MANHATTAN, Kan. – Fifth-year senior Mark Smith’s corner 3-pointer with 3:28 remaining sparked a 12-2 run by Kansas State to end the game, as the Wildcats earned their first Big 12 victory of the season in impressive fashion over No. 19/19 Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon before 5,971 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
The victory not only gave the Wildcats (9-7, 1-4 Big 12) their first win in conference play after 4 narrow defeats, it also snapped a 12-game losing streak in the month of January and a 5-game skid against Top 25 opponents. The team’s last win in the month came in a 61-53 victory over Oklahoma at home on Jan. 29, 2020, while it was the first against a ranked opponent since a 62-57 win over No. 7 Oklahoma at home on Feb. 23, 2021.
K-State has now posted at least one Top 25 win every season since 2006-07.
K-State forced Texas Tech, one of the nation’s hottest teams with back-to-back Top 10 wins over No. 6/7 Kansas and top-ranked Baylor, into one of its worst offensive performances of the season. The Wildcats held the Red Raiders to their second-fewest points of the season and 24 points under their scoring average on 39.6 percent (19-of-48) shooting, including 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from 3-point range. They were also forced into 18 turnovers.
It marked the 100th win under head coach Bruce Weber when holding an opponent below 60 points, improving to 100-10 (.909) in his tenure.