FROM KSTATESPORTS.COM - Senior Markquis Nowell's 4-point play with just over 5 minutes helped ignite an 8-0 run that lifted Kansas State to a 63-54 win over California on Friday evening before 3,607 fans at Haas Pavilion.
 
Nowell hit the 3-pointer from the corner right in front of the Wildcat bench before being knocked to the ground. He calmly hit the free throw to give K-State a 51-46 lead with 5:07 to play.
 
Nowell, who finished the night with 13 points to go along with a game-high 7 assists and 3 steals, followed his 4-point with a layup then had the steal and assist on the dunk by junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin that capped the 8-0 run and gave K-State (2-0) a 55-46 lead with 4:02 to play.
 
The Golden Bears (0-2) closed to within 55-50 after a 3-pointer from Devin Askew and a free throw by Joel Brown, but the Wildcats responded with 6 in a row, including a pair of free throws from sophomore Cam Carter to go along with a layup by senior Keyontae Johnson and a dunk by senior Tykei Greene, that pushed the lead back to double figures with just over a minute to play.
 
Nowell's clutch shot came with the momentum clearly on the side of the Golden Bears, who had used separate runs of 13-0 and 11-0 run to erase a 20-point deficit and cut the lead to 47-46 with 5:37 to play.
 
In addition to Nowell's spectacular night, Johnson had a near double-double with a team-high 16 points on 6-of-13 field goals to go with a game-high 9 rebounds and 2 steals in a team-high 33 minutes. He was joined in double figures by Tomlin, who added 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting to go with 2 rebounds and 2 blocks.
 
For the game, K-State connected on 36.8 percent (21-of-57), including 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from 3-point range, and hit on a season-high 88.9 percent (16-of-18) from the free throw line. They made just 33.3 percent (9-of-27) from the field in the second half, including 12.5 percent (1-of-8) from beyond the arc.
 
K-State's lull in the second half overshadowed a sensational start, in which, the Wildcats built as much as 17-point lead in the opening half behind swarming defense (15 forced turnovers) and efficient offense. The lead grew to 20 points (42-22) in the early moments of the second half.
 
Cal was able to shoot 40.4 percent (19-of-47) from the field, including 42.9 percent (12-of-28) in the second half, but the Golden Bears made just 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from beyond the arc and 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from the free throw line while being harassed into 22 turnovers.
 
Cal, which is coached by former K-State assistant Mark Fox, were led by a game-high 17 points the Texas transfer Devin Askew. Askew connected on 6-of-12 field goals, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, but turned the ball over 6 times. He joined in double figures by senior Kuany Kuany, who had added 13 points.
 
It was the first game in a home-and-home series signed between the two schools with the Golden Bears expected to visit Bramlage Coliseum during the 2024-25 season.