BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The high-flying Kansas State offence was forced into a season-high 19 turnovers leading to 27 Indiana points, as the No. 25/24 Hoosiers remained unbeaten with an 86-69 win over the Wildcats on Tuesday night before 12,342 fans at Simon Skjodt assembly Hall.
The wildcats (5-2), whose offense entered the game averaging more than 90 points per game, were held to a season-low in both points and field goal percentage (42.1), while the nation’s leading scorer – junior P.J. Haggerty – finished with a season-low 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting and 6 turnovers. The reigning National Player of the Week saw his school-record streak of games scoring 20 or more points to open the season come to an end at 6 games.
Haggerty was joined in double figures by seniors C.J. Jones and Nate Johnson who finished the night with 15 and 13 points, respectively. Junior Elias Rapieque posted a season-high 9 points to go with 5 rebounds and 2 steals in 22 minutes.
The Hoosiers (6-0) were led by senior transfers reed Bailey and Tayton Conerway, who combined for 40 points. Bailey converted on 13 of 15 attempts from the free throw line to finish with a game-high 21 points, while Conerway had 19 points on 7-of-14 field goals.
K-State struggled from the opening tip, as Indiana jumped out to a 20-4 lead while holding the Wildcats to a 1-of-11 start from the field and 7 turnovers. A 10-0 run sparked by the play of Johnson, Jones and Rapieque enabled the Wildcats to climb back to within a possession on three different occasions. However, a pair of free throws by the hoosiers before the final media timeout ignited a 13-3 run to end the half that pushed the lead back out to 12 points.
Indiana’s momentum continued out of the halftime break, as the Hoosiers scored 10 of the first 12 points to go ahead 49-29 and forced a timeout by head coach Jerome Tang less than 4 minutes into the second half.Haggerty, who was held to 6 points in the first half, helped start a 13-4 run that pulled the Wildcats to within 67-57 with less than 9 minutes remaining.
However, a 3-point play by Conerway on the next possession ended any hopes of a further comeback, as the Hoosiers rattled off 10 of the next 12 points to push back ahead 77-59 with 5:39 to play. The home team extended the lead to as many as 23 points before the Wildcats closed the game with 3-pointers from sophomore David Castillo and Jones for the final margin.
In addition to the 27 points scored off turnovers,indiana also took advantage of a season-high 25 personal fouls by K-State,converting on 22 of 29 attempts from the free throw line. The Hoosiers shot 47.4 percent (27-of-57) from the field, including 57.7 percent (15-of-26) in the second half.
K-State hit on a season-low 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the field, including just 33.3 percent (8-of-24) in the first half. The Wildcats were better in the second half, shooting 48.5 percent (16-of-33) from the field, including 46.2 percent (6-of-13) from 3-point range.
The win continued the Hoosiers’ mastery of the Wildcats as they have now won 10 straight in the series, including all 5 matchups at famed Assembly Hall.
KEY PLAYER(S)
For an Indiana squad headlined by senior transfers **Tucker DeVri
times, and especially when they’re live ball turnovers, there’s no defense for that, right? When our defense is set, we’re pretty good, but we got to stop turning the ball over.”
FIRST HALF
Indiana got off to a swift 8-0 start before junior P.J. Haggerty scored K-State’s first points on a runner. Junior Dorin Buca knocked down a pair of free throws to pull the Wildcats to within 9-4, however, the Hoosiers responded with 11 straight points to take a 20-4 lead into the second media timeout with 11:33 to play.
The timeout seemed to spark K-State as a 3-pointer by senior Nate johnson started a 10-0 run that pulled the Wildcats to within 20-14 after a steal and dunk by junior Elias Rapieque. After 2 free throws by the Hoosiers, a Johnson jumper started a run of 6 straight points that got the squad to within a possession at 22-20. The visitors stayed within a possession before a 10-2 run put the home team up 36-26, forcing a timeout by head coach Jerome Tang with 2:22 before halftime.
Indiana finished the half with a free throw and a layup to go up 39-27 at the break. The Hoosiers outshot the Wildcats, 38.7 to 33.3 percent, while they made 5 more 3-point field goals (7-2). Johnson and Rapieque combined for 15 of the team’s 27 points.
SECOND HALF
Indiana enjoyed another remarkable start to a half, outscoring K-State, 10-2, to go ahead 49-29 and forcing Tang to call a timeout at the 16:45 mark. A jumper by senior C.J. Jones and a 3-pointer by junior Abdi Bashir Jr. got the Wildcats to within 51-34 before the first media timeout, however, the Hoosiers scored 8 of the next 13 to go back ahead by 20 points at 59-39.
The teams traded baskets over the next few possessions before consecutive Haggerty baskets helped start a 13-4 run that pulled K-State to within 67-57. Haggerty scored 8 points during the run, while Johnson added a 3-pointer and Jones a jumper. The run was short lived, as Indiana scored 10 of the next 12 points to go back ahead 77-59 with 5:39 to play.
From there, the Hoosiers led by as many as 23 points before a pair of 3-pointers from sophomore David Castillo and Jones provided the 86-69 final margin.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
* K-state (5-2) fell at No. 25/24 Indiana in it’s first true road game of the season.
* Indiana now leads the all-time series, 20-12, including a 12-4 mark in games played in Bloomington. The Hoosiers have now won 10 straight in the series, including 5 in a row at Assembly Hall.
* K-State is now 16-17 vs. Top 25 opponents under head coach Jerome Tang.
* K-State is now 193-64 in non-conference