MANHATTAN, Kan. – A 13-rebound margin set Kansas State (9-4) ahead of the ULM Warhawks (3-11) in a tight 94-85 contest in Manhattan on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 28).
Lavell Brodnex led the team in the first half as the visitors picked up the lead, but in the bounce back from the hosts,
MJ Russell and
Krystian Lewis attempted to close the deficit.
Lewis led the team with 25 points on the day, shooting 12-of-13 from the free throw line. Brodnex also scored 20+ yet again with 21 points, shooting 8-11 from the field and pulled down eight boards. Russell concluded the double-digit scoring, collecting 17 points for his 13
th-consecutive game in double-figures.
While the Wildcats hit the first field goal of the contest, it was ULM that found the lead and held it for 11 of the first 20 minutes. The first four points for the Warhawks came from free throws, Lewis hitting 6-of-6 in the first half. Shooting 50% in the first half and holding Kansas State to 46% shooting and 66.7% free throw shooting allowed for the lead to remain in Warhawk hands. At the 11-minute mark, Abdi Bashir Jr. hit a three-pointer to tie the game, but ULM jumped back out with the lead thanks to Brodnex.
Taj Manning then hit another triple to find the host team's first lead since the first minute of the contest. With seven minutes left, Brodnex found the equalizer to keep ULM in the fight, the Wildcats finding and maintaining the lead at the five-minute mark. Kansas State expanded on the lead, going on a 25-12 run to close out the half for the 46-36 lead.
Kansas State carried its momentum from the first half, hitting a three-pointer to open the scoring in the second half and jumping out to a 20-point advantage. Halfway through the period,
Dylan Diaz and
Renars Sondors got in on the action, going on an 11-0 run to close the deficit to single digits. Another run for ULM had the visitors within two possessions, but P.J. Haggerty held the Wildcat lead. Kansas State was able to remain ahead, but the Warhawks kept it in single digits, 94-85.
The Warhawks will return to Monroe to open the new year, facing Southern Miss at 4 p.m. on January 1.
