter said after the loss, “and we’re going to bounce back.”BIG PICTUREOklahoma had lost four of its last six with only a single true road win at Cincinnati, so picking up a win at Kansas State should provide the Sooners with some much-needed momentum for the second half of the Big 12 schedule.Kansas State was outscored 40-18 in the paint. That doesn't compute when the Wildcats also were so poor from the 3-point arc.UP NEXTOklahoma returns home to play Big 12 newcomer UCF on Saturday.Kansas State heads to Oklahoma State on Saturday.

No. 23 Oklahoma pulls away from cold-shooting K-State

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson and K.J. Adams Jr. each scored 16 points to lead a balanced scoring attack and No. 8 Kansas defeated Oklahoma State 83-54 on Tuesday night.

All five Kansas starters scored in double figures.

“It was good not to have to stress as much,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “We played well. Offensively, we were able to move the ball. We got the shots we wanted and we shared it. Our shot distribution was good. Marko (Elmarko Jackson) saw a couple go down, so there were a lot of good things offensively.”

The Jayhawks, who played without all-America candidate Kevin McCullar Jr., cruised throughout the second half. Their lead never dipped below the halftime margin of 18 points.

“Obviously it was a tough night for us, but Kansas had a lot to do with it,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said. “We obviously didn’t play well enough to give ourselves much of a chance.

"They can hurt you a lot of ways. Today, we tried to make them beat us from 3-point range, but they showed us they were capable of beating us from 3 early. That makes it harder to put more attention on Hunter.”

Kansas (17-4, 5-3 Big 12) got 12 points from Dajuan Harris Jr., 11 from Johnny Furphy and 10 from Jackson. Dickinson had a double-double with 11 rebounds, and Harris had seven assists. Dickinson went over 2,000 points in his career, counting his first three years at Michigan.

Self was pleased with the aggressiveness of Harris, who had his second-most points of the season.

“We wanted Juan to shoot the ball,” he said. “I think he was more aggressive. I told Juan he needs to quit listening to me and he needs to quit listening to everybody else what they think he should be doing to play well. It’s ridiculous, including me.

"All he’s done is won a state high school championship, won a national championship. He wins every pickup game. I tell him, ‘Just play and trust your instincts. Quit trying to do what other people say you need to do.’ He needs to make sure his team wins. And that’s what he does.”

Oklahoma State (9-12, 1-7) was led by John-Michael Wright with 16 points. Brandon Garrison added 11 points after scoring the first seven points of the game for the Cowboys.

Kansas gradually pulled away in the first half, grabbing its first double-digit lead with 11:12 left in the first half on a jumper by Jackson. When Dickinson hit a foul-line jumper to cap a 12-0 run, the Jayhawks led 33-15. They led by as many as 21 points in the first half before taking a 44-26 lead into the locker room.

“I looked at it as an opportunity,” Jackson said of playing without McCullar. “We've got a motto here of ‘Next man up.’ You just have to be ready for your opportunity.”

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys, the youngest team in the Big 12 Conference, don't have the depth to compete in the upper tier of the conference at this point.

Kansas: The Jayhawks didn't miss leading scorer McCullar, who was out with an undisclosed injury.

Oklahoma State: Hosts Kansas State on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706700825546.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson and K.J. Adams Jr. each scored 16 points to lead a balanced scoring attack and No. 8 Kansas defeated Oklahoma State 83-54 on Tuesday night.All five Kansas starters scored in double figures.“It was good not to have to stress as much,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “We played well. Offensively, we were able to move the ball. We got the shots we wanted and we shared it. Our shot distribution was good. Marko (Elmarko Jackson) saw a couple go down, so there were a lot of good things offensively.”The Jayhawks, who played without all-America candidate Kevin McCullar Jr., cruised throughout the second half. Their lead never dipped below the halftime margin of 18 points.“Obviously it was a tough night for us, but Kansas had a lot to do with it,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said. “We obviously didn’t play well enough to give ourselves much of a chance."They can hurt you a lot of ways. Today, we tried to make them beat us from 3-point range, but they showed us they were capable of beating us from 3 early. That makes it harder to put more attention on Hunter.”Kansas (17-4, 5-3 Big 12) got 12 points from Dajuan Harris Jr., 11 from Johnny Furphy and 10 from Jackson. Dickinson had a double-double with 11 rebounds, and Harris had seven assists. Dickinson went over 2,000 points in his career, counting his first three years at Michigan.Self was pleased with the aggressiveness of Harris, who had his second-most points of the season.“We wanted Juan to shoot the ball,” he said. “I think he was more aggressive. I told Juan he needs to quit listening to me and he needs to quit listening to everybody else what they think he should be doing to play well. It’s ridiculous, including me."All he’s done is won a state high school championship, won a national championship. He wins every pickup game. I tell him, ‘Just play and trust your instincts. Quit trying to do what other people say you need to do.’ He needs to make sure his team wins. And that’s what he does.”Oklahoma State (9-12, 1-7) was led by John-Michael Wright with 16 points. Brandon Garrison added 11 points after scoring the first seven points of the game for the Cowboys.Kansas gradually pulled away in the first half, grabbing its first double-digit lead with 11:12 left in the first half on a jumper by Jackson. When Dickinson hit a foul-line jumper to cap a 12-0 run, the Jayhawks led 33-15. They led by as many as 21 points in the first half before taking a 44-26 lead into the locker room.“I looked at it as an opportunity,” Jackson said of playing without McCullar. “We've got a motto here of ‘Next man up.’ You just have to be ready for your opportunity.”THE TAKEAWAYOklahoma State: The Cowboys, the youngest team in the Big 12 Conference, don't have the depth to compete in the upper tier of the conference at this point.Kansas: The Jayhawks didn't miss leading scorer McCullar, who was out with an undisclosed injury.UP NEXTOklahoma State: Hosts Kansas State on Saturday.Kansas: Hosts No. 4 Houston on Saturday.

No. 8 Kansas easily defeats Oklahoma State 

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– A six-game home slate that features three games against teams new to the conference over the last two years highlights the 2024 football schedule that was announced Tuesday by K-State Athletics and the Big 12 Conference.

K-State opens the 2024 campaign on August 31 against UT Martin in the first ever meeting between the schools before the Wildcats travel to face Tulane on September 7. The game at Tulane marks the second-straight season the Wildcats will play a road non-conference game, their first time doing so since a three-year span in 2015 (UTSA), 2016 (Stanford) and 2017 (Vanderbilt). K-State is looking to avenge a 17-10 home loss to the Green Wave in 2022.

The Wildcats return home to close out non-conference play by hosting new Big 12 foe Arizona on either Friday, September 13 or Saturday, September 14 in the first game of a previously scheduled non-conference series that was announced in 2016. The exact date of that game will be determined later this spring. It will be the eighth meeting all-time between Arizona and K-State but the first in Manhattan. The teams have not met since a contest in Tucson in 1978.

For the 23rd&nbsp;time in the 29-year history of the Big 12, K-State will begin conference play away from home when the Wildcats travel to Provo, Utah, to take on BYU on September 21. The series with the Cougars is tied, 4-4, and the Wildcats will face BYU in the regular season for the first time since 1977. The teams last met in the 1997 (post 1996 season) Cotton Bowl.

The Wildcats follow the trip to Provo with a home game against Oklahoma State on September 28 before their first of two bye weeks during the 2024 campaign on October 5.

K-State will be road tested throughout October and the first part of November with three of its next four games on the road. The Wildcats begin the stretch at Colorado on October 12, their first trip to Boulder since 2010 when the Buffaloes were a member of the Big 12. K-State then travels to West Virginia on October 19, going back to Morgantown after not playing the Mountaineers during the 2023 season.

The 2024 edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown will take place in Manhattan on October 26 before the Wildcats travel to Houston on November 2.

Following its second bye week of the year on November 9, K-State hosts new Big 12 member Arizona State on November 16. Much like Arizona, it will be the seventh time the Wildcats and Sun Devils will meet on the gridiron but the first in Manhattan and the first in a regular-season game since 1989. K-State defeated ASU, 34-27, in the 2002 Holiday Bowl.

The Wildcats will celebrate their seniors on November 23 with a game against Cincinnati – the Bearcats’ first visit to Manhattan since 1996 – before closing out the regular season at Iowa State on November 30.

<a>The 2024 Big 12 Championship game will be held on December 7 at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.</a>

Kansas State will announce season-ticket options for the 2024 season in the near future.

<a>2024 K-STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (Dates Subject to Change)</a>

September 13&nbsp;or&nbsp;14-Arizona-Manhattan, Kan.

September 28-Oklahoma State-Manhattan, Kan.

October 19-at West Virginia-Morgantown, W.Va.

November 16-Arizona State-Manhattan, Kan.

Associate Athletics Director for Communications

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– A six-game home slate that features three games against teams new to the conference over the last two years highlights the 2024 football schedule that was announced Tuesday by K-State Athletics and the Big 12 Conference.K-State opens the 2024 campaign on August 31 against UT Martin in the first ever meeting between the schools before the Wildcats travel to face Tulane on September 7. The game at Tulane marks the second-straight season the Wildcats will play a road non-conference game, their first time doing so since a three-year span in 2015 (UTSA), 2016 (Stanford) and 2017 (Vanderbilt). K-State is looking to avenge a 17-10 home loss to the Green Wave in 2022.The Wildcats return home to close out non-conference play by hosting new Big 12 foe Arizona on either Friday, September 13 or Saturday, September 14 in the first game of a previously scheduled non-conference series that was announced in 2016. The exact date of that game will be determined later this spring. It will be the eighth meeting all-time between Arizona and K-State but the first in Manhattan. The teams have not met since a contest in Tucson in 1978.For the 23rd&nbsp;time in the 29-year history of the Big 12, K-State will begin conference play away from home when the Wildcats travel to Provo, Utah, to take on BYU on September 21. The series with the Cougars is tied, 4-4, and the Wildcats will face BYU in the regular season for the first time since 1977. The teams last met in the 1997 (post 1996 season) Cotton Bowl.The Wildcats follow the trip to Provo with a home game against Oklahoma State on September 28 before their first of two bye weeks during the 2024 campaign on October 5.K-State will be road tested throughout October and the first part of November with three of its next four games on the road. The Wildcats begin the stretch at Colorado on October 12, their first trip to Boulder since 2010 when the Buffaloes were a member of the Big 12. K-State then travels to West Virginia on October 19, going back to Morgantown after not playing the Mountaineers during the 2023 season.The 2024 edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown will take place in Manhattan on October 26 before the Wildcats travel to Houston on November 2.Following its second bye week of the year on November 9, K-State hosts new Big 12 member Arizona State on November 16. Much like Arizona, it will be the seventh time the Wildcats and Sun Devils will meet on the gridiron but the first in Manhattan and the first in a regular-season game since 1989. K-State defeated ASU, 34-27, in the 2002 Holiday Bowl.The Wildcats will celebrate their seniors on November 23 with a game against Cincinnati – the Bearcats’ first visit to Manhattan since 1996 – before closing out the regular season at Iowa State on November 30.<a>The 2024 Big 12 Championship game will be held on December 7 at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.</a>Kansas State will announce season-ticket options for the 2024 season in the near future.<a>2024 K-STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (Dates Subject to Change)</a>August 31 - UT Martin - Manhattan, Kan.September 7-at Tulane-New Orleans, La.September 13&nbsp;or&nbsp;14-Arizona-Manhattan, Kan.September 21-at BYU-Provo, UtahSeptember 28-Oklahoma State-Manhattan, Kan.October 12-at Colorado-Boulder, Colo.October 19-at West Virginia-Morgantown, W.Va.October 26-Kansas-Manhattan, Kan.November 2-at Houston-Houston, TexasNovember 16-Arizona State-Manhattan, Kan.November 23-Cincinnati-Manhattan, Kan.November 30-at Iowa State-Ames, Iowa– k-statesports.com –&nbsp;RYAN LACKEYAssociate Athletics Director for Communications

K-State, Big 12 Announce 2024 Football Schedule

BALTIMORE (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were at their magnificent best in the first half, and Kansas City's defense delivered another masterpiece against Lamar Jackson and Baltimore, helping the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years with a 17-10 victory in the AFC championship game Sunday.

Kelce caught 11 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, and now the big question at next month's Super Bowl in Las Vegas is whether his girlfriend Taylor Swift will be able to make it there in the middle of her tour. The pop star was on hand again Sunday, and the 34-year-old Kelce was at his best.

Kansas City (14-6) will face either San Francisco or Detroit on Feb. 11, and a win would make the Chiefs the first team to win it all in back-to-back seasons since the New England Patriots 19 years ago.

Swift's presence has turned the Chiefs into even more of a glamour team than they already were, but it's been more of a blue-collar performance on the field this season. Aside from Kelce, Mahomes hasn't had the receiving playmakers he's enjoyed in years past.

Instead, the defense has been a big part of why Kansas City won the AFC West and eventually prevailed in two straight road playoff games against Buffalo and Baltimore to win the conference.

The Chiefs led 17-7 at halftime, and Justin Tucker's 43-yard field goal with 2:34 to play was the only scoring of the second half.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706484917159.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were at their magnificent best in the first half, and Kansas City's defense delivered another masterpiece against Lamar Jackson and Baltimore, helping the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years with a 17-10 victory in the AFC championship game Sunday.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKansasCityChiefs%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0eWYWDnUALZR8xBpPCJq6gUZm9rDBMprgao3kty8fHkJnz6GvG6JbKjuWZhVHDwzJl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="590" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Kelce caught 11 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, and now the big question at next month's Super Bowl in Las Vegas is whether his girlfriend Taylor Swift will be able to make it there in the middle of her tour. The pop star was on hand again Sunday, and the 34-year-old Kelce was at his best.Kansas City (14-6) will face either San Francisco or Detroit on Feb. 11, and a win would make the Chiefs the first team to win it all in back-to-back seasons since the New England Patriots 19 years ago.Swift's presence has turned the Chiefs into even more of a glamour team than they already were, but it's been more of a blue-collar performance on the field this season. Aside from Kelce, Mahomes hasn't had the receiving playmakers he's enjoyed in years past.Instead, the defense has been a big part of why Kansas City won the AFC West and eventually prevailed in two straight road playoff games against Buffalo and Baltimore to win the conference.The Chiefs led 17-7 at halftime, and Justin Tucker's 43-yard field goal with 2:34 to play was the only scoring of the second half.

Mahomes, Kelce are headed to the Super Bowl after Chiefs shut down Ravens

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said Saturday that the program did not have anyone monitoring Kansas State's huddles during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-state-kansas-state-score-c98e018c63423bc5d79daa5f686d9aa9">78-67 victory</a>&nbsp;over the Wildcats on Wednesday night.

Otzelberger and Kansas State coach Jerome Tang had a pair of intense discussions during the Cyclones’ win, including during the handshake line after the game.

According to a story in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/big-12/kansas-state/article284703836.html">The Wichita Eagle</a>, Tang and his staff thought Iowa State had team managers or other representatives in the stands behind Kansas State’s bench with the intent of stealing signs. The story cited anonymous sources.

Reading from a prepared statement after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-state-kansas-score-75f1a29f02041fbdcc9aadd5f6600058">Saturday's 79-75 victory</a>&nbsp;over No. 7 Kansas, Otzelberger denied the accusations.

“Ludicrous rumors earlier this week that somehow we were trying to gain an advantage looking into our opponent’s huddles is an affront to our players, our fans and to me,” he said. "It’s not who I am. It’s not what our program is about. And I’m angry that someone would even make that suggestion.

“What is factual is one of their staff members cursed out one of our student managers who was mopping the floor under the basket. So, let’s put this to bed here and now. It didn’t happen. It won’t happen. And others need to be much more careful with their words moving forward.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706397301530.png" alt="Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger during the K-State game -photo courtesy Iowa State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger during the K-State game -photo courtesy Iowa State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said Saturday that the program did not have anyone monitoring Kansas State's huddles during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-state-kansas-state-score-c98e018c63423bc5d79daa5f686d9aa9">78-67 victory</a>&nbsp;over the Wildcats on Wednesday night.Otzelberger and Kansas State coach Jerome Tang had a pair of intense discussions during the Cyclones’ win, including during the handshake line after the game.According to a story in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/big-12/kansas-state/article284703836.html">The Wichita Eagle</a>, Tang and his staff thought Iowa State had team managers or other representatives in the stands behind Kansas State’s bench with the intent of stealing signs. The story cited anonymous sources.Reading from a prepared statement after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-state-kansas-score-75f1a29f02041fbdcc9aadd5f6600058">Saturday's 79-75 victory</a>&nbsp;over No. 7 Kansas, Otzelberger denied the accusations.“Ludicrous rumors earlier this week that somehow we were trying to gain an advantage looking into our opponent’s huddles is an affront to our players, our fans and to me,” he said. "It’s not who I am. It’s not what our program is about. And I’m angry that someone would even make that suggestion.“What is factual is one of their staff members cursed out one of our student managers who was mopping the floor under the basket. So, let’s put this to bed here and now. It didn’t happen. It won’t happen. And others need to be much more careful with their words moving forward.”

Iowa State coach: The program wasn't monitoring K-State's huddles

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Tre King had 21 points and nine rebounds, and No. 23 Iowa State knocked off No. 7 Kansas 79-75 on Saturday.

Iowa State (16-4, 5-2) improved to 13-0 at home this season while enhancing its status as a Big 12 contender. Keshon Gilbert scored 16 points for the Cyclones, and reserve Curtis Jones had 15 points.

All three contributed to a season-best performance from the 3-point line for the Cyclones, who went 14 for 30 from beyond the arc.

“Playing in that atmosphere, you think every shot you're taking is going in,” Iowa State guard Tamin Lipsey said. “Just how loud the fans are and the vibe in the whole arena is so good, you take all the shots with confidence.”

Lipsey finished with 10 points, including a 3-pointer and a layup that helped Iowa State seize control early in the second half. Jones' 3-pointer increased the Cyclones' advantage to 55-43 with 11:44 left.

“Honestly, it was just playing for each other,” King said. “Something we pride ourselves on is being a great unselfish team. Credit to each and every one of these guys for finding us in the spots where we were available.”

Hunter Dickinson led Kansas (16-4, 4-3) with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Kevin McCullar Jr. had 16 points on 5-for-18 shooting, and Johnny Furphy finished with 15.

“When you have a team that usually makes four 3s a game hit 14, it definitely makes it more challenging,” Dickinson said. “It makes it harder to try and stage a comeback.”

Kansas closed to 67-63 on a layup by Dickinson and a fast-break dunk by Furphy. But Iowa State held on.

Gilbert’s layup with 2:43 left lifted the Cyclones to a 74-65 lead. After the Jayhawks rallied again, Gilbert connected on a 3 to make it 77-72 with 41 seconds to go.

“We switched a lot,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “We should have been able to get to shooters better. But give them credit. A lot of it was, could we have done better? Yes. But a lot of it was they made shots they haven't been making.”

It was the only scheduled meeting this season for the longtime rivals, due to a shuffle of Big 12 membership. Saturday marked the 257th game between Iowa State and Kansas. The Jayhawks had won eight of the previous 10.

The Cyclones used their defense to slow down the Jayhawks. Kansas began the day as the Big 12 leader in shooting percentage, hitting 50.8% for the season. It got off to a slow start on Saturday and shot 45% (27 for 60) for the game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706396556594.png" alt="Photo University of Kansaas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo University of Kansaas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>AMES, Iowa (AP) — Tre King had 21 points and nine rebounds, and No. 23 Iowa State knocked off No. 7 Kansas 79-75 on Saturday.Iowa State (16-4, 5-2) improved to 13-0 at home this season while enhancing its status as a Big 12 contender. Keshon Gilbert scored 16 points for the Cyclones, and reserve Curtis Jones had 15 points.All three contributed to a season-best performance from the 3-point line for the Cyclones, who went 14 for 30 from beyond the arc.“Playing in that atmosphere, you think every shot you're taking is going in,” Iowa State guard Tamin Lipsey said. “Just how loud the fans are and the vibe in the whole arena is so good, you take all the shots with confidence.”Lipsey finished with 10 points, including a 3-pointer and a layup that helped Iowa State seize control early in the second half. Jones' 3-pointer increased the Cyclones' advantage to 55-43 with 11:44 left.“Honestly, it was just playing for each other,” King said. “Something we pride ourselves on is being a great unselfish team. Credit to each and every one of these guys for finding us in the spots where we were available.”Hunter Dickinson led Kansas (16-4, 4-3) with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Kevin McCullar Jr. had 16 points on 5-for-18 shooting, and Johnny Furphy finished with 15.“When you have a team that usually makes four 3s a game hit 14, it definitely makes it more challenging,” Dickinson said. “It makes it harder to try and stage a comeback.”Kansas closed to 67-63 on a layup by Dickinson and a fast-break dunk by Furphy. But Iowa State held on.Gilbert’s layup with 2:43 left lifted the Cyclones to a 74-65 lead. After the Jayhawks rallied again, Gilbert connected on a 3 to make it 77-72 with 41 seconds to go.“We switched a lot,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “We should have been able to get to shooters better. But give them credit. A lot of it was, could we have done better? Yes. But a lot of it was they made shots they haven't been making.”BIG PICTUREIt was the only scheduled meeting this season for the longtime rivals, due to a shuffle of Big 12 membership. Saturday marked the 257th game between Iowa State and Kansas. The Jayhawks had won eight of the previous 10.GETTING DEFENSIVEThe Cyclones used their defense to slow down the Jayhawks. Kansas began the day as the Big 12 leader in shooting percentage, hitting 50.8% for the season. It got off to a slow start on Saturday and shot 45% (27 for 60) for the game.UP NEXTKansas hosts Oklahoma State on Tuesday.Iowa State visits Baylor on Feb. 3.

Tre King helps Iowa State upset Kansas 

HOUSTON (AP) — Jamal Shead scored 17 points, J’Wan Roberts added 14 points and six rebounds and No. 4 Houston beat Kansas State 74-52 on Saturday to extend its winning streak to four games.

Roberts and Emanuel Sharp each scored nine points in the first half as Houston built a 41-21 halftime lead. Houston (18-2, 5-2 Big 12) shot 40% and was 7 of 21 on 3-pointers.

“Our Holy Trinity doesn’t change,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Defend, rebound and take care of the ball. Do those three things, and you have a chance to win.”

Damian Dunn had 13 points for the Cougars, who have won 17 straight home games. Houston forced 18 turnovers and converted them into 25 points and owned a 28-18 advantage in points in the paint.

“Consistency,” Sampson said of Houston’s defense. “I don’t know if our defensive effort was any better against Texas Tech or Central Florida. That’s the way we practice. That’s the standard I hold these kids to.”

Cam Carter scored 16 points and Arthur Kaluma and Dai Dai Ames each added 11 points for Kansas State (14-6, 4-3), which lost its second straight. The Wildcats also shot 40% and were 7 of 21 on 3-pointers.

“They may be the best defensive team I’ve ever seen,” Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “It’s just hard to find shots. They do a great job. They’re connected on that end.”

The Cougars jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the first 5 ½ minutes on a jumper by L.J. Cryer, but the Wildcats cut the lead to 13-7 on a 3-pointer by Tylor Perry with 12:45 left in the first half.

Houston responded by outscoring Kansas State 16-5 to open up a 29-12 lead on a 3-pointer by Cryer with 6 ½ minutes left in the half. The Wildcats closed within 32-21 with 2:45 remaining on a 3-pointer by Kaluma, but the Cougars finished the half with a 9-0 run to take a 20-point into halftime on a free throw by Jamal Shead.

Kansas State: The Wildcats missed a chance for another Quad 1 win, falling to 1-3 in Quad 1 games. … The 21 first-half points were a season low for points scored in a half.

Houston: The Cougars had a 38-28 advantage in rebounds and 15-7 in offensive boards. Houston turned that into a 15-7 edge in second chance points. … Houston shot 23 of 34 from the free-throw line.

For the second straight game, Tang was issued a technical foul late in the second half. He said umpire Gary Maxwell told Carter that if he wasn’t quiet, he would get him out of the game, and then, he proceeded to call “two tick tack fouls on him.”

“I got a tech for telling Gary that he’s the adult, and he needs to act like it because he was chirping with one of my players, and I’m always going to defend my guys,” Tang said. “If my guys are wrong, I’m going to correct them. What Gary Maxwell did and said to my player was not warranted, and all I told him was he was better than that as a person and he’s the adult, and I got a tech for that.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706388865677.png" alt="Photo KSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo KSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>HOUSTON (AP) — Jamal Shead scored 17 points, J’Wan Roberts added 14 points and six rebounds and No. 4 Houston beat Kansas State 74-52 on Saturday to extend its winning streak to four games.Roberts and Emanuel Sharp each scored nine points in the first half as Houston built a 41-21 halftime lead. Houston (18-2, 5-2 Big 12) shot 40% and was 7 of 21 on 3-pointers.“Our Holy Trinity doesn’t change,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Defend, rebound and take care of the ball. Do those three things, and you have a chance to win.”Damian Dunn had 13 points for the Cougars, who have won 17 straight home games. Houston forced 18 turnovers and converted them into 25 points and owned a 28-18 advantage in points in the paint.“Consistency,” Sampson said of Houston’s defense. “I don’t know if our defensive effort was any better against Texas Tech or Central Florida. That’s the way we practice. That’s the standard I hold these kids to.”Cam Carter scored 16 points and Arthur Kaluma and Dai Dai Ames each added 11 points for Kansas State (14-6, 4-3), which lost its second straight. The Wildcats also shot 40% and were 7 of 21 on 3-pointers.“They may be the best defensive team I’ve ever seen,” Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “It’s just hard to find shots. They do a great job. They’re connected on that end.”The Cougars jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the first 5 ½ minutes on a jumper by L.J. Cryer, but the Wildcats cut the lead to 13-7 on a 3-pointer by Tylor Perry with 12:45 left in the first half.Houston responded by outscoring Kansas State 16-5 to open up a 29-12 lead on a 3-pointer by Cryer with 6 ½ minutes left in the half. The Wildcats closed within 32-21 with 2:45 remaining on a 3-pointer by Kaluma, but the Cougars finished the half with a 9-0 run to take a 20-point into halftime on a free throw by Jamal Shead.BIG PICTUREKansas State: The Wildcats missed a chance for another Quad 1 win, falling to 1-3 in Quad 1 games. … The 21 first-half points were a season low for points scored in a half.Houston: The Cougars had a 38-28 advantage in rebounds and 15-7 in offensive boards. Houston turned that into a 15-7 edge in second chance points. … Houston shot 23 of 34 from the free-throw line.TANG TECHFor the second straight game, Tang was issued a technical foul late in the second half. He said umpire Gary Maxwell told Carter that if he wasn’t quiet, he would get him out of the game, and then, he proceeded to call “two tick tack fouls on him.”“I got a tech for telling Gary that he’s the adult, and he needs to act like it because he was chirping with one of my players, and I’m always going to defend my guys,” Tang said. “If my guys are wrong, I’m going to correct them. What Gary Maxwell did and said to my player was not warranted, and all I told him was he was better than that as a person and he’s the adult, and I got a tech for that.”UP NEXTKansas State: Hosts Oklahoma on Tuesday.Houston: Travels to Texas on Monday.___

Houston beats Kansas State its fourth straight victory

After winning a pair of thriller at Bethel College to open the week, the Kansas Wesleyan basketball teams will travel to Wichita tonight to square off with Friends

The first of these matchups will take place tonight at the Garvey Center, with the women's game set to begin at 5:00.

Women's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (10-9, 8-5), Friends (14-5, 11-2)

KWU and Friends are 3-3 in their last six games but the Coyotes won the previous six. The Falcons prevailed 84-61 on November 15 in Mabee Arena in the first game this season and leads the series 21-18 since February, 2006.

The Falcons entered the week having won five in a row. They defeated Oklahoma Wesleyan 78-50 last Wednesday in Bartlesville and downed Bethel 77-67 Saturday in Wichita. Friends was one game behind conference co-leaders Saint Mary and Tabor in the KCAC standings.

Rayland Garner scored 24 points and Taylor Jackson had 19 and 12 rebounds in the Falcons' victory over KWU on November 15 in Mabee Arena. The game was tied at 54 after three quarters before Friends pulled away the final 10 minutes.

Garner averages a team-best 17.6 points and grabs 7.3 rebounds per game. Jackson, the Falcons' post player, averages 13.8 points and 11.4 rebounds, which leads the KCAC and ranks sixth in the NAIA.

Men's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (14-5, 11-2), Friends (7-11, 4-9)

KWU has won four in a row and nine of the last 10 against Friends, including a 99-78 victory on November 15 this season. The Falcons last victory was in January, 2022 and they have a 23-18 advantage since January, 2006.

The Falcons won three in a row earlier this month but have lost their last two since then - at Oklahoma Wesleyan 92-61 last Wednesday and 62-43 to Bethel at home last Saturday - entering their game Wednesday at Evangel.

Drew Patterson scored 22 points, KJ Spiller 13 and the Falcons shot 51 percent in the loss to KWU in November. KWU led 44-39 at halftime before pulling away in the second half.

Friends averages 78 points and shoots 35.6 percent beyond the arc. Spiller averages 14.3 points, Patterson 9.5 and Al Emerllahu and Steele Chapman 8.7 each. Spiller also averages a team-best 5.4 rebounds. Opponents average 79 points and are shooting 45 percent.

Both games can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM locally or online at 910kina.com). Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will have the call with pregame coverage beginning at 4:30 PM.

After winning a pair of thriller at Bethel College to open the week, the Kansas Wesleyan basketball teams will travel to Wichita tonight to square off with FriendsThe first of these matchups will take place tonight at the Garvey Center, with the women's game set to begin at 5:00.Women's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (10-9, 8-5), Friends (14-5, 11-2)KWU and Friends are 3-3 in their last six games but the Coyotes won the previous six. The Falcons prevailed 84-61 on November 15 in Mabee Arena in the first game this season and leads the series 21-18 since February, 2006.The Falcons entered the week having won five in a row. They defeated Oklahoma Wesleyan 78-50 last Wednesday in Bartlesville and downed Bethel 77-67 Saturday in Wichita. Friends was one game behind conference co-leaders Saint Mary and Tabor in the KCAC standings.Rayland Garner scored 24 points and Taylor Jackson had 19 and 12 rebounds in the Falcons' victory over KWU on November 15 in Mabee Arena. The game was tied at 54 after three quarters before Friends pulled away the final 10 minutes.Garner averages a team-best 17.6 points and grabs 7.3 rebounds per game. Jackson, the Falcons' post player, averages 13.8 points and 11.4 rebounds, which leads the KCAC and ranks sixth in the NAIA.Men's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (14-5, 11-2), Friends (7-11, 4-9)KWU has won four in a row and nine of the last 10 against Friends, including a 99-78 victory on November 15 this season. The Falcons last victory was in January, 2022 and they have a 23-18 advantage since January, 2006.The Falcons won three in a row earlier this month but have lost their last two since then - at Oklahoma Wesleyan 92-61 last Wednesday and 62-43 to Bethel at home last Saturday - entering their game Wednesday at Evangel.Drew Patterson scored 22 points, KJ Spiller 13 and the Falcons shot 51 percent in the loss to KWU in November. KWU led 44-39 at halftime before pulling away in the second half.Friends averages 78 points and shoots 35.6 percent beyond the arc. Spiller averages 14.3 points, Patterson 9.5 and Al Emerllahu and Steele Chapman 8.7 each. Spiller also averages a team-best 5.4 rebounds. Opponents average 79 points and are shooting 45 percent.Live CoverageBoth games can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM locally or online at 910kina.com). Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will have the call with pregame coverage beginning at 4:30 PM.

Coyotes Return to the Road to Face Friends

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 19 points as No. 23 Iowa State survived a heated game against Kansas State 78-67 on Wednesday night.

Keshon Gilbert added 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Cyclones (15-4, 4-2 Big 12), who improved to 12-0 at home this season. Curtis Jones scored 18 points.

Arthur Kaluma led Kansas State (14-5, 4-2) with 16 points, as the Wildcats slipped from the top of the conference standings.

“Every game is going to be intense,” Jones said. “We've been preparing for that since June.”

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger and Kansas State coach Jerome Tang appeared to have a heated exchange during the second half and a prolonged discussion during the postgame handshake line.

“Nothing happened,” Tang said. “We talked about a situation that took place during the game. He (Otzelberger) said he would check into it. I told him thank you and went on.”

Kansas State erased a 14-point, second-half lead by the Cyclones, tying the score on five different occasions. But the Wildcats never went ahead.

“It's so important that you don't relinquish that lead,” Otzelberger said. “Your confidence (grows) as you're out in front or they don't get over that hump.”

Deadlocked at 61, Hason Ward put Iowa State back on top for good with a dunk at the 4:09 mark. A 3-pointer from Jones made it 66-61 with 2:47 remaining.

“That basket gave us a lot of confidence,” Otzelberger said. “The crowd exploded, and we had some margin at that point. So, it was really big.”

Tang was given a technical foul with two minutes remaining, after protesting a foul call.

Momcilovic converted three free throws following the technical and followed with a 3-pointer that pushed Iowa State's lead to 72-62.

“I wasn't trying to get a tech,” Tang said. “I didn't say anything. I just thought it was a bad call and waved my arm. With the intensity of that game and that moment, I would think that we would all be given a little grace.”

Kansas State was sluggish, committing turnovers on each of its first three possessions and missing four of its first five shots. The Wildcats shot just one of eight from 3-point range in the first half.

Play was choppy as the teams were called for a combined 47 fouls and missed a combined 20 free throws.

“It was tough, because of a lot of free throws, a lot of fouls, a lot of stoppage, fans yelling or whatever,” Momcilovic said. “It was tough to really get into a groove.”

Momcilovic hit three of six shots from behind the 3-point arc and made 6 of 8 free throws.

Iowa State, which had won nine of its previous 11 games, benefited from the return of leading scorer Tamin Lipsey, who missed a game with a shoulder injury. Lipsey was averaging 14.5 points per game. He finished with eight points on 2-for-10 shooting Wednesday.

Kansas State was not among the seven Big 12 teams ranked this week, despite being tied atop the conference standings.

Kansas State visits No. 4 Houston on Saturday.

Iowa State hosts No. 7 Kansas on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706181018323.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>AMES, Iowa (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 19 points as No. 23 Iowa State survived a heated game against Kansas State 78-67 on Wednesday night.Keshon Gilbert added 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Cyclones (15-4, 4-2 Big 12), who improved to 12-0 at home this season. Curtis Jones scored 18 points.Arthur Kaluma led Kansas State (14-5, 4-2) with 16 points, as the Wildcats slipped from the top of the conference standings.“Every game is going to be intense,” Jones said. “We've been preparing for that since June.”Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger and Kansas State coach Jerome Tang appeared to have a heated exchange during the second half and a prolonged discussion during the postgame handshake line.“Nothing happened,” Tang said. “We talked about a situation that took place during the game. He (Otzelberger) said he would check into it. I told him thank you and went on.”Otzelberger also declined to elaborate.Kansas State erased a 14-point, second-half lead by the Cyclones, tying the score on five different occasions. But the Wildcats never went ahead.“It's so important that you don't relinquish that lead,” Otzelberger said. “Your confidence (grows) as you're out in front or they don't get over that hump.”Deadlocked at 61, Hason Ward put Iowa State back on top for good with a dunk at the 4:09 mark. A 3-pointer from Jones made it 66-61 with 2:47 remaining.“That basket gave us a lot of confidence,” Otzelberger said. “The crowd exploded, and we had some margin at that point. So, it was really big.”Tang was given a technical foul with two minutes remaining, after protesting a foul call.Momcilovic converted three free throws following the technical and followed with a 3-pointer that pushed Iowa State's lead to 72-62.“I wasn't trying to get a tech,” Tang said. “I didn't say anything. I just thought it was a bad call and waved my arm. With the intensity of that game and that moment, I would think that we would all be given a little grace.”Kansas State was sluggish, committing turnovers on each of its first three possessions and missing four of its first five shots. The Wildcats shot just one of eight from 3-point range in the first half.Play was choppy as the teams were called for a combined 47 fouls and missed a combined 20 free throws.“It was tough, because of a lot of free throws, a lot of fouls, a lot of stoppage, fans yelling or whatever,” Momcilovic said. “It was tough to really get into a groove.”Momcilovic hit three of six shots from behind the 3-point arc and made 6 of 8 free throws.BIG PICTUREIowa State, which had won nine of its previous 11 games, benefited from the return of leading scorer Tamin Lipsey, who missed a game with a shoulder injury. Lipsey was averaging 14.5 points per game. He finished with eight points on 2-for-10 shooting Wednesday.Kansas State was not among the seven Big 12 teams ranked this week, despite being tied atop the conference standings.UP NEXTKansas State visits No. 4 Houston on Saturday.Iowa State hosts No. 7 Kansas on Saturday.

Momcilovic leads Iowa State over Kansas State 

Following a 2-2 week, the Kansas Wesleyan basketball teams will take to the road, where they will spend the next three games away from Mabee Arena.

The first of these matchups will take place tonight at Bethel College, with the women's game set to begin at 6:00.

Women's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (9-9, 7-5), Bethel (6-12, 6-6)

Men's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (13-5, 10-2), Bethel (8-9, 6-6)

Both games can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM locally or online at 910kina.com). Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will have the call with pregame coverage beginning at 5:30 PM.

Following a 2-2 week, the Kansas Wesleyan basketball teams will take to the road, where they will spend the next three games away from Mabee Arena.The first of these matchups will take place tonight at Bethel College, with the women's game set to begin at 6:00.Women's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (9-9, 7-5), Bethel (6-12, 6-6)<ul>
 <li>The Coyotes have won three straight and 12 of 14 against Bethel. They won 84-63 in Mabee Arena and 70-62 in North Newton last season. KWU has a whopping 31-5 advantage since December, 2005.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>The Threshers lost both of their games last week - 66-51 to Evangel Wednesday in Springfield, Mo. and 77-67 to Friends on Saturday in Wichita. Bethel has rebounded after losing its first five games of the season.</li><li>Freshman Kendall Locke is the leading scorer (14.2) and has surpassed 20 points in four of her last five games including 22 against Evangel and 21 against Friends. She also averages a team-high 5.1 rebounds. Junior Natalie Richards averages 11.7 points and freshman Madyson McKinzie 11.5.</li><li>Bethel averages 69 points and allows 76.6. Rebounding and turnovers have been issues: opponents average nearly eight rebounds a game more (7.7) than the Threshers and they are averaging 17.3 turnovers.</li>
 </ul>Men's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (13-5, 10-2), Bethel (8-9, 6-6)<ul>
 <li>The Coyotes have won the last two games against Bethel but are 5-5 with the Threshers in the last 10. KWU won 77-58 in Mabee Arena in November, 2022 and 79-62 last January. The Coyotes have a 22-13 edge since December, 2005.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>The Threshers defeated Friends 62-43 Saturday in Wichita, edning a two-game skid that came against Oklahoma Wesleyan and Evangel. They're 4-3 second semester and are 5-2 inside Thresher Gym this season.</li><li>Bethel features a balanced scoring attack led by senior guards Keyaun Hoskin (13.3) and Nick Bonner (13.1) and sophomore guard Carmelo Yakubu (12.5). Bonner has a team-best 35 made 3-pointers and Hoskin averages a team-high 5.9 rebounds.</li><li>Bethel averages 73 points and allows 73.6. The Threshers are shooting 43 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3-point range. Opponents are shooting 43 percent overall and 33 percent from long range.</li>
 </ul>Live CoverageBoth games can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM locally or online at 910kina.com). Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will have the call with pregame coverage beginning at 5:30 PM.

Coyotes Open Three-Game Road Stretch at Bethel College

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Johnny Furphy sent his parents back home to Australia with quite the lasting impression of their son in Allen Fieldhouse.

The freshman guard had career-highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds, hitting a key 3-pointer down the stretch, and helped No. 7 Kansas overcome a sluggish night from the rest of its starters in a 74-69 victory over Cincinnati on Monday night.

Kevin McCullar Jr. added 20 points despite struggling with his shot, KJ Adams Jr. had 11 points and Hunter Dickinson overcame some foul trouble to score 10 for the Jayhawks (16-3, 4-2), who bounced back nicely from a road loss at West Virginia.

“This was their first home game,” Furphy said of his parents, “so I was happy they could experience that. I've been telling them a lot about Allen Fieldhouse. I'm happy they got to see a win.”

The cold-shooting Bearcats (13-6, 2-4), wrapping up a stretch of six straight against ranked teams, got within 64-57 when Day Day Thomas ended their 6-plus minute field-goal drought with just over 2 1/2 minutes to play. But at the other end, Furphy hit his 3-pointer from the wing as the shot clock expired, and the Jayhawks were able to hang on from there.

“You had some good looks, some blown possessions, and you're still right there. That's the hard part to swallow,” said Cincinnati coach Will Wade, whose team had 16 turnovers and went 3 for 18 from the 3-point arc.

Dan Skillings Jr. led the Bearcats with 16 points. Leading scorer Viktor Lakhin was held to seven on 1-for-6 shooting.

The Bearcats and Jayhawks were meeting for the first time since a top-five showdown in 1996, and they were playing at Allen Fieldhouse for the first time since 1967, when Kansas exacted a bit of revenge for a home loss five years earlier.

Like so many teams unaccustomed to the Phog, Cincinnati was rattled in the opening minutes. Kansas sprinted out to a 12-point lead and Wade was forced to call timeout to keep the game from getting away from his Bearcats.

Cincinnati slowly drew even, though, and briefly took the lead before going to halftime 35-all.

“We have a resilient bunch,” Wade said. “We don't pout. We don't put our heads down.”

McCullar continued to struggle from the field, where he finished 5 for 17, and Dickinson had to sit long stretches after picking up his fourth foul with more than 10 minutes to go. But the Bearcats continued to be bitterly cold from the 3-point arc, where Simas Lukosius was 0 for 6 and nobody else was a whole lot better, and that prevented them from ever taking control.

That came back to haunt Cincinnati when the Jayhawks pulled away in the closing minutes.

“They got a goose egg other than Skillings shooting the ball from the arc, and those were all in the first half,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “We were probably lucky on some of them, but we did a decent job defensively, and that was a big part of the game.”

Kansas retired the No. 33 jersey of Bill “Skinny” Johnson during a halftime ceremony. He was an All-American in 1933 under coach Phog Allen, and led the Jayhawks to three consecutive conference titles. Johnson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977, three years before his death.

Kansas visits No. 23 Iowa State on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706008214708.png" alt="Kansas guard Johnny Furphy (10) dribbles towards the basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Cincinnati on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Lawrence, Kan. (Kansas Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas guard Johnny Furphy (10) dribbles towards the basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Cincinnati on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Lawrence, Kan. (Kansas Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Johnny Furphy sent his parents back home to Australia with quite the lasting impression of their son in Allen Fieldhouse.The freshman guard had career-highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds, hitting a key 3-pointer down the stretch, and helped No. 7 Kansas overcome a sluggish night from the rest of its starters in a 74-69 victory over Cincinnati on Monday night.Kevin McCullar Jr. added 20 points despite struggling with his shot, KJ Adams Jr. had 11 points and Hunter Dickinson overcame some foul trouble to score 10 for the Jayhawks (16-3, 4-2), who bounced back nicely from a road loss at West Virginia.“This was their first home game,” Furphy said of his parents, “so I was happy they could experience that. I've been telling them a lot about Allen Fieldhouse. I'm happy they got to see a win.”The cold-shooting Bearcats (13-6, 2-4), wrapping up a stretch of six straight against ranked teams, got within 64-57 when Day Day Thomas ended their 6-plus minute field-goal drought with just over 2 1/2 minutes to play. But at the other end, Furphy hit his 3-pointer from the wing as the shot clock expired, and the Jayhawks were able to hang on from there.“You had some good looks, some blown possessions, and you're still right there. That's the hard part to swallow,” said Cincinnati coach Will Wade, whose team had 16 turnovers and went 3 for 18 from the 3-point arc.Dan Skillings Jr. led the Bearcats with 16 points. Leading scorer Viktor Lakhin was held to seven on 1-for-6 shooting.The Bearcats and Jayhawks were meeting for the first time since a top-five showdown in 1996, and they were playing at Allen Fieldhouse for the first time since 1967, when Kansas exacted a bit of revenge for a home loss five years earlier.Like so many teams unaccustomed to the Phog, Cincinnati was rattled in the opening minutes. Kansas sprinted out to a 12-point lead and Wade was forced to call timeout to keep the game from getting away from his Bearcats.Cincinnati slowly drew even, though, and briefly took the lead before going to halftime 35-all.“We have a resilient bunch,” Wade said. “We don't pout. We don't put our heads down.”McCullar continued to struggle from the field, where he finished 5 for 17, and Dickinson had to sit long stretches after picking up his fourth foul with more than 10 minutes to go. But the Bearcats continued to be bitterly cold from the 3-point arc, where Simas Lukosius was 0 for 6 and nobody else was a whole lot better, and that prevented them from ever taking control.That came back to haunt Cincinnati when the Jayhawks pulled away in the closing minutes.“They got a goose egg other than Skillings shooting the ball from the arc, and those were all in the first half,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “We were probably lucky on some of them, but we did a decent job defensively, and that was a big part of the game.”JERSEY RETIREMENTKansas retired the No. 33 jersey of Bill “Skinny” Johnson during a halftime ceremony. He was an All-American in 1933 under coach Phog Allen, and led the Jayhawks to three consecutive conference titles. Johnson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977, three years before his death.UP NEXTCincinnati plays UCF on Saturday night.Kansas visits No. 23 Iowa State on Saturday.

Furphy has career-highs of 23 points as Kansas beats Cincinnati 

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

On Monday, the Salina Liberty announced that Sam Sellers, former long-time head football coach at Salina South, had been named as the team's new General Manager.

Sellers replaces a Liberty legend in Francis Flax, who oversaw the recent golden age of Salina football, including a CIF title in 2022, before retiring this offseason.

The new GM will be tasked with a big challenge, as the Liberty join the newly reformed Arena Football League, which will feature 16 teams spanning from Oregon to New York.

While big challenges undoubtedly lie ahead, Sellers is ready to meet those head-on, as Salina looks to take its championship-caliber brand of football to the biggest stage imaginable.

“Joining the AFL is such a big opportunity,” Sellers said. “It’s the highest level of indoor sports and there are some big-time people involved with this thing. The season opener will be played on NFL Network, there’s a lot of brand recognition, and there are a lot of great things that haven’t even been made public yet. What an unbelievable opportunity for the city of Salina to be able to showcase this town and show people what we’re about.”

While a GM role at this level would be attractive to anyone, Sellers is looking forward to remaining in a place that’s become synonymous with home over several decades of service on the gridiron.

“We took some time to step back and think about things but we love raising our family here in Salina,” he said. “I think the world of guys like Dan Mendicina and Coach Flax, and what really stuck out in our meeting was just how important this community is to our ownership group.”

The new move has also excited head coach Heron O’Neal, who will remain in control of football operations as the Liberty look to continue their winning ways.

“I am very excited that Sam has been hired as GM,” O’Neal said. “He is well-known in our community, and I think he will bring in different fans and sponsors with his background. Sam and I have already begun matching wits to produce a great product for Salina and the surrounding area, and with him in charge of the business and myself in charge of the football I know Liberty Nation is in great hands.”

While the stage the Liberty will play on has changed, the expectations have not, and Salina will look to pick up right where they left off when the season gets underway this spring.

“For the last four years, this team has been in the CIF championship game and they’re all about winning,” Sellers said. “Talking to Coach O’Neal that’s a huge thing for everyone in the organization. It’s a big jump but with a guy like that leading this team and with the guys he’s bringing in we’re excited for the opportunity and our goal is to play in the Arena Bowl and compete for a championship even in year one.”

Salina opens their 2024 campaign on Sunday, April 28th at home against the Southwest Kansas Storm.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostOn Monday, the Salina Liberty announced that Sam Sellers, former long-time head football coach at Salina South, had been named as the team's new General Manager.Sellers replaces a Liberty legend in Francis Flax, who oversaw the recent golden age of Salina football, including a CIF title in 2022, before retiring this offseason.The new GM will be tasked with a big challenge, as the Liberty join the newly reformed Arena Football League, which will feature 16 teams spanning from Oregon to New York.While big challenges undoubtedly lie ahead, Sellers is ready to meet those head-on, as Salina looks to take its championship-caliber brand of football to the biggest stage imaginable.“Joining the AFL is such a big opportunity,” Sellers said. “It’s the highest level of indoor sports and there are some big-time people involved with this thing. The season opener will be played on NFL Network, there’s a lot of brand recognition, and there are a lot of great things that haven’t even been made public yet. What an unbelievable opportunity for the city of Salina to be able to showcase this town and show people what we’re about.”While a GM role at this level would be attractive to anyone, Sellers is looking forward to remaining in a place that’s become synonymous with home over several decades of service on the gridiron.“We took some time to step back and think about things but we love raising our family here in Salina,” he said. “I think the world of guys like Dan Mendicina and Coach Flax, and what really stuck out in our meeting was just how important this community is to our ownership group.”The new move has also excited head coach Heron O’Neal, who will remain in control of football operations as the Liberty look to continue their winning ways.“I am very excited that Sam has been hired as GM,” O’Neal said. “He is well-known in our community, and I think he will bring in different fans and sponsors with his background. Sam and I have already begun matching wits to produce a great product for Salina and the surrounding area, and with him in charge of the business and myself in charge of the football I know Liberty Nation is in great hands.”While the stage the Liberty will play on has changed, the expectations have not, and Salina will look to pick up right where they left off when the season gets underway this spring.“For the last four years, this team has been in the CIF championship game and they’re all about winning,” Sellers said. “Talking to Coach O’Neal that’s a huge thing for everyone in the organization. It’s a big jump but with a guy like that leading this team and with the guys he’s bringing in we’re excited for the opportunity and our goal is to play in the Arena Bowl and compete for a championship even in year one.”Salina opens their 2024 campaign on Sunday, April 28th at home against the Southwest Kansas Storm.

Sellers, O'Neal to Usher in New Era of Liberty Football

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Travis Kelce caught two touchdown passes from Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs advanced to their sixth straight AFC championship game with a 27-24 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night.

Isiah Pacheco scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 4-yard run 40 seconds into the fourth quarter in a game the teams traded leads five times. The Chiefs then clinched the win by running out the clock after Buffalo’s Tyler Bass was wide right on a 44-yard field goal attempt with 1:43 remaining.

The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (13-6) move on to Baltimore to face Lamar Jackson and the conference’s top-seeded Ravens, who beat Houston 34-10 on Saturday.

“There’s no weakness there,” Mahomes said of the Ravens. "It’s going to take our best effort. Defense, offense, special teams, they do it all. It’s always a great challenge and that stadium’s going to be rocking, so we’re excited for the challenge.”

Kansas City is 0-1 in the playoffs against the Ravens, following a 30-7 loss in the 2010 wild-card round. Baltimore defeated Kansas City 36-35 in their most recent regular-season matchup in Week 2 of the 2021 season.

Kansas City has never lost in the divisional round since Mahomes took over as starter in 2018, and the Chiefs have now won five consecutive playoff games since a 27-24 overtime loss to Cincinnati in the AFC championship game during the 2021 season.

Mahomes, a two-time NFL MVP, can also check off another first on his record by winning his first road start in the playoffs — not counting Super Bowls — and improving his postseason mark to 13-3.

“First of all, this is a great environment, man," Mahomes said of Buffalo. “It really is. We did hear it all week, man, about playing a road game, and we’re here to prove a point and show that we can play anywhere.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705892120097.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Travis Kelce caught two touchdown passes from Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs advanced to their sixth straight AFC championship game with a 27-24 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night.Isiah Pacheco scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 4-yard run 40 seconds into the fourth quarter in a game the teams traded leads five times. The Chiefs then clinched the win by running out the clock after Buffalo’s Tyler Bass was wide right on a 44-yard field goal attempt with 1:43 remaining.The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (13-6) move on to Baltimore to face Lamar Jackson and the conference’s top-seeded Ravens, who beat Houston 34-10 on Saturday.“There’s no weakness there,” Mahomes said of the Ravens. "It’s going to take our best effort. Defense, offense, special teams, they do it all. It’s always a great challenge and that stadium’s going to be rocking, so we’re excited for the challenge.”Kansas City is 0-1 in the playoffs against the Ravens, following a 30-7 loss in the 2010 wild-card round. Baltimore defeated Kansas City 36-35 in their most recent regular-season matchup in Week 2 of the 2021 season.Kansas City has never lost in the divisional round since Mahomes took over as starter in 2018, and the Chiefs have now won five consecutive playoff games since a 27-24 overtime loss to Cincinnati in the AFC championship game during the 2021 season.Mahomes, a two-time NFL MVP, can also check off another first on his record by winning his first road start in the playoffs — not counting Super Bowls — and improving his postseason mark to 13-3.“First of all, this is a great environment, man," Mahomes said of Buffalo. “It really is. We did hear it all week, man, about playing a road game, and we’re here to prove a point and show that we can play anywhere.”The Bills (12-7) had their third consecutive postseason end in the divisional round, following losses to Cincinnati last year and the Chiefs in 2021. And the Chiefs ended Buffalo’s season for the third time in four years, including a 38-24 decision at Kansas City in the 2020 season AFC championship game.It was another disappointing finish for a Bills team that won its fourth consecutive AFC East title, and was on a six-game roll since a 20-17 win at Kansas City on Dec. 10.___