FROM KSTATESPORTS.COM - A 9-0 run to end the first half fueled a huge second-half effort by No. 11/11 Kansas State, as the Wildcats completed their home schedule with an 85-69 win over Oklahoma on Wednesday night before a sold-out crowd of 11,000 at Bramlage Coliseum.
 
With the win, K-State (23-7, 11-6 Big 12) ran its winning streak to 4 games, while ending its home season with 4 consecutive victories to finish with a near perfect 15-1 record at Bramlage Coliseum. The 15 wins are the second-most all-time in the arena's history and the most since winning 16 in 2012-13.
 
It was an impressive offensive performance for the Wildcats after a shaky start, in which, they started just 4-of-20 (20 percent) from the field while missing 10 of their first 11 field goals. However, the team was able to get their offense going towards the end of the first half, breaking a 25-all tie with 3:28 to play with 9 consecutive points to end the half to take a 34-25 lead into the break.
 
Riding the momentum, K-State opened the second half by scoring 14 of the first 18 points to expand its lead to 48-31 and force a timeout by Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser with near 16 minutes to play. A few minutes later, a 3-pointer by sophomore Cam Carter and a dunk by junior Nae'Qwan Tomlin gave the Wildcats their largest lead at 53-33. Although the Sooners were able to cut into the lead on a number of occasions, including 75-65 with just over 2 minutes to play, the home team was able to push out ahead and finish off the game.
 
All told, the Wildcats scored 72 points in the final 31 minutes on 70 percent (28-of-40) shooting after opening the game with just 13 points on 20 percent (4-of-20) shooting in the first 8 minutes of the game. The team scored 51 points in the second half on 70.4 percent (19-of-27) shooting, including 50 percent (4-of-8) from 3-point range. It marked the first time K-State has hit on 70 percent or better in a half since 2019.
 
It was an all-around team effort, as four Wildcats scored in double figures led by 19 points from Tomlin, while six players had at least 6 points and nine players scored in total. The team is now 12-1 this season when six or more players score at least 6 points. Tomlin scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half on 6-of-6 shooting while finishing a near perfect 8-of-9 from the field.
 
Senior Keyontae Johnson scored 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, to go with 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists in 35 minutes. Senior Desi Sills flirted with a triple-double in his final home game with 15 points, a game-high 9 rebounds and 8 assists. Senior Markquis Nowell collected his 15th career double-double, including his 10th at K-State and his seventh this season, with 11 points and game-high 10 assists.
 
For the game, the Wildcats connected on 53.3 percent (32-of-60) shooting, including 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from 3-point range, while hitting on 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from the free throw line. The team had 22 assists on 32 made field goals, while they had a season-high 24 fast-break points and 44 points in the paint.
 
K-State has now scored 80 or more points in 10 games, which is the most since posting 11 in 2017-18.
 
Oklahoma (14-16, 4-13 Big 12) was led by the freshmen tandem of Milos Uzan and Otega Oweh, who combined for 38 points on the night. Uzan led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, to go with 5 assists, while Oweh added 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Senior Jacob Groves had 11 points off the bench on 4-of-5 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
 
K-State snapped a 3-game losing streak to Oklahoma to even the season series.

K-State wraps up the regular season on Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats travel to Morgantown, W.Va., to take on a surging West Virginia squad (17-13, 6-11 Big 12) at 1 p.m., CT on Big 12 Now. The Wildcats won the first meeting, 82-76, in overtime, on New Year's Eve.